Hi I am new to this site but was reading through many of your posts and was hoping to get some insight on my problems. I have an appt. with my dr. tomorrow for problems that I believe are Gall Bladder related. My symptoms have gotten worse over a period of time since I had my son in January.

My symptoms are: Diarrhea w/ really horrible abdominal cramps (worsened about a month ago), fatigue, sudden outbreak of acne on my face (I have never had acne before, not even as a teen), hair loss, severe lower back pain on mostly my right side, heartburn like symptoms that are not helped with any amount of antacids, a pain in my chest and upper right arm that feels like what I would describe as a heart attack (it hurts to breath when this is happening), in the past week I have had severe pain in my upper stomach (where my ribs come together in the center), it’s a burning, sharp pain that causes nausea and chills, (I feel like if I could throw up I would feel better but I never actually throw up), sometimes I find it hard to breath…almost like an anxiety attack but it’s more like not being able to take a deep enough breath to catch my breath (does that make sense?), headaches, some loss of appetite (mostly because if I don’t eat, I wont hurt.).

I think that’s most of them. So what does everyone think?

Thanks,

Julie

Hi there. After having gall bladder disease, GERD, and IBS-D, I think your symptoms sound more like severe GERD, IBS, or possible ulcer given the fact that you've got referred pain to areas like you low back and right arm.

Gall bladder pain typically hits in the upper right abdominal quadrant under the ribs (to me it felt like when I was pregnant and my kids were pushing up under the rib cage); then pain/pressure can spread to the upper back between the shoulder blades. Nausea and diarrhea can happen with GB problems too.

However, if you're suffering pain right at the point where the ribs join and pain at the top part of your stomach, it just sounds more like GERD or an ulcer. However, I'm not a medical professional, only experienced in digestive disoders, so you'll probably find out what's going on at your doctor appointment.

Good luck and keep us posted,
Katie G

Ditto for what Katie G said!

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