Question:
Could it really be my gallbladder??

I have been having chest pain for over 3 weeks now. The pain is on the same side as my heart. I went and had my heart checked, it's fine. I've been reading that I need to have my gallbladder checked. Why does it hurt way up there if it's my gallbaldder, did it get moved during surgery. I am scheduled for a gallbaldder ultrasound on Friday. I just don't want to feel like a fool, because I'm the one that pushed my PCP into checking my gallbadder. Thank you for all of your help. Claudia    — claudia C. (posted on August 6, 2001)

August 6, 2001
I posted an answer similer that I too was having major chest pain and it felt like someone was stabbing me. It turned out to not to be heart and was most definately my gallbladder. The docotors office did an ekg and everything it wasn't until my psychologist suggested to check my gallbladder that they did. They checked it and it had to be removed right away. Hope this helps.
   — Jessica J.

August 6, 2001
I wouldn't leave it for chance Claudia... When my gall bladdar pains hit, they weren't "were they were supposed to be" and I've not even had my surgery so in theory my insides where were they where supposed to be. I have heard this surgery can cause gall stones if the gall bladdar isnt' removed as a part of the procedure. If you think something's wrong with your body, no one knows better than you and you should never second guess yourself.
   — Elizabeth D.

August 6, 2001
I hqve had this pain several times...the first time in my life i had it it turned out to be my gallbladder. Now when i have had it it turned out to be a hiatal hernia. They did all the heart tests and couldn't find anything wrong with that. Never feel foolish for pushing a dr to check something. There is never a stupid question, especially when it comes to YOUR body.
   — paula B.

August 6, 2001
Claudia, Don't feel like a fool! You have every right and every reason to have everything checked out for this, including your heart, gallbladder, or whatever. Believe me, I wish I had been more concerned. I went through the most horrendous *back* pain for six months, combined with constipation/diarrhea that I *thought* was unrelated. I was curled up on the bathroom floor crying at least once a week for months! I thought I kept getting food poisoning or that I wasn't getting enough fiber or whatever. I never asked my doc about it, and I've asked my doc about some pretty silly stuff! :) It turned out that it was my gallbladder all along. A month later, without my gallbladder, I was kicking myself for putting up with the pain for so long! Good Luck!
   — Maria K.

August 6, 2001
Hi Claudia, Don't feel like a fool. I experienced severe chest pains for 5 years. I had dual problems-I had GERD/Acid Reflux. They kept checking my GallBladder. I had 5 ultrasounds and they all came back negative so we were convinced it was just the reflux. I was miserable. Along with the chest pains I had the radiating pain in my back and in my shoulder blades.(no abdominal pain tho) After surgery in Aug. 2000 for acid reflux I continued to have chest & shoulder blade pain. Another ultrasound-negative. Finally the surgeon scheduled me for a Nuclear Scan. It showed the GallBladder wasn't functioning properly(not emptying)I was advised that even if they removed the GallBladder I still might have chest pain. Well, I had it removed on 4-11 with my WLS and I haven't had a chest pain since!!!!I told the surgeon I was going to hurt him(jokingly)if I woke in Recovery with Chest pain. It was very debilitating for me-I was bedridden anywhere from 3-7 days a week. Stay persistent until you are diagnosed with whatever. You know your body. Don't let them tell you that just because whatever may be negative that nothings going on. I will keep you in my prayers for a positive test result!! Best wishes
   — Linda M.

August 6, 2001
Don't feel silly. I got gallstones when I was pregnant and "attacks" are usually instigated when you eat something containing fat. I remember calling the ER in the middle of the night, convinced I was having a heart attack. Never felt anything more painful -- and that includes childbirth and having WLS...! I was on Tylenol-3 for the last few months of my pregnancy and then had my gallbladder removed after my daughter was born. It is a miserable, excruciating thing to have gallstones, if this is your problem. The ultrasound should be able to determine if that is what's wrong. I remember curling up on the floor and just screaming with the pain -- my attacks would sometimes last up to four hours. The pain was in my back, my chest, my arms, seemed to be everywhere and nothing alleviated it. Even Tylenol-3 only dulled it. Try to stay away from anything greasy until Friday, that should hold off attacks, if indeed that's what you have. (The surgery is not so bad to get rid of gallbladders, by the way. Mine was done on an outpatient basis.)
   — Beth B.