steve1906
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16206
posted
The Correlation between Lyme and Gallbladder Issues:
Web-site below, not my post I haven’t written for an embarrassingly lengthy period of time. The main reason being, my recent gallbladder issue and surgery, has taken me much longer than I anticipated to recover from. And because I’ve discovered how common gallbladder issues are with Lyme I felt my experience with it deserved a post.
My pain started on a Saturday afternoon- it began dull and achey in my lower right abdomen, but because I am no stranger to mysterious pain with no known cause from having Lyme, I wasn’t very worried. By Sunday evening though, the pain became too sharp and intense to ignore.
I went to the ER, where the doctors and nurses immediately suspected appendicitis. But the CAT scan showed no inflammation of the appendix and all it revealed was an ovarian cyst. They sent me home, instructing me to rest and take Motrin (which was a joke because Vicodin didn’t scratch the surface of this pain) and assured me the pain would subside in a few days, tops. Long story short, my pain did not subside it only became more and more excruciating with each day.
I was in and out of the hospital the entire week until finally on Friday, they decided to remove my appendix because they figured the CAT scan was falsely negative, and from my symptoms and pain I had appendicitis. They were prepping me for surgery and minutes away from wheeling me into the OR when the anesthesiologist came into to talk to me about the procedure and asked me one last time where my pain was. I pointed to just under my ribcage and he looked at me in surprise, and said,
“Your appendix isn’t that high up- your gallbladder is.”
So they called off the surgeon and kept me for two more tests, an ultrasound and HIDA scan. I didn’t have any gallstones but the HIDA scan showed, Biliary Dyskinesia- which translates to a non-functioning gallbladder. Now that they knew which organ to operate on, I had my gallbladder out laparoscopically and spent one night in the hospital. As soon as I woke up from surgery, I was extremely relieved because the initial stabbing pain was gone and replaced with a lesser pain from the incisions.
The more I asked around and found many other’s with Lyme had similar issues, if not the same one, I became increasingly curious. A) Why are gallstones/diseased gallbladders so common in people with Lyme? Not believing for one second any of this was a coincidence and B) For those of you who still have a (healthy) gallbladder, what preventative measures can one take to prevent losing theirs?
During my research I discovered the following article that connects Rocephin to symptoms of gallbladder disease AND an article that gives detailed info on what Lyme alone can do to harm your gallbladder — so my question remains: Was my (and so many others with Lyme) diseased gallbladder caused by intravenous Rocephin treatment, not to mention the other never-ending list of antibiotics I’ve been on over the years? Or was the disease and eventual removal of my gallbladder caused by my Lyme itself?
An article from Drug Lib states:
There have been reports of sonographic abnormalities in the gallbladder of patients treated with Rocephin; some of these patients also had symptoms of gallbladder disease. These abnormalities appear on sonography as an echo without acoustical shadowing suggesting sludge or as an echo with acoustical shadowing which may be misinterpreted as gallstones.
The chemical nature of the sonographically detected material has been determined to be predominantly a ceftriaxone-calcium salt. The condition appears to be transient and reversible upon discontinuation of Rocephin and institution of conservative management. Therefore, Rocephin should be discontinued in patients who develop signs and symptoms suggestive of gallbladder disease and/or the sonographic findings described above.
And an article from DoubleCheckMD exploring the possibility of Ceftriaxone- Associated Biliary Complications.
Finally the website, Antiseptic Dorogova talks about the link between not only rocephin and gallbladder inflammation but how Lyme Disease, can damage your gallbladder, and lists herbs that are possibly helpful in supporting your gallbladder against a Lyme infection.
While the question still remains partially unanswered to me, there is no doubt in my mind that Lyme played a role in my recent surgery and it’s possible this issue may have been prevented if I was fully aware of the dangers certain drugs posed.
Please become informed, and ask your LLMD and/or whomever you see to treat your Lyme how you can protect your gallbladder. Because it’s obviously not necessary, but it certainly is nice to have all your organs!
lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
I had lyme...many high dose oral abx but no rocephin
My gall bladder sx began after losing 40 lbs in 4 months. My gi doc blamed it on that. I keep wondering how these ppl on tv can lose so much weight without the gall bladder problem. Maybe you just dont hear about it
My gallbladder surgery was laproscopic...i immediatly lost sx of nausea and it was the easiest surgery i had
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged |
lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
I also lost my appendix and my daughter lost her tonsils as an adult. We had both had lyme for many years. Both surgeons said the organs they removed were the worst they had ever seen. They had no idea why
Im not a doc but im guessing it was the bb and i would nit want organs like that staying in me any longer than necessary
Of course if the lyme didnt attack those organs that we can live without...who knows what it might have attacked...heart?
I dint know if tonsils are an organ...but you know what i mean
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged |
Razzle
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 30398
posted
An allergy technician told me there is a connection between allergies and gallbladder issues. I know Lyme increases or causes allergies.
All of the women in my family have had to have their gallbladders removed. It is very likely that more than just me has Lyme in my family.
Mine was loaded with huge stones, and the moment I awoke after the surgery, I realized 14 years of near-constant nausea was gone.
The surgeon told me my gallbladder was extremely inflamed. I did not know about Lyme at the time, otherwise I may have asked for a sample to be sent to IGeneX for Lyme testing.
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
| IP: Logged |
MADDOG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 18
posted
I had my gall blader out due to rocephin sludging.
Back then they did not know it would clear up upon stoping the rocephin.
MADDOG
Posts: 3995 | From Ohio | Registered: Oct 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
makes me so mad, that when I had the surgery to remove a tumor in my pancreas, I asked the surgeon to remove my inflamed gallbladder, and she decided not to. She felt it best to leave as much in tact as she could.
I have a feeling, mine will be going before too long
posted
What about minocyline? That's what I'm on and just had mine out. Or mepron. Any thoughts?
-------------------- Diagnosed with Lyme 4/7/14
KB Posts: 87 | From Townsend, MA | Registered: May 2014
| IP: Logged |
Rumigirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15091
posted
quote:Originally posted by Kbone: What about minocyline? That's what I'm on and just had mine out. Or mepron. Any thoughts?
No, mino and mepron are not known to affect the gallbladder. Although, Mepron is eatien with a lot of fat, so that might affect the gallbladder.
Steve, I lost my gallbladder to rocephin, due to slugging and intense pain. I spent a year trying to save it, doing a lot of liver/gallbladder flushes, etc., which helped a lot.
But the pain just wouldn't go away, and it was severe, plus the many gallbladder attacks, which kept getting worse.
When I aske THE Dr. B about it, he said that many people with Lyme have to have their gallbladders out, even when they don't take rocephin. He felt that it was the Lyme itself affecting the gallbladder.
In any case, I did get rid of the sludging, but my HIDA scan showed that it was only operating at 13%. So out it finally went.
I can't believe though that in your case they actually thought it was your appendix or your ovaries (I thought you were a guy by your Lymenet name!), when the pain was under your rib cage!!
The pain was like being stabbed there, and someone was twisting the knife!! Completely disabling.
I hope you heal quickly and well. It does take a while, even though it's laparoscopic. I was surprised at how hard it was to get up and down from the bed or the couch. It stands to reason; it's abdominal surgery.
Posts: 3770 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
| IP: Logged |
Jane2904
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15917
posted
Daughter had to have her gallbladder removed at 15 years old.
We blame Lyme and Co, she had never taken Rocephin at that point.
Surgeon said it was very inflamed. Two days later had to have ERCP done as still in pain and liver enzymes were still high.
I remember one er visit and they did nothing, even though her liver enzymes were very, very high.
Next ER visit and different hospital. Er Dr. did not seem to know what was the problem. I mentioned Gall bladder and finally they did ultra sound and next morning her gall bladder was removed.
Dr.s kept saying it is very unusual for a teen to have Gall bladder removed.
Wish We had thought to have it tested for Bart, etc.
Posts: 1357 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Jun 2008
| IP: Logged |
RZR
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20953
posted
Since my last onset of symptoms in November, belching also came then and has not stopped.
Anyone else have belching issues related to gallbladder?
Did your entire body feel sick? I feel like something has an infection....either gallbladder or colon....all absolutely on fire and back pain, nausea, etc.
Trying to hold on until I get the colonoscopy because my sister was diagnosed in Feb. with Stage 3 colon cancer.
HIDA Scan in November was 88% and I had some pain during procedure, but not bad. Since then, symptoms are worse and daily. Surgeon's nurse told me his first HIDA was 86% and repeat was 22%. So, I guess I should ask for a repeat HIDA.
I just keep reading where others had all normal tests and when the GB was removed, it was full of stones, sludge or infected and had not shown anything abnormal on any test, including HIDA.
-------------------- Tick bite May 2009 Diagnosed June 2009 Posts: 2329 | From SouthEast | Registered: Jun 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
When my symptoms first started the only test they found evidence of an issue was with the Hidascan,
Long of the short, I was diagnosed with Biliary Dyskinesia. Had the gallbladder removed. No stones were found and pathology came back as "diseased." I asked the Dr.'s "diseased by what? What kind of disease?" They all shrugged and said it was just diseased and not functioning normally.
A year later with no improvement and more symptoms I diagnosed my self with Lyme... found a LLMD, tested positive with IgeneX and the blood culture for Lyme and began treatment in March.
Seems to be a correlation to gallbladder issues with Lyme from what I can see in reading and talking with people and hearing their stories.
Posts: 31 | From Davis, CA | Registered: Oct 2013
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic