I first found I had gallstones 15 yrs ago - huge amounts of small ones but because they weren't bothering me I decided not to have it out. I had a u/s scan every year and a liver blood test to make sure no complications.

All was well until 6 month ago when I started to get night time attacks of severe tightness pressure from navel to ribs going through to the back with very noisy bowels lots of pops and gurgles and lots of burping and lots of episodes of diarrhea all night so no sleep. Could get these attacks anything from every few days to a coupleof months between. I didn't have terrible pain under my right rib but this intense pressure below rib and accross front.

I had a u/s scan and as usual lots of small gallstones but no blocked ducts or inflamed gallbladder and told pancreas okay. All blood tests normal. Had sigmoidoscopy to check bowel and normal.

My surgeon says as I have had gallstones for so long they could be causing the problem without there being any serious complications like a blocked duct but he advises that the longer I leave having it out the more chance there is of serious complications.

He says he cannot be 100% certain my symptoms are gall bladder realted but he says he is sure they are.

Does anyone else get or has had the intense gas and diarrhea with gallstones that I am getting.

I am coming round to having it out but worry that I will go to all the trouble and risk of an operation and find out it makes no difference.

My surgeon says I can have a ultrasound scan that shows no serious complications and liver tests that are normal but can still be suffering from gallbladder trouble.

I'm terrified of hospitals and operations which doesn't help but I would feel better if I knew that this awful gas and diarrhea and waist level pain and pressure could be from my gallstones cos then I would be more confindent in saying whip it out!