I have been suffering with central upper abdo pain for approx 5 years, which comes on after a large or fatty meal. At first it happened a few times a year which has now got to 5-6 times a month. I am taking Omeprazole 10mg daily, which control the nausea, as that started to get out of control too.
During an 'attack' i will usually know when it's going to start, approx 3 hours after a meal, a dull pain in the centre upper abdo, which increases to it's peak within 4 hours. It's extremely painful, and radiates to my back, in the centre. It's a constant pain, there is no comfortable position, i tend to pace up and down when i get it. I also get nausea really bad with it. No antacid works, only painkillers. I have prescription painkillers now, which have helped me to cope with it temporarily.
I have had various tests, bloods, Endoscopy, ERCP, 2 X ultrasounds & an MRCP.
The results were, a thickened gallbladder wall, and a slightly increased amylase level. Otherwise all clear.
I am 25 and female, i would like to be going out for dinner and drinking till late! But this just wont let me. I live a life of very bland foods, mainly supernoodles! I only weigh 8st 5 and 2 years ago was 10st 10. I am usually on the slim side, but amazingly put a few stone on in a year. Now it's all gone again! To the point i can't afford to loose anymore.
I smoked cigs from 18yrs to 23yrs, and gave up to ease my symptoms, but it has made no difference!
I mentioned a HIDA to my consultant and he said they don't carry those out anymore... i'm at a loss really!?
Any suggestions? Would going to the ER when i have the pain help? It usually lasts all through the night without painkillers.
thanks for your reply, i see my consultant in a few months. He wont remove the gallbladder without good reason, and at the moment, he cannot see any stones.
Glad your sis in law got sorted. It's such a horrible thing to go through!
Ask again about the HIDA Scan. It's commonly used here in the States when the symptoms say gb but no stones show up on the ultrasound. It's the only way to test for function. If your ejection rate is low, which this test is to show, then you need it out. Good luck!
I will ask again for the HIDA scan, as after reading through the boards, it seems common practice in the states. We are always a bit behind in the UK!!
It's nice to know i'm not the only one! Seem to spend so much time thinking you are the only one going through it and maybe it's in my head. I have a good consultant so fingers crossed all works out!
Food for thought: If you do go to the ER next time you have a painful episode, perhaps they'll run a CT scan and then send you off to a gastroenterologist. That doctor could request your orginal test to compare.
I think a second opinion would be a good idea.
What I don't like tho is that your consultant won't take out the gallbladder even though it is totally effecting your quality of life.
Another thing you might want to do in the meantime is keep a food log. Write down everything you are eating so you can keep track of the foods that set off the pain.
Try tea after a meal.I was getting pain like that a couple of times.I am also taking nexium for it.The tea helps digest the food better.Try it and see.
Thanks Corricatt & John.
Will try tea next time, will try anything really!
My current consultant is my second opinion, i was originally being seen on the NHS, and am now paying private. I don't think he's sure that it's my gallbladder causing the problem. Also, he said because i'm only 25, he see's it less likely. I may even get a third opinion if this ends up going nowhere!
I had a bad weekend, ill both Saturday and Sunday evening. I will start keeping a log. I know many of the foods i need to stay away from, but there are still triggers or i wouldn't be getting ill anymore!
Thanks for the replies. Very much appreciated. Will keep you posted!
I tried a cup of tea, seemed to have an effect! It eased the pressure in the upper abdo quite quickly. I still haven't tried it with a full blown 'attack' though.
I have a new symptom, which i have linked in, r/h/s upper back pain under the shoulder blade, almost constant. It could easily be a pulled muscle. It's been there for a few days now.
Anyhow, i am off to see the consultant on thurday, and will update you from there.
another update for any other upper abdo pain sufferers. I have now had a colonoscopy, which was to rule out Chron's. It was precaution really. That fleet phospho drink is the worst bit!
I am now getting booked in for my 3rd Ultrasound to see if anything has changed from my last.
Still no news on having a HIDA scan, just isn't being considered by my doc.
I have recently got engaged, and plan to marry next year, even the thought of eating at the wedding scares me. It's just the one day i don't want to be ill, and i don't want to have to eat different to everyone! So i've put my consultant on a time limit!
The back pain is another symptom of gb problems. This consultant really is clueless! I hope you find someone who will do a HIDA scan as it really seems to be the right thing to try.
I had my gall bladder out last year after having similar symptoms to what you describe rsbird, although I did have gall stones in my gall bladder at the time. The symptoms however were almost identical to what you're experiencing now so I'm surprised they haven't investigated the gallbladder more closely.
That said, have they also looked at your Bile ducts? It is definitely possible that stones can not only be in the gall bladder itself, but can also be expelled only to lodge in your ducts instead. A CT Scan of that area specificially can detect this.
I hope it all goes well for you though. I remember how horrible it was when my gall bladder gave me grief and wouldn't wish that pain on anyone.
thanks for your replies. I have had my 3rd ultrasound today, has been 12 months since the last, and the sonographer (i think thats the person!) said that the gallbladder is not looking very healthy, is small with a quite thick wall. There were 2 very tiny specs in there which he doesn't think are stones. However, the good news from it is, he thinks i should have the HIDA scan, so hopefully he'll put that in my report and my consultant will take some notice!
I may just be getting ahead of myself but i really have strong feeling that this pain is gallbladder related, especially with everyone's comments. Also, it is the only part of my body which has been tested to have anything wrong!
Still, back to checking the post everyday in hope for my next appointment! Will let you know how things go!
I'm 22 and I know how you feel been going through a similar thing.
I had that symptom along with a lot of others - maybe you have gastritis?(I have it- it is inflammation of the stomach lining due to excess acid production- should show up in colonoscopy- mine did in biospy taken during it) Any other symptoms? like nausea, dull ache in stomach, burping, hiccups? Does your stomach react to alcohol or any other foods?
I had a severe attack of something in 2002.... they had me in the hospital for 2 days on major pain meds... ran a hida scan... which was normal.
I continued to have issues... had an ultrasound, ct scan and another hida scan.... all normal.
Got a need GI doc... he looked at all the tests and said sometimes it is the gallbladder but it does not show up on the test. I had pain in the RUQ right under the ribcage... sometimes a stitch in the side, sometimes pain in the back opposite where the pain was in the ribcage. and sometimes in the right shoulder. Sometimes I had pain in a couple of prementioned spots at the same time when I was really having issues....
Anyway... the doc sent me to the surgeon ... long story short gallbladder out... doing much better.
Hang in there... maybe get a second opition?
crampster
hi! my colonoscopy results were all clear, so i think they ruled gastritis out, but the symptoms all match. I trust his judgement... at the moment!
Well, i waited just over 4 weeks to hear back from the consultant and i have a meeting with him tomorrow, to discuss the possibility of gallbladder removal. I have my fingers crossed, and hope this is the root of my problem.
Just wanted to say 'thanks' for all your replies, and i'll let you know how i get on, just in case this is helping anyone in the same situation. After all my research it can be hard to link biliary pain and no gallstones. So gallbladder removal is not always the cure!
I sympathise with anyone on the long journey to diagnosis!
x
Hi, sounds like your gall bladder/stomach doesnt like the fatty/large meal. I have suffered fromIBS for over 30 years and have found a miracle cure. Drink 2/3 times a day a glass water to which you add tbsp apple cider vinegar. From the first glassful my symptoms vanished. Try not to eat fatty meals, they are no good for you
Well, good news! I have an appointment with the surgeon next tuesday to fix a date to have my gallbladder removed. The consultant is confident it will stop my attacks....!
So thanks to all your suggestions! Fingers crossed.
Gall bladder symptoms DO occur after a fatty meal but more quickly than 3 hours...more like 45 minutes. THe pain is always colicy, i.e., coming in waves separated by a couple minutes of peace. Your pattern of late onset and then all night duration doesn't point to gall bladder problems...but more like something associated with the small intestine.
But I would nevertheless do a gall bladder flush with epsom salts, oil and lemon juice (commonly called the Hulda Clark method) because it MIGHT conceivably get to the root of the problem and there is no downside to flushing your liver and GB.
I have been reading your posts and your symptoms are all very similiar to mine. I have been diagnosed with celiac and gastistis.Apparently the gastritis should be healed by now according to the doc cos I have been on the diet religiously for 5 months. But I also have GERD.
I steer clear of all the foods I can't eat because of them both-ie no wheat/no gluten/acidic foods. This seemed to help for a while, but now I have gotten to the stage that everytime I eat anything that I am allowed to eat(ie that doesn't contain wheat, gluten or any other banned GERD foods) I feel sick and nauseas- more so if I eat anything with a little bit of fat in it for example salmon and lettuce made me very ill the other day (I do not eat excessively fatty foods cos apparently its bad for gastritis/GERD).
It really is getting in the way of life- I spend at least 40 mins of my day at work in the toilet. It is pretty disruptive so I totally sympathise with you all.
I hope you all work it out. In the mean time I am getting myself into a gastroenterologist - I am over it!
