Gallbladder issues

I had pain back in February that was so severe I went to the ER. They did a sonogram and told me that I had gall stones. Fast track to now I've been told to have it removed. Pretty much told that once you have them it has to come out. I literally cut out as much fat as possible because the attack scared me so bad. Haven't had one since. I've been putting it off until fall when I'm not outside as much.

Is there anything important that I should know for aftercare, questions I should ask when I go for my consult. Not scared to have it done per say, but I know that many people have bowel issues afterwards with greasy foods.

If you had yours out was it worth it? Can you eat things you want to now? Talk to me. TY.

a reply to: proloz
Had mine out a couple of years ago. Eat anything I want. No more pain. The only thing I will say is they tell you theeffects from the anesthetic wears off after a couple of days. Nah, it takes about 2 weeks just generally feeling rough, but well worth it.
Have no fear go and have it done. By the way I had mine removed with keyhole surgery. Overnight stay then home. If they have to open you up proper the stay is usually 2 to 3 days.

a reply to: crayzeed

No bad bathroom issues after greasy food? Thank you for the response. I'm female and never had children, but I heard that the pain of a GB attack is worse than childbirth. The pain scared me so bad that I literally changed my entire eating habits. On the plus side I've lost 25lbs back to my normal weight.

How was it recuperating? Someone told me they fill you up with gas and you have to move around to get it moving.

a reply to: proloz

www.surgery.usc.edu...

The above link describes the procedure.

It's called a "LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY" or "Lap Choli" for short.

It's a relatively fast procedure that is routine.

Good luck and don't worry.

originally posted by: proloz
a reply to: crayzeed

No bad bathroom issues after greasy food? Thank you for the response. I'm female and never had children, but I heard that the pain of a GB attack is worse than childbirth. The pain scared me so bad that I literally changed my entire eating habits. On the plus side I've lost 25lbs back to my normal weight.

How was it recuperating? Someone told me they fill you up with gas and you have to move around to get it moving.

The gas they use is CO2. There is no problem with it, but some post-op people report that there is like a crackling in the tummy area. It's like having tiny "bubble-wrap" in your belly. It is normal and not a big deal.

I've seen dozens of the cases. I worked with docs on insufflator (the gizmo that supplies the CO2) pressure applications and trochar placement.

Be very careful, and reconsider having it removed.

The main risk with leaving it in when you have been already diagnosed with Gallstones is a very high risk of one ascending into the vein that connects into your liver.

If that happens it will become blocked and the bloody supply will almost stop, it is a very bad situation.

Because I have severe liver disease, I cannot have mine removed for multiple reason,so I had to have a procedure to remove the blockage and several stones through my mouth (ERCP) and have a stent inserted to reopen and resupply blood.

You will have no symptoms and problems of anything gallbladder related, and may not for months and years, then randomly out of the blue *BAM*, severe pain, nausea, sickness, turning yellow etc - it just comes on.

Not trying to scare you, however, if you can reconsider having it removed, it's keyhole surgery now, barely invasive.

Thank you for all the responses. I value them all. It's nice to hear other people's experiences.

a reply to: proloz


I had my Gall Bladder out about a year ago. DO NOT wait if you are experiencing any pain with it. Mine went sceptic and I ended up in the ICU at the local hospital for 9 days. After 2 different other procedures, they finally got the infection down to where they could address (and take out) the actual Gall Bladder. Fortunately, they were able to take it out using a Laparoscopic technique, but they thought they were going to have to cut me open like a fish to get it out. That would have been another 6 weeks of recovery. Do not let this go. It can be very serious AND painful. Trust me...

a reply to: proloz

careful eating anything cooked in grease, fat, or anything spicy. try a little first, and figure out where your limit is, otherwise your gonna squirt poo up the side of the wall. I'd actually recommend just going healthy and avoiding it all together, but ya anything the tastes good is prolly going to make you squirt in excess.

camain

a reply to: camain

If the OP eats anything like that now with it in,it will set off a gallbladder attack.

It's a lose-lose situation, with a win at the end for never having to go through another gallbladder attack again.

I think I would rather birth a baby through my pee hole then have another attack.

Their are two approaches to having your gall bladder out which are basically laparoscopic and a full incision removal.

I had mine removed via the first method and realistically could have returned to work the next day as it was so minimally invasive.

I had mine removed because after 4 trips to the ER for Gall stones which were the most severe pain I had ever experienced I finally said enough. I had tried to treat it with diet or other more natural approach and to that I now say BS.

If you are suffering , get it removed and if they can do it the easy way within 1 to 2 days you will be back on your test and never suffer the Hell that are gall stones again.

originally posted by: camain
a reply to: proloz

careful eating anything cooked in grease, fat, or anything spicy. try a little first, and figure out where your limit is, otherwise your gonna squirt poo up the side of the wall. I'd actually recommend just going healthy and avoiding it all together, but ya anything the tastes good is prolly going to make you squirt in excess.

camain

Lovely!

Spectacular visual on that one!!!

As a matter of fact, I can't recall a more succinct description in recent memory. No ambiguity there at all!

"Yes, I'd like the deep fried butter sticks and the spicy green chili. Extra spicy please! Oh, and a side order of your special ghost pepper infused "Lava Salsa" too. Thanks!"

My coworkers husband had his taken out 2 weeks ago and is still in the hospital due to the fact that his bilirubin levels are so high.And they can't figure out why.Scary stuff.

I had chest pains for roughly a year. My doc kept telling me nothing was wrong. One day after a nice lunch with my mom - I took a nap because I started feeling like crap. When I woke up I started to vomit, and kept on vomiting until I actually started to vomit blood. I got in my car and started to drive to an urgent care but had to pull over twice to vomit. I was freaking out by this time and decided to go to the emergency room. They took me right in fearing I might be having a heart attack. After they gave me some morphine and nausea medicine and some tests all the sudden I felt like nothing happened. Woke up the next morning feeling just fine (which was my chest still hurt but by then I had become accustomed to it). Had a sonogram and they found my gall bladder was actually deformed. Had surgery 2 hours later. They did the less invasive surgery.
This was about 5 years ago now I think. The only problem I have is that I occasionally get heartburn - usually when I eat too much. Spicey and greasy seem to be fine to me, but if I pig out, there is going to be some trouble.

I also changed my primary doctor. Not sure how he missed that in all the blood work he ordered for me.

originally posted by: buckwhizzle
My coworkers husband had his taken out 2 weeks ago and is still in the hospital due to the fact that his bilirubin levels are so high.And they can't figure out why.Scary stuff.

Im willing to bet anything that the elevated bilirubin levels are not due to a gallbladder removal but rather some other condition or scenario. My best friend had a liver transplant, gallbladder removed, colon removed and so many other procedures thanks to UC, PSC and bile duct cancer so sadly my group of friends all have become very familiar with things like bilirubin counts and the symptoms they cause by watching someone deal with it.

Hopefully your coworkers husband gets better but that shouldnt dissuade the OP from having her gallbladder removed.
It's a simple process to alleviate terrible pain.

a reply to: proloz

Oh yes. The pain. I had almost forgotten what it was like. Had mine removed last year. No more pain.

I had an attack about 2months ago, l was on Nutri System for about 4 months losing weight fast. Evidently this is what help set my attack off. I was miserable for about 6-8 hours then went to the ER. Have two gallstones about a centimeter each, doctor saID will probably need to have gallbladder removed, if I continue to have attacks, saw my doctor a week later and we decided to wait and see but I adjusted my diet haven't had another one since. Though I know its likely I will. In desperation have been taking Rowrchol and eating everything in the save your gallbladder book lol, in hopes it was just the rapid weight loss from no fat diet. Drinking loads of apple juice, beet juice, cherry juice etc. chicken and turkey radishes, salads etc. Milk thistle which is supposed to stimulate bile production and just a little bit of coconut oil. Have no illusions that they will dissolve,but if I can keep the attacks from happening is all I'm hoping for.

a reply to: proloz
Well, I see that I'm in the minority but I had a couple of really serious gallbladder attacks about 30 years ago. Doc told me I could watch my diet---stay away from fatty foods and alcohol---and see if that worked, or have the surgery. In particular he told me to stay away from that vegetable oil stuff that is so refined that it can sit on the shelf for years...stick with olive oil or butter as a means of getting fat. Stay away from fake cream products for coffee and all artificial sweeteners and refined sugars like sucrose. I corrected my diet, lost the excess weight I'd picked up and have never had another attack. Several years ago after a scan I was told that the gallstones were no longer there. Doc was surprised as he said he didn't know they would dissolve...so he did some research and found out that indeed they do in about 30% of cases in women. (He was a GP, not a surgeon. Surgeons know this but often don't relay that information to the patient.)

Now, please note that both these attacks came after I had been under tremendous stress for a period of time, was not eating properly---a lot of processed food---not eating regularly---and was about 30 pounds overweight. I don't know if you have been under stress or any of the other conditions under which I suffered but keep that in mind. Also women who take hormones or cholesterol-lowering drugs are more prone to such attacks.

It wasn't that I feared the surgery, it was that my body was meant to have a gallbladder to help do the work of digesting food and getting proper nutrition from that food. Since I changed my diet dramatically, cutting out fast food entirely and eating properly, I've had far, far fewer health issues and the weight problem has never come back. Breaking unhealthy eating habits is hard, as hard as breaking any other unhealthy habit but well worth it in the long run.

For what it is worth, there are some studies that seem to show that low levels of Vit D can contribute to the problem of gallstones. If you are not outdoors in the sun for at least 20 minutes or so a day you may need to supplement your Vitamin D. There is some good information found here about long term effects of gallbladder removal: www.liverdoctor.com...

Hope this helps.

a reply to: opethPA

Sorry to hear about your friend.I apologize if I came across as trying to dissuade the OP from having gallbladder surgery,I was just relaying a story.

a reply to: diggindirt

Homey don' play dat!!!!!

Cut that S# out!!

I was ready to have my own gallbladder removed after your second paragraph. Screw that noise!!