Gallbladder removal anyone?

[Deleted]

Back story:
Gallbladder gave me a rough couple of days around NYE. I was not rolling on the floor in pain, but it pretty impossible to function at certain points. Never had issues before, by day four I was convinced that that thing was coming out soon. Have been totally fine ever since.
Family dr. sent me to the hospital for an ultrasound, and the guy who did that commented that there were a few small stones, so, yes, that may well have been the cause of the pain. 
Tomorrow I see my family dr about the results of the ultrasound, depending on that I may see a surgical consultant later to discuss removal.
The way things are now, I am not keen on having surgery, plenty of people have stones that don't trouble them. 
I am curious if any of you ever had one or more of these attacks and if you had your gallbladder removed, and if so, how that has been for you, and if not, why not. 

[dmlk413]

I had mine removed when I was twelve and I am so glad I did. I was very sick for months leading up to the surgery and it was twice the normal size when they removed it. The surgery was easy and so was recovery. It's been twenty years (whoa!) and at this point the 'lack of gallbladder' issues I used to have are almost non-existent. At first, you have to be careful what you eat but it slowly gets better. My mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, brother and young cousin have all had their gallbladders removed as well with minimal to no complications. If you have more questions let me know.

I am team get it removed but that is because my brother went a really long time before he was correctly diagnosed with gallbladder issues and by the time they did his surgery he was almost in liver failure and his gallbladder had gangrene.

[chapter79]

I had gallbladder surgery several years ago and it was the best decision I've ever made in 35 years of my life. SERIOUSLY. Mine started out as random attacks that I didn't realize were from my gallbladder.. they were more minor, didn't last long and I assumed heartburn. I had my first one when Alexis was a few months old. Then I started having them more frequently. But because they often happened after saucy things (pizza, pasta) I assumed heartburn again and popped Tums. Then I'm pretty sure I died and went to hell. They started happening every other day or so? I did research, came to a gallbladder conclusion. Then I REALLY died. They started happening just by drinking WATER. I got a specialist visit, an ultrasound and was LOADED with stones. My gallbladder had so many stones it almost looked like one HUGE one. My surgery was scheduled two weeks from then and it was the worst two weeks of my life. I couldn't sleep... I would be up for HOURS having attacks. I was so afraid to eat.

I was nervous to have the surgery because it was the first time in my life I was put down. The only other surgery I had was a c-section, and I was awake. But at that point, I was all "gimme the surgery!". I remember that pain so clearly, it makes me cringe. I feel for you. I haven't had a single pain since. Only you can make the choice- based on my own circumstances, I would tell anyone to have it. Only because mine started out like yours- I had a solid YEAR between attack #1 and 2 so it was clearly minor and very few stones. And in the next few years, it became worse. I would have done anything to avoid that. ANYTHING.

But you CAN try to avoid attacks by limiting certain foods and what not. Red sauces, grease.. all triggers. I can't remember now what else.

::::having nightmares:::::

[dmlk413]

Jan 26, 2015 15:49:49 GMT -5 chapter79 said:

I had gallbladder surgery several years ago and it was the best decision I've ever made in 35 years of my life. SERIOUSLY. Mine started out as random attacks that I didn't realize were from my gallbladder.. they were more minor, didn't last long and I assumed heartburn. I had my first one when Alexis was a few months old. Then I started having them more frequently. But because they often happened after saucy things (pizza, pasta) I assumed heartburn again and popped Tums. Then I'm pretty sure I died and went to hell. They started happening every other day or so? I did research, came to a gallbladder conclusion. Then I REALLY died. They started happening just by drinking WATER. I got a specialist visit, an ultrasound and was LOADED with stones. My gallbladder had so many stones it almost looked like one HUGE one. My surgery was scheduled two weeks from then and it was the worst two weeks of my life. I couldn't sleep... I would be up for HOURS having attacks. I was so afraid to eat.

I was nervous to have the surgery because it was the first time in my life I was put down. The only other surgery I had was a c-section, and I was awake. But at that point, I was all "gimme the surgery!". I remember that pain so clearly, it makes me cringe. I feel for you. I haven't had a single pain since. Only you can make the choice- based on my own circumstances, I would tell anyone to have it. Only because mine started out like yours- I had a solid YEAR between attack #1 and 2 so it was clearly minor and very few stones. And in the next few years, it became worse. I would have done anything to avoid that. ANYTHING.

But you CAN try to avoid attacks by limiting certain foods and what not. Red sauces, grease.. all triggers. I can't remember now what else.

::::having nightmares:::::


**shudders** 

[Deleted]

Sorry for giving you nightmares chapter79 Never my intention to stir up traumatic experiences for Antoine. Good to know hoe these strings can develop. At least I have the benefit of already being diagnoses. With hindsight, I think I might have had a few minor episodes earlier.

[chapter79]

No no, it's not really traumatic or anything. I just remembered the pain clearly when you started talking about it! It was maybe traumatic going THROUGH it lol, not now. I just wouldn't wish it on anyone!

[waffles]

I had a lot of attacks at the end of my pregnancy and after DS was born. It was awful. I wasn't comfortable sitting, standing, laying, etc. Nothing helped.

I did not have it removed. Every time I, like you, got to that point they stopped.

I hear the surgery is pretty easy, though. They poke four holes and suck it out.

[chapter79]

Yes, most times they can do it laparoscopically- mine was done this way, so 4 small incisions. I won't lie, however, and say recovery was easy. It was pretty rough on me. But that said, it was only 10 or so days. I felt WAY better and fine after that point.

[namastebiotches]

I had it done 4 years ago. I started having really bad attacks (I'm talking puking bile) for about a year until I had the most terrible one & went to the er for them to tell me it was clogged & on the verge of erupting.. which was kind of weird because I never had or passed gallstones or even knew I had an issue. I just thought it was heartburn/eating poorly stomachache.
They did it through the belly button. Recovery was really rough for me (2-3 weeks or so.) The surgeon said they kind of really had to tug on it to get it out so maybe that's why but anyways, I've had zero issues since then.

[xanthepants]

I had mine out about 20 years ago. Attacks started slowly and then started mounting to indescribable pain. I was in college at the time so they thought I had a drinking problem instead of looking for the real culprit. Eventually someone listened to my family history and did the ultrasound. Every woman in my family has had theirs out but 1 sister. She watches what she eats and lives with the pain because she is terrified of surgery.
Laproscopic for me. Recovery was about 1 week to feel better. 10 years to eat relatively normal again. I went vegetarian for a while because meat really seemed to bother me. Basically you will find yoursef running to the bathroom if a food is to greasy. Salads and greens also bother me. But it is way better than the alternative attacks. Triggers for me were red sauces/spicy, burgers, liquor, salads or too much roughage, yo-yo dieting. Good luck!

[chapter79]

Jan 26, 2015 17:48:45 GMT -5 xanthepants said:

 10 years to eat relatively normal again. I went vegetarian for a while because meat really seemed to bother me. Basically you will find yoursef running to the bathroom if a food is to greasy. Salads and greens also bother me. But it is way better than the alternative attacks. Triggers for me were red sauces/spicy, burgers, liquor, salads or too much roughage, yo-yo dieting. Good luck!

This definitely varies among people..  I could eat normal again after a week.  Nothing greasy has EVER impacted me since my surgery and no foods trigger any type of bathroom issues.  But I know this can happen. An uncle of mine had his out and has issues with dairy now- if he drinks milk he definitely needs to be near a bathroom.

[Deleted]

Thanks for weighing in, everyone. My lovetits are thankyous for sharing. It sure helps to hear different stories. I will go to the surgical consult to inform myself about the procedure and risks, etc. It would be laproscopic, I think, but I really don't fancy going under.
I have a some stones, which may produce an attack again tomorrow, in a year, in 5 years or never again. It's the uncertainty that is bothering me most at the moment. A big pro of surgery is that as the situation is now, I could plan for it. On the other hand I don't want to undergo an invasive procedure for something that might not even bother me again and have other digestive issues for an uncertain amount of time.

Decisions, decisions...

[sudokufan]

I had my gallbladder removed nearly 20 years ago, and while I don't regret it, I did experience digestive issues for years after. My first few gallbladder attacks came months apart and only lasted hours, so they were bearable, but then they became more frequent and lasted longer and I couldn't take it anymore, surgery was the only sensible option. It was laproscopic and recovery was very quick, but afterwards I had symptoms very like IBS. I gradually learned to alter my diet to avoid trigger scenarios and now feel what I would consider normal, and the diet changes were really only necessary because my diet was so unbalanced before.

[dmlk413]

Jan 27, 2015 4:19:33 GMT -5 @dutchkatie said:

Thanks for weighing in, everyone. My lovetits are thankyous for sharing. It sure helps to hear different stories. I will go to the surgical consult to inform myself about the procedure and risks, etc. It would be laproscopic, I think, but I really don't fancy going under.
I have a some stones, which may produce an attack again tomorrow, in a year, in 5 years or never again. It's the uncertainty that is bothering me most at the moment. A big pro of surgery is that as the situation is now, I could plan for it. On the other hand I don't want to undergo an invasive procedure for something that might not even bother me again and have other digestive issues for an uncertain amount of time.

Decisions, decisions...

Hopefully, if you do decide to do it, they can complete the procedure with a local anesthetic and you can go home the some day.  They did my mom's that way and it seemed to be a more pleasant experience (as pleasant as surgery can be) because she didn't need a hospital stay.

[chapter79]

Jan 27, 2015 9:06:53 GMT -5 dmlk413 said:

Jan 27, 2015 4:19:33 GMT -5 @dutchkatie said:

Thanks for weighing in, everyone. My lovetits are thankyous for sharing. It sure helps to hear different stories. I will go to the surgical consult to inform myself about the procedure and risks, etc. It would be laproscopic, I think, but I really don't fancy going under.
I have a some stones, which may produce an attack again tomorrow, in a year, in 5 years or never again. It's the uncertainty that is bothering me most at the moment. A big pro of surgery is that as the situation is now, I could plan for it. On the other hand I don't want to undergo an invasive procedure for something that might not even bother me again and have other digestive issues for an uncertain amount of time.

Decisions, decisions...

Hopefully, if you do decide to do it, they can complete the procedure with a local anesthetic and you can go home the some day.  They did my mom's that way and it seemed to be a more pleasant experience (as pleasant as surgery can be) because she didn't need a hospital stay.

Really?! I've never heard of local for gallbladder surgery!  It's a several hour surgery. It IS typically outpatient, though, and you leave same day.  I did.  I was put under totally (11pm) out of surgery at 1 or so. In recovery for 1 hour. Then a room until 6pm and left after that. @dutchkatie is in Holland, though, so I'm unsure of the surgery differences.

[dmlk413]

Jan 27, 2015 9:58:56 GMT -5 chapter79 said:

Jan 27, 2015 9:06:53 GMT -5 dmlk413 said:

Hopefully, if you do decide to do it, they can complete the procedure with a local anesthetic and you can go home the some day.  They did my mom's that way and it seemed to be a more pleasant experience (as pleasant as surgery can be) because she didn't need a hospital stay.

Really?! I've never heard of local for gallbladder surgery!  It's a several hour surgery. It IS typically outpatient, though, and you leave same day.  I did.  I was put under totally (11pm) out of surgery at 1 or so. In recovery for 1 hour. Then a room until 6pm and left after that. @dutchkatie is in Holland, though, so I'm unsure of the surgery differences.

I thought so but now I'm second guessing myself. 

[chapter79]

Jan 27, 2015 10:26:53 GMT -5 dmlk413 said:

Jan 27, 2015 9:58:56 GMT -5 chapter79 said:

Really?! I've never heard of local for gallbladder surgery!  It's a several hour surgery. It IS typically outpatient, though, and you leave same day.  I did.  I was put under totally (11pm) out of surgery at 1 or so. In recovery for 1 hour. Then a room until 6pm and left after that. @dutchkatie is in Holland, though, so I'm unsure of the surgery differences.

I thought so but now I'm second guessing myself. 

You had me googling because I'm curious now, but I'm reading it's always under general. I was knocked out and they even used a breathing tube down my throat (aspiration purposes because the surgery requires CO2 gas to inflate your abdomen) and I don't think they would do that under local

[Deleted]

Jan 27, 2015 10:37:56 GMT -5 chapter79 said:

Jan 27, 2015 10:26:53 GMT -5 dmlk413 said:

I thought so but now I'm second guessing myself. 

You had me googling because I'm curious now, but I'm reading it's always under general. I was knocked out and they even used a breathing tube down my throat (aspiration purposes because the surgery requires CO2 gas to inflate your abdomen) and I don't think they would do that under local

I'd be a lot less hesitant if it coupe be doen with local anaesthetic, but I read the same as chapter79, that they inflate the tummy. Still better than being sliced open.

[dmlk413]

Jan 27, 2015 10:56:13 GMT -5 @dutchkatie said:

Jan 27, 2015 10:37:56 GMT -5 chapter79 said:

You had me googling because I'm curious now, but I'm reading it's always under general. I was knocked out and they even used a breathing tube down my throat (aspiration purposes because the surgery requires CO2 gas to inflate your abdomen) and I don't think they would do that under local

I'd be a lot less hesitant if it coupe be doen with local anaesthetic, but I read the same as chapter79, that they inflate the tummy. Still better than being sliced open.

Sorry for the misinformation. I must have completely misunderstood how her surgery went down. 

chapter79 I was also completely under but I had to stay in the hospital overnight.

[helenahhandbasket]

Oh no!

I had mine out in 2008. My attacks were way, way, way more painful than my labor with Josie (before my epidural). Before I knew what the pain was from I was convinced I was having a heart attack.

It's a relatively simple procedure if they can do is laproscopically, but it took me a good week/ 10 days to feel like myself again.

I have had no lasting effects and don't feel sick when I eat foods that I probably shouldn't (in case you are wondering) but I am sure this varies person to person.

Sorry for the late reply-- hope eveything works out for you.

[Deleted]

Quick update: had my appointment with surgery today, and they advise against operation on the basis of a single attack. So that is it for now. I wasn't too keen on surgery, anyway, so I am glad to be off the hook. I'll try and be good with eating and hope it won't happen again. But thanks again for sharing your perspectives, ladies.