Can blood tests detect if there is problems with gallbladder or liver? - Gallbladder Message Board

miche31 · 12-11-2006, 08:39 PM

I've had upper center and right stomache pains now for 2 weeks. It's under my center chest and upper right rib. It comes and goes, and the worst being maybe a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10. I've had this off and on all my life, but never lasted this long. I've been told before it was irritable bowel, because my bowels are also obviously very affected when this happens, and they are this time as well. However; I have never been given any tests. Certain foods, pop, or medications will triger my spastic colon. 4 months ago I had an extensive blood work up, for other non related reasons. My liver tests were all normal. I had a chest x-ray one month ago because the Dr. thought I had pneumonia, it looked good and I only had bronchitis and was given z-pak.
When there is no pain, I can push up under my ribs very easily and does not hurt. When the pain is present, it hurts bad to push. My question is, should I get blood tests done again as a starting point, or go straight to an ultrasound? I have no insurance and am very broke, so if there is any blood work that would tell me I would rather do that, although I know the only way to detect for gallstones is the ultrasound, is there blood work to show if there is a problem? I figured if it was bad, I would have known by now since it has been two weeks, but I guess the nagging ache is driving me crazy. Thank you anyone!! Michelle

ladybug79 · 12-11-2006, 10:45 PM

I had my gallbladder removed a little over a year ago. There are blood test that can be done to test the function of your gallbladder. I also had no insurance and had that test done first, then I had a ultrasound also. If your pain is only a 5 you are lucky. I started getting the pain after my son was born in march of 2002 and the doctors told me to have my gallbladder removed then and I didn't have insurance and thought it would eventually be ok--I was very wrong! It just got way worse they pain was at least a 9 for me the night before I got mine removed. A word of advice -if the doctors tell you to have it removed, do it, don't put it off.

Lenin · 12-12-2006, 07:48 AM

Michelle,

Here's the test for Gall Bladder.
Tomorrow on an empty stomach, eat a couple fried eggs (lotsa grease) and a quarter pound of NOT crisp bacon or some greasy sausage with a piece of HEAVILY buttered toast.
IF your gall bladder is inflamed or full of stones you will get pain that comes in waves every 5 minutes or so and then eases up between bouts.

If you don't get pain from that breakfast your gall bladder is probably fine.

If this regimen causes pain, look into a gall bladder flush BEFORE you seek out a surgeon.

liz49 · 12-27-2006, 03:25 PM

Lenin--that is the meanest, yet probably most effective way to test for gallbladder problems I've ever heard. It made me sick to read it, since my GB removal I cannot eat eggs or bacon at all.
The only real gold standard for gall bladder problems is the actual removal and examination of the gallbladder, but there are endoscopic tests that can pretty defintively prove GB disease. Also ultarsounds, but in many cases those won;t show up "sand" typ stones, or, as in my case, a necrotic GB. Your pain does sound very much like Gall bladder. My 21 year old daughter had hers out--recently a 16 year old neighbor girl had hers out too. So don't think you;re too young, I guess drs are seeing more and more younger people with problems. (I was 40 and had had 5 kids, so I was considered the "primo" candidate") Good Luck.