Anyone had symptoms like this? Gallstones?

snoopy24 · 11-15-2006, 07:51 PM

For the past two and a half weeks, I have been having a nagging pressure feeling below my ribs down to my waist, all the way across left to right, with occasional sharp pains on the right side. It feels almost like there’s an inflated balloon in there or something. It was intense and persistent for 3-4 days straight. During this time, I had no nausea, vomiting, or fever, and it seemed the problems were not related to what or when I ate. Bowel movements also seemed normal. The 5^th day I broke down and went to urgent care even though my symptoms seemed like they were starting to go away. The doctor did no tests, just suggested either flu bug or gallstones.

I felt better for about 2 days, then it started up again for another 3-4 days. I went to see my regular doctor a week ago today, and once again, the day of my appointment, my symptoms were subsiding. He didn’t really tell me anything, just asked me a ton of questions and then scheduled some tests. So this Friday I’m having a gall bladder ultrasound and an upper GI x-ray series. In the meantime I continue to have this awful pressure feeling. I feel the pain/pressure most when I’m sitting and feel better after I’ve laid down and slept for several hours.

On the assumption that it is my gall bladder, I’ve been eating a very low fat diet and the symptoms have not seemed as bad this past week, but they're still definitely there. I’ve also lost possibly 5-10 pounds in the past 2 weeks – I’m not sure if that’s just from the change in eating habits? It seems like a lot to lose so quickly. Also this past week, my stools have been soft and at times yellowy.

So, I guess to get to my actual question – has anyone had symptoms like this before had it turn out to really be gallbladder related? I really don't know if my symptoms are coming from a gallbladder issue – it is so unlike everything that everyone I know who’s had a gallbladder problem has experienced.

Any ideas what else it could be? I have to wait a week from today yet to see my doctor for followup on the x-rays and I’m really going crazy not knowing what’s going on with me and feeling like I’m falling apart.

happytoknow · 11-16-2006, 02:39 PM

I had gall bladder problems for years that went undiagnosed. I had cat scans, ultrasounds, x-rays, upper and lower GI scope (that was fun) and more blood taken than I can remember. And every time I was told they could find nothing. I knew there was something wrong with me, so I kept going from doctor to doctor and having test after test ran. Finally, I went back to my GP in my small hometown and told him what I had been through with all of the doctors and specialists and he listened and then had me lay on the table, pushed on my stomach in a certain spot which really hurt and said, "did they ever do a nuclear scan on your gall bladder?" I knew it had never been done, so I told him no. He said that what I had was a "sludge build up in my gallbladder. It can cause similar symptoms to gall stones and can be just as problematic if not treated, but it doesn't show up on the typical tests they run when the gall bladder is the suspected problem."

I'm not trying to worry you or anything, I just wanted you to know, just in case. When I gall bladder problems, I felt full under my right rib cage and usually an aching feeling in the area on. But the weird thing, it was like the pain went through my inside and out my back, because my back on the right side would ache too. It's hard for me to describe pain because I have such a high tolerance. By saying it was an ache, I'm in no way saying that it wasn't painful because it was. It just wasn't the worst pain I had ever felt before in my life.

I hope they find out what is going on with you quickly. Please keep us posted on how things go.

snoopy24 · 11-16-2006, 03:37 PM

Hey Amanda,

Thanks for sharing your experience. My situation is kinda similar - I have had some pain but like you said, it's not the worst pain I've ever felt or anything. Everyone else I know that has had gall bladder problems talks about how it was this excruciating pain, thought they were having a heart attack, etc. And usually, it came on very quickly whereas mine has been dragging on for 3 weeks.

Guess I'll have to wait a few more days and see what I find out.

The waiting is driving me insane!

beejcee · 11-16-2006, 11:12 PM

i never had a gall bladder attack or even gall stones. i did have constant nagging pain on my right side just above my waist. i first noticed it in january and had all kinds of tests that came up negative -- the pain continued until mid-April. i was in pain every day -- not acute, just nagging and i just felt sick.

i saw a surgeon and because i didn't "present" the typical symptoms, he wanted to wait. to make a long story short, my cousin who happened to be my regular doctor had to call the surgeon and tell him he wanted me to have the surgery, regardless of the test results. when they got in there, the gall bladder was full of gangreen (more like an appendicitis attack). as soon as it was out, the pain subsided.

good luck.... you might want to self-monitor how you feel after consuming fats.... just a suggestion!

catsnack · 11-17-2006, 02:52 PM

I had some similar pains about 6 months ago, and my did radiate behind my shoulder blade as well. I had the ultra sound done, which found nothing. My dr suggested it could also be an ulcer or acid reflux and put me on zantac. While I still get odd feelings once in a while, they're nowhere near as intense and radiating.

My mother suggested it might be a hearnia, and actually when I start feeling the pain, if I push in and move downwards at the spot right where your ribs meet in the front/ slightly up and under, the feeling seems to subside.

irisa · 11-19-2006, 05:37 AM

Your symptoms sounds a lot of how i felt when i started having problems with my gall bladder. At first it was pain, but nothing too bad. I also felt like my stomach would be very weird with certain foods. So they put me on a very restricted diet which helped at first but then the pain started to get worse each time until i got to the point where nothing would help. I went to the ER several times and even the painkillers they gave me would do nothing for the pain, It didn't stop hurting until i had surgery.
Hope you find out what is wrong soon and please keep us posted.

Allison. · 11-19-2006, 12:30 PM

It sounds like your gallbaldder. I always thought that if It was gallbladder pain I would have much more pain. It was just uncomfortable to sit up in a chair, my pain radiated to my back. I had a difficult time getting a diagnosis. While trying to get a diagnosis, they found a disc bulge in my lower back. (lucky me) I had only minor pain. I guess I have a very high tolerance for pain. I just know that it didn't feel right. I haven't had the gallbladder removed yet. My doctor ordered a HIDA scan (nuclear scan) it showed a lot of small stones and inflammation. He said that it has to come out in the next few months.
I have avoided any more attacks by staying away from fatty foods and anything spicy. I hope that you are better soon

snoopy24 · 11-20-2006, 02:00 PM

Thanks for the replies everyone. At least I know I'm not crazy if other people have experienced similar problems.

I have an appointment with the doctor on Wednesday to find out the results of the tests I had done (gall bladder ultrasound and upper GI). I'll check back in and let you know what I find out!

snoopy24 · 12-01-2006, 02:53 PM

Well, according to my doctor the gallbladder ultrasound showed that my gallbladder is normal functioning with no evidence of inflammation or gallstones.

The upper GI showed that I have GERD/acid reflux and the doc thought that was what was causing the pressure feeling. He gave me Aciphex to take (same as Nexium, Prilosec, etc.) I do believe I have this as I have had heartburn problems for years that I've been nursing along with OTC products.

I'm not convinced that's really where the pressure feeling is coming from though. It comes on at odd times that seem totally unrelated to what I've eaten. For example, after a week on the medication, I had been feeling good for a day and a half and then suddenly just like snapping your fingers, the pressure came back as bad as it had ever been, and all I'd eaten that morning was some oatmeal (no milk or anything with it) 4-5 hours earlier. It also seems to shift around sometimes, it can be up high under my ribs or more toward my belly button. It will sometimes just feel like I have an inflated balloon in there or something. And I still have sharp pain on my upper right side under my ribs, and sometimes sharp pain on the left side up high as well.

I have a follow up with the doc next Wednesday and will bring it up then but I'm really getting nervous there is something more wrong with me, and scared to have to go through more tests, etc.

In the meantime, I am having another problem that I don't know if I should consider is related or not. I keep getting numbness on my left side, mostly in my leg but when it's bad it will be in my arm as well. When I was in urgent care several weeks ago, after examining me they said they could pretty much rule out a brain or heart issue, and that it was probably just an irritated nerve somewhere. After that it did go away for a while, but it keeps coming back and right now it is particularly bad. It's hard to pinpoint because outwardly everything looks normal and I have normal muscular function of everything. It just feels numb and sometimes painful.

I just feel like my body is not right.