Hurts like a heart attack - but can be self managed once diagnosed (Gall Stones)

Member Name: bucksfizz66

Product:	Gall Stones
Date:	09/06/09 (59 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Keeping gall stones can help you lose weight

Disadvantages: If you love your chips - you will have to cut down

I was diagnosed with gall stones a little over two years ago, I think I like most had lived with them relatively unknowingly, not long after my daughter was born I had my first gall stone attack, it was undiagnosed at the time.

Fours years later I suffered four attacks in quick succession, they would start with pains around my chest that grew to become unbearable like I was having a heart attack, the pain in my back was bad too, to the point that I couldn't bear to lie on it, on the last attack I was sick too. The pain had been so bad my partner had said we ought to go to A&E but I didn't want to (bizarre I know) In each case the pains lasted for about 4-5 hours and then disappeared without trace.

After the fourth one I went to the doctors fearing that I must have a chronically ill heart and that bad news was pending. I described the symptoms to him, he asked me if the symptoms came on at night - after thinking I answered yes, did i suffer with heatburn - yes, then I had to lie on the bed whilst he applied pressure round my abdomen asking it this and that hurt - I said yes.

Then he looked down at me and said I think you've got gall stones - I was abit surprised and relieved. I had to have an ultra sound scan at the local hospital and wait for the results to confirm this.

The Doctor explained that once your gall bladder had stones, if you have a heavy fatty meal, nearly always the evening meal (hence the evening pain) the gall bladder would try valianty to process the meal and would bash the stones about, the pain would last for as long as it took to process the meal, in extreme cases if the meal was too much to process it would induce sickness. I asked about the back pain - he explained that the gall bladder is attached to your back so when you lie on it this exacerbates the pain in your back (lying on your front helps). This all seemed to me logical and common sense.

He recommended whilst I waited for the scan and results to switch to a low fat diet - I did and never had a problem. The results confirmed I had stones (you don't get to find out the number or size) and at this point I expected surgery or laser treatment. Instead he said to me, you seem to be able to cope with managing it yourself why don't we carry on that way. I agreed.

I was prescribed co-codamels in case it happened again as mere painkillers don't have any effect, but in two years I have only ever had one mild dose. The option was left open that if it became problematic I could go back and review my options. However keeping the stones has enabled me to get my diet in check lose abit of weight and also reduce the heartburn.

Last year at work I told a colleague about it and he had been admitted previously with a suspected heart attack to A&E but nothing found - on hearing my symptoms he reverted back to his own doctor and he too was diagnosed with gall stones.

I found the advice I was given very useful and beneficial to share.

Summary: Extremely painful - but logical once explained