“My mouth dropped open when I read your post here.

I had my gallbladder removed in November 2007 with keyhole surgery and here we are a year later and I STILL get pain on the right side where the gallbladder ‘was’.

I also get pain along the bottom of the right rib cage. Wearing a bra drives me mad.

I too have had a liver scan and blood tests done – all came back as ‘normal’.

My GP told me that 40% of patients experience this ‘problem’ following gallbladder removal and that it would ‘go away’ in time. I asked her how long and she said it varies from person to person but usually a few months. I said “”do you promise?”” She replied “”yes””. As I said earlier – it’s now been a year and I still have it.

What is even more interesting here is that back in March 2008 I was seen by a Rheumatologist who diagnosed I have Fibromyalgia. I have other pain i.e. osteo-arthritis in my hips, lower back pain and also between and in my shoulder blades due to scoliosis and narrowing or two vertebrae. BUT – the overall diagnosis is fibromyalgia.

I have been doing a considerable amount of reading but until now – I haven’t read IN PRINT that post operative surgical procedures can lead to Fibromyalgia i.e. the original surgery site will have ‘healed’ but the nerve signals to the brain continue to interpret ‘pain’ being felt.

I too have been tried with various pain relief medication but have found that the side effects i.e. nausea, dizziness, palpitations, stomach upsets, far outweigh the relief from pain and it’s one thing to have pain but pain AND feeling ill as well is more than I’m prepared to live with 24/7.

What I’d like to know is WILL THE PAIN EVER GO AWAY ???”