Finding doctor for complicated stomach condition and fighting unnecessary surgery

So I've had a very painful issue with stomach pain for about 4 years and have been told that it was heartburn, GERD/acid reflux and a number of other similar names and also told that it is my gall bladder and that I have gall stones. I had ultrasound and it showed some stones (was told that about 80% of people have stones), not a lot from what I was told by a technician (doctors wouldn't say anything about quantity...). I'm told that the cause of the pain is my gall bladder and it needs to be removed. Problem is, that removing the gall bladder can cause a lot of other problems with digestion later on (especially with my irritable bowel and other stomach issues not related to this pain) and in some cases new issues can arise, existing issues worsen and it isn't even clear that this is the cause of my pain.

Now I get severe stomach pain at times, at the peak of my diaphram (middle bottom of rib cage), and it comes in "attacks" where I get really hot, sweaty and have the need to vomit (excessively). Vomitting actually greatly reduces the pain/cramping and sometimes it goes away shortly after. These attacks almost always happen either while eating, shortly after or within a couple hours. Out of the near 100 I've had, I've only had a few when I haven't had something to eat within a few hours before it started. These attacks can last from 45mins to 4-5 hours and it is crippling, over-whelming pain where my vision gets distorted (colors seem more blue/purple) and I sometimes start to see stars a little. I get a slight knot at the point of pain (blow rib cage), it just feels like a balled up muscle, like a cramped muscle and pushing on it during attacks hurts a lot, while other times very little. Stretching my arms above my heat and back behind my back (arching backwards with arms in air above head) seems to greatly reduce the pain during attacks, as soon as bring them down, the pain is back at very high levels.

I've tried all the heart burn medicines, eating Tums by the handful, drinking magnesia products, drinking milk (that seems to help most, especially if going to vomit - as it is a base), and none helps the pain or eases the attacks. I have taken muscle relaxers and xanax during attacks and that seems to greatly reduce the pain if not start to end the attack. I've also taken narcotic pain medication and it helps stop the attack and at times stops it completely within a few minutes.

While on vacation I spent 2 days in the hospital having the worst attacks I've ever had, this was out of country. They told me this was not caused by gall stones or gall bladder and they were pretty adamant about that. They did more tests on me in the 4 hours I was there then my doctors have in the 8+ visits I've made and it cost about the same as one test in the states... They weren't sure the cause though and I had to leave for my flight at my last visit. They did say there is a test that shows gall stone/bladder issues and they were negative but the doctors in the states say there is no test or indicators. So IDK who to believe. I had surgery canceled after being told it wasn't a gall bladder issue but now I'm faced with the same decision again and I feel that my doc's are on a single track and I am not certain about it and not keen on removing natural organs.

I'm wondering if anyone has ever had any issues similar to this or knows of any way I can go about getting tests to determine if this is gall bladder issue, or determine what may be causing this. I've tried removing certain things from diet (tried totally eliminating 1 thing at a time for 4+ years but I still get attacks no matter what). I've seen pill-cam's where you swallow a pill and it images the digestive tract (this was around since 1999) but I haven't seen any place that uses this except one place in NYC - this seems odd and the normal way seems barbaric (have to put people under to do it, which I'm totally against).

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Yea you don't wanna ignore this.
It can be stones, but it can also be something a lot more serious and I would ask for a CT scan to make 100% sure what it is.
It does sound like stones, tho. And they either need to be removed, or the whole thing needs to come out.
If you don't get them removed or the bladder taken out you can get something called a blie duct blockage which can damage your liver and pancreas, and you can die from it.

If you get your gallbladder removed it's normal life, you just can't eat copious amounts of fatty foods and consume lots of sugary stuff, either way it can lead to an even healthier life when you think about it. Also, antacids won't really help, gallbladder is a 'late stage' digestion organ, meaning it gets to work sometime after you eat food, not directly working with the stomach.

I should also add that my GFs father and my best friend both had their gallbladders removed with similar symptoms. They live normal lives.

My suggestion as a veterinary surgeon... I understand and respect your shout for help :

Contact a real life doctor who can discuss with you... « feel you up so to speak », read, study and analyse your personal medical history...

stay WELL AWAY from armchair wannabe people who think they have the best intentions.

Kindest respects

Lags

My father had gallstones and kidney stones, he did not want surgery and tried lithotripsy to break the stones, in the end it did not work and after maybe 2 years he had surgery to remove the gallbladder, that was 10+ years ago and he dint have live changing issues.

Ultrasound would show if you got large stones, blood test only show if the stones are affecting other organs, they can block ducts and the bile will "fry" your organs, it's better to remove the gall than have a complication.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

That sounds horrible, it's tough even when doctors are unsure and you get conflicting information and diagnosis.

Find a specialist, get more tests. In the mean time have you tried changing your diet? If I were you I would be keeping a diary of what you eat and when also when you have an attack so to speak and hoe long they last.

Then look at doing an elimination diet, keep doing the diary but eliminate one food group at a time. Start with gluten perhaps or dairy, they are good places to start.

After a week or 10 days, if you notice no change reintroduce the food and eliminate something else ... Good luck.

Thanks for the replies, I really appreciate your help. This has been hell for 4 years and I haven't eaten since the first attack without worrying that it might kick off another attack. I've skipped hundreds of meals because I worry about this happening.

The first thing I did was greatly reduce my fatty food intake and limit some other foods like eggs, onions, cheeses, etc (unfortunately I like all of those). What I found was that it didn't really matter what I ate and it was triggered even by something as simple as a dinner roll (plain white/sourdough roll with no butter or anything). This was a major kick in the balls b/c it meant that no foods were really safe as I thought it was fat related. One saving grace has been oats and I've been lucky to learn how to make them many different ways and I've never had an attack after eating them, even with heavy cream and whole milk, sugars, etc. This is a safe food for me when my sweet tooth is acting up.

Thanks again for the suggestions. I am seeking professional help but have had some conflicting reports that have made me a little skeptical and I've become more cautious in my older years after a failed surgery that left some issues worse than the initial cause for surgery.

chron's? colitis?

Those are rampant where I am. Friends have had bizarre stomach issues for years and have recently been diagnosed with something in this realm of unpleasantness, and once diagnosed they were able to manage and control the problem.

Good luck!

I had my gallbladder removed in 2008.

The gallbladder test you will want to have done is a nuclear test, called HIDA:

www.webmd.com...

I also had previous bowel complications from a surgery while in the military that left me with a form of IBS.


I was prescribed a medicine called Prevalite, which was originally designed for high Cholesterol after I had my gallbladder surgery. It doesn't do much as originally intended, but it does bind to free bile acids in the intestines.


This drug is a miracle for people who have gallbladder removal, and I took it for a couple of years and had no bowel problems whatsoever. Eventually your body will/should adapt to the loss of your gallbladder and return to normal.


If you do need to have your gallbladder removed, have your doctor put you on Prevalite...it is a powder that when mixed with Tang, one glass a day will keep you straight.


Prevalite:

www.webmd.com...

Pointless giving a suggestion the armchair specialists win again.

Good luck... over and out

originally posted by: Lagomorphe
Pointless giving a suggestion the armchair specialists win again.

Good luck... over and out

No armchair specialists are needed.

There is only one test that is excellent for diagnosing gallbladder functions, a HIDA test.

The results of that test will tell you if you have a gallbladder problem.

Pain and attacks after eating are very common signs of gallbladder issues.

originally posted by: RickinVa

originally posted by: Lagomorphe
Pointless giving a suggestion the armchair specialists win again.

Good luck... over and out

No armchair specialists are needed.

There is only one test that is excellent for diagnosing gallbladder functions, a HIDA test.

The results of that test will tell you if you have a gallbladder problem.

Pain and attacks after eating are very common signs of gallbladder issues.

If you say so doctor.

originally posted by: Lagomorphe

originally posted by: RickinVa

originally posted by: Lagomorphe
Pointless giving a suggestion the armchair specialists win again.

Good luck... over and out

No armchair specialists are needed.

There is only one test that is excellent for diagnosing gallbladder functions, a HIDA test.

The results of that test will tell you if you have a gallbladder problem.

Pain and attacks after eating are very common signs of gallbladder issues.

If you say so doctor.

Care to show me where I claimed to be a doctor?

originally posted by: RickinVa

originally posted by: Lagomorphe

originally posted by: RickinVa

originally posted by: Lagomorphe
Pointless giving a suggestion the armchair specialists win again.

Good luck... over and out

No armchair specialists are needed.

There is only one test that is excellent for diagnosing gallbladder functions, a HIDA test.

The results of that test will tell you if you have a gallbladder problem.

Pain and attacks after eating are very common signs of gallbladder issues.

If you say so doctor.

Care to show me where I claimed to be a doctor?

Nope... don’t want to argue with an armchair specialist with his/her personal experience...

There are SPECIALISTS out there... NOT YOU.

Don’t play around online with peoples health.

There is NOT just one test... let the OPs doctor decide and justify.

originally posted by: RickinVa

originally posted by: Lagomorphe

originally posted by: RickinVa

originally posted by: Lagomorphe
Pointless giving a suggestion the armchair specialists win again.

Good luck... over and out

No armchair specialists are needed.

There is only one test that is excellent for diagnosing gallbladder functions, a HIDA test.

The results of that test will tell you if you have a gallbladder problem.

Pain and attacks after eating are very common signs of gallbladder issues.

If you say so doctor.

Care to show me where I claimed to be a doctor?

You are responding as if you are...

Be careful how you word is all I can suggest.

originally posted by: Lagomorphe

originally posted by: RickinVa

originally posted by: Lagomorphe

originally posted by: RickinVa

originally posted by: Lagomorphe
Pointless giving a suggestion the armchair specialists win again.

Good luck... over and out

No armchair specialists are needed.

There is only one test that is excellent for diagnosing gallbladder functions, a HIDA test.

The results of that test will tell you if you have a gallbladder problem.

Pain and attacks after eating are very common signs of gallbladder issues.

If you say so doctor.

Care to show me where I claimed to be a doctor?

You are responding as if you are...

Be careful how you word is all I can suggest.

okey dokey Nurse.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Sounds like a classic gall bladder attack. You can go for the surgery and you'll likely have no adverse side effects honestly; or stop eating all the cheap that makes your gall bladder mad. For most people it's greasy and fatty items.

Exit to add: I see you're at the point where everything is triggering attacks. My father let his get to this point and it was horrible for him. As soon as he had the gall bladder surgery, he was fine. Eighty percent of my father's family including me have had it out. It's a minimally invasive surgery and most people feel so much better afterward.

Olive oil.

www.webmd.com...

I've heard of people drinking olive oil straight with lemon juice for gall bladder stones. Supposed to break them up.

Recent studies have shown that moderate consumption of olive oil (about 2 tablespoons a day) may actually lower your chances of developing gallstones. An ingredient in olive oil evidently helps reduce cholesterol levels in the blood and gallbladder. Researchers have found that the incidence of gallstones is relatively low among people who live in areas where olive oil consumption is high.

But as always. Consult a specialist. Every person is different and needs to be treated differently.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof
I let gallbladder issues progress for years. The pain, the vomiting, brutal diarrhea, these attacks would last for at least 14-24 hours. Eventually, things progressed to chronic pancreatitis. By then I knew I needed help. I had massive and numerous gallstones. It was life threatening in my case. I couldn't eat much. I lost nearly 20 pounds in a month.

They took my gallbladder out. Surgery did not go well. My liver and pancreas both flared up. I was in a lot of pain and by the time they decided that I was actually hurting and not just drug seeking in the OR recovery, (right around shift change coincidentally), they said that I needed to be in-patient. So three days later, my innards stabilized and they let me go home.

In spite of the circus after my surgery, it was a good decision to have it removed. Go see your doctor. No one on here can tell you anything that will help you accept maybe "Go. See. Your. Doctor!" You could die.

originally posted by: Lagomorphe

originally posted by: RickinVa

originally posted by: Lagomorphe

originally posted by: RickinVa

originally posted by: Lagomorphe
Pointless giving a suggestion the armchair specialists win again.

Good luck... over and out

No armchair specialists are needed.

There is only one test that is excellent for diagnosing gallbladder functions, a HIDA test.

The results of that test will tell you if you have a gallbladder problem.

Pain and attacks after eating are very common signs of gallbladder issues.

If you say so doctor.

Care to show me where I claimed to be a doctor?

You are responding as if you are...

Be careful how you word is all I can suggest.

At the end of the day it's up to OP to push for further tests. This has been going on for four years, and no doctor has thought of CT scans or HIDA tests? It's strange.

But it doesn't hurt for people to give advice from personal experiences, and from what people are saying here it seems to lead to gall stones. But, like I said in my first post it could be something much more sinister and dangerous like pancreatic cancer which give almost the same exact symptoms, and it's important to rule out something like that.
And, you are right. we are just arm chair physicians, and I think OP needs to stop trying to fix this on their own and push for further tests and suggestions from an actual doctor.

originally posted by: RickinVa

originally posted by: Lagomorphe

originally posted by: RickinVa

originally posted by: Lagomorphe

originally posted by: RickinVa

originally posted by: Lagomorphe
Pointless giving a suggestion the armchair specialists win again.

Good luck... over and out

No armchair specialists are needed.

There is only one test that is excellent for diagnosing gallbladder functions, a HIDA test.

The results of that test will tell you if you have a gallbladder problem.

Pain and attacks after eating are very common signs of gallbladder issues.

If you say so doctor.

Care to show me where I claimed to be a doctor?

You are responding as if you are...

Be careful how you word is all I can suggest.

okey dokey Nurse.

I lost a member of my family because she took too much advice from online « so called doctors » and know it alls such as yourself...

Give it a break and let those who « know » their patients do their job.

Just learn to shut up for once as you are not always right.

Thank you.

Lags