Michael B.
Pain/Gallbladder!?
Feb 27, 2014
Well - last Thursday Night - Sunday early AM were NOT good! Thursday evening, I started having fairly mild pain under my bottom rib on the right side, just off-center. I didn't think a lot of it. Even when a little nausea crept in... Finally got to sleep.
About 1AM rolled around and I awoke to a MUCH more serious pain in the same location, plus nausea. I could NOT go back to sleep - and the nausea grew until I vomited. I went to living room and sat on couch, as laying down made it worse. By a little after 3:30AM, the pain and nausea eased enough that I could lay down. So I went back to sleep...
Forward a few hours and its time to get up. I felt mostly better (just a little "tender" in the same spot, but no nausea). I had my semi-regular breakfast - a zero fat Greek yogurt. All was good until about an hour and a half later, when the pain returned with a vengeance. Nausea too - though I didn't vomit (I surmise that the yogurt had already passed beyond the point of return, thankfully!). I finally called my Surgeon's office and left a message for his nurse.
Around 3PM, I got a call back. She asked how much weight I had lost, and confirmed that I still have my gallbladder. She said everything sounds like gallbladder. She said I didn't have many options at that time on a Friday - see if I could get in to my family doctor (Don't have one yet, we moved last year), Go to ER (pain and nausea had eased significantly by that time), or try to wait it out until first part of this week and get in to see them and they would do an ultrasound and go from there. If I chose the latter - be ready to run to ER if the pain and nausea returned.
By Friday evening, the pain was mostly gone, and no nausea - so I tried to eat supper. I grilled sirloin burger patty (lean), a piece of cheese, and a small piece of pickle. All was well for about an hour and a half... then BAM! Pain returns worse than ever. Nausea too. Vomited a little. Pain continued to get worse to the point, I told my wife it was time to head to ER.
Arrived at ER (wife drove) at a point on the pain scale of 8+ (I am fairly pain-tolerant). In triage, I could barely speak, as I could only take very small breaths. Breathing any deeper was excruciating. At that point, the nausea had eased a bit. He then sent me to the check-in desk. Within a minute or so, the nice lady asked if I was going to be sick - The pain shot up even higher, and I began to shake uncontrollably as she handed me a sick bag. Violent vomit ensued... and then calm. At that point, the pain began to ease. By the time I got seated in the waiting area, the pain was down to about a 4. Some church members came in to check on me - and the pain was down to about a 3.
Another hour later, and I was finally taken back to a room. Pain then was 2-3, nausea nearly gone. My nurse came in and began asking questions. Her eyes got big and then she found out that my surgeon was hers as well! She had had RNY done 18 months ago. She too had the same exact symptoms, about 3 months post-op. She too suggested that it was gallbladder.
Dr. finally came in, ordered ultrasound. My labs also showed a couple of liver enzymes a bit elevated. Ultrasound showed no obvious blockages or active stones. Doctor suggested that I likely passed a stone when I first got there (the violent shaking and extreme pain, then a rapid easing. He prescribed pain meds and nausea med and send me home, instructing me to follow up with my surgeon. He did say that that hospital did not have the facility to do another test that checks gallbladder function. My nurse added that she had no obvious stone activity, but that the same test is what diagnosed her gallbladder as not functioning correctly - and the root of her pain and nausea.
I have yet to take any pain or nausea meds. I did have a bit of a flare-up of minor pain in the same location last night, but otherwise have not had any more symptoms.
Monday, I spoke with my surgeon's nurse again. They scheduled a hepatobilliary scan for next Thursday to test gallbladder function. So - we will see what's next in a week.
