Gallbladder

[my4boys]

I have been having right sided upper quadarant pain for atleast 15 months. I have all the test all negative for gallbladder. I got a second opinion and did a bile asperation. He found crystals in the bile. my question can you have pain from this that radiates to the right side up the back and proceeds to have pain all along the diaphragm area and appears intermittent. I get this pain and it starts on the right and then lingers to the left side a while. my doctor suggest to take out the bladder. what do you think. I have a lot of pain. scale 1-10 it rates a 7 to 8. very painful. what do you suggest my next course of action should be other than removing the gallbladder. could this costocondritis?. please help i am out of suggestions on my own.
sincerely,
ctj

[Kevin Pho, MD]

It is possible that this condition can lead to the pain you are experiencing.  

Further testing of the gallbladder can include a HIDA scan with CCK stimulation, to look for the gallbladder ejection fraction.  If low, then removal of the gallbladder may help with your symptoms.  

You can look at other GI conditions leading to the discomfort.  This can include GERD, inflammation of the upper digestive tract, or an ulcer.  An upper endoscopy can look for these conditions.  

Various types of lung disease (i.e. a blood clot) can lead to discomfort if the GI causes have been ruled out.  A spiral CT scan of the chest can evaluate for this possibility.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_b

[my4boys]

to add to this the pain is more painful on stressful times and after eating. I have this feeling I can't bring up a burp and I have this feeling i am going to have a heart attack feeling. I get exhausted from this because the pain is intense. I have on occasions get direct sharp pain on the right upper quadarant area.

[my4boys]

i dont think you understand. i have had the hida scan with the injection came out negative. egd was done with aspiration of bile material and crystals were found. can the crystals lead to this much pain. right sided then radiates to the left and sore for days to come. this is intermittent.

[Shannon#31]

I recently went to the ER w/ severe pain, although an ultrasound determined that there were no stones, they suggested a HIDA scan due to family history, my results of the scan were 0%, I am not kidding my gallbladder function was 0% and I was told by the tech that 30% and above were normal, oddly enough when my mother was my age the same exact thing happened no stones and a gallbladder function of 0%.  When I visited the surgeon it seem as though he was giving me the option of surgery.  Has anyone ever heard of results this low and having an option not to have surgery?

[my4boys]

thanks for the response. i had a hida scan it was negative. but the pain is on a scale 1-10 an 8. it doesnt happen all the time but lately it has been for longer periods. the surgeon gave me an option to have it removed because the gi doc found crystals which they say are preludes to gallstones and may be causing the problem. this pain can become so dibilitating. did you get your gallbladder out? i really hesitate because the family doctor says it is ibs but i dont have the signs and symptoms of this. let me know what happens.

[my4boys]

thanks for the response. i had a hida scan it was negative. but the pain is on a scale 1-10 an 8. it doesnt happen all the time but lately it has been for longer periods. the surgeon gave me an option to have it removed because the gi doc found crystals which they say are preludes to gallstones and may be causing the problem. this pain can become so dibilitating. did you get your gallbladder out? i really hesitate because the family doctor says it is ibs but i dont have the signs and symptoms of this. let me know what happens.

[Gallgone]

I just had my gallbladder removed last thursday(1-12-06).I went back to work today and feel better each day!!!  When is it safe to re-introduce foods back into my diet?  I've been on a very bland low fat diet for a few months now and not sure how soon after surgery to try a normal diet. Any help would be greatly appreciated!  Also, has anyone had swelling in their back after the surgery?

[Rickey D]

I had gallbladder surgery on Monday, January 16, 2005.  The surgeon was unsuccessful in removing my gallbladder through laparoscopic proceedure and had to do and open proceedure.  I was discharged on Wednesday and scheduled to return to the surgeons office on Thursday, January 26.  So, now I am at home recouperating with the stitches and staples as well as a dranage tube on my right side.  I'm doing fairly well and most of my pain is around the area where the tube is located.  I can't help but wonder if I have the tube removed sooner than Thursday if the pain would go away?  Anyway, I am taking is slow in re-introducing "normal" foods to my diet.  For now, I think I will stick with a soft/easy-to-digest diet.

[meanders8]

I had gall bladder surgery on 1/4/06. Other than the expected soreness, I was progressing each day with feeling better. Right at about 2 weeks though, I started having diarrhea and then developed a urinary tract infection as well, possibly from the catheter at the hospital, or maybe just from the inflammation in my body. I am now on amoxicillin for the infection and just started taking Welchol (2 tablets twice a day) to absorb the excess bile acids. Today is the first day I have felt better. Does anyone else have experience with Welchol that has been taking it for awhile? I know that it is a bad cholesterol lowering medication and does not get absorbed into the body like other cholesterol lowering medications, but can their be other complications that I am not aware of? I don't want to get too dependent on anything unnecessarily.

[Musky]

I am a 43 year old female.  I started having chest pain in my middle rib area and it would radiate.  It hurt down to my belly button.  I had no nausea or vomiting.  I started with tests from my doctor emliminating heart problems and blood clots.  Everything checked out, but the pain didn't.  It did seem to move more to my abdomen area and my muscles in my abdomen would get so sore and tired.  I was sooooo bloated and gasy all the time. I have had loose bowels in the middle of the night for years. The ultrasound indicated some sludge.  By this time I am thinking I have a peptic ulcer--take some meds and be back to normal.  Well that didn't happen.  I went to a specialist and had a Hydascan and endoscopy on Feb. 10.  I have no ulcer, a slight case of hiatal hernia and tested for H. pylori.  He gave my a prescription for pepcid and I haven't had any bloated feeling all weekend.  The Hydascan indicate that my gall bladder is functioning at 0%.  He told me 40% or above is OK.  Well now I knew something was going on, but never thought gall bladder.  I have an appointment next Thursday to discuss what will happen form here.  I can only guess.  I bet my gall bladder is coming out.  Yuck! I am not one for pills or to go under and have surgery. I am not looking forward to that.  
What I can't understand is I don't have any of the attacks or major symptoms that others seem to have and mine is functioning at 0%. How is that possible??

[Painsmustgo]

I have had this on again off again burning in my stomache and after taking nexium, prilosec and aciphex,nothing has worked so my doctor ran test and found H-Pilori.  I just finished my medicine to kill the bacteria.  I have been so gassy.  I had an ultrasound done last week on my gallbladder and an upper GI.  The gallbladder results showed Gallstones were present and I have no gallstone symptons at all.  I am scheduled to have an Hydascan done next week.

[Painsmustgo]

I have had this on again off again burning in my stomache and after taking nexium, prilosec and aciphex,nothing has worked so my doctor ran test and found H-Pilori.  I just finished my medicine to kill the bacteria.  I have been so gassy.  I had an ultrasound done last week on my gallbladder and an upper GI.  The gallbladder results showed Gallstones were present and I have no gallstone symptons at all.  I am scheduled to have an Hydascan done next week.