Carrie's Story - Page 45 - ThinnerTimes

chilmoe · 05-01-2007, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dyann

My money is on gall bladder. Are you able to drink?? Are you passing gas and having bowel movements?? Herniated bowel/bowel obstruction in rare cases (like Donnas) can be chronic and stay at a low level until the bowel dies. Most cases present with the pain, nausea vomiting and will progress rapidly if untreated and you would become deathly ill. To me, via the internet, your symptoms are gall bladder which is why I recommended that HIDA with the CCK stimulation.

The rate at which things are happening for you is very frustrating as a bystander. I can't imagine how it is for you. Find an advocate at the doctor's office. Just show up there. Call the CEO of the hospital or chief of staff. This is so absurd. Here, this would never happen. Sorry to tell you that, but it is true.

i have constant 24/7 pain, and i get extreme pain when drinking, i sip anyway, but in a few minutes after sipping, pain - i am managing a total of 2-3 cups of fluid a day, well 3 cups is pushing it, thats why i have gone to the ER for fluids, i have an open invitation there for that

bowel movements are every 3-4 days and they are normal when i have them, not soft, not hard, etc, just normal and no pain from bowel movements, i agree that it is gallbladder and farries did say that the ultrasound didnt pick up on stones, but that there could be other issues with the gallbladder, but felt that this test he ordered would check gallbladder and the bowel

he freaked me out when he explained about the herniated bowel, but i dont think thats it, i still think i would be REALLY REALLY sick, and i dont feel great and pain is taking its toll on me but im not really really sick im still working, driving, running kids, cooking, cleaning, not with as much energy and i tire easily and am alot weaker now, and the pain, pain level is quite high, you know when you are sitting and the pain gets to you and you just rock back and forth, thats the kind of pain im in, aggitated, disorienting at times, then i eat or drink and boom its a 12 pain and i have laid on the floor and cry, or called jen and cried while flopped on my bed over pillows - thanks my jenbear i dont know what id do without you and your wonderful ears

love you chickie

and again, to all of you, so wonderful and caring, you give me strength and i so appreciate it! hugs to you all

LisaM · 05-01-2007, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chilmoe

pain level is quite high, you know when you are sitting and the pain gets to you and you just rock back and forth, thats the kind of pain im in, aggitated, disorienting at times, then i eat or drink and boom its a 12 pain and i have laid on the floor and cry, or called jen and cried while flopped on my bed over pillows.

It really does sound like my recent gall bladder attacks. I would just rock on the couch... crawl around the floor... there's something about being on your hands and knees and getting your poor gut into at least a different position that at least lets you breathe. One thing that helped is when my husband would very gently just rub his hands over my whole back, just kind of letting them glide across the surface, not pressing or pushing. Don't know WHY it helped, just know that it did...ah, girlie, my heart's breaking for you.

I was only in that pain for three weeks, and I barely made it, even with the strongest pain meds they could give me. And, at some weird level, you're almost glad when the pain comes back, because it's not all in your head, and you're not crazy--it's there, it hurts every time you eat, and they need to do something about it soon.

You're on my mind... wish I could ease your pain.

chilmoe · 05-01-2007, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LisaM

It really does sound like my recent gall bladder attacks. I would just rock on the couch... crawl around the floor... there's something about being on your hands and knees and getting your poor gut into at least a different position that at least lets you breathe. One thing that helped is when my husband would very gently just rub his hands over my whole back, just kind of letting them glide across the surface, not pressing or pushing. Don't know WHY it helped, just know that it did...ah, girlie, my heart's breaking for you.

I was only in that pain for three weeks, and I barely made it, even with the strongest pain meds they could give me. And, at some weird level, you're almost glad when the pain comes back, because it's not all in your head, and you're not crazy--it's there, it hurts every time you eat, and they need to do something about it soon.

You're on my mind... wish I could ease your pain.

thanks lisa, and yes my hubby rubs my back many times a day and so do my kids, they are so sweet, they can see my pain level rising and come running and start rubbing - dont know why it can feel better after that, but it does, kinda takes the focus off, having a high pain day today, going to get my hubby to rub my back now so i can lay down and try to sleep, sweet dreams.

sdgrrl · 05-01-2007, 10:54 PM

It's a sad thing to have to hope that our pain can be quantified and identified as real, actual, legitimate pain. When my gall bladder bit the big one I thought I was having a heart attack--the pain went right through to my back. Normal liver enzymes are 10-14, mine were 440. I guess that legitimized my pain... I only had to deal with it 48 hours--I cannot imagine weathering it for months on end. You have bigger huevos than me, Dearheart.

I pray that they figure out what's wrong soon, Carrie. I'm sending you healing energy non-stop, and wishing you could get fixed like yesterday. You poor darling.

Duckie · 05-01-2007, 11:43 PM

ARGH! I am at work right now... and IN PAIN! Is there a gallbladder conspiracy going on here? I have pain from just below my breasts, it hurts to breathe and it goes straight through to my back. I took four tums. Nothing. I have noticed I've been having feelings of indigestion lately and just figured it was something I ate? Do y'all think it may have been the start of a gallbladder issue? If this still hurts like this in the a.m. I am gonna pop over to my MDs office on the way out and see about having some labs drawn or something. Am I the latest victim???????

sdgrrl · 05-02-2007, 01:11 AM

Sounds like it to me. Try eating something fatty and see what it does. A piece of pizza, some doritos, anything with fat in it. If it sends you over the edge, you gotchyerself a bad gall bladder. It's gotta be the most common complication of gbs. Tums laff at gall bladders!

Duckie · 05-02-2007, 01:36 AM

it happened after I ate one cookie! I'll have to find something to bring home with me and try there. I don't want to do this at work again!

JenBear7 · 05-02-2007, 04:20 AM

argh... if this happens to everyone.. why do they wait to take them? My surgeon wouldnt take gallbladders unless they looked less than healthy when he was doing the surgery...I just dont get it. I guess I am glad mine is already gone..

Duckie... get the test for crying out loud... you dont have to wait.. you work at a hospital... in the states!

Carrie... my ears are part of you anyway...

So, how could I not listen. And I would go nuts without hearing your voice every little while.. its all good!

LisaM · 05-02-2007, 05:51 AM

From Medline, symptoms of gallbladder attack:

Abdominal fullness or gas
Abdominal pain that is:

Severe
Located on the right side (right upper quadrant) or in the upper middle of
the abdomen (epigastric)
Decreased over 12 to 18 hours in uncomplicated cases
Recurrent or similar to pain in past
Occurring after meals
Worse during deep intake of breath
Radiating to back or below the right shoulder blade
Worse after eating or drinking fatty foods or fluids

Fever
Nausea and vomiting
Heartburn
Chills and shaking
Chest pain under the breastbone

I never had a fever, heartburn, chills and shaking, but all the others were spot on.

And the reason Dyann keeps emphasizing the HIDA scan with CCK is because the CCK basically makes your body go into a gallbladder attack, so the scan can show what's actually happening. They did a plain HIDA scan on me, and it showed my gall bladder working perfectly. Luckily, the CT scan showed the one single stone that was blocking the gall bladder after every meal. Even then only one doc (luckily, it was the surgeon) really believed that was the problem. Every other ER doc, intern, resident, said one stone wouldn't cause that kind of pain... Insist on the CCK part of the test, it may be crucial...

Dyann · 05-02-2007, 06:18 AM

Gall bladder problems are common in women our age and with weight loss. The problem with taking out healthy gall bladders is that there is a .2-.6% chance of injuring the bile ducts at a laparoscopic removal. So with 200,000 GBP patients/year that means 400-1200 would have an injury to the bile ducts when only a small portion of those 200,000 would have needed their gallbladder out. Risk/ benefit. So anyone who has stones pre GBP without symptoms are at higher risk and should have it removed. Diabetics with stones should have it removed. Other than that, if it is healthy, you just need to play the odds that it won't be you. Unfortunately 13 months after my GBP, my gallbladder was at the pathology office after being removed.

Like most things in life I go with it is 50/50. Either it will be you or it won't.