Question:
I'm going in for a gallbladder ultrasound - could this be something else

This has happened to me twice in the past 6 months. I will wake up in the middle of the night with the most severe Deep back pain. Like someone has socked me in the kidneys. I go to the bathroom, and even though I am still in a deep sleep I sit on the toilet crying in pain but I'm too tired to get up and too frighted to get up. I'm peeing and Pooping at the same time and I feel like something is seriously wrong. After about 1 hour, I can stand up again and I clean up and go back to bed. But I have awaken the next day and my back is still sore from the night before. Has anyone else ever had this happen? What could this be? I'm wondering if I don't have gallstones - don't most MO have them? Thanks, K    — K T. (posted on July 31, 2001)

July 31, 2001
I am still pre-op (5 more weeks) BUT, I had my gall bladder removed 6 weeks post-partum after my first son (7years ago) .... I had NO IDEA what the pains were from but they were horrible! THrough my back, my abdomen even in my chest. I was hospitalized twice while I was pregnant and in hindsite realized that I had been having gall bladder attacks. THe docs didn't know and just attributed it to muscle strain from the pregnancy because they were unable to do an ultrasound of the area because the baby was in the way to say the least! (almost 9lbs!)IN any case, the pain is horrible and it will make you go to the bathroom as you described .... It got so bad one morning and had moved into my chest ...I fell on the floor and my husband called 911 ....we both thought it was a heart attack ....luckily, the ER doctor had this happen to her post-partum so she knew right of way what to look for ....this of course is just my account ... I would get the ultrasound done a.s.ap. and if it happens again ... try deep breathing exercises, that seemed to help a little. ALSO, pay attention to what you are eating ....fatty and fried foods will often trigger an attack ...salad dressing was the worst! If I understand correctly, the gall bladder stores the acids you need to break down the food/fat in the stomach ....without the proper acids food will run right through you, hence, bathroom problems ... Hope they pinpoint it quickly :o). God bless.
   — Lisa R.

July 31, 2001
Everything you wanted to know about the Gallbladder: Biliary Pain The mildest and most common symptom of gallbladder disease is intermittent pain called biliary colic, which occurs either in the mid- or the upper-right portion of the upper abdomen. Large or fatty meals can precipitate the pain, but it usually occurs several hours after eating, often waking the patient during the night. Biliary colic produces a steady pain, which can be quite severe. Changes in position, over-the-counter pain relievers, and passage of gas do not relieve the symptoms. The patient may have a fever and experience nausea or vomiting. Biliary colic typically disappears after one to five hours. The chance of a recurring attack within a year is less than 50%. In one study, 30% of people who had had one or two attacks experienced no further biliary pain over the next ten years. Symptoms of Acute Cholecystitis Acute gallbladder inflammation (acute cholecystitis) causes symptoms that are similar to those of biliary colic but are more severe and serious. The pain begins abruptly. Severe pain and tenderness in the upper right abdomen are the most common complaints. The discomfort is intense and steady and can last for up to days. Infection is usually present, and about a third of patients have fever. Nausea and vomiting are more likely to occur with acute cholecystitis than with biliary colic. Patients with acute cholecystitis frequently complain of pain when drawing a breath. The pain can radiate from the abdomen to the back. Acute cholecystitis is usually caused by gallstones, but, in some cases, can occur without stones. Anyone who experiences an attack of acute cholecystitis should seek medical attention; it can progress to gangrene or perforation of the gallbladder if left untreated. Symptoms of Chronic Cholecystitis Chronic gallbladder disease (chronic cholecystitis) occurs because of the prolonged presence of gallstones and low-grade inflammation. Scarring causes the gallbladder to become stiff and thick. Symptoms of this condition tend to be vague. Complaints of gas, nausea, and abdominal discomfort after meals are common, but they occur just as often in people without gallbladder disease. Such symptoms, in fact, often remain even after treatments for gallbladder disease. Symptoms of Common Bile Duct Stones (Choledocholithiasis) and Cholangitis Stones lodged in the common bile duct (choledocholithiasis) can block the flow of bile and cause jaundice. When it causes inflammation in the bile duct the condition is known as cholangitis. It causes fever, chills, nausea and vomiting, and severe pain in the upper-right quadrant of the abdomen. Heartbeat may become rapid and the patient may experience a drop in blood pressure. Read more at: http://my.webmd.com/content/dmk/dmk_article_40038
   — Karen R.