About a month ago I had what I was sure was a gallbladder attack…fairly bad pain under right side of ribcage after eating fast food. I stayed away from anything with fats, red meat, etc. for about a month but was still having some pain and bloating so I made an appointment with a new doctor (my insurance had changed.) By the time I got in to see the doctor, the pain had subsided. She was doubtful it was gallbladder; she said gallbladder is very sharp pain and doesn’t go away.
Anyone have experience with this? Can gallstones be passed so the pain goes away? I have an ultrasound appointment in about a week but thinking of canceling it now that I don’t have the pain.
Yes!
I had a gallbladder attack one Friday evening 4-1/2 years ago. Started suddenly- was fine and eating a handful of peanuts at 5:59, the most god-awful pain in that same area you mentioned at 6:00- and lasted for 4 hours. I thought it was bad peanuts. Now I know how colicky horses feel- I wanted to lie down, roll, couldn’t sit still for more than 30 seconds, couldn’t stand, couldn’t walk, wanted to puke but couldn’t, etc.etc. I was just about to agree to go to emergency and get it looked at when it went away- completely, and I felt as good as I did at 5:59.
The following Monday morning I got woken up by the exact same pain at 5:40. This time I DID go to the emergency at our closest department when the discomfort didn’t go away by 10:00am. Was diagnosed (incorrectly, obviously) with a kidney infection 
. The pain returned again at 11:00 that evening and this time I went to our regional hospital emergency room. I had 2 ultrasounds and both showed many gall stones, so I was admitted the following morning for the surgery to have my gall bladder removed.
I was told the pain was a stone lodged in the tube between the gall bladder and the liver, and the easing of the pain comes once the stone has passed.
So yes, gall stone pain does go away.
I just wonder, if gall stones hurt this much, how does anyone survive the pain of a kidney stone, or are they comparable? 
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Looking back, I believe I’ve had gallbladder attacks probably since I was 16 (I am 50 now). It would happen a few times a year - felt like someone had a vise grip on my ribcage. And then it would go away.
In 2019, it was so bad that I finally went to the ER (and had gone once when I was 18. They gave me drugs and sent me home). Same pain as mentioned above, and it would not let up at all. The ER gave me Tramadol which didn’t even touch the pain. Had an EKG, and cat scan. Found a gall bladder jam-packed with stones - and also a cyst on an ovary and a fairly good-sized fibroid. I had surgery a few weeks later and haven’t had an issue since.
As an aside, the surgeon said it was the 2nd worse gall bladder she’s ever seen. I’d hate to imagine what the worst was.
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I do. Had a couple of emergency room visits because of the sudden, surprising pain, but had no insurance or other access to surgery so I read up on it and discovered that I can manage it. What triggers me is fat, most especially pork fat. I eat very little meat and tend to eat pretty healthily, so it wasn’t hard. I do have insurance now, but 15 years of accommodation have me feeling like keeping my gall bladder isn’t too bad an idea.
The few times I’ve had an attack, I simply remove the cause of it by throwing up. Almost instant relief. The emergency rooms, however, gave me prescriptions for pain medicine and anti-nausea medicine. I like my way better. Nowadays, if I start to feel twinges, I drink a spoonful of vinegar in water and that takes care of it.
Gall bladders release bile, an extreme digestive fluid, usually needed for fats and spice. When the body needs bile, the gall bladder responds by trying to squeeze some out. If there are gallstones, they can block the opening of the gall bladder so that no bile comes out. Bile is still needed, so the gall bladder squeezes and squeezes and ouch.
I just try to avoid the body needing bile.
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I’ve had gallstones, I remember staying in a hotel with my mom and my aunt the night my first attack hit. And I remember it terrified them, seeing me pace around in the middle of the night - and trying to lie in every position possible to alleviate that awful pain.
At the time I’d been indulging a lot in greasy, fatty food. The attacks continued for a few days (weeks?) although I guess I passed one or more of the stones because I no longer have that problem. But it was textbook gallstones … location of the pain (often felt closer to my back), feeling like I needed to throw up but couldn’t, change in stool colour, etc. The pain did come and go though, it would be worse at night when I laid down (or had eaten something offensive). It wasn’t continuous.
It’s an awful pain, truly.
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A local fellow just kept ignoring that pain for years, finally had a real serious attack two weeks ago, had to go to the ER, his gallbladder was so inflamed and infected he needed immediate surgery and flushing out the area and had to be on antibiotics because of infection, just today starting to get around.
I would not dismiss gallbladder problems, at least be sure it is not getting so bad it can kill you, have it checked out properly.
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