Just before Christmas I ended up having emergency surgery to remove my gallbladder. The surgeon said it was 4 times normal size and had not functioned in some time. I was very lucky it did not rupture, it could have been fatal.
Here's the amazing part. I had been complaining to my doctors for TWO YEARS about the symptoms. If I hadn't switched to a new PC and pain doc I might still be complaining or even dead.
Here is what chronic pain patients need to know. Gallbladder attacks can be triggered by medications and pain meds especially are known to collect in the gallbladder, according to my life saving doc. Every time they tried a new med on me last year I would have severe nausea. I even went to the ER once and they blamed it on meds alright, said it was because I switched from oxy to methadone after two weeks on the oxy and was having withdrawal! They treated me like an addict. My pain doc at the time became convinced I was making up my symptoms in order to recieve stronger meds and we parted ways, too.
According to GallbladderAttack.com, one of the most common but least recognized symptoms of an attack is pain under the right shoulder blade. I had physical therapy, botox injections and my right shoulder scoped last year all due to this pain which has completely disappeared since the gallbladder surgery.
I find it hard to believe that two pain docs, my rheumatologist, my orthopedic AND a gastroenterologist were unable to diagnose this over a two year period. It is one of the most common medical conditions in women my age. (50) If anyone is having similiar symptoms I urge you to talk to your doctor ASAP!
I ALSO WENT TO THE ER LAST DECEMBER IN '07'COMPLAIGNING OF PN IN MY UPPER AND LOWER RIGHT QUADRANT.I SPENT ALL DAY HAVING TEST DONE.TO MAKE SURE IT WAS NOT ANY OF MY MEDS CAUSING THIS.I EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO HAVE A COLONOSCOPY AND ENDOSCOPY.THE TROUBLE WITH PEOPLE LIKE US IS THAT THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT CHRONIC PN THAT TURNS INTO ACUTE PN.WE CAN NO LONGER DEAL WITH THAT STRENGTH OF PAIN.NOT EVERY DAY OF OUR LIVES.I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON YOUR STORY BECAUSE I STILL THINK I NEED MY GALL BLADDER REMOVED.I HAVE BEEN SEEING A PSHYCHIATRIST FOR 18 YEARS.WE STARTED OUT AS CO-WORKERS AT MAYO CLINIC.HE IS A BERY SMART AND COMPASSIONATE MAN.HE IS SMARTER I THINK THAN AN INTERNAL DOCTOR.AFTER I HAD MY ER BLOOK WORK I TOOK IT ALONG WITH ME TO SEE MY PSYCHIATRIST.HE TOOK ONE LOOK AT IT AND SAID YOU NEED YOUR GALL BLADDER REMOVED.I SAID LETS DO IT.THERE IS ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU FIRST.DID YOU HAVE UNEXPLAINED SYMPTON OF YOUR STOMACH BECOMING ENLARGED AND DESTENDED.I MEAN MY STOMACH CAN GET BIGGER WITHIN AN HOUR ENOUGH THAT OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE SITTING THERE TALKING TO ME ARE MAKING COMMENTS TO ME ABOUT IT.MY DAUGHTER IS A NURSE AND HER MOTHER IN LAW HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM.THIS LADY IS NOT EVEN 5 FEET TALL.AND SHE IS OLDER THAN I AM SO SHE IS PROBABLY IN HER 60'S .BUT SHE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS THEN MY DAUGHTER SAID YEAH AND THEN IT JUST SUDDENLY STOPPED.THEN I SAID TO AMY MY DAUGHTER BUT DIDN'T SHE HAVE HER GALL BLADDER REMOVED?SO THE LIGHT BULB WENT OFF IN BOTH OF OUR HEADS.WHAT DO YOU THINK.THIS PAIN HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 13 MONTHS.I JUST HAVE OTHER ACUTE PROBLEMS NOW TO DEAL WITH IT.I JUST CANNOT BE HAVING ONE SURGERY ON TOP OF ANOTHER ONE IN LESS THAN A MONTH.SO I HAD TO TAKE THE MOST ACUTE ONE.AND IT ISN'T MY STOMACH.I AM SO TIRED OF THIS ALL.JO