Gallbladder problems

danielleamyers

Is anyone else having gallbladder problems? My pain started out dull on Friday and I had a horrible night! As of Saturday early morning, I was feeling sharp pains that were severe enough I called and had my doctor paged at home on the 4th of july. I was so scared and almost went to the hospital. She said I shouldn't do that unless I was running fever. She said to go to a fruits and vegetable diet until it quit hurting. She also said to take tylonol for pain. Throughout the day, I had sharp pains, twice where I threw up from the pain. The Tylenol helped with the pain but as soon as the 3 hours are up its hurting the dull constant pain again. Laying down is the worst and all i want to do is sleep. Here it is Sunday and I'm in limbo on what to do! It still hurts and I would like to get it figured out before the work week starts or it gets worse! Has this happened to anyone? I would like to know what is going on with my body and how to help it quit hurting and get back to normal.

MoRay05

I would call your doctor again. They will give you the best advice.

dajonesfam

Hello I had gallbladder issues with my first pregnancy and it was very painful. I almost called 911 the pain was that bad. It feels like suffocating pain between the breast around the top of your abdomen. Gallbladder pain is when a stone is blocking the duct that the stone can't leave. Once the stone wedges out of that duct the pain stops. It was automatic relief! Felt sore for a day or to afterwards. Spicy foods and greasy foods triggered the pain due to the gallbladder trying to help digest. I would see your doctor sooner to confirm that this is what you have. Eat more of a bland diet for now. Unfortunately the pain will come unexpectedly. After I delivered I had an ultrasound that confirmed that I did have huge stones in my gallbladder and had surgery to remove the gallbladder. Pregnancy induced gallstones is common. Hope it helps. Good luck.

katiedhunter

I've actually told people Id rather do 25hrs of labor again before having another gallbladder attack. Sometimes eating beats helped me, also apple cider vinegar. Stick to a super fat free diet for now. And confirm that's what it is with your doctor. I ended up getting mine removed. Hope that helps. Good luck.

maura+c

I was not pregnant when I was hospitalized for gallbladder problems. I was having the exact same symptoms as you, vomiting, pain etc. They did end up removing it. I just want to send my deepest sympathies to you because it was horrible pain and being pregnant- I can only imagine it's 100 times worse!

If you feel like you did what your OB told you and would like to get answers before the work week starts; I would call again. Explain the symptoms are getting worse and see if they recommend you going to the ER. There they will check your gallbladder to see if it's functioning properly and if you have stones. Hopefully you get answers soon. Please feel better!

nursewho

My doctor told me the pain I'm experiencing could be my gallbladder. Can you explain the quality of your pain and what makes it better or worse? Does bending over or being hunched make it worse? These are the kinds of things in dealing with:-/ I hope you feel better! She's right that you should go to the ER with a fever and try to avoid fatty foods. Changing my diet has helped me quite a bit!

chadsfiance

I'm so sorry. I too have had mine removed. It wasn't b/c of stones, but rather a poorly functioning one. I had the same symptoms as you off and on for years and the ultrasound showed no stones. So, several months and sleepless nights later, they finally sent me for a HIDA scan, which tested how well it was working. Mine was only at 19%, and 27% is the lowest they like to see, so I had it removed. I can't imagine dealing with the symptoms while pregnant, and I'm so sorry you're going through that. I second the PP's comment on dietary changes - that may help.

Ceridwen77

@nursewho I do not personally have gallbladder issues but DH had his removed a few years ago. He definitely had much worse pain when bending over.

@chadsfiance is right - try asking your doc about the HIDA scan (after pregnancy most likely). That's what DH had to confirm his gallbladder needed to come out. No stones were present for him either.

nursewho

@Ceridwen77 thank you for that info! I'm pretty sure that's what's going on then. I ate a quesadilla from Taco Bell and thought I would die. Ugh! I guess I'll call my doctor back and discuss options. Does anyone know what they can/will do during pregnancy?

Ceridwen77

nursewho said:

@Ceridwen77 thank you for that info! I'm pretty sure that's what's going on then. I ate a quesadilla from Taco Bell and thought I would die. Ugh! I guess I'll call my doctor back and discuss options. Does anyone know what they can/will do during pregnancy?

Here's some good info. Apparently if you already had gallstones, pregnancy hormones can cause them to block the duct. Definitely check with your doctor!

Will gallbladder disease affect my baby?

Deposits or stones have no direct effect on your baby. However, your baby could be affected by the consequences of the disease. For instance, if you develop an infection, inflammation, or nausea and vomiting, these conditions can hinder your ability to nourish yourself and pass along adequate nutrition to your developing baby.

How is gallbladder disease treated during pregnancy?

In general, the goal of treatment during pregnancy is to reduce the symptoms and complications, and then treat the disease itself after pregnancy.

The first step in treating an inflamed gallbladder is to change your diet and eat fewer fatty foods. This means that the gallbladder will have to work less. For many women this step alone may be enough to relieve the symptoms. Regular exercise can also be helpful.

If your doctor prescribes a drug for a gallbladder problem and it doesn't provide adequate relief, he'll evaluate the effects of the disease and the risks of surgery. Given the risks, any surgery during pregnancy is generally avoided. But if the inflammation is severe, if there's an infection, or if the colic is acute, an operation may be necessary to prevent more serious complications.

If you need gallbladder surgery, it will probably be done laparoscopically. The surgeon makes two small abdominal incisions, inserting surgical instruments and a laparoscope. The laparoscope has a tiny camera that transmits a picture of the organs to a video monitor.

The gallbladder can then be removed without having to create a large incision. This means less pain and an easier recovery.

katiedhunter

Mine started during the end of my pregnancy but wasn't diagnosed with gallbladder problems till after my son was born. I was hospitalized 3 times for it. The pain can seriously be unbearable at points. It was finally diagnosed with a HIDA scan. They actually inject you with a radioactive substance so that they can see the productivity of your gallbladder. So not safe during pregnancy. Mine actually started causing problems with my liver, the beginning of an infection so I was rushed into surgery. The PP is right they usually do it laprascopicly, but mine was three incisions. Seriously cutting back on fat was what helped the most. I really hope that you don't have anymore attacks. And I will say that for me it's changed the way I have to eat. Even with it removed you can still experience pain sometimes. I can tell when my diet has been to fatty.

nursewho

@Ceridwen77 thank you so much for the info and for taking the time to look into it! That's incredibly helpful and I really appreciate it! I'll just have to continue to modify my diet for now and hopefully further treatment won't be necessary. I appreciate the support ladies! And I hope that those of you having issues with your gallbladder start feeling better and don't experience further complications!

Ceridwen77

Good luck @nursewho - keep us updated!!

nursewho

Thanks!