gallbladder symptons brought on by period

Yes the Gallbladder acts up in accordance with your cycle, at least for me it did, around the day I ovulate and before and during my period I would have gallbladder attacks on several occasions ( especially after eating a high fat meal) and the pain in the middle of my chest.  I had my gallbladder removed on 8/28/13 and I have not had these problems since. Every month like clock work it would happen. I was tracking these symptoms on an ovulation app. I also have less migraines since the gb was removed.

For four years I have been prone to gall bladder 'attacks', but only just before or at the onset of my period.  Abdominal ultrasounds show no stones, and an ERCP and sphincterotomy haven't stopped the issue.  My gastroenterologist thinks that hormone changes before menstruation, like increased estrogen, change the thickness of my bile, causing not full gall stones but micro-stones, or rather tiny cholesterol crystals.  Not being super hydrated seems to make it worse.  The pain begins as indigestion after a meal and then can build into significant pain on the right side about an inch below my last rib. If I feel that indigestion, I avoid eating anything else for several hours, drink at least 16 ounces of plain water and often take a smooth muscle relaxant prescribed by my gastro called Hyocsyamine (which is supposed to relax the sphincter of Oddi).  That combination can usually head off an attack.  In general, in the week before my period, I try to avoid fatty foods and large portions which distends the stomach.  Both fatty foods and stomach distension cause bile to be secreted.  Hope this helps!

 

what med.can u take?because i have it fatty liver and galblader slundge and my period canot uffer?

I am also having attacks just before my period. It's happened six months in a row and I can predict it to the day. All western drs say surgery is a must, but I'm not convinced its going to correct my problem.

I am so glad I found your posts, I have over 7 gallstones and am waiting for surgery though am on a public list and it is very low priority in NZ.  I changed my diet dramatically 2-3 months ago after repeatedly getting shaky fevers, nausea and anxiety attacks along with them.  I had to suggest to my Dr that it might be gallstones after he thought it was a kidneystone.... drank litres of water for the kidneystone ultrasound and became extremely uncomfortable on my right side by my ribs.  So then my test for gallbladder problems was with spaghetti bolognaise which definitely made me get pain on my right side.  After that I had to wait about four weeks for another ultrasound.  The worst thing is not knowing I think.  Anyway I also experience 'feeling funny' and anxious before my monthly with much indigestion and tummy rumbling etc  The diet has definitely helped otherwise and a homeopath has been great with Phosphorus to calm my nerves.  Your nerves are all related to your stomach area so had to destress completely!  Interestingly my job had been extremely stressful for about ten months...

It sure is a relief to find that so many others are experiencing gallbladder attacks with their menstrual cycle. For me, I get severe right upper quad pain with a sharp pain radiating up to my shoulder by my collar bone and pain in my back by my shoulder blade. I cannot take a deep breath and have to breathe shallow so I don't hurt. The pain used to start the day of my period and taper off the next day but since dealing with this (years) the attack now starts a day before my period and finally feel better the day after my period ends. It doesn't matter what I eat either. I can eat low fat diet and still have the pain and I can also not eat and still have the awful pains. There's no pain medication that helps. A heating pad does help some. I've gone to the GI dr...it's been determined through HIDA scan that my EF is 20% and it needs removed. I'm currently waiting to hear from the dr with my surgery date. I will be back to update you with the results. It's such an awful pain, best of luck to you all!

wow my daughter just had this happen

I started suffering from the worst gallbladder attacks after I had my baby in 2009. Although surgery was recommended, I was also told that even after removal I could still experience pain. With that in mind I decided not to proceed. Instead, my husband and I did some research and found that flaxseed is very good to treat it. From the first tea that my husband prepared for me with Bob's Mill Flaxseed Meal I felt relief. I compared it to a tuneup since our bodies need to be taken care of regularly. Anyhow, I stopped having pain altogether but just this week I noticed that right before my period I got a similar pain so I had some flaxseed tea and it helped. I still haven't started menstruating but I am glad that I did further research and found this thread. I prefer natural remedies and after reading I also took the 100% apple juice recommendation and felt relief. I drank a cup of 100% apple cider yesterday and noticed a difference. I will also be trying the Dandelion that was suggested.

I just had my Gallbladder removed last week. For the last 3 months in a row I went to the ER for severe upper right abdominal pain. It was like clockwork related to my period so much so that we joked about making a reservation next month at the ER. Over the 3 months I had all the tests that all of you explained (ultrasounds, CTs, MRI, HIDA scan...). The only thing they found was a large ovarian cyst. My gynecologist recommended laparoscopic surgery and invited a general surgeron to participate. When they got in there they found the gallbladder to be largely inflamed and greatly discolored and so they removed it. The point here is my Gallbladder appeared healthy on all of the tests. It wasn't until they physically saw it that it was obvious the organ was NOT healthy. They still don't know 'why' but what I really care about is that it is fixed. So be your own advocate and demand exploratory surgery if all of the tests are coming back 'normal' yet the pain is effecting your quality of life. You are NOT crazy!

I've had my 3rd gallbladder attack within the last year and have started noticing it has been brought on about a week or 2 before my period.  Because of my awareness of my other PMS symptons, when this started happening I thought this may be the culprit.  Ultrasound shows no gallstones, hida scan says everythig is clear.  The pain can be quite excrutiating though and always extends to my neck and right shoulder/upper back. 

Wow!  It's good to know that this is not all my imagination.  I just had my 2nd gallbladder attack 3 days ago on the onset of my period.  Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as my first attack which was 6 months ago.  I had to go to the ER for the first one and the hospital didn't even diagnose it as a gallbladder attack.  They gave some vague diagnosis of inflammed intestines and possible intestinal infection.  My first attack came during my period as well.  I should mention that both attacks have happened while I was under a lot of stress from a heavy workload.

I have read about the hormone connection.  I have in the past been on birth control pills and currently have an IUD.  I'm thinking I need to have it removed.  I am in my 40s and have had 4 children. 

I have been eating healthier lately.  Though the weekend before my recent gallbladder attack, I had eaten heavier, spicier foods that I don't normally eat.  When I was in pain from this attack, I found the apple cider vinegar/apple juice remedy to help alleviate the pain.  While my pain did not go away in 30 minutes like most had posted, it did go away in about an hour to an hour and a half.

Interestingly, before I found this thread, I found one on women who have had their gallbladder removed and then had really crazy periods, heavy and sporadic.  Who would have guessed that there is a link between the gallbladder and menstrual cycle?

I'm not sure what path to take on this health challenge.  Thus, far I have not had many health challenges, but now I suspect that I might be more suceptable to having more gallbladder attacks.  I know I need to exercise more regulary and find a healthy diet that doesn't trigger gallbladder issues or intestinal upset.  I'm not sure that I trust doctors to definitively diagnose my problem without a slew of medical test that don't show anything.  I had MRI and CATSCAN while in the ER and they didn't show anything.

I know this is an old post but I wanted to add a comment for future readers- I too have found relief in drinking pure apple juice. As this poster says, it should be pure, not from concentrate. You can still get pure with a long use-by date. Anyway, I get one ready a day or two before my period. I too have spotted that the attacks coincide with the start of my period. I am awaiting my first appt. with a surgeon, but I don't want to have it cut out as it is so permanent an option. I am hoping that I can opt out, and ask whether if I could, instead, have another scan in a year's time to see if my gallstones have got worse. If they have, I'll reconsider.

Another thing- add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the glass of apple juice during an attack, it really is amazing that the pain will begin to subside in just 5 mins. I was very sceptical but it worked. I take some of this mixture in a little bottle with me if I go out when my period is due or on. The rest of the period, keep sipping plain apple juice through the day. Add a little vinegar if the pain starts.

Avoid extremely low fat diets as fat prompts the gall bladder to release bile into the stomach, to emulsify it so it is digestible. The last thing you want is to slow down movement of the bile.

Another thing I have read that helps if you start to drink in the days before your period, is beetroot juice. There is something in it that thins the bile. I personally find it foul, so I dilute it, down it in one, and then take a glug of water!! But it helps. After a big drink of it I can actually feel my gall bladder rumbling!

I have this exact same pain during my period. It leaves me unable to walk, stand up straight or lay down on my right side. The pain is so severe. I got an ultrasound done recently and found that I have gallstones and that I have a 5mm gallstone lodged into the neck of my gallbladder. The pain only occurs during my period though.

Check out sphincter of oddi disease!

So happy to not be imagining the connection!