How reliable is an ultrasound to detect gallstones?

[maybebaby29]

I have had severe stomach pain on and off for years. I keep telling docs it might be my gallbladder/stones. They never listented. An ultrasound about three years ago showed nothing. Well the entire 2 months of Feb/March (esp March), my stomach was a mess-vomiting out of the blue, nauseous, lost weight, can't eat, pain in the middle of my stomach, pressure like I was pregnant again where everything is just pushed up in your esophagus where you can't breathe. Two ER visits--the docs say "oh you have an ulcer". Well endoscope showed nothing--perfectly fine/no ulcers.

So now I have to go for an ultrasound tomorrow. I'm fine and all with it but I'm tired of wasting time. IF I have stones/need this out, I want to get moving with it. Between work, vacation, wanting another baby, and summer, I just want to get this done before June.

I was reading MRIs/HIDA scan are much more accurate but I can't get one until the ultrasound. I don't know how I can be in severe pain/sick/vomiting, etc. for a month and a half, endo shows nothing, yet these docs aren't investigating further. I stopped my Nexium/Aciphex after the endo result and was feeling better (how can this all of a sudden go away?) but as soon as I ate a burrito--it all came back. So something IS going on.

[dianaecon]

my husband (76) had his gallbladder removed. He went to ER thinking he was having a heart attack. An ultrasound revealed the gallbladder/with "lots of stones"  was the problem and it was removed. The next day in hospital, he is very sedated, and the doctor wants an MRI done of his abdomen. I assume the doctor wants to make sure there are no stray stones in the bile ducts or in the abdomen? If there are, what  will have to be done next? I am getting very nervous about this whole ordeal

[maybebaby29]

Did a upper GI and it said all is completely normal. No ulcers, h.pylori, inflammation.  So I would assume then no hernia. Plus ER docs and my doc did tons of pressing and said all is fine.

I understand I don't have upper right pain but all gallstone articles say upper right but middle can happen.

Still waiting for my ultrasound results. It was supposed to come in late last night but not sure if doc got them. I just want an answer

[geminigirl1963]

I agree with Cdngal - push for them to do the HIDA scan.  It is not only the best test to show stones, but it will also tell/show them how well (or not welll) your gallbladder is functioning.

I, too, was like Cdngal where when I was having gallbladder troubles, it wasn't stones that was causing it - it was a non-functioning gallbladder.

Some of your symptoms are a little off for gallbladder - the pain of gallbladder is most typically (although not always) on the right side of the abdomen, rather than in the center as you've described yours.

Have they by any chance checked you for a hiatal hernia?  Done liver function tests?

[Cdngal]

Ask for a HIDA scan, and might not be gallstones, i personally didnt have any stones, but my gallbladder was not functioning properly and caused me all the symptoms you are having, only test that showed something wrong was the HIDA scan.