Any gall bladder removal success stories out there?

The operation is ok and recovery quick. I had my gallbladder removed Oct 2010 and apart from IBS  and sometimes real chronic pain in my stomach I've got by. That is until last week.... I was sitting in front of the tv when I git an acute pain between my ribs and the first thing I thought of was a heart attack, I'm 56 so wouldn't be expecting one quite yet. Pain, sweats and then vomiting occurred but by then my husband had called 111 and a ambulance was on its way. Got to hospital and after several ECG plus morphine was admitted to the MAU ward. I spoke to the Dr the following day and told him the pain was exactly what it used to be like when I had gallstones stuck in my bile duct. Had an ultrasound and there it was, a gallstone stuck in my bile duct. Home now but waiting for further blood tests and an MRI to see if there are more than one then it's another endoscopy. I've had 2 more attacks and now I have painkillers. One thing I have been told is that I shouldn't have carried  on eating anything as stones can still form. I would advise anyone having their gallbladder out to start following a low fat diet. I wished I had. I can't bear what I'm going through once again. 

Hi Dcweather, my syptoms were different than yours (nausea from a low functioning gallbladder) and while my symptoms aren't completely gone I do feel better than before. I've read that the success rate is better (almost 100%) for people with stones and pain.

As for the actual surgery, it was pretty easy (just sore for a week or 2) and I was completely healed after about 6 weeks. I had and have no side effects from surgery, only a few very small scars. I went home only about 2 hours after they finished the surgery and was able to go back to work and exercise after 2 weeks. Relatively few people have problems (the most common is diarreah from fatty foods afterwards but I haven't had that) and it will cure any problems you are having from your stones so I would go for it!

Every day I was double over rocking in pain and I had lived with pain for 8 years. In the end I was begging the doctors to put me in on the first cancellation they got as I could function anymore.

After the first month of healing I was fine! I had my op 18 months ago! Scars are barely noticeable and besides the occasional bout of diarrhoea which usually happens if I'm rushing around and forget to eat there aren't any real problems.

xx

I am so sorry for all you have been through - each of us is a unique story, unlike the cookie-cutter philosophy some doctors try to tell us we are with GB issues.  Your situation might be different for removal success rates vs. mine that had no stones, was functioning at 22%.  How was your HIDA score?  I know it is hard but it wouldn't hurt to stay on a low-fat diet until your surgery, to minimize any chance of repreat issues for you..  For my no-stones type situation my surgeon frankly told me I had a 20% chance of still having issues afterwards.  Two years later, I am one of those 20%.  Husband had same type GB issues,surgery, 17% HIDA scan rate, and after inital adjustments post-surgery everyone goes through he is relatively fine.  Please remember those of us on this site are here overall because we usually have Q's about something for us that did NOT go right, so I wouldn't necessarily let that scare you in any way.  I think the overall consensus I hear of people who have had it out - very few can ever eat a VERY greasy, fatty dinner again without some sort of issue afterwards, since the GB is no longer there and functioning as it should. Many do go on to a relatively normal life!

You will be in our thoughts and prayers - hope all goes well-

Last year, I found out I had Gallbladder problem. It was 11% funcional. I went through a rigorous low fat diet and I had no pain.  I had hopes I could save my Gallbladder but at the end it stopped working all together. Luckily, I found out, after a follow up test. I just hope I can recover fast.

Dear DC weather, I had my gallbladder removed 3 years ago and it was a great success.  I had two attacks, one was really bad. After my last really bad attack I researched a lot about diet and found if I ate small meals several times a day I was pretty good.  I stayed away from Beef, fried foods, cakes, pies, cookies,  bread, cheese, ice cream, potatoes,.  I think that was it.  Honestly, I did well and lost 10 pounds in 4 months because of how I ate.  My surgery consisted of two surgeries, an endoscopy to remove any stones at the entrance of the bowel.  Turned out there were way more than they thought.  The second surgery was the removal of the gallbladder.  They both went extremely well.  And the main surgery was done by laparoscopy.  I eat anything and everything now.  But, I have to put this but in there, now with the removal of the gallbladder, I have high cholesterol.  The gallbladder stored the cholesterol before and now I don't have it there's no place for the cholesterol to go.  I'm on a medication now.  Also I have found that I have lost a lot of my hair.  Haven't talked to anyone about that but I might have to.  Hope things go well for you.