Gall bladder issues and pregnancy...

Melanie - posted on 12/19/2013

When I was about 16 weeks pregnant with my third child I ended up in the ER with severe abdominal & back pains. I was at home 4 a few hours w horrible pains. I tried taking heartburn medication calling my doctor even trying a warm bath. Nothing relieved my continues pain. So I decided I had 2go 2 the ER. I was absolutely terrified that I was in labor & about 2 loose my child who I didn't even no was a boy or a girl for another 3 days still. I refused 2b a woman who was in denial about labor especially since I was on my 3 baby.
I was in so much pain that I felt I was going 2
ended up giving birth/miss caring my baby in a toilet. When I got 2 the ER almost immediately they said GALLBLADDER!! Even tho the pain was torturous I was so relieved to hear was my gallbladder. They then immediately started a
morphine drip which scared me to death! I did
not want my baby to have those harsh drugs! The Dr explained 2me that this stress my body was
under was worse on the baby then the drug they were using to alleviate the pain! The ER referred me 2 a sergeant. I did not want to have the
gallbladder surgery at all especially while I was pregnant. Even tho the sergeant explained he could remove it safely I was reluctant to do so. He agreed to let me wait till after the baby if I could bear through the pain. Then gave me a
prescription for pain medication & sent me on my way telling me to call him when I needed more
medication & 2 Schedule the surgery after I had her. So I went home use the medication extremely sparingly, watched the food I ate & how much bending over I did. I did this and tell I Had my
daughter. The weird part was I never ended up going in after I had her 2 have it removed all the pain was gone after I had her. I was told if I decide 2 have another baby I should have it removed . But I don't think I would because removing it helps but also opens 5th door for other problems. I don't no any 1 else who's pain stopped after birth so can u let me no if this has happened 2 you and if u had another child after. I'll really like 2 know if the attacks started again and what u r gallbladder status is now .
Thanks,
& good luck 2 u all!

Bobby - posted on 10/20/2009

all i can say is if you get it removed prepare yourself for the worst, the doc didnt tell me that i might end up have the runs right after i eat..! And it didnt matter what I ate i could have had a cracker and end up going straight to the bathroom after that one cracker. It didnt start like that right right away..started about a year later and lasted for about 2-3 months, which made me to start having panic attacks while I was out and about with 3 kids in the car, always thinking that i wouldnt make it to the restroom in time, it took over my life, i wouldnt go anywhere. Its subsided now, all on its own but I still wont eat anything if i know im going out for the day..do your research on this, if your gallbladder is managable then work with it or you might just end up like me. Im only 28.

Brandy - posted on 10/20/2009

Quoting Danelle:

I had the same issues, that went undiagnosed, when I was pregnant with my second child. I kept having contractions and was put on bed rest for the last three months. Five weeks after my son was born, I almost died when the stone passed into my bile duct. The surgeon said I had thousands opon thousands of gall stones, and if I had not come in when I did, I would have surely died.Make sure they do an ultrasound and weigh out your options if surgery would be best for you. But I strongly suggest you see a gastro intestial specialist, as well as your OB/GYN.

I have seen my Obstetrician and she was the one who suggested that it was my gall bladder and I am looking into seeing a specialist. I don't know if I have one locally, so it might have to wait until after I have the baby if I have to travel but I am definately going in to see my family doctor and she will probably send me for an ultrasound.

TaKeysha - posted on 10/19/2009

I first started having gallbladder attacks around the 5-6th month of pregnancy and thought that it was severe heartburn. About 5 weeks after my child was born, I started having this pain again and that when I found out about having gallbladder issues. The pain became more frequent and more intense to the point where I could not keep anything down and turned orange because there was a stone caught in my bile duct. After having a gallbladder and the stone removed I felt fine. My advice would be to avoid the fatty foods and eat small meals at least until the baby is born.

Jessica - posted on 10/20/2009

i had my gall bladder removed when i was 4 weeks pregnant (without me or my docs knowing) and my daughter 100% healthy... And if it is gall stones then they will not go away it will have to be removed!good luck i know how painful those attacks are!

Danelle - posted on 10/20/2009

I had the same issues, that went undiagnosed, when I was pregnant with my second child. I kept having contractions and was put on bed rest for the last three months. Five weeks after my son was born, I almost died when the stone passed into my bile duct. The surgeon said I had thousands opon thousands of gall stones, and if I had not come in when I did, I would have surely died.Make sure they do an ultrasound and weigh out your options if surgery would be best for you. But I strongly suggest you see a gastro intestial specialist, as well as your OB/GYN.

Bekki - posted on 10/20/2009

I was so close to my due date when i ended up in the hospital with my bile duct jammed. I thought i was in labor lol.. Even though they couldn't do surgery they still pumped me full of morphine and oxycontin.. which really bothered me.. I had patient controled iv morphine which i never pushed cuz i was scared it would hurt the baby.. and i never really called for my oxy.. Now im weeks away from graduating nursing school and i learn.. Patient controlled meds automatically give you the prescribed hourly amount lmfao.. No wonder it didnt hurt that bad lol

[deleted account]

i never said it was a good or bad choice, just telling my story. the best thing to do is what will make you the most comfortable, and weigh you options

Brandy - posted on 10/19/2009

Quoting Kelli:

I HAD my gullbladder taken out when i was 13 week pregnant with my daughter. I started having issues a couple days after i found out i was pregnant. I had it taken out because i was having issues so bad that I was in the ER almost nightly for a week straight i ended up getting 3 morphine shots that week. I did not want to get them but that pain was so horriable i couldnt stand it. I finaly just beg for it to come out rather then keep having to get the morphine shots. As for the affects of anastesia, and other drugs and etc of a fetus is unknown. my daughter was born with polydactyl wich is an extra digit on hands or feet. she had a second right thumb, but this to could also be hereditary so dont get to worked up. and had awesome surgery to have it removed youd never know unless it was pointed out and shown the scar. but i recovered super fast (faster then you would if you waited till after birth) and never had anymore problems afterwards.

I don't frown upon people who have had it taken out during pregnancy, I just wouldn't have mine taken out because my issues aren't that severe. I've only had 3 of the actual attacks that put me on the floor in screaming pain and the last one was over a month ago before I knew what was going on and changed my diet. Now I just have the indigestion, bloating and acid reflux. I get the occasional sharp pain where my gall bladder is but it usually doesn't last long and is nothing compared to the attacks. And as for the other stuff, tums is working good for that so that's why I said I wouldn't have mine taken out during my pregnancy because I just don't feel like I need to. But if I was in your shoes and having intense pain all the time to the point where I was taking morphine at 13 weeks, then I would definately be considering it.

[deleted account]

I HAD my gullbladder taken out when i was 13 week pregnant with my daughter. I started having issues a couple days after i found out i was pregnant. I had it taken out because i was having issues so bad that I was in the ER almost nightly for a week straight i ended up getting 3 morphine shots that week. I did not want to get them but that pain was so horriable i couldnt stand it. I finaly just beg for it to come out rather then keep having to get the morphine shots. As for the affects of anastesia, and other drugs and etc of a fetus is unknown. my daughter was born with polydactyl wich is an extra digit on hands or feet. she had a second right thumb, but this to could also be hereditary so dont get to worked up. and had awesome surgery to have it removed youd never know unless it was pointed out and shown the scar. but i recovered super fast (faster then you would if you waited till after birth) and never had anymore problems afterwards.

Brandy - posted on 10/19/2009

Quoting Bekki:

You are early enough in that your doctor can safely take your gall bladder out. As long as the fundus of your uterus isn't up too high they can still get around it without having to touch the uterus. I had a stone lodged in my bile duct that was near rupturing. i was within days of my due date.. they couldnt' help until baby was out then they did laparoscopic surgery .

I don't want to have it taken out while I'm pregnant. I would definately wait until afterwards especially since some people are saying that they stopped having the problem after their pregnancy was over. Interesting to know that they do that though.

Bekki - posted on 10/19/2009

You are early enough in that your doctor can safely take your gall bladder out. As long as the fundus of your uterus isn't up too high they can still get around it without having to touch the uterus. I had a stone lodged in my bile duct that was near rupturing. i was within days of my due date.. they couldnt' help until baby was out then they did laparoscopic surgery .

Haley - posted on 10/19/2009

Oh my goodness did I EVER have gall bladder issues while prego. They totally went away once I had my daughter, but the first attack was so painful I though I was in labor.

[deleted account]

I had massive stomach cramps & vomiting 5 months after my 1st child was born - I was 21 years old. For 4 more months the doctor's wrote off my bi-monthly attacks to the flu or food poisoning! I finally collapsed at work with stomach/back pain and vomiting; the doctor tried removing my gall bladder laproscopically, removing 10 stones. Unfortunately they missed 6 more stones and a leak! I now have a 10 inch scar from the second surgery. I never had the problems with dietary restrictions afterward.

Melinda - posted on 10/19/2009

I had alot of problems with myt gall bladder during my 1st pregnancy and 3 months after my son was born they had to take it out. It felt to great to have it out and be pain free

Amy - posted on 10/19/2009

I would also have it taken out. I went in about a month ago and had mine taken out. I had 3 big attacks and several small attacks (which I thought were just bad heartburn). When I finally went into the ER for the second time and then my doctor (who sent me back to the ER). I had a CRP done to remove two stones that were lodged into my bile duct and 107 stones removed from my gall bladder. The surgery (if done laproscopic) is nothing compared to the pain I was having prior to surgery.

Jessica - posted on 10/19/2009

I had alot of problems with mine and it was so bad that i had mine taken out a month afetr i had my son which was through c- section.... it isnt a bad surgery... it is really quick.... and there isnt alot of pain with it either..... i was so scared thhough but to think about it now there was nothing to be scared about!

Cassie - posted on 10/19/2009

i had gall bladder issues during my pregnancy. they never went away and i ended up having to have surgery to get it removed 6 weeks after i had my twins

Brandy - posted on 10/19/2009

I have definately changed my diet and haven't had an actual gall bladder attack for about a month now but still get the pains, bloating and acid reflux that comes with it. What I am trying to figure out is if the problems will likely continue after the pregnancy is over or if they go away when the pregnancy is done. But from your responses, it sounds like once the problem starts, it stays. Is this true?



P.S. My mother also has gall bladder issues but hasn't had it bad enough to have it removed yet but she just started having problems and is 46 and I am only 22.

Jennifer - posted on 10/19/2009

I can only respond from the eyes of my Mom. She suffered from gall bladder attacks throughout her fourth pregnancy, and about 2 weeks after delivery had to be rushed into surgery to have it removed. I would guess that it would be better to have a planned removal, especially with a new born. Good luck, and I am so sorry that you are dealing with gall bladder attacks. From what I have heard, they are no fun.

Ashleigh - posted on 10/19/2009

I had the same problems but mine started during the last month of pregnancy and i still have them to this day (daughter just turned a yr) I have went about having it taken out but they are so ignorant lol. I would definately push your doctor into taking action because mine only got worse but your situation may be different. I have had to change my diet. They say that pregnancy sometimes just ruins your gallbladder.

[deleted account]

I had my gall bladder removed a week ago..my daughter is 11 weeks old. I had been having attacks since she was born and got to the point that I couldn't eat anythinggg without getting sick. I literally ate only pretzels for the last 2 weeks before my surgery.

[deleted account]

It would be very unusual to have GB surgery during pregnancy. Avoid fatty foods and eat small frequent meals. Good luck!

Kate CP - posted on 10/19/2009

I had my first attack when my daughter was three months old. The only thing I could do was have it removed (I had an infected stone lodged in my bile duct). Eat low/no fat foods, avoid caffeine and milk, and you should be okay until after the baby is born. :)