So my dear daughter saw the LLMD yesterday. She has been on IV 8 months. We thought she would be way better than she is at this point in her treatment.
Her 2 main symptoms have been fatigue and GI pain/nausea since was 7 years old.
On exam yesterday she about jumped through the roof when he palpitated her abdomin, specifically her Gallbladder.
He has ordered abdominal ultrasound, and if negative a HIDA scan with CCK challenge. He is almost certain that with the challenge the test will show her gallbladder is non-functioning.
He believes it needs to be removed. And once removed that she will feel,so much better!
I'm scared. She's only 19.
I know that there are several things that we can try if she had stones. But what about inflammation and infection? He says given her longstanding history of GI issues and problems with detoxing that removal of gallbladder will make all the difference.
So she is on a break from treatment while we get the tests done. Gives me lots of time to research. She has been in bed for the last 3 months, sicker than ever. What do you think? Could this be part of the missing link?
Posted by didogs (Member # 40101) on :
Hi Lymemom-I had my gallbladder removed prior to my lyme diagnosis. I do think lyme was the culprit. All of the tests came back normal but I had extreme pain after eating and was having "classic" gall bladder symptoms. I felt so much better after having my gall bladder removed.
Just my experience. Hope your daughter has some relief soon
Posted by faithful777 (Member # 22872) on :
I didn't want to get mine out but I also had a history of GI issues and as it turned out was also loaded with stones.
I was just diagnosed with Lyme when I finally decided to get it out. Once I got it out, things were way better with my GI tract.
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
My daughter had hers out when she was 18. She was in agony prior to it. Unfortunately she's had phantom attacks ever since. I would lay odds it's all lyme derived, but she's an adult now and doesn't believe she has lyme, mostly due to the antiquated guidelines. :(
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
I forgot to mention this (short term memory issue). I had gallbladder pain too (years). I read some old posts here where some people used herbs and enzymes, which seemed to help but never fully took the pain away (but did sporadically), so I just lived with the pain.
However, after recently doing another round of parasite meds, my gallbladder pain just completely went away (I'm talking, overnight on the last days of my med). They must have loved my gallbladder/bile duct (never showed on my ultrasound).
As far as your daughter goes, the abx could be causing her more problems too.
Without a doubt though, parasites are the most over looked issue with lyme. And in my case, they definitely were. Your daughter's fatigue and GI pains are also signs of parasites. You may want to consider treating her first before removing her gallbladder.
Check out the symptoms for parasites on humaworm's website. Also, parasite testing is extremely inaccurate.
Posted by LymeMom Kellye (Member # 24807) on :
Thanks! Yes, she has been treating for parasites too. She has had gallbladder issues and specifically GI pain for 10+years.
The last round has been focusing on Babesia and other parasites.
She has done Salt/C, Biltricide, Alinia, Coartem, and a bunch of others that I can't remember right now.
Her 2 biggest issues are fatigue and GI pain and with the latest IV protocol seizures. According to her LLMD the fact that her gallbladder is so messed up, infected and inflamed that she won't get well unless she has it removed.
Of course we will do the testing etc.... But the fact that she has been on IV for 8 months, was getting well, but is now backsliding, it makes sense that the GB is is holding onto toxins and the more bugs we kill the worse it gets.
So a treatment break is in orde while we test.
I am afraid to have her GB removed. Afraid that her detox issues will get worse instead of better and that the shock of surgery will be even more of a backslide.
She lost her father to lyme and cancer unexpectedly less than 4 months ago. All I can say is this is just too much!!!
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
Poor thing. I can see why you are being cautious. For some reason, women's gallbladders can become sludgy when it comes to lyme. I don't know why it's not common with men. Must be our hormones. I think it's fibrin and/or parasites. Have you tried proteolytic enzymes? What is she doing for detoxing?
Posted by Tammy N. (Member # 26835) on :
Perhaps consider daily coffee enemas. If you do a google search "Dr. Gerson coffee enemas" you will find a wealth of information on the amazing benefits of this therapy.
It stimulates and helps the liver/gallbladder to produce new bile rather than recirculating the old.
Also, perhaps check out Dr. Rau's book "The Swiss Secret". One of the first things he does with his patients that come to the Paracelsus clinic is to do a liver/gallbladder flush. (I would only attempt this while under a doctor's care who will oversee her.) I would like to do this at some point, but I am still heavily into parasite treatment and I am still loaded. Once my load is way down, I definitely would like to do some careful flushes.
On the parasite front -- I'm wondering if something broad spectrum like Ivermectin would be a help to her. You may want to look into the Dr. K protocol which includes Biltricide, Ivermectin, Pyrantel, Albenza and Alinia. Treatment needs to be aggressive and long-term in order to get rid of parasites. (I wish I knew this years ago!!)
Just some thoughts that may help your daughter regain her health and keep her gallbladder.
Best wishes.
Posted by terv (Member # 29410) on :
FWIW, my husband's friend's daughter met someone who had been on IV abx and was not getting better. The doctor for some reason considered the gall bladder. They had it removed and that was the issue.
Posted by tickled1 (Member # 14257) on :
I just had my gallbladder removed 3 wks. ago. Was an easy surgery and pathology showed chronic cholecystitis which means it was chronically inflamed/infected. I did not have gallstones but HIDA showed only 17% ejection fraction (normal being 35%-75%). If I were you/her I would go ahead and have it removed. It could make all the difference in the world! I would do it again. It was an easy surgery. So sorry to hear of your/her terrible loss.
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
I sure don't miss my gallbladder...14 years of constant nausea ended the moment it was taken out. It was loaded with stones and inflammation.