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Here's my problem I've been having problems after eating meals. I have bloating, pain like no other, sweating, vomiting and the pain in my belly can last into the next day. My sister thinks it's my Gallbladder. I just got off the phone with her she has to leave on business for a few day. Now I'm thinking of all these questions.
I made made an appointment to see my doctor. ( I go in next week) I would like from you guys is if you had yours removed what I might prepare for or maybe help me with a list of questions I should ask my doctor. I do plan on telling her that 5 of my 7 sister had their gallbladder removed and also my father. I had no idea they did. My family doesn't seem to share things like that. I'd call one of my other sister but they are at work or not at home.
Many many thanks in advance.

I have had my gallbladder removed and I can tell you that there are some "classic" symptoms, although I'm sure it's different with everyone. If I ate anything greasy or high fat, I would get an immense pain right below my sternum. It felt would extend all the way around my body into my back and felt like someone had a belt they were tightening. Yes, I thought I was having a heart attack. It's diagnosed easily with an ultrasound and for me, I was able to control the symptoms by watching what I ate, until the surgery.

I had laproscopic surgery (it was many years ago so the details are sketchy!). I think I was in the hospital for a couple of days and back at work within 10 days (give or take).

I didn't have a list of questions, I was in a lot of pain and he just asked me to explain the symptoms. They should know what to ask. At the time he told me it was likely an ulcer or my gallbladder based on what I said and the ultrasound confirmed the gallstones.

Good luck.

What foods were you eating when you had these problems?

I have my gallbladder but it is full of gallstones. If I eat a fatty meal, a gallstone may pass and have trouble. It feels horrible, like you want to die. You may pass out, feel nauseous and have a horrible pain in your upper right part of your belly. I also remember feeling gassy (and burping helped). But I'd also feel sore until the next day, as if the gall stone hurt my insides somehow.

Anyway, it may be gallstones which are totally manageable. It has been a couple years since I had an episode myself. And you don't necessarily need to have your gall bladder removed.

For dinner last night I made a salad I put the follow things on it. Tomato, cauliflower, bell peppers –red-yellow-green, balsamic , salt, pepper and small can of 98% ff chicken breast. (I forgot to take out fresh CB from the freezer) Not long after eating I had terrible cramps bloating and ugliness! I'm still feeling sickly now it's almost 2.

I'm doing WW pure points alone with my own low fat plan. I keep my fat down to 18 grams or less in a day.

My doctor thought I had gallbladder problems at one point. It turned out to be something else, but while we were waiting for test results he put me on a no fat/low protein diet.

If that many family members have had problems, that may very well be the culprit. I know that it usually shows up in families.

If you are in that much pain, I'd call your doctor back and see if they can squeeze you in earlier or maybe you should go to urgent care? There's no sense in being in pain any longer then necessary.

Elisa822 describes the upper right quadrant pain that is common with gallbladder. It comes after eating fatty, greasy food. Your symptoms may be something else. It's good you are having them checked out. If it is gallbladder, then they will probably remove it laporascopically and it will probably be a short hospital stay. I had mine out at the same time as other surgical procedures so my experience wasn't typical. However, two days later the hospital was giving me normal meals!

I would definitely try bumping up your appointment but I've only heard of gallbladder attacks/passing stones from eating a fatty meal. It could definitely be something else.

Also, where exactly is the pain you are feeling?

It kind of sounds like the pain that I had, I just had mine taken out a month ago and the pain was miserable. But because I had a lot of stones in there it wasn't just fatty foods that set me off, but also acidic foods, like lemonade and skittles oddly enough. I agree with the others though and you should push up the doctors appt. Also, the problems are genetic as well as environmental, from reading webmd, women are more likely to have problems and if you have family members that have had problems. This was the case for me since almost everyone on my moms side has had theirs out. Basically, though until you can get into the doctor stay away from fatty foods at all costs. That's the only way to make sure that you won't go through that pain and if you still experience it, then it may be something else. Some of the pain can radiate too in your back.

Oh if you have to have the surgery, it's no big deal, it was an outpatient procedure meaning that I was in and out of there the same day. You have to take it easy the first few days getting up, but after that you feel good as new. You can't lift though for two weeks, other than that you can go back to normal life.

My pain was right under my ribs it felt bloated and hard. I also had back pain. I've forced myself to eat a bananna so far so good I have a bit of tenderness but the pain is gone. I'm afraid to not eat. You know the whole starvation mode thing. I have some 99% FF chicken broth and I plan on cutting up some carrots and a ring of purple onion for flavor think that will be bland enough?

OMG!! Lemonade that is why I can not longer drink it!! That was one of my favorite drinks. It's been so long since I've drank I've forgotten about it.
Thanks Rhighlan86!!

I had gallstones and I knew I had them for about 15 yrs.My OB said to jsut watch my diet and i should be fine. FOr a while I was able to control it with diet. I thought I was fine. I had a major attack and ended up in the ER. They admitted me and I had my gallbladder removed a few days later. Little did I know that my gallbladder was diseased and rottening. It was actually brown and had a tear in it. THe dr said it was from letting it go so long. I really didnt have much pain and I would go months at a time with no problem at all. If I had an attack it was mild to what I heard others talking about...but it was still damaging the gallbladder. With my major attack I felt like someone was trying to rip my shoulder blade off. I also felt like a sword was stabbing me in the middle of my ribcage and coming out the other side..kinda from one armpit to the other.
PLease dont mess around with it!!! Eat low fat soft food if you cant get into your dr fast!! Good luck and let us know what you find out.

The dr also told me I fit the 4 F for gallbladder disease.
female . fat. fair skinned and forty. I was not forty when i first got them. I truly think I brought them on myself by improper dieting.

I had my gallbladder taken out about two years ago. It was a day surgery -- I was at the hospital at 9am and out by 2pm. By three days later, I was (slowly) up and walking around the block. I had only had two attacks, but they were rough! After the second attack, I went to the doctor. They did an ultrasound, and I was scheduled for surgery about 3 weeks later. In the meanwhile, I avoided fatty food like crazy ... and not just food that you think of as "high fat" but I tried to avoid anything with fat. That helped and I didn't have another attack.

Good luck!

Oh, I do remember that sword feeling...

Cauliflower and broccoli can also make gall bladder worse, for reasons that aren't clear.

It is not a big deal, in most cases, to have it removed these days. I was always afraid of the surgery, but it turned out to be nothing much. I had the laparoscopic method.

The only thing you'll miss will be the pain and nausea.

Jay

Thanks so much everyone! I can't get in any earlier so I'll watch what I eat. The salad I ate was pertty tipical the only "new" thing I added was the cauliflower. I never would have guessed!