Scary times on CD

[spangles]

Last night I had to be taken to hospital as I was experiencing agonising abdominal pains (to tell you how bad it was: I was seen straight away in A&E - no waiting around!)

the pain was (is) right in the middle, at the bottom of my breastbone. It came on as I had a few mouthfuls of coke zero. I haven't really had it before. I had a couple of sips at a party a month or so ago but i didn't like it - but for some reason tried it again last night, and straight away it didn't sit well. Then I started getting really bad pains, and within an hour I was sweating and in agony. I tried to lie down but it made me scream. Then i was quite explosively sick. The pain subsided for a while, and then got worse again - which is when we went to hospital.

Now it seems really unlikely that a fizzy drink could make me that ill, but they did exactly coincide. At hospital they gave me paracetemol and gaviscon, which did nothing - and then eventually some more hardcore painkillers, and something stronger for indigestiony things. and together those made the pain subside to a feeling of discomfort - which i've had since.

However, when the doctor palpated my abdomen, I had some pain on the right - which might indicate gallbladder / liver / pancreas problems. Blood tests show something not quite right with my liver... basically I need to book in with my GP for more blood tests and an ultrasound of my gallbladder. But I can't do that until tuesday afternoon, because A&E have written to my GP, and that letter won't get there until tuesday .

for the time being, i'm going to continue on the diet. i'm not sure that carbs would be a great idea for a dodgy digestion anyway - and that's the predominant problem. But i do wonder if ketosis is affecting my liver function (I'm pretty sure i haven't got hepatitis, and that was one of the things being bandied around last night). There's also the VLCD-gallbladder connection, of course.

Anyway, horrible, scary times. It may all be entirely unrelated to CD, of course. I hope that it is. I'll keep you posted.

 

[batlo8]

Oh no you poor thing :-( how are you feeling now? Ill keep my fingers crossed for you that its nothing serious xx

 

[shrinkin'violet]

Oh spangles! Poor you, I'm so sorry you've been so Ill! How are you today? Gawd I hope it isn't anything to do with cd? I've heard liver problems linked to vlcds but always just shoved it to the back of my mind. Jeeesh, take it easy my love, keep us informed and get well soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[spangles]

today i'm much better - still very uncomfortable, and very, very tired (poor mr spangles had to go to work today, despite being in hospital half the night). I'm only awake because i had to email in five hours of cover lessons. will go back to bed presently.

 

[choufleur]

Oh no ;( Wishing so many good thoughts your way

Unfortunately, it does sound a lot like the pain I used to get when I had gallstones. A real tight, dull but also stabby pain in a band below my breasts and often radiating to my back too. The entire world became about that pain and I wouldn't be able to focus on anything but it, and for days after a pain attack I wouldn't feel right. One woman I know has said the pain is worse than childbirth, and she is in a position to know!

Fortunately though, the way to avoid further pain is to maintain a super low fat diet but, as you say, it may be the diet itself that's had a hand in creating it! Although, isn't there milk powder in the shakes? Dairy would DEFINITELY aggravate the condition, as bile is needed to emulsify it so gallstones will start to move. When I had them, I lived on rice, vegetables and sweets (no fat) for 5 months. Lost about 4 stones in the process but it was miserable and the slightest thing would trigger an attack.

Hopefully, hopefully it won't turn out to be that, but if it does and the pain becomes more regular it CAN be dulled by some opiates, and the operation to remove the gallbladder is quick, easy, and has short recovery time. I hope it won't come to that, but it's good to know.

Good luck *hugs*

 

[shrinkin'violet]

today i'm much better - still very uncomfortable, and very, very tired (poor mr spangles had to go to work today, despite being in hospital half the night). I'm only awake because i had to email in five hours of cover lessons. will go back to bed presently.

Glad you're feeling a little better. Just take it majorly easy and hopefully you'll feel ok by tonight. Poor you sending lots of healing thoughts your way my lovely xxxxx

 

[Rolly82]

OMG you poor thing how scary. I hope you start to feel better very soon and get to the bottom of it. Keep us posted and take it easy don't be stressing yourself out in work straight home, pj's on and a nice early relaxing night xxx

 

[poppygreendog]

Oh Spangles poor you - hope you feel better soon x

 

[pandorasinbox]

I hope you're feeling a little better, spangles, and I hope it wasn't CD that did this to you, but as you say there is a connection between gallstones and VLCDs. :S I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

 

[Jayellekay]

Hope you are starting to feel better! That sounds awful!
After 4months on the diet earlier this year I had a bout of fainting episodes which after many hospital appointments and tests noone can decide whether its linked to CD or not.
Hope you find out what is causing the pain, and you start to feel better soon.

 

[sammyzip50]

Hopefully it will all be resolved soon. Take care xxxx

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[MaryMZ]

That sounds awful Spangles. Hope you are better soon. I am convinced the Atkins diet gave me gallstones because of the high fat. But didn't know about the VLCD link to gallstones.

 

[Rkmriddell]

Oh how awful. Big hugs. Hope it's sorted soon xxx

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[andju]

Hope you feel better soon xx

 

[emsiem]

Oh you poor poor thing i really hope you start to feel better soon, xx

 

[Lily]

You poor thing - what a horrible experience. :hug99: I have to say though, it does sound like you 'passed' a gallstone - I'm told the pain is horrendous. And if it is gallstones and your bile duct was temporarily blocked that would explain why the liver function tests were off.

Unfortunately, as you know, getting gallstones can happen when you do a VLCD, or rather, getting the symptoms of gallstones. Cos the gallstones themselves have probably been there for a while but didn't give off any symptoms - they're a side effect of gaining weight, not from actually going on a diet. Ironically, they're probably caused by going on and off low fat diets (which let's face it, most of us here have done, for years if you're like me :sigh

Hope you're feeling a lot better tonight, hun x x

 

[jessicacaca]

Oh My God Spangles, you poor thing.
Sounds absolutely terrifying, and actually very very painful.
You've done all of this pretty much with no problems previous to this haven't you? Seems a bit odd that you would get such extreme side effects at this stage - hopefully it is completely unconnected and you can complete your CD journey and get to goal with no more issues.
Sending you get well soon vibes xx

 

[AlexIce]

Spangles,
Really hope you feel better soon and it turns out to be something much simpler.
Stay strong!
hugs

 

[SurreySuperTrooper]

Ahhh Spangles. Sorry to hear that you are in pain. Do let us know what the doctor says x

 

[Rolly82]

Hoe you feeling spangles? x

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