Contemplating NOT having suggested gallbladder surgery!

@tennisgolf - yes, you can still get gallstones after surgery. I ended up with “sludge”. They just made the bile duct opening larger- was fine. If I eat certain fatty foods I still get cramps and pain for a while. Just avoiding certain fats nowadays.

Thank you for your comments. I actually do realize they cannot "wake me up" and ask permission for more invasive surgery. My children live out of state, and there is no one else I would ask to be an advocate. I imagine it is just easier for surgeon to "go all the way" if there is even a little issue rather than take a chance on Laparoscopic. I am seeing him today to ask more questions. I had asked how many surgeries he has performed. He said "a thousand". (He has only been practicing 10 years.) But I neglected to ask the # of GALLBLADDER surgeries and also how successful they were or if complications. To respond to you, my primary care internist (for 23 years) says it is better to have the operation now when (hopefully) there are no complications and no emergency. I have to make myself accept that thinking.

I liked your upbeat message. (BTW I had total hyst. when I was 41. And, again, have always been active and healthy and in pretty good shape. I never knew if that surgery was overkill (back in 1980's I guess it was a different time) as no cancer was discovered. BUT, I INSISTED I HAVE ESTROGEN REPLACEMENT THERAPY to replace the hormones I lost. My surgeon said NO as cyst could have been hormone dependent. So I went to another fairly well-known gynecological endocrinologist at an excellent hospital in NYC who gave me ERT for about 10 years. (I eventually stopped the Premarin as it became controversial - but continued the Provera).

@tennisgolf
Hi,

Gallstones that are in the biliary ducts can occur after gallbladder removal and, of course, sometimes , there are stones left behind after removal. If you are in reasonably good health with no gastrointestinal problems and have had symptoms only for less than a year, I wouldn’t wait until it got worse. My gallbladder was filled to the very top and some into the bile duct. Couldn’t believe the imaging pictures that I remember to this day. I can eat anything I want and have no intestinal problems whatsoever. You may be overthinking this and stressing yourself out . There are risks with every surgery. This is a common surgery. Asking questions is great but I don’t know what else he can tell you.

Doctors don’t generally practice holistic medicine and treat the patient as a whole. You are just another gallbladder. If you trust him and he has had mucho experience then go for it. My cataract surgeon left me cold personally but he had done thousands of cataract surgeries so I picked him. Also, everything you read on the internet is not true. If you want to find the worse things that can happen...Goggle will find it for you.

Good luck
FL Mary

To my complete surprise I have gallstones (am a 70+ year old female). My symptoms for 7 months have not been devastating; I could live with them. Only had 2 bad attacks (even they were not tremendous pain) - but they were not fun; others were minor. Problem is, you cannot predict when you will have an attack. I have the symptoms: urine that is pale half the time and medium YELLOW half the time; big pressure in upper quadrant of stomach for several hours here and there (longest was 8 hours); weird and diverse stools and a total change in regularity and amount. I was determined to manage this with diet. I had some success but every professional I speak to says "take it out!!". Once you start having symptoms it is time to act before it gets worse and gallstone gets stuck in bile duct etc., etc. Their point is it is easy to manage "elective" removal than to have many problems if it develops too far. I object! to losing a body part. But I am going to have the surgery. Here's the dilemma: Laparoscopic is easy with quick recovery - not invasive. However, you have to agree to having OPEN surgery if they have difficulty or discover something else. This is a more serious surgery, much longer recovery time and I guess more follow-up issues. I am very healthy - so I am disgusted to have to invade my body.My surgeon is young and says he has a ton of experience in gallbladder and other surgeries. 2 doctors I know recommend him. I feel like I should wait until I am really sick; but, again, the common approach is to take it out once the gallstones start causing problems. What would you do?

I had another appointment with my General Surgery doctor. I tend to ask too many questions and I can aggravate doctors I am afraid. But I do it so I know I have covered as much as possible and have done due diligence. Well, this young doctor has performed about 100 gallbladder surgeries in a year (but I do not know how many TOTAL). He has performed other surgeries as well. Recently he said 1,000 surgeries overall. He said all the gallbladder surgeries have been successful. I believe he is truthful and I like him. He said he is confident. He has been practicing for 6-10 years.

He graduated from 2 good medical schools.
BUT HERE IS A MORE PERPLEXING PROBLEM. I thought changes in bowel movements were related to gallbladder. He said no - not related. So I have been researching all day and, I know this sounds over-the-top, but I am thinking I have signs of colon cancer OR colorectal cancer. (NO! I am not typically a hypochondriac!). I have always considered myself quite healthy and am VERY active physically and mentally.
I have not had a colonoscopy in 6 years - even though my primary care said I should get with the program.
I have to call my gastroenterologist who also wants me to have that procedure. If colon cancer is a possibility - I have to decide whether to address that first or go ahead with the gallbladder surgery tomorrow.
SIGNS OF COLON CANCER I IDENTIFY WITH: (1) stools that have an odor of "chemicals" or "iron". It is not a terrible odor, but it is a weird odor. I have mentioned this a few times to doctors in addition to the fact that (2) my bowel habits have COMPLETELY CHANGED IN THE PAST 7 MONTHS. I hope this is not too gross, but.............. for my entire 70 years I have had regular bowel habits, more or less identical daily - and 1 a day. But now I have 2 or 3 a day and some days none. Different consistencies (soft, ragged edges, pellets, and some well formed , a few smooth but must with "pellets" mixed in - a whole range of types and sized from little to BIG). Color is medium brown. I am rarely constipated. I have always had flatulence (this is embarrassing!! sorry). But now I have MUCH MORE - much more frequent and "powerful" or "strong". A little to a lot at a time. My whole pattern has changed completely. Two things: my diet is same as ever, but I drink much more water now, much less milk, eat more fruit and veggies than usual. And if I had to say when digestion started to change, I would say 2 years ago when I started the Jenny Craig diet for about 4 months. The first month, all the raw veggies I consumed made my stomach feel sort of "empty". But I always felt fine overall and it went away and I think their processed food is very good (I only lost 6 lbs. in 4 months - but I stopped the diet). A year later I tried Nutri System and I had a different adjustment period and feelings. Their food is good - but not as good as Jenny's. I discontinued it after 3 months.

Anyway, moving on, I think my b.m. habits did not have the consistency of all previous decades. Anyway - should I stop the gallbladder surgery and investigate the colon cancer concerns? I apologize for lengthy diatribe. (PS - my appearance is very healthy; I am usually energetic; I have never smoked, but (full disclosure) I enjoy wine almost every day with dinner or socializing - probably too much, but I have it with food and I think it is GREAT and FUN! and not excessive any day). Re wine - it is not only the appealing taste with food, it is the whole "ceremony" of sitting down to relax, opening a new interesting bottle, and using a nice crystal wine glass. The ritual has a pleasant sophistication. I feel it agrees with me, but, maybe wine has caused all these changes?!

To my complete surprise I have gallstones (am a 70+ year old female). My symptoms for 7 months have not been devastating; I could live with them. Only had 2 bad attacks (even they were not tremendous pain) - but they were not fun; others were minor. Problem is, you cannot predict when you will have an attack. I have the symptoms: urine that is pale half the time and medium YELLOW half the time; big pressure in upper quadrant of stomach for several hours here and there (longest was 8 hours); weird and diverse stools and a total change in regularity and amount. I was determined to manage this with diet. I had some success but every professional I speak to says "take it out!!". Once you start having symptoms it is time to act before it gets worse and gallstone gets stuck in bile duct etc., etc. Their point is it is easy to manage "elective" removal than to have many problems if it develops too far. I object! to losing a body part. But I am going to have the surgery. Here's the dilemma: Laparoscopic is easy with quick recovery - not invasive. However, you have to agree to having OPEN surgery if they have difficulty or discover something else. This is a more serious surgery, much longer recovery time and I guess more follow-up issues. I am very healthy - so I am disgusted to have to invade my body.My surgeon is young and says he has a ton of experience in gallbladder and other surgeries. 2 doctors I know recommend him. I feel like I should wait until I am really sick; but, again, the common approach is to take it out once the gallstones start causing problems. What would you do?

To my complete surprise I have gallstones (am a 70+ year old female). My symptoms for 7 months have not been devastating; I could live with them. Only had 2 bad attacks (even they were not tremendous pain) - but they were not fun; others were minor. Problem is, you cannot predict when you will have an attack. I have the symptoms: urine that is pale half the time and medium YELLOW half the time; big pressure in upper quadrant of stomach for several hours here and there (longest was 8 hours); weird and diverse stools and a total change in regularity and amount. I was determined to manage this with diet. I had some success but every professional I speak to says "take it out!!". Once you start having symptoms it is time to act before it gets worse and gallstone gets stuck in bile duct etc., etc. Their point is it is easy to manage "elective" removal than to have many problems if it develops too far. I object! to losing a body part. But I am going to have the surgery. Here's the dilemma: Laparoscopic is easy with quick recovery - not invasive. However, you have to agree to having OPEN surgery if they have difficulty or discover something else. This is a more serious surgery, much longer recovery time and I guess more follow-up issues. I am very healthy - so I am disgusted to have to invade my body.My surgeon is young and says he has a ton of experience in gallbladder and other surgeries. 2 doctors I know recommend him. I feel like I should wait until I am really sick; but, again, the common approach is to take it out once the gallstones start causing problems. What would you do?

I had another appointment with my General Surgery doctor. I tend to ask too many questions and I can aggravate doctors I am afraid. But I do it so I know I have covered as much as possible and have done due diligence. Well, this young doctor has performed about 100 gallbladder surgeries in a year (but I do not know how many TOTAL). He has performed other surgeries as well. Recently he said 1,000 surgeries overall. He said all the gallbladder surgeries have been successful. I believe he is truthful and I like him. He said he is confident. He has been practicing for 6-10 years.

He graduated from 2 good medical schools.
BUT HERE IS A MORE PERPLEXING PROBLEM. I thought changes in bowel movements were related to gallbladder. He said no - not related. So I have been researching all day and, I know this sounds over-the-top, but I am thinking I have signs of colon cancer OR colorectal cancer. (NO! I am not typically a hypochondriac!). I have always considered myself quite healthy and am VERY active physically and mentally.
I have not had a colonoscopy in 6 years - even though my primary care said I should get with the program.
I have to call my gastroenterologist who also wants me to have that procedure. If colon cancer is a possibility - I have to decide whether to address that first or go ahead with the gallbladder surgery tomorrow.
SIGNS OF COLON CANCER I IDENTIFY WITH: (1) stools that have an odor of "chemicals" or "iron". It is not a terrible odor, but it is a weird odor. I have mentioned this a few times to doctors in addition to the fact that (2) my bowel habits have COMPLETELY CHANGED IN THE PAST 7 MONTHS. I hope this is not too gross, but.............. for my entire 70 years I have had regular bowel habits, more or less identical daily - and 1 a day. But now I have 2 or 3 a day and some days none. Different consistencies (soft, ragged edges, pellets, and some well formed , a few smooth but must with "pellets" mixed in - a whole range of types and sized from little to BIG). Color is medium brown. I am rarely constipated. I have always had flatulence (this is embarrassing!! sorry). But now I have MUCH MORE - much more frequent and "powerful" or "strong". A little to a lot at a time. My whole pattern has changed completely. Two things: my diet is same as ever, but I drink much more water now, much less milk, eat more fruit and veggies than usual. And if I had to say when digestion started to change, I would say 2 years ago when I started the Jenny Craig diet for about 4 months. The first month, all the raw veggies I consumed made my stomach feel sort of "empty". But I always felt fine overall and it went away and I think their processed food is very good (I only lost 6 lbs. in 4 months - but I stopped the diet). A year later I tried Nutri System and I had a different adjustment period and feelings. Their food is good - but not as good as Jenny's. I discontinued it after 3 months.

Anyway, moving on, I think my b.m. habits did not have the consistency of all previous decades. Anyway - should I stop the gallbladder surgery and investigate the colon cancer concerns? I apologize for lengthy diatribe. (PS - my appearance is very healthy; I am usually energetic; I have never smoked, but (full disclosure) I enjoy wine almost every day with dinner or socializing - probably too much, but I have it with food and I think it is GREAT and FUN! and not excessive any day). Re wine - it is not only the appealing taste with food, it is the whole "ceremony" of sitting down to relax, opening a new interesting bottle, and using a nice crystal wine glass. The ritual has a pleasant sophistication. I feel it agrees with me, but, maybe wine has caused all these changes?!