Suspected gallbladder here is why..
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| Fri, 02-24-2006 - 6:35am |
I have the pain there maybe once a year, and in between I get upset stomach, bloating, nausea, indigestion, and yes when i have the horrific pains, any movement gets the pain going again. I was hoping they would check gallbladder, but according to the doctors since it doesn't go to the right, and mine is more middle, they won't check me out. Well I found this out today:
Typical symptoms of gallstones are of three types:
pain between the breast bone and the belly button (epigastric) pain or discomfort~~This is where I get my sever pain epsisodes from, mainly.~~~~
pain beneath the breastbone (substernal), which may seem like a heart attack~~I've had this one only once.~~
pain in the right upper quadrant, which may shoot to the right side of the back or up to the right shoulder
So do you all think I should demand the guy look at my gall bladder? I've never had the ultrasound to look for it before, or anything, any thoughts???
Jess

Hmm, very interesting. Can you give source of the info you posted?
I'd print it and take it for the doctor to read. I'd also let him know about how frustrating dealing with his nurse has for you. Maybe the doctor can help (form a better liason, or be alerted directly when you call) if he knows.
~K
~K
Hi Jess - I say bug the doctor. It's been my experience that they sometimes will order a test just to get rid of me!
Seriously - it does sound like it could possibly be GB - but I'm not a health care pro.
Prior to a major GB attack I would have attacks a few times a year. This went on at least 10 yrs prior to my big attack. I'd mention these episodes to doctors and they didn't seem to concerned so I didn't push it. Had I pushed things - perhaps a change in diet would have stopped things from progressing to the point where surgery was the only option.
My pains weren't really on my right side from what I recall - it was like a really tight wide band around me
Jess,
I don't know much more than you at this point about GB problems but I think you should absolutely ask the doctor to send you for an abdominal ultrasound and/or an abdominal CT scan to check your GB and everything else inside. You had an upper endoscopy didn't you?
there is a special test called the HIDA scan to check if your GB is working mayv=be you should do some research on that.
You have to be your own spokesman when you go to the specialist and demand that you get tested if you have any concerns. for example: I recently went to my Cardiologist for my 6 month echocardiogram/check-up ( I have a leaky mitral valve with regurgitation which will need to be repaired or replace via open heart surgery someday) and my 3 most recent echos showed very different results. After research I found that an echo is very subjective based on who does it and who reads it so I asked the Cardio for a more definitive test. He tried to talk me out of it but I am now scheduled for a cardiac MRI in May. so what does that tell you???
Be prepared with a list of symptoms and a list of questions and be strong!!!!
Good luck!
Sue
:)
Hey Jess,
Call the doctor and bug him.
yep i will definately bring it up, but I am not even close to feeling good, on top of fatigue, because I have been unable to sleep at night, I have also been waking up with a very sore mid back pain, and some really bad stomach aches and just everything under the sun. On top of that I am having menstrual cramps. I feel protonix has stopped working, i still take it only because I feel if I stop everything will get 10 times worse. Now, yesterday I did something i should have not done, and I get a stern look from my husband, because I remembered and I didn't. I made chilli, and totally forgot that the last time I had chilli, my husband said i got bad stomach aches from it, i had half of a bowl, oh that's another thing I yet to be able to fully eat all of my food on my plate, or compeltely finish breakfast, i've been having smaller proportions because I have been unable to finish anything, i used to be able to eat a full plate of food now I get full half way between, and don't feel hungry all night. Anyhow, back on track so yesterday i made some chilli, and 30 minutes later, i came down with full out bloating, and my stomach started hurting, I took tylenol, because it almost felt like menstrual cramps but it wasn't, the stomach pain lasted two hours before i had to take the belladonna that the nurse practitioner gave me. It took an hour for it to work. Then i had the poops, and this morning a little bit of diarrea, fun, fun, fun. I already have two pages of info to read to my doctor and March is not here yet!! so, i haven't been eating much and I am right back at square 1. I am ready to thrwo in the towel and say i quit, I am too young to be going through this, i wish I can come on here and say yes I am doing so much better, and everything is dandy, I wish i didn't have to come to this board, i wish I didn't have GERD period.
Jess
Oh Jess,
I know it's not fun when you don't feel well.
my gallbladder attacks usually came after eating a high fat or oil cooked foods.
i never had heartburn before and thought maybe i was having it for the first time. i even thought i was maybe having a heart attack. the pain felt like someone had stabbed me in my breastbone (area between low ribcage and top of stomach). i started throwing up, and that was the only comfort to me. it relieved the pain a little.
i went to the emergency room where they x-ray'd me and informed my i was having a gallbladder attack. they gave me a shot of pain med and gave me a form of bella donna, so they said, and mylanta. they said i should make an appointment to get my gallbladder removed.
needless to say, i dont like doctors. so i figured if i stayed away from fatty foods, i'd be ok. i kept having attacks ...about 1 every six months. after 2 years i had the big one. i had an attack one day, it went away and the next day i had another one. the ladder one i was in so much pain i couldnt stand it. i told my hubby...time to go to the hospital....when i got there i puked all over everyone. it seemed not to stop. i later learned i was puking bile (brown). this time they admitted me into the hospital. they told me i waited too long and now my liver (jaundice) and pancreas (pancreatis) were involved. this time the pain did not go away. they couldnt operate on me until my liver was better and my pancreas wasnt inflamed. i had to stay in the hospital for 5 days on pain meds. during this time they gave me an ultrasound and saw alot of stones.
when i was able to have surgery, they took it out..and now i feel as right as rain..
i have never felt pain like that before in my life and hope never to feel like that again
Thank you for sharing your story with us.