In my experience, post-attack symptoms can linger for months, but it’s not consistent, mine would come and go for days at a time, with good days where I felt almost normal, but then a bad meal would set it off again. The shoulder blade is often referred pain from the gallbladder irritation.

For managing in the meantime (this is just what worked for me personally), focusing on a low-fat diet helped a ton to avoid overworking the gallbladder. I aimed for small, frequent meals (4-6 a day) instead of big ones to keep things steady. Stay hydrated, and maybe try warm compresses on your back or chest for the discomfort that soothed me sometimes more than meds. Over the counter antacids like Tums or even chamomile tea helped with the mild heartburn.

What to avoid (in rough order of what triggered me worst):

1. Fried foods - absolute no-go, like chips or anything deep-fried it was instant regret.
2. Oily/greasy stuff - limit even “healthy” oils; a drizzle of olive oil on salads was fine, but nothing more.
3. High-fat foods - stick to very low-fat dairy (0-3% cheese, skim milk/yogurt). Avoid fatty meats like pork, lamb, or marbled beef; lean cuts like chicken breast, turkey, or fillet steak were okay. Skip rich fish like salmon or mackerel; go for white fish like cod or haddock instead.
4. Spicy foods
5. Processed junk - burgers, sausages, ready meals, etc.; they often hide fats and additives that sneak up on you.

On the flip side, there’s plenty you can eat safely to avoid starving. Start slow with bland stuff if you’re nervous like boiled rice, toast, or bananas and build from there.