I have colic.

Published on October 4, 2004 By dharmagrl In Health & Medicine

And it's not nice.

I had my gallbladder removed 5 years ago because I had stones.

I've had the same kind of pain that I had when I was trying to pass a stone since saturday...it's ranged from pretty uncomfortable to downright painful. I stuck it out, but this morning gave in and went to see my doc.

Apparently, the greasy burger I ate on Saturday afternoon, combined with the big glass of warm malted milk I drank that night, added to the dark-meat chicken I had for lunch yesterday triggered an attack of billiary colic. I thought that once I got my gallbladder removed, I wouldn't have any more problems. That's not the case.

He wanted to admit me, but I managed to persuade him that I'd be okay at home. I'm not allowed to have any dairy for a couple of days, and I have to stick to a low fat diet for a few weeks. So, I'm going back to drinking soy milk, and I'm giving up meat as well.

All I can say is this: if this is what colic feels like to infants, I now totally understand why they scream and cry!

Comments

Shovelheat

on Oct 04, 2004

Would the active cultures in yogurt help, or would that be more dairy to add to the problem? I know yogurt helps a child with colic...

dharmagrl

on Oct 04, 2004

Would the active cultures in yogurt help, or would that be more dairy to add to the problem? I know yogurt helps a child with colic...

I honestly don't know. I'll have to ask my doctor. For now, I'm going vegan again...no dairy, no meat.

Thank you for trying to help though, I'm really touched!

me likey percocet, btw...!!

chiprj

on Oct 04, 2004

Sorry to hear about your pain. Hope that you are feeling better soon.

me likey percocet, btw...!!

Yeah, I once had the percocet fairy visit and she was nice...

dharmagrl

on Oct 04, 2004

Thanks, chip! I'm doing better this evening....still a little uncomfortable, but I don't feel like poop anymore.

*sigh* I'm not looking forward to low fat food, though.

Janders

on Oct 04, 2004

Poor Dharma! I hope you get better in no time!

SSG Geezer

on Oct 04, 2004

Sorry you feel so crummy. Hope that you feel much better even sans percocet.
Personally i hate that crap.

dharmagrl

on Oct 04, 2004

Janders: I'm sure I'll be okay by the end of the week. I just need to stay away from milk and cheese!

Geezer: you no likey the percocet?! How come? I'm used to it now, I was on it for ages after the accident and still take it intermittently for my back pain.

BlueDev

on Oct 04, 2004

Would the active cultures in yogurt help,

Probably not. They add digestive, good bacteria in little children's naive guts, but with biliary colic that isn't the problem. Just got to take it easy, no dairy, low fat.

Get feeling better!

SSG Geezer

on Oct 05, 2004

Just hate that it slows down the brain so much it makes me feel like I have been lobotomized. (at least partially)

dharmagrl

on Oct 05, 2004

Just got to take it easy, no dairy, low fat.

Get feeling better!

Thanks, Dr Dev! I stayed away from fats and milk and cheese today and it's significantly better, so I'm thinking that I'm onto the solution. I did some reading about billiary colic...it's all very interesting!

Geez: it doesn't have that effect on me any more. I know I'll be glad to get my back fixed and get off of it for good, though!

BlueDev

on Oct 06, 2004

As far as I know I am narcotic naive. I may have had something when I had my wisdom teeth and adenoids out, but at least for the period I was awake all I had was ibuprofen.

Glad it sounds like you are getting on top of things Dharma.

dharmagrl

on Oct 06, 2004

I'm feeling much better today.....and I'm rediscovering the joys of a dairy-free diet.

KarmaGirl

on Oct 06, 2004

I know yogurt helps a child with colic...

Don't give a baby yogurt. My daughter had colic for the first 6 months of her life. The doctor said that it was an old wives tale to give kids yogurt.

Babies colic and biliary colic are not the same. The current thought is that colic in babies is mostly due to an under-developed nervous system (which is why it effects premies more than full term babies). The gas, which they originally though colic was, is actually a byproduct of the child being so worked up. I totally believe it, since my mother in laws perfume would turn my daughter into a screaming mess. I can't blame her, though, as I could barely tolerate it.

I knew that you could get stomach problems digestive wise once a gallbladder was removed, but I didn't think that you could actually get biliary colic from it.

Hope you are feeling better, Dharma! The vegan lifestyle won't hurt too bad Actually, I lie. I'm fine with vegetarian, but just can't go vegan.

dharmagrl

on Oct 06, 2004

I knew that you could get stomach problems digestive wise once a gallbladder was removed, but I didn't think that you could actually get biliary colic from it

I didn't either. Apparently biliary colic and gallstones don't always go hand in hand.... there are more ducts that can spasm, especially after eating a meal high in fat. There's a 'sphincter of Oddi' that can spasm and cause pain. I also found out today that lots of people who have gallstones don't have their symptoms 100% resolved by having the stones 'gallbladder removed.

Anyway, the general consensus is that a low fat, high fiber diet helps. I was vegan before, so going back to it shouldn't be too terribly hard.

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