Hello I am new here...

[Guest guest]

I have been having what we called " back attacks " since 1992. I just

found out by chance two days ago that these were/are gall bladder

attacks. I am still in shock. I am going to the doctor Monday. Does

anyone have any tips on what to ask (besides get an ultrasound)?

My attacks began after the birth of my second child in 1992. I

thought they were realted to caffeine, because I always had one after

drinking a couple cokes with our Friday night pizza and I was at that

time consuming a lot of chocolate. I thought the caffeine caused

severe muscle spasms in my back. I have since given up caffeine

completely, though I do eat some chocolate in moderation every now and

then. I began having attacks more frequently after the birth of my

3rd child in 1994. These I attributed to stress. These were the

first severely excruciating acute attacks - the kind that feel like a

bear hug and freeze my diaphragm/rib cage so I could hardly breathe

and last about 20 minutes (recovery from feeling beat up and washed

out takes a day). For all these years, I watched myself carefully

concerning chocolate and caffeine, always worried about being struck

with a back attack. Sometimes I would have them anyway. For a few

years back in the late 90's I had one a month. About 90% of them are

the fast excruciating can't breathe kind, the other 10% are low level

last 4 to 12 hours kind. Over the past 5 years or so, they have been

less frequent. My last one was a mild one (4 hour, can't get

comfortable, punched in the back and tummy feeling) this past

Wednesday. I had been nearly fasting because of recovering from the

flu, then Wednesday went to a BBQ place and had half a pork sandwich

and about a half basket of onion straws (deep fried and very greasy).

I was wondering why I was having a " back attack " since I had had no

chocolate in days and I did not feel stressed out or anything!

I never considered going to the doctor for these, because I thought

they would think I was crazy if they could not see one in progress and

I had to rely on description only. I DID go see chiropractors a lot

for my back, including these attacks, and I am NOT HAPPY right now

that they adjusted my right shoulder and between my shoulder blades

many times and NEVER mentioned gall bladder.

Now that I know what is really going on and from what I have read, I

realized an episode with beef roast a year ago was a gall bladder

attack as well, although an atypical one for me. This roast was too

greasy. I felt nausated and ended up spending the whole night

throwing up. Then for several days afterward my poop was white in color.

I realize now that my intermittent yellow diarrhea is probably related

as well. I thought I was getting " irritable bowel " or something.

Also for the past few years, 9 times out of 10, pork " runs right

through " me.

Since I found out two days ago I have done some research on the

internet and am kind of feeling depressed about it all - the thought

of haggling with doctors, doing flushes, changing my diet even more...

I don't know, I think I am in shock.

Thank you for listening.

~Bayley