Gallstones - Gallbladder Problems

Hello Everyone

A few months ago we went out to our local pub, ( I am in the UK ) just in case my wording sounds different to anyone ! Anyway we had a pub grub meal I ate Gammon & Egg and a few chips, up to this point I have not had any problems with my stomach, its like a waste disposal bin I can eat most things and have in the past, however I had up to this point lost around 40lbs in weight by my choice (couldn't stand going up in dress sizes that quick) so it was nice to eat something substantial to the diet food I had been on up to that day.

I do suffer with an illness which I take slow release morphine tablets for, anyway that evening at 3am I woke up with a horrific pain in my right side, I tried to just sleep and the meds I take made me drop off back to sleep, but woke up again at 5-30 then by 7am could stand no more. I had cold sweat running down my face and could hardly stand.

My husband took me to the local hospital A & E department where I had blood tests, as it was a weekend the ultrasound dept was shut ! so I could not have one of those and an xray showed me to be a bot constipated !!! , the doctor came back and told me the tests had showed high readings on the liver enzyme's, I worried was my liver packing up due to the high usage of pain killers I take daily? I was told to go home and rest and they would make me an appointment for an ultrasound test the following week.

I did however go back 4 days later and was confirmed to have 20+ gallstones swimming about in the gallbladder !! I have also seen a Gastro surgeon and I am on a 20+ week waiting list which I believe are currently running behind on here in the UK. Now I have read lots of peoples experiences on gallstones, I have been eating steamed rice, vegetables, Chinese sauces etc, stir fry's, but I am near 50 years old and starting the change ! so I have alot of cravings and over the last few weeks I have eaten fish & chips, crumpets with butter, muffins, chocolate, curries, even a kebab, and cheese sandwiches, and not had another attack even after all that junk.

What I wanted to ask, has anyone else eaten any rubbish like me and not suffered with any attacks ??? I cannot understand it, I feel worse when eating steamed rice and vegetables ! I get pain in my back and in the spine and often feel sick, yet when I get fed up and eat junk, Nothing, no problems at all.

Dear crampygrammy

Thanks for your reply, my thought entirely on enjoying myself I was a totally fed up of eating the steamed rice and vegetables, although I do try to stick to porridge in the morning (skimmed milk) and a stir fry at night however after a few months no matter what you put in a stir fry it just never seems any different.

Maybe Im lucky being able to eat all these nice things like fish & chips, curry etc, as when I found out about these buggers (Gallstones) I was amazed at how many people had them !!! and what they could Not eat.

I just wondered well how come I can eat all this junk and it not affect me. When I got home from the hospital after the initial attack, not knowing at the time what it was, I had a meat & potato pie in the evening hahaha, I bet I would have never touched it if I would have known that day I had gallstones. I just thought everyone seems so on edge what they eat and sound miserable, it is a horrid pain when you get the attack not something you want to repeat, but then again I could have one after a salad so Im just taking everyday as it comes, thanks for your reply.

Hi Mimi~Five

I am glad Flax seeds help, I know it sounds silly but I do suffer with constipation with the meds I take, and so I tried liquorice, in different forms, such as soft eating liquorice it does say that it helps with intestine spasms and gallbladder problems I have posted a link. http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-licorice-root.html

I suppose there are lots of remedies and you have to use what is good for you, I am still managing food with fats in it, sometimes just get mild aching in the spine area between the shoulder blades. !!! I can put up with that though if it gets me off stirfrys.

Have you got a date for surgery yet ?? I noticed alot of people say they still have problems after surgery, its not great researching medical problems on the web is it

I was shocked I had something like Gallstones as I had never had any problems until that 1 night of pain, I find a hot water bottle does help if I get any pain in the back though.

Hi Mimi~Five

I think the only thing people can do is to keep trying different stuff, I mean you cannot really keep your body going on jelly and soup alone. I think you may need more nutrition than that. Have you tried making maybe a big pan of soup (broth) sorry Im english we call it soup yes making a large pan to last a few days maybe with chicken stock and maybe putting in some prawns, chicken and noodles with some finely shredded carrots and leeks and some delicate seasoning unless you could use something like Maggi seasoning if you have that where you live ? At least you would be getting a bit more bulking in that kind of soup, if the body has to cope with the gallstones and gallbladder problems then its going to need some strength to help keep going ! hahha that sounds a bit like a teacher I assure you im not !

I think I felt worse when I was surviving on bits of food, it doesn't do you any good starving the system of essential vitamins. I ate alot of porridge, and put honey with it. If you are having a hard time keeping food down at least try and take some multi - vitamins for the meantime.