Word of the Week - Gallbladder

A few weeks back I had the worse pain of my life. I'd had a bacon butty for lunch and 2 poached eggs on toast for my dinner and my gallbladder decided to turn on me.

After two hours and pain meds, heat and rest not sorting it as previously, I called 111 and was told to go straight to A&E.

6.30am Saturday.

Arriving in Worcester at 9pm I was seen and by 10pm I'd had a paracetamol drip. At 3.30am I had the second drip and at 9am I was transferred to Same Day Emergency Care, still in pain, although it had subsided and for the first time since going into hospital I was actually examined by a Doctor who confirmed it was my gallbladder, then seen by a surgeon who has arranged for me to go on the waiting list for surgery.

I was offered the surgical option earlier this year, but declined, the pain wasn't that bad and back in October 2024, our daughter died in theatre and going through those theatre doors, albeit at a different hospital, was an absolute no for me.

I'd already altered my diet after the first couple of attacks, but now it's no red meat, especially pork, no spicy food and no ice creams, cakes etc. Homemade cakes with no/low fat spread will be ok and I'm cutting back on sugar and down on milk.

Being gluten free, options are already limited, but it won't do me any harm. I'm also on new meds and my appetite had changed, craving sugar and fats. I haven't drunk fizzy drinks for almost 2 years as they tasted flat and syrupy on the previous meds.

I've got my first appointment with the surgeon on the 23rd July.