Are these gallstone attacks?

[Claudette9641]

I have been having these attacks since I was 12 (I'm 31 now) and I've been to many docs. Sometimes after I eat I get a dull pain in the middle of my stomach that gets worse by the minute.  When I feel the attack come on I feel tired and out of it.  The pain becomes so intense that I can't sleep, eat or drink anything.  When I feel the pain decrease (after 2 - 7 days), then I know it's safe to drink or eat something bland like chicken broth. Sometimes the pain gets so bad that it radiates to my back (i don't remember which direction).  Gradually with age, I have developed constant reflux due to a seizue medicine I am on (Depakote), so I have to take Prilosec.  That doesn't work anymore, so I'm taking an OTC with it...and that's not working either.  It seems that the reflux medicines have decreased the "attacks" though.  Anyone have any ideas? I've had the barium test(21 yr old), the H.Plyori test(28 yr old), and a sonogram (12 yrs old & 21), and a lower GI ink dye test (name? - 12 years old). I'm just sick of going to the docs if they are going to tell they can't find anything.  Are there certain tests I can ask for? Any help is appreciated.

[virgo57]

This is a cut and paste..it also states that an ultra sound can
be preformed to detect any gallstones.
What are the Symptoms? Symptoms of gallstones are often called a gallstone "attack" because they occur suddenly. A typical attack can cause
Steady, severe pain in the upper abdomen that increases rapidly and lasts from 30 minutes to several hours.
Pain in the back between the shoulder blades.
Pain under the right shoulder.
Nausea or vomiting.
Gallstone attacks often follow fatty meals, and they may occur during the night. Other gallstone symptoms include

Abdominal bloating.
Recurring intolerance of fatty foods.
Colic.
Belching.
Gas.
Indigestion.
People who also have the following symptoms should see a doctor right away:

Sweating.
Chills.
Low-grade fever.
Yellowish color of the skin or whites of the eyes.
Clay-colored stools.

[Claudette9641]

Thanks for the info.  My doc at the time did not see anything on the ultrasound.  But of course, I was not having the attack at the time.  Is that why they did not find anything? That would be convenient if I could schedule my attacks around my lab appointments!

[virgo57]

Hi...from what it says in this cut and paste that an ultra sound should detect the stones even if you are not having an attack at the time of the test.
How Are Gallstones Diagnosed? Many gallstones, especially silent stones, are discovered by accident during tests for other problems. But when gallstones are suspected to be the cause of symptoms, the doctor is likely to do an ultrasound exam. Ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of organs. Sound waves are sent toward the gallbladder through a handheld device that a technician glides over the abdomen. The sound waves bounce off the gallbladder, liver, and other organs, and their echoes make electrical impulses that create a picture of the organ on a video monitor. If stones are present, the sound waves will bounce off them, too, showing their location

Hope this info helps :)

[s.mcm]

If the ultra sound did not show anything, it will not show more during an attack.  If they suspected gallstones it would show on the ultra sound anytime.  I had my gallbladder removed because of a large gallstone found on the ultrsound.  They also did the scope during surgery and discovered that I also have Gastritis.  Your symtoms sound like mine with Gastritis.  I recently switched from Nexium to Zantac and find the Zantac really helps

[virgo57]

For my acid the doctor gave me Nexium but i was getting sharp stomach pains while on it and a sort of weird headache like an icecream headache..i too switched to Zantac and take one teaspoon of metamucil a day which keeps the pain in my left side away. I cannot drink juices or soda pop though or I get the major heartburn which makes my whole chest feel bruised and so sore I can feel each heart beat.

[Lynn28]

Hi Claudette-

The ultra sound may not have shown "Stones", but it will not show if you have a gallbladder that's not "Fuctioning" properly. A disfuctioning gallbladder will cause a lot of your symptoms, and your symptoms do sound a lot like it "Could" just that, so the test for this is called a "Hida-Scan". My old GI sent me in for an ultra sound to rule out stones, but my new GI is the one that explained the above, therefore he wants me to have the Hida-Scan. You may want to ask your gastroenterologist about this test. You are seeing a GI correct? Also, I have gastritis as well, and your symptoms relate to this as well, especially the PAIN after eating. I think it's important to have proper GI work-ups. Find a good GI. A good GI will suggest the tests to you, not the other way around where you are suggesting tests to him!

-Jenn

[Soccermom]

Hi Claudette, from what I have read on this forum, your "attacks" sound more like they are pancreatic in nature than gallstone related. I only say this because they last for such a long period of time and you cannot eat or drink anything during these episodes.  Search for chronic pancreantitus (sp)and compare your symptoms.  Hope this helps.
- Soccermom

[Claudette9641]

Thanks everyone for your help.  I will call and make an appointment to a GI specialist in my area. When I was growing up I had medical care through the military and a lot of the docs were interns.  Luckily, I have a PPO now and have better choices.  I welcome any more comments.  I like to be well prepared for my appointments, because of past scary experiences with docs.

[Lor]

Sounds to me like you might have a non functioning gallbladder. Which is called "biliary dyskinesia" with this you would have sludge in the gallbladder. Ask for a hida scan with ejection fraction this will show how well the gallbladder is contracting. I suffered with this for many years. First starting at 16 I'm now 36. I did not have gallstones. Which is why an ultrasound comes back normal.

[viola]

I have almost exactly the same symptom since the beginning of this year. Dull pain in the middle of stomach, feels very tired, radiates to the back and rise to my throat. I wake up from the pain for 2-3 times in the middle of the night and sometimes can't go back to sleep due to the pain. I have had gastroscopy and colonoscopy (I'm getting the result of those today but the doctor said after the test that they looked normal), ultrasound (found no gallbladder stone), CT scan (found normal pancreas). I was given Nexium and took it for a month. It became better at the end of the month. I'm not sure whether it's because of the Nexium or I have been very careful with my diet. Because I felt better, last weekend I have had some fatty desert and spicy food that I've missed for a long time but the attack came back almost straight away. My blood test has shown high level of enzyme even though it was within the normal range (top range). My GP is suggesting that he has suggested all the possible tests and there is nothing more he can do and I probably just have to put up with the pain. But it is just too much to put up with. Any suggestion and help is appreciated.

[PJR]

I have the exact same symptoms as above.  I am a 26 year old male and have been having these problems for 1 1/2 years now.  I have abdominal pain in the middle (pancrea area), pain in the back(between the shoulderblades, intolerance to fatty foods(any foods while having an attack), heartburn, loose bowels, and alot of gas after eating meals.  I have undergone several tests the past 1 1/2 years (2 upper endoscopy's, CT scan, ultrsound, many blood, urine, and bowel tests, and doctors have not found anything.)  I am pretty much stuck between a rock and a hard place.  The doctors are stumped and do not know what else to do.  In the meantime I am unable to work because of the pain(am on disability for 1 month now).  No gallstone are present, pancreas were normal, no ulcers, no hernias.  Don't know what else to do.  DOES ANYONE THINK A HIDA SCAN WOULD BE USEFUL TO SEE IF THE GALLBLADDER IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY?  Wouldn't the blood tests be irregular if the gallbladder wasn't functioning properly?  PLEASE HELP!!!!!!  EMAIL ME ***@****
THANK YOU

[Lor]

A Hida scan is very useful. I had what I would discribe as gas and bloat pain for years. Drs always said its just gas. Thats what happens as you get older. My pain came and went about every 3 months or so. It always started a night and would last for days. My blood work was always normal. Once I found a Dr to test me specifically for gallbladder problems they found it. An ultrasound came back normal, because I didn't have stones. The Hida scan showed my gallbladder functioning at only 15%.

[PJR]

Did you have the same symptoms as myself?  Did you have the pain in the upper back area between the shoulderblades?  What did the doctor actually do after he found out your gallbladder was only working at 15%?  Thanks for the info.   I am going to call my doctor and ask for a HIDA scan to be done.  I hope it finds out something.

[PJR]

I have the exact same pains as yourself and the doctors are stumped.  Please keep me posted if you or the docs find anything and i will do so as well.  Feel free to email me at ***@****

[Lor]

My pain started right in the center just under the sturnum. It felt like a bubble. Then it would bore right into my back. I always thought it was strange that my back would hurt with my stomach. It happened a lot if I went out to eat. Soon after eating I'd get this horrible back ache. I always assumed it was the seating. Now I look back and think it was probably the fat in the food.
After finding out my gallbladder was nonfunctioning. I had it removed. I then learned that the source of my problem went much further than a nonfunctioning gallbladder. In the end I have sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction - which caused my gallbladder to go bad in the first place. SOD is when the sphincter to the bile duct doesn't open enough to let the bile out. The bile then gets pushed into the gallbladder and becomes sludge.

[PJR]

Do you have any idea why this all happened in the first place?  Did you drink alcohol?  Eat alot of greasy foods?  Any idea what would have caused this problem?   Would sludge show up on an ultrasound or CT scan?  Your gallbladder didnt show any other signs that it wasnt working properly?  How was your bowel's during the whole time.  Were you hurting or had any symptoms when you took the HIDA scan?  This all started happening to me about 1 1/2 years ago and I never thought all the symptoms were related until I started doing my own research and then i put them all together.  My first attack started in April 2001 I went out one night drinking for my B-day and had a few beers.  The next day was fine and went out to eat italian food (greasy) and was eating and all of a sudden i felt very full and stopped eating.  The rest of the evening I felt so full and then all of a sudden I started getting these bad pains in my chest(felt like pressure).  It lasted for a few days.  Doctor kept telling me it was stomache acid and gave me pills for acid reflux.  I am barely getting over an attack  I have been having since Firday night.  I ate some fried calamari and chips that day and got another attack.  How are you doing now since you got your gallbladder removed?  Any complications?  Thanks again

[Lor]

My attacks first started when I was 16. I woke in the middle of the night feeling like I was being stabbed. My mom told me it was probably a reaction to the codiene I took. I had my wisdom teeth removed the day before. After that it didn't happen until I was about 24 or so. Since that time they came and went about every 3 months or so.(i'm now 36) I always thought it was gas pressure. Then I had the worst attack I ever had a couple years ago. I thought I have to get this looked at. I had seen Drs over the years during my annual check ups. They all (7 of them)said its gas your right. Finally got in to see the right Dr who knew it was my gallbladder right off. Even when the ultrasound came back normal he still thought it was the gallbladder. I'm not a drinker. Well since I turned 21 - it wasn't fun anymore. I really don't think I eat any more fat than anyone else. The only thing I wonder about is heredity. My dads family has awful stomachs.
I did have problems after the gallbladder was removed. I had biliary dyskinesea - which is basically a gallbladder with no stones just sludge. Which seems to have a higher case of Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction. That means the sphincter to my bile duct didn't open enough to let the bile out. For years it backed up into my gallbladder and formed the sludge. Once the gallbladder was removed it had no place to go. Causing extreme pain. The pain was just the same as all the earlier gallbladder pain just more often and stronger. Which has me wondering if it was my gallbladder at all. It took another 1 1/2years to figure what was going on. The pain was unbearable. I'm ok now They went in and cut that sphincter open bring much relief. Don't worry about that it only happens in about 10% of people who have their gallbladders removed.

[PJR]

Does anybody know where i can find a good GI doctor in the S.F. bay area.  I have a GI doctor now, but he isn't worth a damn.  he is basically givin up on me and has only done 2 tests.  Please email me or reply. thanks.   email addy-***@****