Life update: T-minus five days until I am scheduled for my gallbladder removal. Little did I know that losing weight quickly and changing eating habits can lead to gallstones, along with a poor diet. I am not sure whether it was the former or the latter, did I get gallstones when I was overweight and depressed and eating badly or was it a side effect of losing weight?
Regardless, I learned I have gallstones after ending up in the ER one night. I thought I was just having ovarian pain, (which I was as they found a cyst first) but they had to do a CT scan to rule out appendicitis. The results revealed I apparently have a gallstone big enough to cause the tech to gasp. Yikes.
What Do Gallstones Feel Like?
Fun fact: gallstone pain can manifest itself as shoulder pain, pain between the shoulder blades, and can wrap around your whole stomach. It comes in waves, lasting anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. It makes you nauseous, takes away your appetite, and makes you feel full quickly. During a gallstone attack, it feels like someone is squeezing my gallbladder.
Where Is the Gallbladder, Anyway?
This diagram shows the location of the gallbladder, which is nestled somewhere between the stomach and the liver.
Common Symptoms of Gallstones:
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Pain underneath the breastbone, in the center of your abdomen
- Right shoulder pain
- Upper back pain between your shoulder blades
- Pain when breathing
- Jaundice, Fever, Chills (seek help if you are experiencing these symptoms)
I’ve experienced all of these symptoms, minus the jaundice, fever, and chills. Those can indicate an infection, which means you should see a doctor pronto.
Why Listening to Your Body Is Key
All this to say – listen to your body. Get checked out if you feel something is wrong. If I wasn’t scheduled for gallbladder removal surgery, I could’ve ended up in emergency surgery costing more money with a longer recovery as they can’t do it laparoscopically unplanned.
Even though I am now at my healthiest weight, I am still repairing my body physically and mentally after years of trauma and neglecting myself.
One thing is for sure, I am so ready to get this damn gallbladder out. And I think my boyfriend is ready to stop hearing me complain about how my organs hurt constantly.