Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Biliary Colic / Gallbladder Attack - Unbelievable.

Hi Jeanna,

Sorry to hear about the gallstones... I would have no idea of symptoms, so your post was a bit of education for me. Hope things continue to improve and feeling better in no time.

Must help to have a Loz around

Take care,

Tim

Jeanna,

Hey, your fear on this one is totally logical if you ask me, as I understand exactly what you are going through! The first time I had a gall stone, I literally thought I might be dying and it scared the heck out of me. I was stuck out on an island of all places, visiting a friend's vacation cabin, and it hit me fast. One minute I was fine, the next I was throwing up and doubled over in pain. When I continued to get worse, my friends called 911, and luckily some paramedics lived right on the island and got there fast. When they first took my blood pressure, it was a whopping 80/20 (which scared the heck out of me). Then, just as the ambulance arrived from the mainland, the pain disappeared as if someone had flipped a switch and I quickly recovered with seemingly no after effects. As I learned later, the attack started when the stone blocked the duct and stopped just as fast when the stone either passed through the duct or lifted off of it.

Next attack wasn't until several years later, and it wasn't as severe. It would start as a queasy feeling and then turn into intense pain, usually followed by vomiting. It would last anywhere from a half-hour to several hours, and when I finally went to the ER during a particularly severe attack, they identified it as the gall bladder almost immediately, since there was some level they measured in my blood that was over 1,400 (normal was less than 50 I think, or something like that). Two days later, I was having my gall bladder removed (the old-fashioned way, since they couldn't locate my organ using the laproscope), and I've never had a problem since then. This was one surgery that worked just as it was supposed to.

Knowing how you are feeling during this gall stone attack, I definitely sympathize with you and wish you the best. I'll also keep my fingers crossed that this was your one and only stone and that you don't have a recurrence of this--they're just no fun at all, and as you mention, it's just one more annoyance you can do without.

Good luck,

Brad

Cripes!!! I hope you get to feeling better soon.

Take care,
Cara

I'm confused... did they take out your Gall Bladder, or are they going to? I think I missed something.

Related stories section:

"It was a night, just like tonight" (sorry, Large Marge sarcasm), anyhoo... I was having upper GI distress on and off for a couple of years (five years ago). Doc said take Tums. I did by the bucket full. Finally about 2am (why always in the middle of the night) woke with pain as you described. My wife asked how bad is the pain? "Gee Hon, I think we need an ambulance kind of pain." I was in the ER in the fetal position for hours. They did an ultrasound (after throwing up the contrast several times), but he tech said nothing was there (more on this coming up). Okay, since nothing showed up on the (ultrasound) and EKG was normal, labs normal... now you can give him some Morphine. Well that got me out of the fetal position... kinda. They were about to send me home when a surgeon walked by that my wife new, (she is a nurse at this hospital...Yale). She asked him to look at the ultrasound, which he did. "Oh yeah he's full of tiny stones... almost sludge like. I just finished surgery but I have time to operate now if you want." I asked him "where do I sign?" (I think maybe the Ultrasound tech needs more training). Turns out my anesthesiologist had AS as well. I told him I didn't want to be nauseous when I wake. He said not to worry. (Since there is a second part to this story I'll shorten things up)... He took out the Gall Bladder which was turning Gangrenous. He said good thing you didn't go home... you might not have made it back. Hello...!!! (By the way, when I woke from surgery I was pain totally pain free from that red hot poker in my lower sternum... and nary a feeling of being sick. Great anesthesiologist).

Second part:

Almost a year to the day, I woke with the same pain... red or burning poker, band around chest. Anxiety from pain you just can't escape from. You wish you would just go unconscious. How can this be? No Gall Bladder. 2am... "Honey, its that ambulance pain again." Only this time the pain is worse if you can believe it. This time it is almost spasmatic in nature. Pain episode for 20-30 minutes then nothing for 10 minutes. Totally drenched in sweat from the waist up, and freezing cold from the waist down. Each episode seemed to be worse than the other. This went on for hours. Finally, I had a convulsion. My wife said I sat straight up (from lying on my back) which is impossible for me. My eyes were fixed and dialated, every muscle in my body was contracting, I couldn't breath. I remember trying to inhale but my lungs wouldn't open up. Felt like I was suffocating and I recall things going black... no wait, maybe it was white? Whatever, my wife screamed for a Doc, and screamed and screamed until one came. I fell back down and that was the end of it. Pain gone. No more pain episodes, Nothing.

Labs showed elevated liver functions... I was passing a retained stone(s). Left, presumedly from the Gall Bladder operation. They did an ERG? when they snake a camera down your throat then look up your liver ducts. If any stones are there they can snatch them. Nothing there.

I have since been diagnosed with Medulary Sponge Kidney. Basically my kidneys look like swiss cheese. And all those little holes retain, you guessed it... stones. Fortunately the stones haven't moved to the ducts... yet. You know what it's like waiting for the other shoe to drop?

Jeanna I know exactly how you feel... I pray you feel better.

Hey kiddo! I had mine taken out when I was about 26 or 27. I don't have any idea why. I've always been fairly thin and ate a good diet.

But that pain....boy do I know what you are talking about! Luckily I had mine taken out and have not had that pain again. I had many stones and it had to be removed immediately.

I hope you are feeling better and I am so glad for you that you have such a special person taking care of you. That makes this scary stuff so much easier to deal with. Loz....you rock!

Hugs to you both!

Jeanna,
Well, it just doesn't sound like you're having a good time at all! I also have some idea how you're feeling. I had mine taken out several years ago, while in my late 40's. I had attacks for a few months, and didn't know what it was, then one night I had a bad attack. Went to the ER and after an ultrasound, they said my gallbladder was in pretty bad shape, so admitted me, and did surgery the next morning. Haven't had any trouble since, and can eat anything I want.

I hope everything goes well for you and you. As you probably know, the surgery isn't a real big deal, not like it used to be. Of course it's always a big deal when it's us, isn't it? Heck, I was so impressed with the surgery, that three months later I was back with appendicitis and had surgery again!

Don't ever apologize about complaining or whining, that's what we're here for.

Take it easy, and I hope you'll be feeling better soon.

Hi again,
I just tried to send you a PM, but got a message saying your mailbox was full!

Sorry to read of your ordeal. Glad you have Loz there to understand the trap the we ASKickers have when we presume all pains are AS related.

I am a fan of quality irrational self admonishment as long as it only consumes 10% of your life. THe remainder should be maniacal overdirve at doing more than a healthy body can do in any 24 hour period. It sorta balances out the crashing moments of self flagellation.

You oughtta keep that Loz guy around for a spell. Seems like he's good to have around as we say in "crunch time." I'm not sure who the "we" I refer to are, nor what "crunch time" is, but I am also a fan of a good sports truism whenever possbile.

Hi Jeanna....do I know how you feel. I spent Easter Sunday night on the bathroom floor in so much pain I thought I was going to die. I knew I had multiple stones and my doc had spent a year doing tests cause he said I didn't have typical gall bladder pain. There is nothing typical about me and I called his office the next day demanding he take my gall bladder out. I had it out July 20....I hope I never feel that pain again. Here's hoping your feeling better.

Sherri

Thanks Dan. You're right, I am in good hands. I'm a very lucky girl that way.

Not feeling too much better physically today, but a bit stronger mentally speaking, so that's something.

Thank you for your good thoughts. You're always there for a nice word or two, and I appreciate it so very much.

Love,
Jeanna