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Contemplating NOT having suggested gallbladder surgery!
It is interesting reading the experience of others. I must remind myself we all are of "unknown" reliability. However, here goes: It has been suggested I have gallbladder removal due to surprising symptoms (attack?) that started 5 months ago: tremendous tightness in upper right quadrant, no warnings, "almost" some shortness of breath and vague pressure traveling upward in back/chest/arms (hard to describe), brief cold sweat. Distressing but not SUPER painful. I have only had a few of these "big" episodes; maybe weekly I have a milder version of the above. Ultrasound showed gallstones. I AM ADAMANT about trying not to lose this organ. I just had 3 elective surgeries in 3 years - all successful (2 total knee replacements and 1 dental bridge). I have always been quite healthy and will go to extremes to avoid surgery. Sorry, I am leary of doctors. I am seeking a great gastroenterologist or alternative medicine Dr. as I am determined to not follow doctors' advice. I have read about gallstones that can cause fatal damage if they pass into pancreas, etc. But I am trying to figure out how to manage. Have discovered smaller meals seem to help, choosing proper foods for this condition, eating slower (I think). But, I still cannot predict when an attack will occur. I am fearful of infections because of my 2 knee replacements. I do not get infections actually; am quite healthy, very active physically, intellectually engaged in volunteer projects and teaching. So far I REFUSE TO CONSIDER SURGERY. Please do not stereotype me when I reveal chronological age (78 yr. old female). I consider myself more like 60-65. My attitude is one of shock and annoyance that this problem arose and that surgery has (possibly) been suggested. People say "it is easy"; not a big deal. Shall I wait for more disturbing symptoms? See if I can handle this myself? Get multiple opinions? Thank you for your comments (I realize there is no definite answer.)
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@kmr756 you might find this interesting.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-you-live-without-a-gallbladder
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2 ReactionsThank you for sending the link. Much needed reassurance.. 😊
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1 ReactionJust an update almost a year later - I postponed my gallbladder surgery for 11 months. It finally got me last week and I had an emergency cholecystectomy on Saturday, so four days ago. One tidbit that may be useful for others - all of my abdominal ultrasounds prior to surgery said I had sludge and mobile gallstones, but otherwise my gallbladder was intact, no wall thickening, no fluid, etc. I actually went to the ER about 10 days ago and the ER doc sent me home because it didn't look worse on the scan. Then all hell broke loose - pain a booming 10. The surgeon who did my surgery on Saturday said, "I can't tell you how many patients I see who have had ultrasounds that didn't reveal anything acute, but when I got in there, they were infected, inflamed, etc. My best advice is, if you've had at least one attack and been advised to have a cholecystectomy, do it! Four days out, I'm doing OK. I've had a lot of pain, but each day is better. Unlike a lot of folks here, my post-surgery issue has been constipation, not diarrhea. But I'm working through that and being really careful about what I eat, drinking enough water, walking every day, etc. I resisted as long as I could, but I'm so glad this operation is now behind me!
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1 ReactionHi, @wisewoman10 - glad you returned to tell more of your story. I, too, am glad this operation is behind you.
I recognize the pain at a booming 10 level that you mentioned. That is what I experienced. I thought it was worse than labor pain, at its height. It hurt so badly that when I got to the ER, I could not even sit on a chair. The only place to lie down was the floor. My decision to then lie down on the floor of the ER waiting room will tell you how much pain I was in, as I am not someone to ever lie on the floor in a public place. That got me taken back into the ER and roomed very quickly.
My pain from my gallbladder started out of the blue at the hairdresser's while my head was full of foils. I thought it was menstrual pain, so I mentioned it to the woman coloring my hair, who asked around for some acetaminophen. I took that and it made absolutely no impact, which was odd. I finally was sinking down in the styling chair in agony, but I could not really leave as I was mid-color. The stylist seemed to feel really bad for me. I went home afterward and asked my husband to take me to the hospital.
I remember a not too bad recovery, wisewoman10, just like @cahabagirl mentioned in her case.
What is your surgeon having you do for the constipation, wisewoman10?
Lisa, that is quite a story! Between the hairdresser and lying on the floor in the ER, it really captures the experience of a gallbladder gone bad! My surgeon hasn't been all that helpful as far as the constipation goes. Standard advice - drink more water, take stool softeners, get exercise, all of which I've been doing. I had this same experience after my appendix ruptured in 2020. I think my abdomen is just cranky at this point and tired of being invaded with instruments and scalpels. Always grateful for a laparascopic procedure vs an open incision, however. I'm just doubling up on water, adding fiber gradually, walking as much as I can, etc. I tried both a Dulcolax suppository and a Fleet's enema, and both were useless. So now I'm just trying to relax about the whole thing and let nature take its course. I've had enough gas and brownish mucus production (gross, but that's how it's worked in my case) to know that I'm not impacted or anything. I guess it's just my common bile duct trying to figure out how to operate in its new home!
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1 ReactionKeep your gallbladder, if you possibly can! Mine was removed in 2012 after I had told several doctors that it was going out, but I had a Pipida scan, and they told me I was wrong, even though my alkaline phosphatase level was raised in my blood! After removal, I couldn’t eat or even drink water for about 10 days and had to go back into the hospital where they gave me some kind of medicine, whose name I’ve forgotten, which removed cholesterol from my stomach, I think. I took it for nine weeks, and then became allergic to it, which is par for the course for me. I lost 60 pounds and nearly died and had to subsist on mashed potatoes and canned carrots for many years. Eventually, I was able to start eating other soft foods, but I’m still on a completely bland diet and in fact, I’ve started blending my food because I was having so many stomachaches. A doctor told me that if you have IBS before gallbladder surgery, it will be 1000 times worse. Well, I would say maybe 1 million. It’s a life changer, for sure. I can’t have any spices, no raw vegetables, no tomato sauce, the list goes on. Our gallbladders are critical for some of us! I’m so angry about it. Doctors rely on tests rather than intuition these days, apparently. Good luck!
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3 ReactionsThe ultrasound can give false negative report. Clinical evaluation and a good history is best. I have had a number of patients with stable scans but post op pathology was showing acute and chronic changes.
I had a HIDA scan ..I think it's "nuclear"... it was easy..and revealed sludge..I had been suffering from extreme gastro issues for a long time.. and didn't know about this.. no pain.. but potassium levels so high from eating cantaloupe (I thought that was healthy.. but too high potassium can cause some illness .. I forget what the name of it is..my termite guy said.. they should have checked your gall bladder right away.. they did his grandfather's).. anyway it just happened to show up on a chest CT.. they surgeon said ..it has to come out NOW..why didn't they check this before.. my PCP (an angel!! ) had the idea to check the lung CT..so ..the surgery.. I thought I was allergic to Lidocaine and they put a label on my gown NO lidocaine. 2 anesthelogists (spelling?) said we won't use it.. while on the table with the breathing mask on I heard the lady say..add the lidocaine.. and I fought so hard 2 men had to hold me down... it took so long to wake me up.. and I was very ill..live lone.. my sister in law took me.. but couldn't stay the night.. so NOW the hospital has a new policy ..if a patient is allergic to something they won't give it to them.. I kept a copy of my original preop..and all the copies from the chart.. the DR was very angry at me on follow up visit..accused me of harping.. so then I've continued to develop one digestive issue after another..but now sure it was the gallbladder.. at least I know I don't have gall stones!! And don't worry about potassium.. (I thought I was having a heart attack from it that time and sent the repair man home.. didn't want to die in front of him..) I'll be praying you make the right decision!! Always keep a copy of everything.. I have cabinets ful.. but they don't eat anything..the HIDA scan was very easy.. they wanted me to drink milk and I'm allergic so I used a vanilla plant based Ensure..has to be "fatty".. I hope this helps you!! God bless you!!
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1 ReactionHida Scan is normally used to measure how well ur gallbladder is working. Before I had my gallbladder removed in 2021, a regular abdomen scan picked up some issues w/gb. But I had no symptoms or pain until 2021 - worst year of my life after breast cancer. In 2021, I started having an odd taste in mouth. Then I would experience pain in my right quadrant of abdomen and I was unable to eat. I ended going to ER @ hospital about five times in about a two month period. Each time they were unable to see anything. Finally, I met w/a general surgeon after my primary referred me. Surgeon said sometimes MRIs or scans don't always pick up anything. However, he felt that GB was going out. I have not had any pain since its removal. It did take my body three months to recover and eat normal again. I lost 15 lbs because I had no appetite.
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