Gallbladder pain

Hi, I have been having severe pain in my right ribs going into my back.  It is so severe that 2 days ago I landed in emerg..  I await the disgnosis from the Dr. tomorrow, but I was wondering if this kind of pain is just gallbladder, or is it related to MS.  Also, my vision if very blurry, I keep cleaning my glasses and it doesn't help at all.  When I close my eyes, and try to open right or left independently, they only open about 1/4 in, if that, and there is so much pain there too.  Can anyone help with this.

Thanks alot,
Candy

[Lulu54]

Candy,
From what I know, GB pain doesn't usually radiate into the back, but it could be that I'm wrong.

If we are thinking it's something associated with this MiSerable disease I would lean toward a variation of the MS hug.  It can occur on one side or the other.

The blurred vision could be optic neuritis, another common MS symptoms.

Be sure to discuss both of these with your doctor tomorrow.

be well,
Lulu

[LoveMyBostons]

I had to have my gallbladder removed in 2000. It presented as back pain. My nurse was sure it was my gallbladder and I was totally skeptical but she was right!

I remember being on vicodin and having to sleep upright on the couch for 2 weeks before I could have the surgery. It was awful. I think I had to wait for my function percentage to reduce by like 2% before they would remove it. I remember tears streaming down my face while they did the HIDA scan because it hurt so badly to lie on my back.

Good luck finding out what exactly is going on!!

[slightlybroken]

When I did have gallbladder problems it did radiated from the front to my back. My gallstones were more like marbles then the ordinary pea gravel kind, and I was set up for surgery immediately. Once any kind of stone gets hung up in the ducts it will trigger a attack and cause symptoms ranging from, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, pain from the gallbladder region, back pain, and severe heartburn.

I had it removed laparoscopically. They go through your belly button and make several small incision on your abdomen. The recovery time is much faster this way. They usually give you a girdle type band to wear, and please do wear this for support after the surgery.

Until they can schedule you for surgery, stay away from fatty foods. This can trigger a attack. Meats and greasy foods are especially bad. By the time my doctors figured it all out, it didn't matter what I was eating towards the end. Chicken broth was setting me off, so sometimes that isn't always helpful.

I hope your doctors do figure this out, and if it is gallbladder stones they remove it. I know that it was the worse pain that I felt compared to contractions with children. In fact, I think the contractions with having my children were a little better, since I would get a 1 to 2 min. break, instead of nonstop pain for 3 to 4 hours.

Take Care & I hope you feel better

[PastorDan]

My gall bladder pain was among the worst pains I've ever felt, and I've been through some dandies.  It was centered just above my stomach, though, below the rib cage.  I spent more than one night in the bathroom, vomiting more violently than I think it would be wise to describe.

Mine came out laparoscopically, too.  Surgeon said that, although my stones weren't extraordinarily large, there were so many of them that it looked like a beanbag.

[PastorDan]

By the way, we will pray that you are well soon, whatever the cause.

[candy158]

Thanks for your quick responses.  I tell you I am sooooooo frustrated with the Dr..  They called me yesterday to come in for an appt. and when I got there they did not know why I was there,  They did not have the emerg report or the ultrasound results.  He was thinking it was about something I had over a month ago.  Finally he got the ultrasound, and they said that everything was fine.  I told the Dr. that I had done a liver/gallbladder cleanse that my sister swears by, and that I had passed 69 stones among gravel, and funny beigh jelly things..... he said " how did you know that" , I told him that they float in the water and I used a collander and scooped them out.   He was quite intrigued by this.

Stupid huh, did not even know that gallstones float.  Anyhow, I almost went to the emerg again last night, the pain was so bad again.  I ended up taking the Oxycodone that the hospital gave me just in case.  It seemed to help, and I did manage to get some sleep.  He said since the gallbladder was fine, that is is probably acid reflux.
I said I have no heartburn, but lots of belching,with the pain.  I throw up and can't breathe very well either.  He gave me some pills to try everymorning to slow down the acid ( that I don't think I have) , but he knows best.  We will see what happends how, I had a breath test today, andhe is ordering a barium drink test too.  

Question:  Once you were diagnosed, and told that stage you were in, ( I'm in secondary progressive) or that is what the neurologist at the MS clinic said.  My Dr.
now wants me to go the UBC and see them there for a whole day of tests, just to confirm.  Have you folks ever had to do this. ??  I have been going through hell that last 2 years, with the on and off again Dr.s....... I am at a loss as to why this needs to be done, but he says PLEASE go and get another opinion.  Well, I have seen 7 neurologists, and himself, and Dr's at the Emerg. too, is that not enough???

Sorry I am ranting, but I just don't know what to do.  I hurt, I can't see, I'm numb and I have to walk with a cane so I don't fall over.   I can't remember the simplist things sometimes, I have to rely on sticky notes and such to keep things in order, and then I still forget to look at the sticky note.  

Has anyone else had this kind of stuff going on too?  

thanks for listening,
Candy

[slightlybroken]

Boy it still sounds like gallbladder issues to me. Belching can go with a bad gallbladder as well, and gas. Gallbladder issues and acid reflux can have similar symptoms, but I would think that you would get heartburn with acid reflux and burning in your esophagus when you belched. I wish I could remember a test that my friend had, that tested whether or not the gallbladder was functioning correctly. She didn't have stones in her gallbladder either, but her gallbladder was not working correctly and it had to be removed after they performed this test. She did have to drink something and it did have to be done in the radiology department. Maybe it's that barium drink test he ordered??

By the way, my old GP thought my issues was stomach/acid reflux as well. He gave me some RX antacids and sent me on my way. I went to the ER and was DX there. It was gallstones.

As far as your second part to your question, I'm a limbolander myself, but I could give you an opinion on it. I would ask your doctor why he feels more testing is needed.  I think 7 neuros is enough to firmly place you in the diagnosis status of having MS. The only thing I can think of, as to why your neuro might want to send you for more testing and a second opinion is the status. Maybe he wants conformation that this is your status (SPMS). But this is only a guess on my part.

I would want to know why he feels you need more testing...Is it to confirm that you have SPMS or is it questioning your DX all together? You have a right to know.

I can relate to some of your symptoms. I have to walk with a cane, especially if it's for long distances. I'm in pain all day because of the spasticity and muscle spasms that I get on the left side. I have double vision off and on through out the day because of left eye muscle weakness. My memeory can be good at times, and other times, forget it. So I guess you could say you are in perfect company LOL.

Take Care

[elie777]

I know how you feel!!!! how long you have been in Limbo?.  I have been sick for over 30 years and still in Limbo.  1984 Probable MS  they rule it out with a normal Spinal Tap but now I am back to square one I just saw my neuro and she says Probable MS because clinical manifestations and abnormal lesion in the subcortical white matter and the periventricular white matter.  Also I have Optic Neuritis, and anterior Uveitis.  my pupils are not reacting right to the light and when they're expanding or contracting they pulsate which is abnormal.

[candy158]

hi,  I DID END UP IN EMERG AGAIN LAST NIGHT WITH THE WORST PAIN I EVER HAD.
THEY HAD TO PUT IN AN IV AND GIVE ME MORPHINE AGAIN.  THE PAIN WAS SO BAD THAT I COULD NOT EVEN TALK.  I WAS THROWING UP FOR ABOUT 4 HOURS TOO.  THE GALLBLADDER TESTS APPARENTLY CAME BACK FINE.  THE DR AT EMERG SAID WHEN ID DID THE CLEANSE, THE BIG STONES I PASSED WERE NOT GALLSTONES.  HE SAID YOU CANNOT PASS SOMETHING THAT BIG THROUGH YOUR GALLBLADDER.
I DONT KNOW WHAT THEY WERE.  I DESCRIBED THE GREEN COLOR AND EVERYTHING BUT HE SAID NOT GALLSTONES.  HE ENDED PUTTING IT TO MS.  

I CALLED THE MS CLINIC TODAY TO TALK TO THEM, AND THE NURSE THERE WAS COLD AND UNFEELING. SHE SAID SHE COULD NOT GET ME INTO THE CLINIC TO SEE A NEURO UNTIL THE END OF MARCH.  SHE SAID TO CONTINUE TO GO TO THE EMERG AND SEE THE ON CALL DR THERE.

I FEEL ABANDONED AND THAT THE MEDICAL PEOPLE DON'T CARE ABOUT ME AT ALL.  

I HAD THE PAIN START AGAIN TODAY, AND I TOOK MY REGULAR PILLS, AND ADDED ROBACET TO IT  BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BUT IT SEEMED TO HELP.  SO I WAS THRILLED WITH THAT.

I'M JUST HOPING LIKE YOU THAT THEY WILL START BELIEVING ME AND TREAT ME WITH SOME COMPASSION AND CONCERN.

HOW ARE YOU DOING.  LET ME KNOW.  WE DON'T  JUST NEED TO TALK ABOUT ME.

HUGS
CANDY

[mewright]

Candy,

I suffer from kidney stones which can start in the back and go to the front.
I am sorry that you are dealing with someone so cold.  I have been dealing
with that with my regular doctor.  I hope that you feel better soon and glad to
hear you have found some relief.

Take Care,
Maryellen

[Quixotic1]

Not much to add here except that the "classic" pain of gall bladders is pain in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen (just below the ribs) and radiating straight through to the back - typically to the tip of the right shoulder blade (scapula).

Now, gall bladders can be in really weird places.  I had a 6 year old (Native American) go to the OR for appendicitis (right lower quadrant pain) and then they found the tip of a low hanging gall bladder and had to extend the incision all the way up.

Quix

[candy158]

Hi, at the hospital they have now ruled out gallbladder. kidneys, bowels, ..... they said the only thing left was MS......................... So, when it comes again, they have said, and the MS clinic too, "go back to emerg" ........... our MS clinic can't get me into see
anyone till the end of March, and they didn't seem to care that I was in the hopsital 3 times last week, and put on IV morphine drip and such.   They just said, well if it happens again go to the hopsital.  So, now what do we say to that?????   Some pretty bad works, actually .... LOL

Hope you guys are all doing well,
Candy

[candy158]

Hi, I was just wondering if you know anything about gallstones??  Why I am asking, is before I did a gallbladder cleanse, and I passed 69 stones.  Some as big as almonds and down to the size of split peas.  The Dr. at emerg. said there is NO WAY to pass anything bigger that a split pea...... so, he does not know what I did pass.  Even though I told him they were emerald green like the pic's on the internet look like.  He said the opening isn't anywhere near big enough to pass something that big.  Do you have any idea as to what that could have been.  ???   He said the gravel was normal, and the little tiny ones ( if they were like pearl hard) , were stones....... but, they weren't pearl hard, they were sort of hard, but the middle was a clear jelly like substance.  
Just wondering if you might know something about that??

thanks in advance....
Hope you are doing well,   I still recovering from my week, it was the worst week yet.... I didn't sign up for this....LOL

take care,
Candy