This is topic Oh JOY......Gallbladder isn't working.....surgery in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.


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Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
 
Well, surprise, surprise. My hida scan test showed that my gallbladder isn't working. I already knew I had stones and sludge....but now the handwriting is on the wall for sure.

At least I'm "ready" this time. I didn't want it out 19 months ago when they told me it needed to come out. Now I'm tired of the pain and misery that comes whether I eat or not....and no matter what I eat.

------------------
oops!
Lymetutu
 


Posted by 3greatkids (Member # 3838) on :
 
I'm sorry Lymetoo.

I had mine out after baby#2,was happy to get rid of it too,could not even drink water.

I had to have the old fashion surgery,5 days in hospital,hope you can go the new way?Tiny incision and less recovery time?

Anyway,go for it,you will feel much better removing that thing.Best thing I ever did,well besides finding an LLMD.
 


Posted by dontlikeliver (Member # 4749) on :
 
Good luck Lymetoo - will be thinking of you. Hope you have the keyhole surgery and recover quickly.

DLL
 


Posted by janet thomas (Member # 7122) on :
 
Lymetoo,

Oh damn, so sorry to hear more trouble.

Dr J B said (video) that often Lyme patients feel much better when gb is out. Also, they find loads of spirochetes in gall bladders. Maybe have a PCR run on the tissue?

Find someone who will do the less invasive surgery.

Janet
 


Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
 
Thanks guys. It will definitely be the less invasive unless there is trouble. Don't expect any trouble.

------------------
oops!
Lymetutu
 


Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :
 
Good luck, kiddo. Let us know when it is scheduled so we can think about you.
 
Posted by Monica (Member # 224) on :
 
Sorry to hear your news, but I think you are wise to have it removed before it can bring even more pain and misery.

I had mine removed laporoscopically (sp?) in October 2002. It was drive through surgery with 3 tiny incisions. Took a few days to get up and running again, but no ill effects other than that.

I haven't missed it in the slightest.

Good luck.
 


Posted by hiker53 (Member # 6046) on :
 
Lymetoo,

Sorry to hear you're going to be losing body parts. You are in my prayers! When is the surgery? Hiker
 


Posted by Kara Tyson (Member # 939) on :
 
I also had the old fashioned way...emergency. That is NOT the way to go. If you can do it elective, then do it.

Wishing you the best!
 


Posted by JavaBeing (Member # 6321) on :
 
Hi Ms.Tu-Tu,

So sorry you're going throught this. Good thoughts and prayers for quick healing coming your way my friend. Let's us know when your surgery is.

Warm hugs,
JavaBeing

PS Thanks for being there the other day too...appreciate the help and suggestions!
 


Posted by bg (Member # 46416) on :
 
Tutu,

Best wishes on your less evasive surgery!

Mine in 79 was the old-fashioned way, & I was in the hospital for 10 days! A regular soap opera of what could go wrong, did!

Now, it makes sense to me...I was undiagnosed with lyme disease & LYME was complicating daily events happening to me.

I even got a bad staph infection that wasn't treated promptly since dr. was OFF for mother's day.

Be prepared for diarrhea; although, I'm sure we've all had our share of that too.

Keep us informed of when ok! Prayers go to you for a successful and quick recuperation time.

bettyg
 


Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
 
Good Luck TooToo!

I'm sure you'll be much happier without it. Do you have a date scheduled yet? I'll be thinking of you.

I'm the last in my family to have a gallbladder. Everyone else can pretty much eat what they want when they want. All are happy the had it out.
 


Posted by Sue vG (Member # 3143) on :
 
Lymetoo,

Sorry about your GB. Unfortunately, I'm not far behind you. Hope it's as easy as possible.

To those without gall bladders: Can you give us some details on how things work after the surgery and what were your sx like when you finally decided to go through with it?

All I know is that after the surgery some (or all?) people get the trots. Is that after eating certain foods or everything? My system has never worked that way before and I'm concerned.

Thanks,

Sue
 


Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
 
How do I go about getting a PCR?

Sue, feel free to email me. I'd be happy to call you with more details on sx.

------------------
oops!
Lymetutu
 


Posted by Mo (Member # 2863) on :
 
Best of luck, Lymetoo..

I had my son's appendix tissue PCR'd..

ahead of time you'll have to ask the surgeon ..tell him your LLMD would like to test for DNA of TBD's in the tissue..

Ry's surgeon was very cool about it, and in the hospital instructed the lab to put some aside and got the sample from the lab and brought it up to me and handed it to me in his office..unstained slide from parrafin block..
if you have a progressive surgeon he might do that..

but even if you have a not so progressive surgeon, it's technically your property, actually the hospitals property but you can sign a release, not his property, he just hands it off ..and you can arrange to sign for it and have your tissue released to you.

Call MDL and ask the lab tech how exactly they want GB tissue to best test for DNA.

I also got my knee tissue from many years ago..
and the proceedure would be to call the hospital lab, and ask them if they can take samples of the tissue and preserve them in parrafin block, from which slides can be taken.

the slides (cross sections of tissue) are slices of the preserved tissue in parrafin, and those can be sent to MDL with a requisition form on which DNA tests you would like run (from LLMD, I presume)..

(incedently, all you Lymies might be interested to know the hospital keeps this preserved tissue for many years..you can go back and retrieve stuff from old surgeries for testing if you like)

There is a way to arrange for fresh tissue sampling, and again, if ahead of time..needs to be coordinated between Doc and lab and MDL, for proper transport, ect.

Take good care..

Mo

[This message has been edited by Mo (edited 27 June 2005).]
 


Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
 
Thanks Mo! Does Igenex do this testing too?
 
Posted by Kara Tyson (Member # 939) on :
 
Sue,

I think if you ask the vast majority of us without a gall bladder, we would not want it back.

some people do need to take digestive enzymes afterwards.

I have always had gi problems & losing the gall bladder didnt make things worse. For as long as I can remember eating solid food has been painful for me. It has been this way since I was a baby.

I had my gallbladder out when it burst. I could have cared less if they had taken it out with me awake.
 


Posted by Mo (Member # 2863) on :
 
I'm not sure. Nick Harris is a really nice man and could answer your questions.

Last I heard some time ago they were fine tuning a blood PCR test, may be doing tissue, too.

MDL's been doing it allot longer (that's where Doc J wanted Ry's sent)....but wouldn't hurt to get the scoop on Igenex if you have the time to ask around among Docs and talk to Harris..
maybe they will work out a 'deal' if the tests are in development???

My insurance covers MDL.

Mo

[This message has been edited by Mo (edited 27 June 2005).]
 


Posted by ellenluba (Member # 1707) on :
 
Lymetoo,
Good luck with the surgery. I had mine out about 6 years ago and it was not at all difficult. I was dopey for a little while afterwards from the anesthesia, but otherwise have had no bad effects at all.

Mo, thanks for that great info on MDL.
Ellen


 


Posted by kare (Member # 5041) on :
 
sorry - good luck!
 
Posted by breathwork (Member # 567) on :
 
My daughter was doing PCR's at Igenex a year ago...

Don't know if they are accepting tissue for testing... a simple phone call would find out.

As to the gall bladder surgery...I'm sorry to hear it's happening to you! I dont' miss mine one little bit..not a bit. It took about a month to feel up to full speed, but that too was worth it.

You can ask that your surgeon give you IV Rocephin while you are in the hospital, for your IV antibiotics post surgically....That's what Dr. S suggested for me when I had my GB out and when I had my radical hysterectomy....I got a total of ten days of insurance paid Rocephin out of the two hospitalizations....which certainly kept my lyme at bay while going through surgery. I figure every little bit helps...

Carol Ann
 


Posted by ArtistDi (Member # 2297) on :
 
Good luck, Lymetoo, and hope it brings some
relief to your system. I may be close behind
you, as we are "watching" my gallbladder once
again. Joy.

Hope it goes smoothly.

di
 


Posted by tabbytamer (Member # 3159) on :
 
TuTu,

Best wishes on your surgery and recovery. I'm sure you'll come through it just fine.

Mo, if you see this, do all hospitals hold on to tissue samples? What dept. of the hospital would I call, the lab? Did any of your old stuff show keets or was that pre Lyme for you?


------------------
Tabby


 


Posted by Biting Back (Member # 6018) on :
 
Awwwwwww, Lymetoo . . . sorry to hear about your gallbladder. Hope they do the less invasive surgery and you bounce back quickly!
 
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
 
Well, just my luck. I can't get in to see the surgeon until July 12! ... unless my GP can pull strings again... we'll see. I'm calling him tomorrow.

I'm sure I'll have to wait another week or more to get a surgery date after the 12th....arrrghh...

Thanks for all the tips and well wishes.

------------------
oops!
Lymetutu
 


Posted by pq (Member # 6886) on :
 

Good Luck Lymetoo. sorry to you have to go through this. this procedure generally goes fast, and there is minimal infection risk, unlike yesteryear.
 


Posted by perplexed (Member # 1913) on :
 
So sorry Lymetoo to hear about your gallbladder. I had mine out in 1982..10 yrs after I got bit....I felt so much better...the pain and discomfort of gall bladder attacks are not fun.

You will be bouncing back in no time...let us know the date so we can think of you...

Jean
 


Posted by GiGi (Member # 259) on :
 
Best wishes to you, Lymetoo.

Take care.

P.S. The last I heard about "someone having no longer a gallbladder" - that it is important that they take Bile Salts as a supplement with every meal. Reason: It is very difficult to wash greasy dishes without soap. In a similar fashion it is challenging for a body to absorb fat properly without a gallbladder. The bile salts tend to compensate for this. You do need to absorb fat - necessary for all functions. I remember also that Biotics has a product specifically for that purpose - can't offhand recall the name. If you look up their products on the net, I am sure you will find it.

 


Posted by yankee in black (Member # 4309) on :
 
Good Luck Lymetoo,

Hope that you recover quickly--and enjoy some good old fashioned boob tube(TV) while you rest up!!
 


Posted by lightfoot (Member # 2536) on :
 

Hi Lymetoo!!

Wishing you all the best. Two years ago I had the simple non-invasive procedure and had a super recovery. I hope the planning etc goes well.

Healing smiles.....lightfoot

------------------
C O L O R A D O * S U P P O R T * S Y S T E M
[email protected]

"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart
and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words".
Unknown
 


Posted by map1131 (Member # 2022) on :
 
Lymetoo, sorry you've got to go through this trauma to your body. Did you know that Wobenzym is suppose to be an excellent anti-inflammatory to take prior to surgery?

Ask your surgeon about it. Europeans have been using Wobenzym for 20 yrs prior to surgery and maybe your doc has some experience with this.

Take care, Pam
 


Posted by lla2 (Member # 2364) on :
 
lymetoo,

had mine out in March..coincided with the time I started to feel so much better with my lyme, and all my alternative medicine and treatments were able to keep it under control without the use of any abx ...haven't needed abx at all since then...only sparingly since dec. ....

feel great now..can eat anything...

had it done laproscopically..up and about in 2 days...hope you feel the same...only the anesthesia was the bummer..always feel crappy after that!

take care
will keep you in my prayers..when 's the big day?

Lisa
 


Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :
 
Good morning Miss Toots,

So sorry you are having to resort to surgery, but it looks like the general consensus is it will be fine afterwards !

Hang in there, we are all pulling for you!

Much love,
Melanie

------------------
C O L O R A D O * S U P P O R T * S Y S T E M
[email protected]
 


Posted by bg (Member # 46416) on :
 
Someone mentioned calling nick harris; recently when I called I was told Nick works ONLY MON. & TUESDAY....

bettyg
 


Posted by lifeline (Member # 3445) on :
 
Oh darn, I wish you didn't have to go through any more...since you've been through enough with this disease.

But, you're on the road to a life without Lyme, being off abx and starting Rife. I only see better times ahead for you.

I'll be praying for you.

lifeline
 


Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
 
Thanks, betty. I think I'm going to just forget the PCR. I know I have Lyme. Too much trouble for me and will cost me more. UGH...but thanks!

Lifeline...thanks...I'll make it. Hoping I'll feel much better very soon.

Working right now on a different surgeon so I don't have to wait nearly 4 wks to get this done.

Or I could go eat a fatty meal and head to the ER??! Just kidding!!

------------------
oops!
Lymetutu
 


Posted by HEATHERKISS (Member # 6789) on :
 
Lymetutu,

So sorry to hear the news. I hpoe you see a surgeon sooner so you can get it over with.

All the best to you,
Heather
 


Posted by Kara Tyson (Member # 939) on :
 
Send me an email with your address, so I can be sure and send a get well card.
 
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
 
You're too sweet, Kara!
 
Posted by Tj33 (Member # 7214) on :
 
Don't worry. Gall Bladder keyhole procedure is a piece of cake. My wife had it and she was home that afternoon and went to work the next day...
You are in our prayers

Tj
 


Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
 
Just got an appointment with a different surgeon next Tuesday. That should knock off at least a week of waiting. Whew!

------------------
oops!
Lymetutu
 


Posted by TheCrimeOfLyme (Member # 4019) on :
 
Kick it! It will get your motor running!

Ok, ok Im just kidding. I had my gallbladder removed uh about five years ago I think. It was amazing for me to find out it was responsible for about 10 symptoms I was having at that time!

It's interesting Gigi mentioned Bile Salts.You know, no doc ever told me to take something after I had my GB yanked. That was odd, considering when a family member did, they were told TO take stuff with their meals.

In any instance, I have gained 40 lbs that I CANT GET OFF. Im wondering if bile salts would make a difference.

Hmpf, something to think about.


 


Posted by cigi (Member # 6600) on :
 
Hi - it cigi

just had my gallbladder out last week and it was ok. you'll be fine. I ended back in the hospital monday because my sodium dropped and i was in for 3 days - this had nothing tto do with surgery. i begged for psych ward but they would not keep me. I'll be thinking of you - you've been so sweet to me and thank you. ironic thing is no more rocephin for me and thats what made me get the bladder out. oh well. there has to be a God. Take care friend and you're bladder will be fine. the incisions are tiny and are healing fast. you 'll see,
take care,

cigi
 


Posted by kam (Member # 3410) on :
 
OUCH. JUST CURIOUS. I HAVEN'T DONE ANY RESEARCH YET. BUT, I HAVE HEARD OF GALLBLADDER FLUSHES INSTEAD OF SURGERY.

DID ANY OF YOU TRY THIS AND IF SO WHAT DID YOU TRY?
 


Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
 
I think they can work...many have used them. personally, I did a mild one last year, but then got scared because I have so many stones and I didn't want to run the risk of a stone being caught in the bile duct.

When I had the Hida Scan done last week, the radiologist wouldn't even run the second part of the test because it could have thrown me into an emergency situtation.

SO....I'm not risking it! Personal preference! This sucker needs to come out this time.

------------------
oops!
Lymetutu
 


Posted by broguearcher (Member # 5905) on :
 
best wishes on this surgery Lymetoo. I'm sure it must be a tough thing for you to live with discomfort. May God bless you and your family during this time.

Sam
 




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