Has anyone had their gallbladder removed (for whatever reason) and is much better off without it?
It looks like I might have to have the surgery. I have a huge stone that will likely keep growing.
If I wait too long, and the stone gets too big, I wouldn't be able to have the gallbladder removed laparascopically. It would have to be done the old school way....much worse.
I've been dealing with pain on and off since September...even with a very strict diet.
So, if the stone gets even bigger, the problem will definitely get more intense.
Just wondering who is glad they had theirs removed.
Thanks....!
Posted by faithful777 (Member # 22872) on :
I had mine out in 2011 right around the time I went into treatment for Lyme and coinfections.
I had read horror stories of people who couldn't eat a lot of foods after or had other issues.
I have not had any problems since the surgery and I can eat anything, even fats with no problems. I was loaded with stones and had to have a second procedure to remove stones from the bile duct.
No more pain!!
Posted by jwick25 (Member # 15190) on :
Hi Faithful,
It's nice to hear that *someone* had a good experience.
I've been reading those stories myself, and I am terrified that I might be one of them.
Because my stone is over 3cm, flushes and dissolution therapies aren't options for me.
Why no one told me about my options back when the stone was small....I have no idea.
Very happy that you had a good experience and are pain free.
Any other good experiences out there?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I THINK I'm better off since having mine out 11 yrs ago. I had 5 HUGE stones. They were each the size of my surgeon's thumb. Laparoscopy still worked.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
unfortunately, I have notbeen so lucky. mine was filled with sludge.
that's when all my bowel problems started. wish I'd never had it done
Posted by NYLymie (Member # 43330) on :
My husband was diagnosed with Lyme in 2001 treated aggressively, much better... BUT 2008 severe gallbladder attack, diagnosed with a v large stone. He did not want to have surgery right away, so he found an alternative treatment that helped him, it is an olive oil flush with lemons and Epsom salt. If you are interested we found online by searching alternative medicine. He is also considering stone being taken care as an out patient by breaking up stone with laser. Wanted to share our experience, not recommending for anyone.
Posted by jwick25 (Member # 15190) on :
I was just reading about the sound wave treatment that is supposed to break up the stone.
I can't find any doctors who do this procedure. Still trying to learn more.
Doc told me this likely would not work on me since my stone is almost golf ball size.
Really wish they would find more alternatives.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I know. I was afraid to do the flush because I didn't know how large the stones were. It's a risk either way, because you can have small and large stones in there.
Posted by faithful777 (Member # 22872) on :
Be careful with flushing out the stones. It can work for some, but it can also send you to the ER.
I am glad I did not try the flush. I would have gotten in serious trouble.
Posted by ukcarry (Member # 18147) on :
Having had the excruciating experience of having a stone stuck in the bile duct, I have always been too frightened to do flushes, but have taken chanca pietra and do take d limonene, both of which are supposed to help to dissolve stones and sludge.
Like Randibear, I did develop IBS type symptoms some years after the op because of the bile pooling and am on Welchol for this, but it is not a great solution. This does not happen to everyone and might have happened anyway, as my gall bladder was diseased and wasn't functioning when I had the op.
Posted by baldone (Member # 43172) on :
Going to see a surgeon tomorrow about getting mine out.
HIDA scan showed a >90 ejection fraction which means I have biliary hyperkinesia which is an unusual condition where the gallbladder empties to fast. Don't have stones but miserable non the less and from what I can find having it removed is my best option.
When it goes nuts it's shocking how fast I get dizzy and nauseous. Feels like I am going to pass out.
Posted by momintexas (Member # 23391) on :
I had mine removed. I can't eat salad or red meat now. Digestive enzymes have become my best friend.
But...I'm much better off without it. The stones were awful. I had the sludge.
I kept putting it off and got really sick because of that. I wish I had done it sooner.
I know many others that have had theirs removed and have no issues at all and still eat whatever they want.
Posted by jwick25 (Member # 15190) on :
My docs have told me that flushes will only get me into trouble - because of the huge stone. So, that's not an option for me.
I wonder if things mentioned above like chanca pietra and d limonene can actually dissolve a stone over 3cm in size?
Even if I got the size down a little bit...that would be an improvement.
Posted by baldone (Member # 43172) on :
Today I gave birth to a .5 pound nasty green gall bladder.
Actually feel fairly good and just taking regular tylenol.
And best of all no nausea.
Abdomen is a bit sore but compared to the dizziness and nausea I had before it looks like an upgrade.
Posted by LilaLee* (Member # 43649) on :
i was so sick with gallbladder symtpoms/stones (also on IV Rocephin) that there was nothing optional about my removal.
Mine was removed on pretty much an emergency basis. and laproscopic.
But, i have had really no problems and feel SO MUCH better. I do eat a good diet (did even before the gb problem) and have found the only thing i can't eat is brussell sprouts.
Posted by baldone (Member # 43172) on :
quote:Originally posted by LilaLee*: i was so sick with gallbladder symtpoms/stones (also on IV Rocephin) that there was nothing optional about my removal.
Mine was removed on pretty much an emergency basis. and laproscopic.
But, i have had really no problems and feel SO MUCH better. I do eat a good diet (did even before the gb problem) and have found the only thing i can't eat is brussell sprouts.
I asked the Doctor before the surgery if I would be able to play the piano afterwards and she said yes. To which I said you are one hell of a doctor since I can't play it now. Posted by Jordana (Member # 45305) on :
. Ha.
Posted by Jordana (Member # 45305) on :
Just a heads up because I don't know where else to put this little piece of info, but I was having horrible stomach issues at the beginning of my Lyme. By the time I had emergency GB surgery and got colestipol for bile reflux it really, really cleared up.
Except when I got back from the hospital I thought I was still bleeding or something from my gut because I kept seeing a weird pink ring around the toilet bowl.
I worried about this, but I had no idea what to do; this encouraged me to keep my colonoscopy appointment. They found polyps but the pink ring stayed.
Well, I did some research about this and found out it was SERRATIA, which you get in hospitals. A month on abx for Lyme and it was gone.
But really, take hospital borne infections seriously. This was a really good hospital. Don't stay extra days, don't eat the food if you can manage that.
Posted by baldone (Member # 43172) on :
Well I am now 3 weeks post removal and feel pretty good.
Can eat pretty much whatever I want and overall feel significantly better.
Thanks for everyone's input.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Good to hear this, baldone!
Posted by thatdudefromkansas (Member # 46768) on :
I had it removed in February.
However, I am now one of those people with residual symptoms that causes abdominal pain and and issues with GI stuff, like diarrhea from excess stomach bile.
Not a big deal, and certainly better off than I was, but I do still get occasional pain. They might have damaged the nerve when they removed it.
Some people develop a syndrome after the removal.
Posted by jwick25 (Member # 15190) on :
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences!
baldone: so glad to hear you're feeling better ... and can maybe now play the piano? LOL!
It's such a crap shoot when it comes to this issue. Scary.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)