Newbie here: gallbladder or recurrence? Anyone know if gallbladder issues are common after folofox?

[Koreysue]

I’m coming up on my 1 year anniversary of diagnosis. (Stage 3, CC 2 nodes positive) I have always struggled with anxiety- specifically about getting cancer, (Oh the irony). Now that I’ve had cancer, and finished treatment, I’m becoming crippled with fear of recurrence. I have strange twinges of pain in my right rib area, off and on, sometimes the left side too. It does seem to be after eating mostly, but not always. My cea was tested a few weeks ago and was considered normal at 2.4, liver labs normal. All the while, I’m having this pain. On one hand I think- maybe I’m being paranoid and am too tuned in to every little twinge, but then I think- what if I wait to get checked out and regret it. I have a scan and colonoscopy scheduled for the end of July, debating wether to go in sooner.
I’m wondering how many people on here have had gallbladder issues following treatment. I’m hoping it’s that, and not a recurrence.

[Ron50]

I know of several people who had gallbladder issues following crc and subsequent chemo. I was a few years past chemo (5fu and levamisole) I went to ER with severe upper abdominal pain. I had a diseased gall bladder and a small gallstone had blocked off my pancreatic duct. I had my gall bladder removed. IT was full of sludge and around 150 small black cholesterol stones. I asked my doctor about the tie between cancer , chemo and gall. He said that he has found that cancer and chemo don't cause problems like gallbladder . He thinks that they are pre existing problems but chemo promotes earlier onset. That is just his opinion. I have often lamented the lack of on going research into long term survivors. I am 20 years out from my cancer treatment but at no time have I ever been approached by any researcher to see why I am still alive and what long term effects I have from treatment. I would ask your doc to check your gallbladder, it is usually done with a simple ultrasound, Ron.

[rockhound]

I’m coming up on my 1 year anniversary of diagnosis. (Stage 3, CC 2 nodes positive) I have always struggled with anxiety- specifically about getting cancer, (Oh the irony). Now that I’ve had cancer, and finished treatment, I’m becoming crippled with fear of recurrence. I have strange twinges of pain in my right rib area, off and on, sometimes the left side too. It does seem to be after eating mostly, but not always. My cea was tested a few weeks ago and was considered normal at 2.4, liver labs normal. All the while, I’m having this pain. On one hand I think- maybe I’m being paranoid and am too tuned in to every little twinge, but then I think- what if I wait to get checked out and regret it. I have a scan and colonoscopy scheduled for the end of July, debating wether to go in sooner.
I’m wondering how many people on here have had gallbladder issues following treatment. I’m hoping it’s that, and not a recurrence.

I had my gallbladder out years before my RC diagnosis. Gallbladder attack pain was unlike anything I'd ever felt and honestly, more acute/painful than anything I went through during my cancer-related surgeries - as Ron50 stated, severe upper abdominal pain. The first attack came out of nowhere right after eating a really fatty, cheese-rich meal. Thought it was a heart attack but hen realized about 10 minutes later that I was still breathing fine and alive, so must be something else. Gallstones are to diagnosis via ultrasound..

[Koreysue]

Thank you both for your reply. I should probably schedule an appointment for an ultrasound.
Ron- I agree more research is needed. Great news to hear about your long survival.
Take care,
Korey

[weisssoccermom]

FYI....not all gallbladder problems are caused by gallstones and therefore don't show up on an ultrasound. I had my gallbladder out in 1996 after many episodes of upper right sided pain. Numerous ultrasounds didn't reveal any gall stones but the doctors still suspected gallbladder issues (especially since gallbladder problems also ran in my family....mom/dad/brother/aunt and the list goes on). I ended up having a HIDA scan which led to a conclusive diagnosis of severe sludgy bile. I may not have had gallstones, but the effect was still the same. I will say, as others have said, that the pain is SEVERE...not just twinges. Certainly not saying that your 'twinges' couldn't be related but everyone that I know of that has had gallbladder problems have severe, bending over, take your breath away pain.

That being said, I DO have weird twinges in the area of my gallbladder....sometimes they seem like painful muscle spasms....almost like a charley-horse kind of a cramp...and have had these for years. Numerous ultrasounds and even an MRI of the region showed nothing and the docs all agree that it is likely just scar tissue/adhesions... these likely from my gallbladder surgery. I am one of those whose body seems to host scar tissue very well.....after all my surgeries ( over a dozen now...mostly orthopedic), I have had nothing but trouble with adhesions. They are pesky little things that you really can do little about. This isn't necessarily very likely, but a hiatal hernia can also cause some of the same symptoms you are describing....particularly after a meal.

[mhf1986]

I"m thinking DH has similar issue...CT scan last week showed gallstones and bilirubin is up to 6.5. He's not jaundiced looking. We meet with the oncologist on Tuesday and I am going to request an ultrasound. I wonder if there is something blocking the flow from the liver like a gallbladder full of stones.

M

[dianetavegia]

I had emergency gall bladder surgery during FOLFOX! I'd never had symptoms prior to that either. My gall bladder pain was in my right side/ back. I thought it was muscle cramps but one night I went to the ER twice for the pain (All my children were natural childbirth and I have a high tolerance for pain). They did an ultrasound and found a number of stones. Surgery was done within 2 hours and I was sent home right after I woke up.

Diane