DEAR DR. GOTT: In your article about abdominal pain, I think you might have missed a likely possibility: gallbladder disease.
I suffered from this for years, and no doctor took me seriously because I didn’t have gallstones. When I finally had my gallbladder removed, I didn’t have any more pain. Estrogen is known to irritate the gallbladder, and a 15-year-old has considerable estrogen in her body.
DEAR READER: Gallbladder disease is another cause of abdominal pain. The pain is typically on the upper right side of the abdomen and may worsen after eating, especially fatty foods. Nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite may also be present.
There are several types of gallbladder disease that include gallstones, inflammation, infection and blockage/obstruction. Two or more of these can be present at the same time. For example, inflammation can lead to blockage, which can lead to infection, or gallstones can lead to blockage, which can then lead to infection.
Symptoms may be reduced by making dietary changes. These can include eliminating suspected food allergens; increasing intake of fiber, fruits and vegetables; and reducing the intake of refined and fatty foods, trans fats, red meat, alcohol and tobacco.
Further treatment depends on which type of gallbladder disease is present. Gallstones can be treated with medication to dissolve the stone, but this can take up to two years and the stones often recur. Chronic issues with stones and inflammation more often necessitate surgery to remove the stones or the entire gallbladder.
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