Gallbaddder removed

[teejayevans]

Anybody ever had their gallbladder removed, apparently its an optional organ, curious if any first hand experience out there?
TJ

[samclem]

DW had her gallbladder removed about 20 years ago. She's had absolutely no adverse consequences. She was warned that she might have "trouble" with certain types of (fatty?) foods after the surgery, but this hasn't been a problem.

[mickj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by teejayevans Anybody ever had their gallbladder removed, apparently its an optional organ, curious if any first hand experience out there? TJ

DW, had hers out a year or two ago... she does have some pain with certain foods.. chili, hamburgers, some nuts. Well worth it to get rid of the pain being caused by her gall bladder to begin with.

[Koogie]

DW also had hers out two years ago. Still gets some discomfort from red meat. It was a simple operation, quickly done and she was in/out of the hospital in a morning.

[KB]

I had mine out 23 years ago, before they did the lap procedure. I have not been able to eat pork spareribs since then.....serious indigestion results. Otherwise, no problems other than a large scar.

[happy2bretired]

I had mine out a few years ago. I've not had any problems except I've had two pancreatitis attacks since then. No one really knows exactly why. The first time they blamed my BP med, generic Lisinopril - the second time I was eating more saturated fat as an experiment. I would also recommend a moderate amount of fat, after surgery, just to be on the safe side.

[mf15]

Had mine out lapro 12 years ago, no problems,never get indigestion,wife also had hers out,no problems. I do remember the pain was exquisite,and it let me know in no uncertain terms that something was very wrong. Not a fan of being cut but marched my butt right to the surgeon,and said get this thing out of me now. Mine was like a bean bag,full of small stones.
Old Mike

[happy2bretired]

Uhhh...this might be TMI, but....

Before I had my gall bladder out I always had "floaters" (not the eye kind of floaters), if you know what I mean. After my gall bladder was removed...no more floaters...all sinkers. I really think my body has trouble with fat digestion.

[bbbamI]

Quote:

Originally Posted by teejayevans Anybody ever had their gallbladder removed, apparently its an optional organ, curious if any first hand experience out there? TJ

Yes, I had mine removed in 1993. They just made five tiny incisions in my abdomen and I was out of the hospital in 24 hours. Since the incisions were so small I thought recovery would be a piece of cake. However I needed to take the two full weeks I had to recover since I got tired so easily.

No problems since then.

[teejayevans]

I had lap surgery, the surgeon said he came close to cutting me open, I had a bleeder and a lot of adhesions. Stones were about nickel in size. For the past year I've been treating my pain as indigestion. Came home next day but had to go back in a few days later, possibly a ileus, never got a definitive answer.
Thanks for the responses...

[Katsmeow]

I had mine out for gallstones about a year ago. Out patient, in and out within a few hours. I have zero problems and can eat anything I want. They did say some people might have problems with some foods but it hasn't been an issue for me.

[kramer]

I am wondering why some folks end up needing to have their gull bladder removed? Does it have something to do with lifelong diet or genetics or a traumatic event or . . . .? I know nothing about the topic.

Kramer

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kramer I am wondering why some folks end up needing to have their gull bladder removed? Does it have something to do with lifelong diet or genetics or a traumatic event or . . . .? I know nothing about the topic.

Mostly for gall stones that can't make it through the bile ducts. The gall bladder receives bile from the liver and excretes it during digestion. The bile ducts feed into the small intestine. Sometimes the stones get stuck and can lead to serious infection, and even sepsis and death.

One episode is enough to convince most people.

[Moemg]

I had mine out 39 years ago and no problems at all since .

[samclem]

Lots of folks here are sans gallbladder. Maybe removing the gallbladder predisposes an individual toward ER?

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by samclem Maybe removing the gallbladder predisposes an individual toward ER?

Yes -- the surgeon.

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by samclem Lots of folks here are sans gallbladder. Maybe removing the gallbladder predisposes an individual toward ER?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa Yes -- the surgeon.

[MikeD]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa One episode is enough to convince most people.

Wow, that sure was the case for me! I had mine out 3.5 years ago. Had lots of complications due mostly from being a transplant patient. Now I am perfectly OK from the operation. It is as if the whole thing never occurred. I have had only one gall bladder episode, the inital, operation iducing one. I can eat exactly the same now as before the proc.

Mike D.

What kind of gall does the bladder hold, mitigated or unmitigated?

[Tigger]

This may be snake oil, but I remember the wellknown blogger Erica Douglass tried this:
Amazon.com: The Amazing Liver & Gallbladder Flush (9780976571506): Andreas Moritz: Books

"Twenty million Americans suffer from attacks of gallstones every year. In many cases, treatment merely consists of removing the gallbladder, at the cost of $5 billion a year. But this purely symptom-oriented approach does not eliminate the cause of the illness, and in many cases, sets the stage for even more serious conditions. Most adults living in the industrialized world, and especially those suffering a chronic illness such as heart disease, arthritis, MS, cancer, or diabetes, have hundreds if not thousands of gallstones (mainly clumps of hardened bile) blocking the bile ducts of their liver. This book provides a thorough understanding of what causes gallstones in the liver and gallbladder and why these stones can be held responsible for the most common diseases so prevalent in the world today. It provides the reader with the knowledge needed to recognize the stones and gives the necessary, do-it-yourself instructions to painlessly remove them in the comfort of one's home. It also gives practical guidelines on how to prevent new gallstones from being formed. "

Erica seemed happy about the immediate results (it helped for a few days). Later she found out her problem was really celiac disease.

[Khan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tigger This may be snake oil, but I remember the wellknown blogger Erica Douglass tried this: Amazon.com: The Amazing Liver & Gallbladder Flush (9780976571506): Andreas Moritz: Books "Twenty million Americans suffer from attacks of gallstones every year. In many cases, treatment merely consists of removing the gallbladder, at the cost of $5 billion a year. But this purely symptom-oriented approach does not eliminate the cause of the illness, and in many cases, sets the stage for even more serious conditions. Most adults living in the industrialized world, and especially those suffering a chronic illness such as heart disease, arthritis, MS, cancer, or diabetes, have hundreds if not thousands of gallstones (mainly clumps of hardened bile) blocking the bile ducts of their liver. This book provides a thorough understanding of what causes gallstones in the liver and gallbladder and why these stones can be held responsible for the most common diseases so prevalent in the world today. It provides the reader with the knowledge needed to recognize the stones and gives the necessary, do-it-yourself instructions to painlessly remove them in the comfort of one's home. It also gives practical guidelines on how to prevent new gallstones from being formed. " Erica seemed happy about the immediate results (it helped for a few days). Later she found out her problem was really celiac disease.

Anything that claims to be the one cause or cure of everything is snake oil.