Normal Tests but bad Gallbladder?

Starting approximately July 10, 2008 I started experiencing some sharp stabbing pains mainly in the center to right side of the upper abdomen.  Nothing I took really made it go away. It would only be for a minute or two but keep recurring.

July 24th while I was in Ukraine it got more than I could bear.  It hurt more after I ate.  I had started feeling a little nauseus the few days before.  Antacids did not help at all, tylenol & ibuprophen only helped dull the pain. It hurt mainly on the right side.  After I had eaten dinner I felt nauseus, dizzy, and had sharp stabbing pains under my right breast under my rib cage.  I was taken to the ER.  The doctor, through a translater said that I'd had a gallbladder attack.  I was put on the bland diet.  It helped, but still hurt after I ate.

Aug.4th I came back to the states and I started the journey with the american doctors.  I had an abdominal ultrasound-- no gallstones, the HIDA Scan which came back with a 77% ejection fraction, but it hurt quite a bit when the administered the CCK.  Apparently the CT scan they did also came back normal.  I had a endoscopy done which showed I have a hiatal hernia & some mild esophgitis.  I have been taking Nexium.  No more hearburn but the stabbing pain after I eat still occurs.  I have been given anti-spasmodics, and pain pills.  They help dull the pain temporarily. 

I have cut out virtually all fat, and I've lost 11 pounds-- I only weighed 116 to begin with.  I had another attack two weeks ago that ended me up in the ER.  The doc said it was bilary colic but didn't do another ultrasound at the time.  Blood test showed that I had low potassium.

I've varied between constipation, regular, and loose stools.  I feel nauseus often, and it only takes a little bit of food to feel full.  It mostly happens at night.  I also have been finding myself itching at night also.

Oh, my father had is GB removed 10 years ago with no stones, just sludge, but HIDA scan showed low functioning.

Can all of the tests come back normal, but there still be a problem with the GB.  I am feeling very desperate.  I take Darvocet, at least 100 mg. everyday for the pain.

Help me please!

Thank you,

I am sorry to hear you have similar symptoms, but it is nice to know that I am not alone.  There are some days/times that I don't feel very bad at all.  Other times it's a brief sharp pinch... like someone is taking pointed tweezers and pinching the skin over my ribs.  Other times it makes me catch my breath for a minute.  I've also had nausea, but haven't really thrown up.  Sometimes it hurts in exactly the same place on the left side, but very seldomly.  I have an appointment with a surgeon on Monday, the one that that did an inquinal hernia repair on the same side last November.  I've never had any other problems that don't just heal themselves regarding the digestive system.  Most of the time it feels like I have a stich in my side, the kind you get when you run really hard.  In fact I went running this afternoon & I feel like someone lodged an apple under the right side of my rib cage.  Waiting for that darvocet to kick in... God Bless Pharmaceuticals! 

Oh, In the past 5 years I have had surgery on both of my feet, my right elbow, and an inquinal hernia.  Seriously,  I can run 1/2 marathons, but this is kicking me in the butt!!

The endoscopy really wasn't very bad at all, I was just really sleepy aftewards until about 7 p.m. that night. 

Good luck!! Update me also.

I am so happy I found this forum, it's the only one that people have actually posted responses. 

Thank you for taking the time to respond, because I'm honestly starting to think that maybe it's all in my head.  I really did not have a problem one until about July 10th.  I have seriously only eaten 1 hamburger in the past two months, no pizza, no steak, virtually NO red meat at all. I didn't have any caffeine for a month.  I've pretty much cut out all fat from my diet. 

I found out that my father had his gallbaldder removed almost 10 years ago, and he never had stones.  It was just sludge.  All of the symptoms I have told him about he had the exact same symptoms.  There is just no way that I could possibly go through this for 5 years.  The twinging pains brought me to tears this afternoon.

Btw, I am fair skinned, female, have had two kids, and I'm closing in on 40... not overweight, or Native Amer. 

My number one trigger seems to be red meat of any kind.  I'm really not itching to go under the knife, but I'm just about desperate enough to do anything to make it stop hurting. 

Oh, and I notice that it generally hurts more the later in the day that it gets, and if I'm stressed it hurts even more.

Elaine,

Re:  the "trapped nerve" shoulder pain, etc.  Everything that I have read is that they are totally related.  Personally, I don't think you are crazy at all. One of the ER docs told me that you can have a gb attack...normal tests; gb attack... normal tests;  gb attack... ABnormal attack.  The nurse on that visit told me to keep searching until I found someone that would be willing to believe me at take my GB out!

Keep with it.  I sure it doesn't take either one of us 4 years!

Are you taking anything for the GERD?  I had a lot of that burning type feeling with the heartburn, and the hiatal hernia.  I am taking Nexiun now, but I've taken Pepcid AC, or Pepcid Complete a time or two a week for years.  It was especially bad when I was pregnant with my twins.

Sherry

I was keeping a food journal and it looked like I wasn't getting enough, so I started a supplement.  Honestly, I  can't really say it helped me but it didn't hurt either.  I'm still experimenting.  Well, it's cheap enough to try. 

Here's one link to a Holistic site that discusses further, http://www.mbschachter.com/importance_of_magnesium_to_human.htm

also from a more scientific site (doesn't claim as many symptoms from defficiency):

https://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent.aspx?token=e0498803-7f62-4563-8d47-5fe33da65dd4&chunkiid=21795

Post Edited (eihcet) : 9/16/2008 8:46:55 AM (GMT-6)

Thanks everyone.

eihcet - I have been taking magnesium for quite a while as I had heard about it somehwere else. It didn't seem to be helping. I have however started taking B12 and selenium and I don't want to jump the gun but I have started to feel a little better in the last couple of days, so fingers crossed.

Keriamon - Sorry to be dense but what is TP?

Update on what's going on with my suspected gallbladder issue.  The doctor started me on Flagyl for possible giardia infection.  I have to take it for 14 days and then I go back on the 29th.  She wants to know if it is making me feel better or not.

Well, last Wednesday night I was at church for Wed. night dinner.  I was hungry & decided to eat what I wanted & see if there was any trigger.  I ate chicken fajitas & put sour cream & salsa on it.  I also ate beans.

Less than an hour later I was in choir practice & thought I was almost going to pass out from the sharp stabbing pains in the upper right abdominal area.  I was in tears when I left early & drove home... very carefully.  If I had not already had darvocet at home to relieve the pain I would have most certainly made my 3rd trip to the ER that night.  The next day my upper rib cage hurt like I had gotten kicked!

So, anyone want to tell me "there's nothing wrong" like the GI guy who did all the tests & said there was nothing wrong with any of my major organs.  And then asked me, "Are you sure you haven't pulled a muscle or injured your ribs lately?"; "Have you been depressed or anxious lately?"; "Do you ever feel better after you pass gas or have a BM?" .... sorry still a little bit upset about that one. 

I'm about ready to hijack & OR and do the surgery myself.  I don't care if the organ is really kaput or not... I just want it out & get some pain relief!!

Oh, and it doesn't ever really hurt in the morning.  In fact I ran a 7 mi. leg of a marathon relay this morning.  Right now I can't quite sit up straight because I've eaten dinner & it hurts. 

Ugghhh!

Update on what's happening with me: 

I went back to the surgeon on Monday.  I had taken the Flagyl for 2 weeks with no difference being noted.  She said let's go ahead with surgery.  I had my gallbaldder removed on Tuesday morning.  Man, am I sore.  Feel like I've done 1000 sit-ups.  It was done laproscopically.  I've been taking constant pain meds.  I feel much better today than I did yesterday, but it still hurts. 

I've been eating anything when I'm hungry.  Nothing I've eaten has made me feel bad, but I am on pain meds.

My question is how soon after surgery can you tell if that was the problem & you won't have any other problems?  I haven't actually had a BM yet, so I wonder at what point is that concerning?

I do feel better just knowing we've tried to do something to make me feel better.

Thanks.