chest pains = gall bladder?

carang

carang

Registered User
i've been experiencing "chest pains" recently. i've had them 3 times over the past 2 weeks. i had them yesterday so badly that i went to A & E dept (i have chronic hyper-tension, too). the pain is from my breastbone to just under the boob on the right hand side. it feels like someone is squeezing something inside there. the pain is excruciating when it hits and it comes in waves about 30 seconds apart. (almost feels like the uterus contracting after giving birth, except higher up). it brings tears to my eyes and takes my breath away when it hits...

anyway, the dr at A & E gave me an ECG immediately, a chest x-ray and blood tests. all came back normal, so he said i have acid relux/indigestion.

i'm very doubtful of this....my mother had gall bladder problems (removed when she was 25), my grandmother had problems (removed when she was 42ish), my aunt has had problems....

would you mind describing the pain you suffered with your gall bladder? i'm wondering if i could be having some kind of problem with that rather than acid reflux.
 
someone... PLEASE help! i've had the pains since 3am again today....it takes my breath away and i just want to curl up and die when it hits!!
 
Carang, never had gallbaldder pain, but if you want to rule it out definitively you should get an ultrasound because if you don't have gall stones it won't be that.
I'm not sure of your age but pain this severe that comes on out of the blue, and is squeezing in nature needs to have heart problems ruled out first. How long did they screen your blood tests for, because usually a one off is not sufficient to diagnose the heart. Sorry i can't be more helpful.
 
thanks, it's on the wrong side to be the heart, combined with the ecg, x-ray and blood tests...i'm fairly confident that it isn't the heart, although when i first experienced the pain a couple of weeks ago it was definitely a concern.

i have an appt at the hospital for my blood pressure next week, so i'll definitely be bringing it up with them. but i've had it now, two nights/days in a row and i'm not sure how i'll manage to make it until next week if this continues...
 
I have never experienced it myself, but my mother in law had to have hers removed when she was 27 so I will ask her about her symptoms when she wakes up - she is in the UK so it will be after 5pm here that I can call her.

There is a website called gallbladderattack.com and when I went on there, the symptoms listed are as follows:

Moderate to severe pain under the right side of the rib cage
Pain may radiate through to the back or to the right shoulder
Severe upper abdominal pain (biliary colic)
Nausea
Queasiness
Vomiting
Gas
Burping or belching
Attacks are often at night
Attacks often occur after overeating
Pain will often but not always follow a meal with fats or grease
Pain may be worse with deep inhalation
Attacks can last from 15 minutes to 15 hours


I will let you know what the MIL says!
 
OMG Cara! Did you tell the Dr of your family history? Is there private Dr in Sai Kung you can see?
 
Moderate to severe pain under the right side of the rib cage mine is the right side, but not under the rib cage... it's higher than that
Pain may radiate through to the back or to the right shoulder have felt it in my back
Severe upper abdominal pain (biliary colic) nope
Nausea nope
Queasiness a little
Vomiting not yet, thank god!
Gas yep
Burping or belching not really
Attacks are often at night all three times have started at night
Attacks often occur after overeating nope...
Pain will often but not always follow a meal with fats or grease nope, had clam chowder for dinner
Pain may be worse with deep inhalation can't breathe deeply...can't breathe at all when it hits
Attacks can last from 15 minutes to 15 hours going on 11 hours now...
 
Do you have any family hx of heart problems? Is there something triggering the pain? Do you have something to measure your blood pressure when you are experiencing the pain? There are other test that can be done to rule out heart issues.
 
yes, i have a history of chronic hypertension (high bp). i did have high bp yesterday, but that was because i was in so much pain. i will DEFINITELY be bringing it up with the drs next week.

happy to report, i've only had one pang today... thank god it's over (for now)... that is NOT a nice feeling to live with!

thanks for all the help, kind words and advice, ladies! i knew i could count on you! (always can!!!)
 
Glad that it's has gotten better :) It's not a bad idea to keep track of what is happening or what you were doing just prior to experiencing the pain to better identify what triggers the pain. Also, fatty meals can irritate your gallbladder so also keep track of what your eating to see if that may be the result of your pain. Some medications can cause GI distress. Not sure if you are on any medications or not. It is important to follow the pharmacy recommendations such as sitting up for 30 minutes after taking certain medications as well as eating with food. Hope the pain continues to cease but do talk with your doctor about high bp and such. Take care.
 
Moderate to severe pain under the right side of the rib cage mine is the right side, but not under the rib cage... it's higher than that

Pain will often but not always follow a meal with fats or grease nope, had clam chowder for dinner
Click to expand...

I've had my gallbladder taken out 4 years and it was indeed excruciating. Yes, I did want to curl up and die whenever I get those nasty spells. You can't sleep, you want it to go away but it just goes on and on. No amount of pain releif will do. The pain can go around from the tummy to the back but for me, hardly on the ribs.

The two symptoms you've written above throw me a bit, particularly with the one after a meal as I will almost always get pains if I get a big hearty meal (bog steaks or BBQ spare ribs). It's 100% guaranteed. I am a skinny little thing so my poor little body probably couldn't take all that meat. The surgery is a simple key hole outpatient surgery.

Good luck and hope you get a diagnosis.
 
I'm sorry to hear you're having pain, Cara :(

I had really bad chest pains off an on and had a series of them in the spring this past year and went to A & E and they also ruled out heart problems but said that it could also be inflammation in your rib cage which is also extremely painful.
 
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