Gallbladder Emergency visit

[Kroeran]

I had progressively worse symptoms after GP suggested surgery, but tried to tough it out. Years of unnecessary misery and fear of food.

I should have had more fear of attacks or emergency surgery than a planned surgery with a surgeon of choice on the right day of week and time of day.

I was home by lunch and back to light activities in 48 hours. Unnecessary pain meds caused more trouble than the lapro.

Minor gum surgery is more inconvenient than getting your GB out.

Younger you are the better for minimizing surgery risk. Get ‘er done

 

[wmc1000]

Is it bothering you? Are you having any pains? If not, eventually you might. Particularly after a high-fat food (ie, you go out for Mexican). Then it feels like you are being stabbed under your lung. Better to fish out a surgeon at least to have on deck, before that happens.

No pain or any problems. The liver scan was only because of being on statins and having a slightly elevated bilirubin level.

Thank you to everyone for contributing their thoughts!

 

[Aerides]

The surgery didn’t go so well; the surgeon nicked my bile duct so I had to have an endoscopy so they could put a stent into my bile duct to stop the leak. Then I developed pancreatitis. I apparently was quite sick, although I was so drugged up that I didn’t notice it. It’s the only time in my life where I hadn’t eaten in a week and I wasn’t hungry! An operation that should have resulted in an overnight stay ended up as an eight-night stay in the hospital.

Your story is very much like mine! Except my fix was totally wide open abdominal surgery as the bile had flooded the cavity... And then I got multiple internal infections...7 weeks in hospital. Months of drains and wound care...a lost year.

But I was also similar to you, dozens of stones on the ultrasound, and put off even getting the diagnosis for months, until the pain was undoubtedly ER level. This was pre-google days though, so my wait was more out of fear of the unknown (I was also much younger and quite stupid).

The theme in this thread is that waiting only seems to raise the odds of complications, at the expense of your health and well-being in the months or years while you wait.

 

[wmc1000]

No pain or any problems. The liver scan was only because of being on statins and having a slightly elevated bilirubin level.



Thank you to everyone for contributing their thoughts!

Following up on April post. Finally, last month I had a couple nights where the ache prevented me from sleeping. Never really outrageous pain but after it improved the 3rd night and then hurt the next day I decided to go to the ER to check it out that night. Dropped off my wife and had DD take me in. Pain had pretty much subsided when we got there. Have me saline, a pain injection and had an ultrasound. Have me a referral to a surgeon.

Had lap chole surgery a couple of weeks later on Nov 10, post op follow up is tomorrow.

After 2 weeks of no greasy foods per Dr I started adding foods back to my diet and have been fortunate to experience no after effects from any foods.

They said my gallbladder was"sludgy" so maybe it wasn't working at all and I was already metabolically adjusted to foods before removal.

 

[CRLLS]

OP here. Glad to hear you got it taken care of. I know things are different for each of us. For me, I currently have no restrictions and eat whatever I want with no repercussions. Life is good! I wish you a good recovery and hope you end up the same.

 

[RetMD21]

the diagnosis is I have Gallstones, one as large as 20cm. I guess that was what I was experiencing these last few years, not gas.

Are you going for a size record? I would do what your doctor recommends but you could just poll people on the internet

 

[iloveyoga]

I have never had pain like a gall bladder attack. The Dr. said it was inflamed and recommended I have it removed. I think I was in my late 40's when I had mine removed with the laparoscopic surgery. I also made some changes to my diet and the attacks went away.

 

[Kroeran]

Wish I had had mine out when my doctor first suggested it.

Years of unnecessary suffering.

The surgery experience and recovery was less trouble than minor gum surgery.

A planned gall bladder removal, with the doctor you choose, who has sufficient experience, during regularly scheduled hours, is much safer than an emergency surgery, with whoever is on call that night, wherever in the world you may be at that moment.

 

[wmc1000]

Following up on April post. Finally, last month I had a couple nights where the ache prevented me from sleeping. Never really outrageous pain but after it improved the 3rd night and then hurt the next day I decided to go to the ER to check it out that night. Dropped off my wife and had DD take me in. Pain had pretty much subsided when we got there. Have me saline, a pain injection and had an ultrasound. Have me a referral to a surgeon.

Had lap chole surgery a couple of weeks later on Nov 10, post op follow up is tomorrow.

After 2 weeks of no greasy foods per Dr I started adding foods back to my diet and have been fortunate to experience no after effects from any foods.

They said my gallbladder was"sludgy" so maybe it wasn't working at all and I was already metabolically adjusted to foods before removal.

All clear, no restrictions per Dr. Picked up a large pizza on the way home and had 3 pieces!

 

[pacergal]

Glad you had a good outcome.

 

[Bruno]

I also had the pain you talked about under the right side of my chest and just kept putting if off. When it finally got worst my wife to me to hospital and was told they needed to remove my gall Bladder. I was told it would be 3 holes and removed laparoscopically. When i woke up the doctor said it was gang green and had to cut me open to remove it. I got a 9 inch scar and was in hospital several days. I WISHED i had taken care of it SOONER.