next »

[treehugger1]

Last night, I felt a sudden sharp pain in the upper and lower middle abdomen.  The pain intensified and subsided in waves and felt like extemely bad menstrual cramps. It finally went away about 2 hours later.

At the time, I had no idea what was wrong, but now I'm thinking this might have been a gallbladder attack. I do not entirely fit the profile of the average sufferer: OK. I am a middle-aged woman and am fair-skinned. But I'm not overweight (5' 6" 117 lbs) and my diet is very low-fat. However, gallbladder disease runs in both sides of my family: my sister, both grandmothers, aunt, uncle and cousin have all had their gallbladders removed (and my great-grandmother died from the condition).

Obviously, I'm going to get this checked out with the appropriate medical specialist, but I have a few questions for you all in the meantime.

1. For all you gallstone suffers out there, are these symptoms similar to yours?
2. I've read that attacks can be triggered by a fatty meal. But does this mean "fatty" in only an absolute sense? Or in a relative sense, as well. Like I said, I eat a very low-fat diet (fat = 15% of total calories). However, last weekend we entertained a friend and wound up eating out about 4 times. At least one of these meal was pretty high fat -- think Romano grill, pasta w/ cream sauce + dessert (Yum!). Could my attack (if it was one) have been connected to something I ate on Sunday night, or is this a bit far-fetched?

3. Any other ideas as to what the attack might have been? (BTW, I am definitely menopausal and have never had any gynecological problems -- of which I am aware.)

[ms_turtle]

Last night, I felt a sudden sharp pain in the upper and lower middle abdomen.  The pain intensified and subsided in waves and felt like extemely bad menstrual cramps. It finally went away about 2 hours later.

At the time, I had no idea what was wrong, but now I'm thinking this might have been a gallbladder attack. I do not entirely fit the profile of the average sufferer: OK. I am a middle-aged woman and am fair-skinned. But I'm not overweight (5' 6" 117 lbs) and my diet is very low-fat. However, gallbladder disease runs in both sides of my family: my sister, both grandmothers, aunt, uncle and cousin have all had their gallbladders removed (and my great-grandmother died from the condition).

Obviously, I'm going to get this checked out with the appropriate medical specialist, but I have a few questions for you all in the meantime.

1. For all you gallstone suffers out there, are these symptoms similar to yours?
2. I've read that attacks can be triggered by a fatty meal. But does this mean "fatty" in only an absolute sense? Or in a relative sense, as well. Like I said, I eat a very low-fat diet (fat = 15% of total calories). However, last weekend we entertained a friend and wound up eating out about 4 times. At least one of these meal was pretty high fat -- think Romano grill, pasta w/ cream sauce + dessert (Yum!). Could my attack (if it was one) have been connected to something I ate on Sunday night, or is this a bit far-fetched?

3. Any other ideas as to what the attack might have been? (BTW, I am definitely menopausal and have never had any gynecological problems -- of which I am aware.)

I've had my gallbladder removed and what you're describing sounds very, very similar to my attacks. It is very likely that a single, high-fat meal could lead to an attack. Yet, I'm also wondering about the timeline -- you had your decadent meal on Sunday but had the attack last night.

Getting this checked out is quite simple as they will do an ultrasound of your gallbladder. Occasionally blood tests may also be conducted (there are some different enzymes that show up if you have severe attacks but I can't recall their names). In the mean time, stay away from high-fat meals and eat smaller meals. This will put less stress on your digestive system.

[zuzu_]

Alternately, it could have been gas. I would not stress, unless it becomes a regular occurance.

[shambelle]

It's so hard to tell with something like this.
In my case, I had the pain issue come and go randomly and not that frequently for years, so I ignored it. (I know. I'm an idiot.)
What really did it for me was the problems with nausea that I started having about a year ago. My gallstones (and my stones were CRAZY) were actually found by accident when having an MRI done for something else. By that time, I had moved to a lower fat diet anyway due to my other GI issues, so I'm not sure what made the whole nausea thing start. I had to go ahead and have the gall bladder removed before it caused other issues and the pain thing definitely stopped.

With a history of disease, I'd have it looked at - but that's just me. Maybe if it beomes a reoccurring problem, keep a log of what you feel and when.

Last night, I felt a sudden sharp pain in the upper and lower middle abdomen.  The pain intensified and subsided in waves and felt like extemely bad menstrual cramps. It finally went away about 2 hours later.

At the time, I had no idea what was wrong, but now I'm thinking this might have been a gallbladder attack. I do not entirely fit the profile of the average sufferer: OK. I am a middle-aged woman and am fair-skinned. But I'm not overweight (5' 6" 117 lbs) and my diet is very low-fat. However, gallbladder disease runs in both sides of my family: my sister, both grandmothers, aunt, uncle and cousin have all had their gallbladders removed (and my great-grandmother died from the condition).

Obviously, I'm going to get this checked out with the appropriate medical specialist, but I have a few questions for you all in the meantime.

1. For all you gallstone suffers out there, are these symptoms similar to yours?
2. I've read that attacks can be triggered by a fatty meal. But does this mean "fatty" in only an absolute sense? Or in a relative sense, as well. Like I said, I eat a very low-fat diet (fat = 15% of total calories). However, last weekend we entertained a friend and wound up eating out about 4 times. At least one of these meal was pretty high fat -- think Romano grill, pasta w/ cream sauce + dessert (Yum!). Could my attack (if it was one) have been connected to something I ate on Sunday night, or is this a bit far-fetched?

3. Any other ideas as to what the attack might have been? (BTW, I am definitely menopausal and have never had any gynecological problems -- of which I am aware.)

[treehugger1]

Thanks, ms_turtle.

Alternately, it could have been gas. I would not stress, unless it becomes a regular occurance.

Well ... I was literally doubled over in pain -- although I wasn't crawling around on my hands and knees (as my sister said she was). I was also panicked enough to hobble over to the phone and call the "nurse-line" offered by my insurance company. The lack of fever was the only reason I didn't insist on going to the ER. So, I'm thinking it probably wasn't just gas.

[grimple]

Hi Treehugger1,

Your symptoms sound exactly like mine, and I definitely have gallstones.  Twice, I had to go to the hospital the pain was so bad.  Both times, the doctors encouraged me to have my gallbladder removed.  I didn't do it.  At the time, I had lost a large amount of weight in a very short time, and the doctor said that probably caused my gallstones.  Now, if I have whole milk, I get the gallstones acting up. 

Here's what works for me, although my doctors always insist removing the gallbladder entirely is the "safest" thing:  I mix a tablespoon of epsom salt with a glass of grapefruit juice.   Drink that and the pain goes away in less than half an hour.  Apparently, the combination moves the gallstones around so they're no longer blocking the exit to your gall bladder (which is what is causing the pain).

Good luck!

[treehugger1]

Hi Treehugger1,

Your symptoms sound exactly like mine, and I definitely have gallstones.  Twice, I had to go to the hospital the pain was so bad.  Both times, the doctors encouraged me to have my gallbladder removed.  I didn't do it.  At the time, I had lost a large amount of weight in a very short time, and the doctor said that probably caused my gallstones.  Now, if I have whole milk, I get the gallstones acting up. 

Here's what works for me, although my doctors always insist removing the gallbladder entirely is the "safest" thing:  I mix a tablespoon of epsom salt with a glass of grapefruit juice.   Drink that and the pain goes away in less than half an hour.  Apparently, the combination moves the gallstones around so they're no longer blocking the exit to your gall bladder (which is what is causing the pain).

Good luck!

Oh, I am totally with you re: "necessary" elective surgery. After years (7) of hounding by MDs, I finally had a partial colectomy last year to treat a chronic condition. No complications, thankfully -- but the surgery was *not* effective as advertised.

Anyway.

Thanks, I'll have to try out that concoction next time.

[biomancer]

OK - this is getting personal - but are you perimenopausal or post menopausal?  If the former, it could be an ovarian cyst.  The pain you described sounds a good bit like the pain I get when my cysts burst.  My pain is generally in the lateral lower abdomen, but some women feel it more centrally.

It also sounds a lot like appendicitis, though that usually involves a fever and nausea. 

But, I won't dispute the gall bladder possibilities, as your symptoms are pretty classic for that.

Either way, I'd be getting to a doctor soon if I were in your shoes.  It's also possible that you could be having something really serious like the early stages of an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta.  I don't think that's really likely but the only signal you'd get is pain.  An ultrasound should help sort things out.

[sequoia_sun]

Thanks, ms_turtle.

Alternately, it could have been gas. I would not stress, unless it becomes a regular occurance.

Well ... I was literally doubled over in pain -- although I wasn't crawling around on my hands and knees (as my sister said she was). I was also panicked enough to hobble over to the phone and call the "nurse-line" offered by my insurance company. The lack of fever was the only reason I didn't insist on going to the ER. So, I'm thinking it probably wasn't just gas.

Be glad you have insurance.  Several years ago I was having those symptoms. They became more and more frequent and several of my attacks lasted 24 hours. Nothing relieved it. I spent hours doubled over in pain, in a hot bath, trying to get relief when the attacks came.  I was pretty sure that is what it was, but couldn't go to a doc until I could afford insurance.

From time of onset until diagnosis was over a year. I tried ignoring it but it did not lessen or go away. The day after I paid to get some insurance, I went to my doctor, she did some tests then away I went to the ER. It was removed the next day, infected as hell. I was lucky there were no complications. I didn't want to go prior to coverage or it would have been listed as a pre-existing condition.

No need to suffer if this is what it is. Get it checked out.

[alleyoxenfree]

Low-fat diet can bring this on, in that the gallbladder quits functioning, then may be overwhelmed by a high-fat meal.
It's best to eat some natural fats regularly, like a little avocado, olive oil, almonds.

There are other irritants, including spicy foods, tomato, citrus, and a big one is oils like canola, safflower, sunflower.  So all those "healthy" foods with these oils can make things act up quickly, as can specific cuisines that use and re-use oils on a grill (Indian, Mexican).

But definitely get it checked out.  Severe abdominal pain can be all sorts of things.

[marfa]

Tree hugger,

I could've written your post--we're the same size, same fairness, same family history....
I had what I think was my first attack last November.  Doubled up in the hallway as I tried to leave work.  The pain started in the front and went around to the back (which was exactly how my mom described the pain when I called her later that day).  The pain went away when I laid down, but came back as I tried to fix dinner.  Within 2 hours, it was completely gone.  I haven't done anything about it.  I figure if it's this intermittent I can wait a while.  (I should've had it checked out when I went in for a sonogram that diagnosed fibroids last month, but I'm not sure they would've liked my suggestion..."Say, as long as you've got the hood up...")

[the_honey_badger]

I had mine out a few years ago after similar attacks.  The main predictor is family history. I didn't fit the old stereotype, my symptoms were also (mainly) somewhat atypical,  but when asked I could point to 3 generations of gall stones in the medical history, the ER doc said could be an ovarian cyst with those symptoms but "I bet 100 bucks its gall stones. Lets do a sonar check..."  Absolutely was gallstones.


Also,  you want to be aware of the risks if you do delay a simple day surgery proceedure and weigh the benefits in your own case. Those smaller stones can get lodged in the duct and everything gets more complicated in terms of surgery, infection and recovery.  Mine was simple in and out.  My colleague had major surgery a significant recovery and problems with the medical insurance because they judged that he chose not to take the standard option and ended up causing the charges. Get it checked out completely and then ask the doctor about the risks in your particular case.

[msparticularity]

No one has mentioned kidney stones as a possibility, either--and you say, Treehugger, that the pain felt like menstrual cramps. Did it run into either flank?

[alleyoxenfree]

There are also risks to having the gallbladder out if it is working even somewhat, i.e. increased risk factors for intestinal cancers.  As with anything, homework is needed before an individual decision is made.