Gallstones?

[Ayla2010]

Am hoping to get some others experiences of this.

Firstly I have had pain in my kidney area for months, its always there, but gets worse especially first thing in the morning.

I finally decided I better i go to the Dr recently since the pain was so bad. He did blood tests, and sent me for an ultrasound today.

Everything seems normal except I have quite a few gallstones.

The technician seemed to think id have pain in the front rather than back. But has anyone had gallstones and had pain in the back? Around kidney area?

She also says they would remove the gallbladder, but I can tell you now that will not be happening at least just yet.

This way of life surely would be perfect for these type of problems yes?

I am only day 8 into my whole 30 after months and months (plus years before) of really crappy eating.

Will be going back to the Dr this afternoon to discuss this, but wanting some experiences before hand.

Thanks all.

[TrayS]

I had my gallbladder removed in 2009 after my gallstones were discovered following a horrifyingly painful attack where I felt like I was being stabbed in the back near the area between my shoulder blades, for several hours. In hindsight I'd been having attacks for months, but none were anywhere near as severe until the one that sent me to the dr. It was the worst pain I've ever felt in my life.

So yes, gallstones can definitely produce pain in the back. However, the pain usually occurs late at night (or several hours after eating), particularly after a fat-heavy meal, since the gallbladder functions to release a large amount of bile at once to deal with the fat. Therefore it seems that first thing in the morning would be the time when you're least likely to experience an attack, assuming you aren't eating in the middle of the night. All of my attacks were at night, around 11pm - 2 am.

I can't say either way whether this style of eating would do anything to minimize gallstones that already exist. My guess is probably not, in fact if your fat intake goes up then I would think you'd be more likely to experience a bad attack (for the reason stated above).

I've had no gallbladder for 3.5 years now and it's been a bit of a change from before, but nothing too inconvenient and eating clean definitely helps me stay regular. You must make your own decision but my advice: if you have gallstones that are big enough to block the gallbladder neck (I think around 1cm), I'd get that sucker yanked before you have an attack that forces the issue. Of course if you wait for an attack it may be a much easier decision! Good luck whatever you decide.

[Ayla2010]

The biggest stone I have is 24 mm, and there is an impacted stone also. (maybe the same one?)

Dr wants me to make app with surgeon now.

But my thinking is continue eating this way as well as seeing a naturopath, but if pain gets severe + vomitting, then id go to ER and deal with it that way.

Still thinking though, I really just don't want to lose a body part. The pain in my back has been pretty severe at times but yes strange to be first thing in the morning when I wake, so not sure on that one.

[Kirsteen]

Still thinking though, I really just don't want to lose a body part.

They wanted to remove my gallbladder because I had a stone blocking the bile duct. (To be honest it took them nearly two years of intensly painful attacks to discover that was the cause as there were no stones showing in the gallbladder itself). Like you I tend to think our body parts are there for a reason and I'm loath to have them removed if i can avoid it. I ended up having an ERCP. It's done under sedation. they pass an endoscopy tube down your throat and, through that, scrape out the bile duct. They then insert a balloon, like in an angiogram, and inflate it to stretch the duct. They then slit the muscle at the end of the duct so it can't contract and block. It's a reasonably quick painless procedure and it certainly worked for me. I had it over 2 years ago and it's been fine since.

[TrayS]

Kirsteen that is interesting that you had that option, my doctor told me that they won't just take out stones because the conditions exist for them to re-form (otherwise they wouldn't have formed in the first place). There may be insurance limitations, etc. that keep them from offering certain procedures depending on the circumstances (and I see we are in different countries so that may affect options as well.)

I totally understand not wanting to lose a body part. I probably would've felt the same way but I was so traumatized by the attack that beyond quizzing my doctor the one time I just agreed to the surgery, figuring that the consequences couldn't be worse than the pain of a bad attack. I was recovered from the surgery within a matter of days (3 days off work, running less than two weeks later) and these days I barely remember it's not there.

[Ayla2010]

TrayS, so you don't get an upset stomach from eating this way? Supposedly higher fat causes a problem without a gall bladder.

But my thinking was of course not the good fats but nasty ones right?

[Kirsteen]

I think what swung it was the fact that I'd had umpteen scans of the gallbladder and none of them had shown any stones in it. They had to get rid of the stone in the bile duct as it had become totally blocked. They suggested taking the gallbladder as well but couldn't guarantee it would actually make any difference so i opted for the smaller procedure.

[Ayla2010]

If I make an appointment with the surgeon I will ask about just removing the stones.

But still undecided.

I completely fell off the rails after hearing the news yesterday. You would think it would have the opposite affect for me, but not so

So once again I have failed and have to restart my whole 30.

I just really feel quite sick now.

[Kirsteen]

Good luck with whatever you and your surgeon decide. Only the two of you'll be able to work out what's best for you. My daughter's partner and her best friend have both had their gallbladders removed and haven't looked back. Just be good to yourself. Do the best you can and don't be hard on yourself. Let us know how you get on

[TrayS]

I actually don't get an upset stomach eating W30. Exceptions are when I'm particularly anxious, but I think that can occur with or without the gallbladder issue. I did have pretty bad "IBS" before I started on thyroid medication last December, which cleared up even more once I started W30 this past summer. I think correcting my thyroid issue and my diet have affected my GI function significantly compared to my lack of a gallbladder.

I've also had a number of friends and family members have their gallbladders removed mostly with no ongoing issues. My one friend has said she experiences some diarrhea but that may be due to her diet as well.

I agree with Kirsteen that it's something only you can decide with the help of your doctor, based on your individual circumstances.

[Ayla2010]

Well I made an appointment with the surgeon for 11 Dec, which was the first available appointment, but am down for if there is a cancellation before then.

I will hear what they have to say but will keep doing what I am doing in the mean time.

[jeepifer]

Run, don't walk, to Amazon and buy "The Gallbladder Survival Guide" by Jeremy Bernal. Seriously!!!! It's an amazing little book!!! It's written for people that haven't had surgery yet, as well as those of us that have.

I had my gallbladder out 10 years ago. About the last 4-5 years, I've had intermittent diarrhea, that has gotten progressively worse. Ox bile and digestive enzymes didn't help that much.

Well, thanks to that little book (and an awesome MD!), I found out that my bile ducts are constantly dumping into my stomach, kind of like a leaky faucet that can't shut off. Normally this is reabsorbed in the intestines. In my case, it's just (literally) running through me. Ugh!

I am now taking a medication that absorbs excess bile. If I don't go crazy with dietary fat (chicken wings with homemade ranch was not a good choice, alas), then I find myself almost back to "normal".

Anyhooooo, go grab that book! It will talk about tons of stuff that your MD won't think about!

[Renee Lee]

Just wanted to pop in and mention that gallstones and gallbladder issues are almost always gluten intolerance in disguise. If you can save your gallbladder, SAVE IT.

This issue may have popped up during your W30 because people tend to up their fat and cholesterol intake on their W30, which requires bile salts to digest. If you have been eating low fat/low cholesterol, that means all that bile's been sitting unused in your gallbladder, which winds up crystallizing. If you suddenly up your intake, your body will try to release that stuff, and the crystals get stuck, cause pain, etc. Doc's say, "whoops, you make gallstones, let's get it out of there." not, "oh, looks like you need to use your gallbladder more often to prevent this buildup."

My two cents. Robin's gallbladder-less (and gluten intolerant), so maybe she'll pop in and talk about her experiences sans gallbladder.

[jeepifer]

If you have been eating low fat/low cholesterol, that means all that bile's been sitting unused in your gallbladder, which winds up crystallizing. If you suddenly up your intake, your body will try to release that stuff, and the crystals get stuck, cause pain, etc

Yes, this is entirely correct! I ate low-carb for years, then decided to try Weight Watchers. Within 6 months, I had horrible gallstones because I wasn't eating the fat to flush it out properly. To this day I tell people that I lost my gallbladder because of WW.

[Ayla2010]

Thanks for the info on the book. I just ordered it on Amazon with fast shipping, so should be here on Monday

[TrayS]

@Renee - do you know of any good information sources that link gallbladder issues to gluten intolerance? I could sure use some scientific information to help convince my husband that I actually am gluten intolerant!

[Ayla2010]

Ive been up all night with vomitting and diarreaoh, is this because of the stones?

Not in anymore pain than usual though.

[jeepifer]

Possibly, and huge (((hugs))) to you. It's been 10 years since I had mine out, but I still remember those horrible attacks. Nothing I have experienced since has come close to that agony.

(Kinda) funny story... I'd be up all night with (what I didn't know then) was a gallbladder attack. Then I'd be too exhausted to go in to work. After the 3rd attack in about a 2-month timeframe, my then-boss called me into her office. She said, "I don't know why you've been calling in sick. If you need some personal time, fine, but I really don't like being told you're sick when you clearly aren't." I was like,

During the next attack, my boyfriend said either go see a doctor or he'd take me to an emergency room. So I went and was diagnosed with gallstones and scheduled for surgery.

I never got an apology from that boss.

[Ayla2010]

Is this anything to do with the gallstones?

the night before last, I was up all night vomitting and had diarrhoea today just the diarrhoea but extreme nausea every time I eat or drink anything, even water.

No pain though.

[TrayS]

Yikes, that sounds more like a stomach flu. Hope you feel better soon!

[Ayla2010]

I wondered that, but none of my family have been sick or show signs of it, so I am at a huge loss to what is going on.

I guess if I had pain with it, it would go back to the stones?

[TrayS]

Maybe, I never experienced vomiting from my gallstones but everyone's experience is different. Also the last time I had a stomach bug my husband (then live-in boyfriend) didn't get it, even though we were living in a really small place together. I never did figure out where I caught it from.

[Ayla2010]

Well everything seems to be back to normal, and have not had any of my usual pains since just before this all started.

Could the stones have been forced out with the diarrhoea?

The supplements I have been taking the last week from the naturopath could have helped move them out maybe?

I think ill still ask for another ultrasound after the supplements from my naturopath are finished, as she suggested. Id like to know whether they are still there or not.

[Suzy]

Thanks so much for this post! Talk about a life saver.

My parents and brother have all have their gallbladders out. Last night I experienced a lot of vomiting and trouble going to the bathroom. This has been going on now for months since I've been eating a whole30 diet. I realize now that I may have been eating too much fat! I'll try bringing it down to the minimum and see if that helps.