What is the sharp piercing pain in my right side?
It depends on how old you are and what other symptoms you have - you have asked a pretty vague question but I'll give you a quick overview. Any male with pain in his abdomen should be considered to have testicular torsion until proven otherwise - so ensure you testicles are not red, swollen or discoloured. If you have any doubt, see a doctor. There are also many other conditions that can cause right sided abdo pain - a UTI, kidney problems (pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, renal colic, etc), appendicitis, biliary tree problems (gallstones, biliary colic, etc), constipation, small or large bowel obstruction, or liver problems (hepatitis, alcoholic/drug damage, etc). Of course, you also could have been stabbed - please check for a knife or a wound. It is beyond the scope of this answer for me to go through every possibility with you and rule them out, but suffice to say if this pain is concerning you, you should see a doctor so they can rule out any serious problems and help you with the pain.
What can I do to get relief from a "Gallbladder Attack" (Biliary Colic)?
Please don't tell me to have my Gallbladder removed....I already know that's what needs to be done. It's a $10,000 operation and I have NO insurance and not enough money or credit. I have been to the doctor though, but the pills he prescribed do not work. I've tried taking antacids, hot baths, and drinking milk. None work. Is there anything I can do to relieve the pain? Or do I have to just suffer through it? Somebody please help me! It hurts so bad that I've thought about just stabbing myself so I could have emergency surgery.
Is there a way to prevent colic in an infant?
Colic is defined as crying more than three hours a day, three days a wek for more than three weeks in an otherwise healthy baby. Colic affects as many as 25% of babies. Colic usually starts a few weeks after birth and ends by 3-4 months. A small percentage of babies display colic for longer but symptoms generally disappear by 4 months in the majority of cases.The cause of colic is unknown. Some theories that have been proposed are an immature digestive sytem, allergies, lactose intolerance, neurological immaturity, and even maternal anxiety. Researchers have explored many possibilities but the cause of colic remains unclear. The only risk factor that has been proven to increase the risk of colic is maternal smoking (both during pregnancy or after delivery). Avoiding nicotine exposure is perhaps the one way to decrease the risk of colic in your baby, but otherwise there is no way to prevent colic. The data shows that babies experience colic in similar numbers regardless of gender, birth order, feeding patterns, etc. To date no medications have proven helpful for treating or preventing colic. Many parents try simethicone drops (mylicon) but studies do not demonstrate any significant benefit. There is some new research suggesting that treatment with probiotics can improve colic, but more research is needed in this area.
How do you differentiate between gallbladder and liver pain?
Gallbladder pain is associated with a intake of fatty food and can last several hours following ingestion, it will generally be associated with nausea and vomiting. The pain can be where the rib cage joins together in the center, called the epigastric region, it generally radiates or travels to the right upper part of the abdomen and right shoulder blade or back area. It is aggravated with deep breathing. Some might even describe a sense of difficulty breathing, this is from phrenic nerve irritation. The liver is not known for causing much pain, you may just experience jaundice or a yellowing of the skin or eyes secondary to hepatitis or tumors/masses, or persistent nausea, weight loss or abdominal bloating, distention. Gallbladder pain is associated with gallstones and biliary colic or spasms of the gallbladder. The liver produces bile which is needed for fat breakdown the liver makes the bile and it is stored in the gallbladder. When you eat foods high in fat the gallbladder goes to work and contracts and releases bile to aid in digestion. If stones (cholelithiasis) is present some will experience spasm/colic upon contraction of the gallbladder. With gallstones the gallbladder is at risk for infection (cholecystitis) as well; secondary to sludge and wall thickening, fever is present in addition to pain and nausea and vomiting with elevated white blood cell counts. The treatment for symptomatic gallstones is #1 low fat diet. Surgery is eventually necessary to prevent continued bouts of colic and minimize risks of infection, however some people who are not medically stable for surgery are managed by diet and pain medication as needed. A sonogram is needed for diagnosis of gallbladder disease.
Should a gallbladder give problems when only functioning at 40%?
Ok, first of all you need to see a GI specialist, if you haven't already. Secondly, the gallbladder is usually considered to be malfunctioning at 35%, if yours is only operating at 40 then it's possible that it's in the process of failing, but it hasn't quite failed yet. And the HIDA scan isn't foolproof either. You might consider having another one done, just to be on the safe side. I had 3 HIDA scans preformed over the course of a year when I was having gallbladder problems, the first said that it was operating at 76%, the second said that it was 42, and the last one I had said that it was 0%. The first two tests were preformed at a different hospital than the third, and my doctor said that it was probably error on the part of the technician. When you were having yours done, did you experience any discomfort, cramping or nausea, or if you already were experiencing it, did it get worse? If it did then you definitely need to consider having another one done. Try eating foods low in fat (no more than 4g or 5g of fat per serving), cut out chocolate, fried, sugary, spicy (tomatoes, onions, garlic), cheesy, fatty, fast and citrus foods completely and see if that helps at all. And drink lots and lots of water. You really, really need to see a GI specialist, ASAP. It takes awhile to get an appointment, so do it sooner rather than later. I hope this helps, and I really hope that it turns out to be your gallbladder since it's a pretty easy fix. Good luck, and get feeling better soon!
What causes a phantom gallbladder pain after surgery?
“What causes a phantom gallbladder pain after surgery?”You may be describing Postcholecystectomy syndrome.From Postcholecystectomy Syndrome - Hepatic and Biliary Disorders - Merck Manuals Professional Edition,Postcholecystectomy syndrome occurs in 5 to 40% of patients. It refers to presumed gallbladder symptoms that continue or that develop after cholecystectomy or to other symptoms that result from cholecystectomy. Removal of the gallbladder, the storage organ for bile, normally has few adverse effects on biliary tract function or pressures. In about 10%, biliary colic appears to result from functional or structural abnormalities of the sphincter of Oddi, resulting in altered biliary pressures or heightened sensitivity.The most common symptoms are dyspepsia or otherwise nonspecific symptoms rather than true biliary colic. Papillary stenosis, which is rare, is fibrotic narrowing around the sphincter, perhaps caused by trauma and inflammation due to pancreatitis, instrumentation (eg, ERCP), or prior passage of a stone. Other causes include a retained bile duct stone, pancreatitis, and gastroesophageal reflux.If you are experiencing ongoing or recurrent episodes of abdominal pain in the upper right quadrant after gall bladder surgery, you should discuss your symptoms with your doctor.