“When i was sixteen, i started to get these terrible attacks of pain across my upper back, and then vomiting. I went to the doctor after the first attack and was told i had a stomach ulcer and was prescribed medicine. After a few weeks, i had another one of these attacks, often lasting about 24-48 hours but the peak of pain would be after about 3 hours. I lost lots of weight from the vomiting and couldnt eat as it seemed to be food that was setting off the vomiting. After another few attacks i went to AnE as the pain was so bad, he sent me away with gaviscon and said it was indegestion!! yes the hospital!!. After about 7 attacks i went back to my doctor who told me it was gastroenturitus (however it is spelt). I was given more medicine and sent away. On about my 9th attack i went back to another doctor and he was shocked to why the other doctos had’nt tested my pancreas, or given me a scan… He sent me for a blood test, the night before the results i was reading online about pancreatitus, and was certain it was what i had, to te point of saying it relieves the pain when sitting in the foetal position.
The next day when getting the results, the doctor confirmed i had pancreatitus, and said the next time i get an attack, i must go straight to hospital as its a very serious condition, and we also needed to find the cause of the pancreatitus. I was told the most common causes were alcohol, gallstones and an infection or virus. Alcohol was ruled out as i was sixteen and he also ruled out gallstones as he thought i was too young to have them, but he tested me any way as my grandma and great aunts have all had gallstones.
The next week i had another attack and was taken straight to hospital, i was tested and they told me it was not pancreatitus! They wanted to do a stomach scan and when they did they found loads of gallstones!
I was going to be sent home that night but they kept me in as i had a high temperature…that night i had the worst attack i had ever had and the only thing that would ease the pain was a morphine injection in my leg. The next morning they said that i had had pancreatitus and they were going to be removing my gallbladder but only after 2 months to let my tummy settle (yep two months so if i had had another attack in that time i would have had to wait another two months!)
After ten days of being nil by mouth and three dress sizes smaller i was discharged. Then the two months flew by with a no fat diet, and finally i had my gallbladder removed.
Now i am 18 and it has been a year and a half since i had my gallbladder removed. i would not recommend it to anyone who does not seriously need it, as i now seriously bloat after certain foods, have odd bowel movements, vomit if something doesnt agree with my stoumach and just generally get days where i dont feel well. Being only a year n a haf after the opp im giving it time, but i hope as i get older the symptoms lesson and i dont have this forever because its horrible!!
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