Advice please, Gallstone attack

[Rianne]

I read the 2016 thread about gallbladder/gallstones. My CT scan from ER ($10,000) showed no blockage, very mild pancreatitis all organs in good shape. Then I had a 2nd excruciating painful episode about a week later. Now, primary care ordered an ultrasound ($147.00). This is somewhat of a repeat I added to a recent thread.

So, after 1 1/2 hour of "thought I was dying" pain, it's gone, suddenly. Had breakfast next day, dinner, breakfast again this morning. I am FIRE and have decent insurance this year, 2017. Yikes, should I get my gallbladder out this year? There is no deductible from ER, but I'm sure a big deductible from surgery. Thankfully, I'm able and willing to do it. Any advice?

 

[CardsFan]

Finances aside, I would consider having the gallbladder removed sooner rather than later.

My gallbladder attack was very much like yours. It was painful for several hours. As I was about to go to emergency, this was a Sunday, it stopped as suddenly as it started. It only happened the once, and I let it go until my next scheduled doctor's visit. Doc ordered the ultrasound, gallstones presented, and then scheduled a consult with a surgeon.

The surgeon's comment was basically that a lot of people have gallstones and never suffer an attack. While some have one attack and never again, once you have an attack you are far more likely to have another. And if the gallstone does not clear by itself, you will end up with painful and serious emergency surgery.

So, he said, you can schedule out patient surgery now, done with minimally invasive techniques and a quick recovery time, or take the chance it will never happen. But if it does the surgery will be much more severe, probably in an emergency room setting, with the possibility of severe complications.

Since, at the time, I was often travelling on business in third word countries, I opted for the immediate out patient surgery.

 

[haha]

I read the 2016 thread about gallbladder/gallstones. My CT scan from ER ($10,000) showed no blockage, very mild pancreatitis all organs in good shape. Then I had a 2nd excruciating painful episode about a week later. Now, primary care ordered an ultrasound ($147.00). This is somewhat of a repeat I added to a recent thread.

So, after 1 1/2 hour of "thought I was dying" pain, it's gone, suddenly. Had breakfast next day, dinner, breakfast again this morning. I am FIRE and have decent insurance this year, 2017. Yikes, should I get my gallbladder out this year? There is no deductible from ER, but I'm sure a big deductible from surgery. Thankfully, I'm able and willing to do it. Any advice?

My former wife had one gallbladder attack, and never again for 40 years and counting.

Ha

 

[REWahoo]

Any advice?

Seek the advice of a competent physician, not anonymous individuals on an internet site devoted to finances and early retirement.

 

[W2R]

Seek the advice of a competent physician, not anonymous individuals on an internet site devoted to finances and early retirement.

+1

I literally almost died within less than 36 hours after my first gall bladder symptoms.

Go to your doctor/surgeon and if he even *suggests* getting it removed, do that.

 

[Rianne]

Got it. I had a burst appendix in 2011 with mild ache, nothing more. Went to PCP, she said let's be on the safe side and take some blood. White blood cells through the roof, had emergency appendectomy at 2 A.M. It was strange with so little pain. I have never had pain like with this gallstone, if that's the problem. I'll know next week.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

Yup, had it, pain was excruciating. The surgery was a cakewalk- I went to work the next day (as I recall). Never missed my GB, but some people have complications. I had insurance, so the cost wasn't a big issue.

 

[mystang52]

I had 2 God-awful attacks before I was diagnosed with gall bladder stones (this was 1979, and I was young, so diagnosis wasn't apparent after first attack). I couldn't wait for that surgery as I dreaded even the possibility of another attack.
If that is indeed your diagnosis, my vote is by all means have the surgery.

 

[teejayevans]

I started having them on a regular basis, pain and nausea , "doctors" kept telling me it was indigestion, until finally it got so bad I drove to emergency room and told the doctor about the pain, and said rather loudly, it's not f$&@ indigestion or a heart problem! They did an ultrasound and diagnose the gallstones, had surgery within an hour.
My surgeon told me the surgery was one of toughest he's ever done and was moments away from having to open my chest. I was released, but had to go back in for antibiotics and more fluids. But no more pain!

I don't why they chose the expensive CT scan versus the inexpensive ultrasound...maybe you have better insurance than I do.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

I had pain one night. Went to ER. Gall bladder surgery next morning. Home pretty soon. It was my first and only attack.

I have a degree in something else so I cannot recommend what you should do.

 

[Senator]

Seek the advice of a competent physician, not anonymous individuals on an internet site devoted to finances and early retirement.

I think you are discounting the fact than many of us have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express...

 

[tinlizzy]

I had many fleeting gall bladder attacks over the course of a year (they lasted only a couple minutes, usually when I bent over and lifted something with my arms extended). I thought the pain was a strained muscle. I ended up having a very painful attack that didn't go away. Had an ultrasound and my gallbladder was full of stones.

The doctor said the little attacks were little stones getting sucked against or thru the duct. The big attack was a stone stuck in the duct.

Crazy how painful it was! I was relieved to get it out. Surgery was easy and recovery was fast. The most unexpected result was that I don't get migraines since the gallbladder was removed. I'm not sure what one has to do with the other but I suffered with horrible migraines before the surgery and haven't had one in 10 yrs now.

 

[marko]

I had gallstone attacks for years; they usually went away in a half hour. Finally had one that wouldn't quit; very painful. My blood pressure went up to 220 due to the pain! Went to the hospital, had it out. Dr said it was stuck to my liver and he had to work at it for almost an hour to scrape everything off.

Recovery was a breeze. Was up and walking within 4 hours. I went food shopping by myself 4 days later. Just very tired for a week or so.

I did have nausea attacks for several months for no apparent reason but they slowly went away over time.

Other than that, I'm glad I got it taken care of.

 

[NoMoreJob]

I have experience with gallbladder attacks and had mine removed about ten years ago. The definitive test for me after an ultrasound was to check my gallbladder function. The result was that it wasn't functioning. I believe it was the HIDA test described here....

https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/tests-diagnose-gallbladder-problems

If you haven't had a gallbladder function test I'd ask why. Once we knew mine wasn't doing anything (essentially dying) the question of remove or not was settled. Most if not all of the other tests were also performed but it wasn't clear what needed to be done until we got the function test results.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I had pain one night. Went to ER. Gall bladder surgery next morning. Home pretty soon. It was my first and only attack.

I have a degree in something else so I cannot recommend what you should do.

Same here. A little more than a year later, I have had zero issues being GB Free. The attack was painful enough that I was ready to cut it out myself...I was ECSTATIC when they came to get me for surgery.

 

[teejayevans]

Same here. A little more than a year later, I have had zero issues being GB Free. The attack was painful enough that I was ready to cut it out myself...I was ECSTATIC when they came to get me for surgery.

I can't eat a fatty meal like I used to, probably not a bad thing though.

 

[Ready2Go]

Had my first major attack on election night 2008. No joke. I though it was just major indigestion at first. Went to bed and pain got worse. Drove myself to ER at 3 AM. By noon, pain had subsided and after ultrasound, they wanted me to have the GB removed that day. I changed my diet and did some research. Finally had it removed a year or so later after a couple of minor attacks. Surgery and recovery were a breeze.

 

[Rianne]

Seek the advice of a competent physician, not anonymous individuals on an internet site devoted to finances and early retirement.

Oh, I thought I posted on Health and FIRE. Thank you everyone else for the info. Who knew such a little organ could cause so much pain!

 

[eytonxav]

I had a severe case of pancreatitis that was most likely brought on by a duct obstructed by a gallstone, although they were never able to say that will absolute certainty. I spent 10 days in the hospital, and was fed intravenously for 7 of those days, before they removed my gallbladder. This was not fun, and they told me it was so bad I could have died. Have they not advised you to have your gallbladder removed? You certainly do not want to get into a situation of having a bad case of pancreatitis.

 

[Bamaman]

When gallstones are suspected, they start with the ultrasound.

I was 100 miles away when I got nauseated and had debilitating pain. Barely made it to the ER. Worse part was having to ride with my wife driving--scary.

My gallbladder was gangrenous, and I was close to death. Thus best surgeon in the region luckily was there on Sunday night and he is now my neighbor.

Pain is there for a reason. We must listen well to what our bodies are telling us.

 

[REWahoo]

Oh, I thought I posted on Health and FIRE. Thank you everyone else for the info.

Ouch!