Possible gallstone attacks

mrs1234,

It's possible. While the majority of gallstones (60 -80%) do not cause any problems and need no treatment, when a stone blocks the duct, it may begin to cause problems. The usually listed symptoms are given below:

Gallstones Symptoms

Symptoms usually occur as complications develop. The most common symptom is pain in the right upper part of the abdomen. Because the pain comes in episodes, it is often referred to as an "attack."

- Attacks may occur every few days, weeks, or months; they may even be
separated by years.
- The pain usually starts within 30 minutes after a fatty or greasy meal.
- The pain is usually severe, dull, and constant, and can last from one
to five hours.
- It may radiate to the right shoulder or back.
- It occurs frequently at night and may awaken the person from sleep.
- The pain may make the person want to move around to seek relief, but many
patients prefer to lay still and wait for the attack to subside.

Other common symptoms of gallstones include the following:

- Nausea and vomiting,
- Fever,
- Indigestion, belching, bloating,
- Intolerance for fatty or greasy foods
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes).

Warning signs of a serious problem are fever, jaundice, and persistent pain.



So, you should probably see your physician for an evaluation. Good luck.

The symptoms could be gallstone-related although there are several other things with very similar symptoms. Over-the-counter painkillers are not usually effective against gallstone pain, nor are indigestion type medicines such as Maalox or Gaviscon.

There are a few clues that it might be gallstones rather than something else. Attacks last a few hours and are infrequent, perhaps weeks or months apart, without major problems in between. Attacks tend to start within a few hours of eating, usually after the last meal of the day and often precipitated by a fatty food or a large meal. The pain is intense and constant, not made much worse by anything such as movement or position and not much helps either. Pain is above the belly button and almost always in the centre or right side.

You may read widely different accounts on boards such as this, with constant or frequent severe digestive trouble, left side pain, but these are usually not descriptions of simple gallstone pain. Sweating or clamminess are common symptoms brought about by severe pain, but a true fever is a symptom of something more serious, as is any jaundice. Pain lasting more than around 12 hours is likely to be something other than a gallstone attack, or means a complication has occurred.

I had an attack last night, it started actually Thursday the day I decided that eating 1/2 a pizza was a good idea. That night, I had the most intense pain in the same location as the first poster, right below my breastbone in the center. Maalox, Tums, Gas X, Rolaids..nothing helped. I then took Alka Seltzer and found relief. Then last night, out of nowhere I had the worst pain below my right ribcage that knocked me almost to my knees. My back shoulder blades were hurting, at first on the right then across my back and later my entire stomach seemed like it was having spasms. I went to the ER where they ruled out heart attack, they drew blood and thankfully nothing seems infected. I have an ultrasound tomorrow - all day I've just eaten plain potatoes with nothing on them & seem to be okay.
Some history: I get nauseated after almost every meal that I eat..does not seem to matter what it is. I also get nauseated for no reason and after eating anything really greasy or spicy. Nexium sometimes helped but even then I had to sometimes take additional meds to stop the nausea (I never got heartburn just nausea)
I feel really full after eating only a little bit of food. 4 weeks ago I had a horrible pain right behind my belly button for about 7 hours then it went away.
From what I understand I have all the classic symptoms of GB stones or something. We will find out tomorrow.
I've read lots of different posts and different things and it seems that no one is exactly the same.

You don't have classic symptoms of gallstones. Alka Seltzer won't usually touch gallstone pain. Of course if you're getting wind as a side-effect of gallstones ... Or it might just have been a coincidence, since uncomplicated gallstone pain resolves itself after a few hours.

Ultrasound usually confirms gallstones, but occasionally can't and you might need a different test. When there is any doubt at all, you might be sent for further tests to rule out other issues with similar symptoms. Endoscopy is a common test to look for signs of ulcer, gastritis, etc. This is done because a high proportion of gallstones don't cause symptoms and it would be a shame to take out your gallbladder when your pain was caused by something else.