Gall bladder pain (my Dad)

[jcapulet]

My Dad had been in constant pain from his gall bladder...even had to go to the emergency room.

They did a cat scan, couldn't see anything. Then the did the radioactive injection (sorry, forgot what it's called) x-ray. After that, they said his gall bladder wasn't working anymore and that it would have to be removed. They scheduled him-several weeks later- to see a surgeon.

The surgeon yesterday said they want to do more tests first. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at the end of the month. They also said they wanted to do an upper body CAT scan at some point (?).

How many more tests, and why so many?! He will continue to be in pain for the next few months.

Ok, end of rant.

[Babs]

Re: Gall bladder pain (my Dad)

Sorry about your Dad going through this pain. You're not ranting one bit. I had to put up with gall bladder attacks for a long time as well, one reason being the ER doctor had told me to, "go home and learn to like yourself honey." just because the pain stopped before I got there on the 30 minute ride to the hospital. Then, after the sonagram, I was told they would call me if there was anything. So I waited and waited putting up with 6 weeks of excruciating daily attacks thinking there was not a problem with that. When I finally called and got an appointment with my doctor he said, "you mean you didn't know you have gall stones?" I told him his office help said she would call if there was anything wrong. He was shocked, but didin't say anything. And all that time, I was thinking, I'm really sure I like myself just fine. They scheduled me for surgery two weeks from then. I had the prep stuff done (chest x-ray, blood work) the day before and showed up on the surgery day. They "didn't have me scheduled" and said the surgeon had just left on a trip...and didn't give a cr*p. I think the surgeon had decided to go on a ski trip instead. So after a few more weeks, I had the surgery, woke up and was pain free.


I think the radio active injection is called gadalillium? It sounds like they are making sure that's what it is before they go in and operate on your dad. Mine was hard to see because I didn't have stones, but fine sludge that was settled on the bottom. They called the registered dietition in for me because I could not eat anything. She really didn't know what to do for me. Two things that helped the attacks was to not eat any fat at all. The only two things I could eat so I didn't have as many attacks was plain angel food cake and plain white rice (no salt, pepper, no butter on it, nothing). So I thought I'd mention that in case these two foods could help your dad while he waits, although I don't know if he has special dietary needs.

[jcapulet]

Re: Gall bladder pain (my Dad)

Hi Babs,

Thanks so much for sharing your story, it really helps!

Gosh the doctors in your area sound like a bunch of idiots, I can't believe they treated you so badly! What the ER doc told you sounds very unprofessional, maybe he has a miserable life and wants to make everyone else miserable. And the botched up surgery appointment... Well at least you finally got it done...I am glad that you are no longer having pain!

What exactly is the sludge? Is it what gall stones are formed from? I wonder if it's what my Dad has, after all the tests so far they can't see anything.

I've forwarded the fat-free food info to my Dad...he never says whether he's doing it or not. I hope he's eating low or non-fat foods rather than avoiding eating.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Gall bladder pain (my Dad)

most gall stones occur because the bile sat too long and the stuff crystalized out like when you make rock candy and have a supper staturation of sugar. Bile id made from cholesterol the LDL kind. chaff is the small first formed crystals if they sit long enough in bile they can grow larger.

Seeing the scan of the gall badder in action lets them know if A the duct is clogged or not as most gall bladder pain is caused by something blocking the neck of the sac and the digestive action of forcing the bile out under pressure is blocked. since they said his wasn't working that means the contracting of the gallbladder wasn't happening during this testing. they want to scan the upper body so they know what to expect when they get inside and how big realative to the rest of that area the gallbladder is and can they take it out laproscopically or will they need to open him up. Also since bile is produced in the liver and transported to the gallbladder for storage then need to see if any stones are lodged in the liver. it is complicated and unless he is having an immediate danger of rupture form a stone blocking it will not get ASAP surgery for it.
Does he have any meds for it?

[jcapulet]

Re: Gall bladder pain (my Dad)

Thank you so much for that info 2big...I've been trying to find information about it but couldn't find anything that helped! The last I heard is they did not give him any meds...what kind of medications are there- just for the pain, or to ease digestion?

EEP! I didn't know stones could move to the liver...I sure hope that's not the case. That makes more sense about the additional tests now. It's such a long process, I just wish it didn't take so long because he's in pain every day. It's awful the individual tests have to be 2 or 3 weeks apart.

most gall stones occur because the bile sat too long and the stuff crystalized out like when you make rock candy and have a supper staturation of sugar. Bile id made from cholesterol the LDL kind. chaff is the small first formed crystals if they sit long enough in bile they can grow larger.

Seeing the scan of the gall badder in action lets them know if A the duct is clogged or not as most gall bladder pain is caused by something blocking the neck of the sac and the digestive action of forcing the bile out under pressure is blocked. since they said his wasn't working that means the contracting of the gallbladder wasn't happening during this testing. they want to scan the upper body so they know what to expect when they get inside and how big realative to the rest of that area the gallbladder is and can they take it out laproscopically or will they need to open him up. Also since bile is produced in the liver and transported to the gallbladder for storage then need to see if any stones are lodged in the liver. it is complicated and unless he is having an immediate danger of rupture form a stone blocking it will not get ASAP surgery for it.
Does he have any meds for it?

[2big4mysize]

Re: Gall bladder pain (my Dad)

amount of pain is one criteria that they should be adressing in their schedule of treatment. keep calling his doc and discussing treatments for the awful pain he is in and get them to give him some pain meds for it and if they know the pain meds aren't working and/or are impacting his quality of life theymight bump him up some.

[boonie stomper]

Re: Gall bladder pain (my Dad)

Perhaps some of these sites can give your dad some helpful information in the meantime

http://www.lexisherbs.com/gall_symptoms.htm

http://www.bowen-therapy.info/gallstones.shtml

http://members.rediff.com/doctoronline/gall.html

http://www.beinghealthynaturally.com...lstonecure.htm

[http://www.aurorahealthcare.org/yourhealth/healthgate/getcontent.asp?URLhealthgate="21520.html"] (paste in browser)

[jcapulet]

Re: Gall bladder pain (my Dad)

amount of pain is one criteria that they should be adressing in their schedule of treatment. keep calling his doc and discussing treatments for the awful pain he is in and get them to give him some pain meds for it and if they know the pain meds aren't working and/or are impacting his quality of life theymight bump him up some.

My parents live an hour and a half away, so I can't do anything directly...I'll ask him though if the doc gave him anything for the pain. He said on a scale of 1 to 10 the pain is a 4...although once he had to go to the ER.

[jcapulet]

Re: Gall bladder pain (my Dad)

Perhaps some of these sites can give your dad some helpful information in the meantime

http://www.lexisherbs.com/gall_symptoms.htm

http://www.bowen-therapy.info/gallstones.shtml

http://members.rediff.com/doctoronline/gall.html

http://www.beinghealthynaturally.com...lstonecure.htm

[http://www.aurorahealthcare.org/yourhealth/healthgate/getcontent.asp?URLhealthgate="21520.html"] (paste in browser)

Thank you for the links Stomper! Those are very helpful links...going to send them to my Dad.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Gall bladder pain (my Dad)

just remember his isn't working, not clogged with stones so those flush things will not help him at asll and could actually increase his pain as his nonworking gallbadder would suddenly be stimulated in a huge way.

[jcapulet]

Re: Gall bladder pain (my Dad)

An update...he wrote me back and said his pain is not as bad because he is avoiding certain foods like the doc said to. Yay! He was in constant pain for 4 weeks, now it is less. Helps to know that, considering when the tests are scheduled.

[Babs]

Re: Gall bladder pain (my Dad)

Good to hear a diet is helping him, and I hope it doesn't return to severe pain. The sludge I had was like pottery clay slip and blocked like the stones, like 2big said. For me, they said there were no meds to help, other than strong pain meds, which they only gave me after they goofed my surgery date. That didn't stop the attacks though. Yeah, there are idiots here, LOL, but I have to give credit to the wonderful dedicated doctors and nurses I've had I know, like everything, there is good and bad--too bad the bad ones stand out though I ended up with a different surgeon who I would have surgery any day with. (LOL kidding, but he was wonderful in every way.) Although they didn't know until they operated, I was able to have the laproscopy (sp). I could have gone home that evening at 5, but I was ill from the anesteseia (sp), so spent the night. The only discomfort I had afterwards was in my right shoulder area. That was becasue they pumped me full of air, and then some air went there...that's what I was told anyway.

[jcapulet]

Re: Gall bladder pain (my Dad)

Good to hear a diet is helping him, and I hope it doesn't return to severe pain. The sludge I had was like pottery clay slip and blocked like the stones, like 2big said. For me, they said there were no meds to help, other than strong pain meds, which they only gave me after they goofed my surgery date. That didn't stop the attacks though. Yeah, there are idiots here, LOL, but I have to give credit to the wonderful dedicated doctors and nurses I've had I know, like everything, there is good and bad--too bad the bad ones stand out though I ended up with a different surgeon who I would have surgery any day with. (LOL kidding, but he was wonderful in every way.) Although they didn't know until they operated, I was able to have the laproscopy (sp). I could have gone home that evening at 5, but I was ill from the anesteseia (sp), so spent the night. The only discomfort I had afterwards was in my right shoulder area. That was becasue they pumped me full of air, and then some air went there...that's what I was told anyway.

My husband got really sick from the anesthesia when he got his sinus surgery...now he's scared of surgery!

That sounds like some icky stuff that was in your gall bladder! I'm glad you have that all taken care of

[2big4mysize]

Re: Gall bladder pain (my Dad)

glad he is feeling better. once the gallbladder is out he cvan enjoy those foods again cause bile is formed in the liver and it will just leak out all the time instead of being bolused when high fat foods cause a nedd.

[Babs]

Re: Gall bladder pain (my Dad)

I hope your Dad is still doing ok.