Gallbladder Issues

Hi Janice,

I actually had my gallbladder removed last Tuesday. I'm still getting some symptoms like the pins and needles,, tightness in my back, between my shoulder blades, I still have a little pain in my right side abdomen near my rib cage, the pain has not gotten any worse. I wonder if the symptoms are related to an aggravated nerve or something.

I have been doing good since my surgery and actually had pizza and wings one night without any issues. I have changed my diet up, to not eat as much high fat foods. I've had digestive issues for years, GERD, acid reflux, I think my gallbladder was on the decline for awhile. I had Covid infection was enough for my gallbladder to final stop working.

i'm only a little over a week post op and hope things continue to improve. It's scary to have all these symptoms happening to your body and not having answers. I try not to google to much about it because you just start to go down the rabbit hole. I've read different things to what could be causing my symptoms like vitamin deficiency, etc. I had my vitamin levels check, thyroid check, some other tests and they were all normal. My doctor believes a lot of my symptons were anxiety related, also telling me that the mind can cause similar symptoms. My anxiety has gotten better, I started going to counselling for it, which has helped a lot. I've been under a lot of stress and anxiety since the beginning of May, worrying about my health.

Good luck and hope you get everything figured out.

Glad to hear you are on the mend and doing better. Just focus on healing now. I'm sure everything will be good from here on out. I can't wait to eat certain things without issues. My diet had to change when I started getting so sick. I was completely terrified yesterday when I got the call telling me my gallbladder had 0 function. I was scared to eat and was wondering if I had infection that would take me out of this world lol. I called my Dr this morning to ease my mind! She said not to stress and I would be fine until my consult next Thursday. I hope my surgeon schedules it quickly there after. I have other reasons I'm a little scared. My mother died after she had her gallbladder removed from malpractice. I know these are different circumstances and drs but it's still a scary situation to me. I'm sure I'll be just fine. How long did you say you were sick before you finally figured out what the culprit was? Either way I'm glad to hear that you are doin so much better!!

I initially was sick at the beginning of May with Covid, just had normal cold symptoms for a week. I then ended up in the ER with stomach pain and other issues, which the ER doctor assumed was Covid related. The ER did a blood test and chest xray, my liver enzymes were slightly elevated. The ER then sent me home. I went back a couple days later because I had very bad acid reflux and stomach pain. The ER did blood test and CT scan, everything was normal, except my liver enzymes and bilirubin were slightly high. The ER sent me home to follow up with my family doctor. My family doctor ran me through several different tests due to my multiple symptoms, all the tests were coming back normal accept my HIDA scan, which came back at 7%. My doctor stated that my gallbladder needed to come out.

I was glad that my doctor found out what was causing my issues, but was scared at the same time due to having to have surgery. I'm sorry to hear about your mother.I can understand your concerns. My anxiety was out of control, but my procedure went good as I'm sure yours will be too. as much as i didn't want to go through with it, I just kept thinking that it needed to come out to avoid any further complications in the future. Best of luck to you with your surgery, you'll be fine.

Thank you! Im staying worried thinkin it will get worse before Thursday lol. If it were that bad I'm sure they probably would have kept me when the test was over and went on and took the gallbladder out. I have to stop thinking the worst. I'll be ok until I see the surgeon Thursday and get it scheduled. Did you have to stay overnight after your surgery or did you come home the same day?

I also had covid bk at the end of January. I've wondered if that anything to do with the deterioration of my gallbladder....

It was same day surgery for me. My surgery was at 7:30AM and I think I was out of the hospital before noon. My oxygen level was low after the surgery, my wife, who is an RN, said it was low because of the pain medication from surgery. Once my oxygen level came up the hospital sent me home. I don't know about your hospital, by I was required to have someone with me to monitor for 24 hours or they would have keep me. It was nice to be sent home, I didn't do much because it was hard to move do to the pain. I sat on a wooden chair with arms from our dining room because it hurt to sit or lay on the couch. It was easier getting up from the wooden chair because I could brace myself with the chair arms and not have to use my ab muscles much to get up and down.

My doctor didn't believe that Covid caused my gallbladder to become low function. He believes that my gallbladder was probably already going down hill before I had Covid. I've had digestive issues for many years, GERD, acid reflux, and have being taking different medications to control my stomach acids over the years, like Pepcid, Nexum, Prilosec. I've read that the stomach acid medications can affect gallbladder function. Plus I'm overweight, over 40, have stress and anxiety which also can play into gallbladder issues from what I read.

You and i have been through the same exact things. Gastrointestinal problems for years and lots of meds for acid reflux and IBS for yrs. I've been on alot of other medications over the years as well. I'm sure that's probably my problem and the culprit as well. My husband will be there to help nurse me bk to health. I really appreciate you talking to me about all this. Having a nurse for a wife also helps you alot! Im so ready to not be miserable and worried. I'd like to keep in touch w you through your healing process and I'll let you know about my consult on the 4th and my surgery afterwards if you don't mind. Helps w my anxiety and worry talking to someone who's been through the same symptoms. It's like a constant upset stomach and fullness and so much nausea. Ughhh! Thank you again! Im Janice btw and you have helped keep me sane when I'm in freak out mode. I was overweight as well and lost 44lbs since the end of March. I feel like I'm starving and have really changed the way I eat but I guess I feel like everything I eat is going to make it worse. That's the worry wart coming out in me. Thank you again for being a great friend to talk to! It truly does ease my mind! Talk to ya later!

oh also im 44 so not a spring chicken anymore either lol

No problem keeping in touch. It's nice to talk to someone that is going through the same issues. I don't know many people that had their gallbladders removed and the ones I do know were several years ago, that don't recall their symptoms or recovery much.

When I got sick at the beginning of May, I had a lot of stomach issues, nausea, heartburn, reflux, gas, bloating, belching, headaches, etc. I lost approximately 40lbs since I got sick. I barely ate anything, didn't have an appetite. I was getting sick no matter what I ate. My Dr would say don't eat high fatty meals, I wasn't, I was and still am eating mostly soup, crackers and drinking water. I was also doing a lot of walking because it seemed to help with my stomach issues and anxiety. I always had anxiety, but it has been extremely high since getting sick. Before May, I rarely got sick, I had my stomach issues, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, but I've never been this sick. I was also getting extremely depressed because I didn't think I was going to get better. I really didn't have control over my anxiety and depression, I could seem to stop it from consuming me. I was already take Wellbutrin for my anxiety for several years, but it wasn't helping. My Dr put me on a couple different anxiety medications, but they were making it worse. My Dr had me go to counselling which seemed to help, it was nice to talk to the counsellors about my issues since May.

Things were getting a little better until I had surgery. It's like I've started over. My gallbladder pain is gone, but I still having pain in my right side along with some other issues. I'm still sticking to a low fat diet, but foolishly ate wings and a greasy chicken sandwich the other night that made my stomach ache all night into the next day, I also went on an eight mile walk prior to eating the greasy food, not sure if that contributed to my stomach ache. So I have not strayed off my low fat diet. I'm optimistic that my health will get better. I plan on staying on the low fat diet and trying to lose more weight. This whole experience has opened my eyes to getting healthier. My mother-in-law had her gallbladder out many years ago, she's 79, and pretty much eats what she wants without issues. So I hope it will get better in time and can enjoy a slice of pizza without fear of getting sick.

I see my GI on Tuesday for an endoscope, The GI is concerned due to my many years of acid reflux cause damage to my esophagus I've been stressing about that, I hate any procedure that requires being put under anaesthesia. I'm sure I'll be fine, but I can't help stressing about it. Hopefully that test is good.

Not sure if you are aware or not, but there are several gallbladder groups on Facebook. I belong to three of them. They have a lot of good information.

I finally had my gallbladder removed yesterday. Needless to say im in full recovery mode now. Lots of pain that even the meds don't help at least not until I get the gas out of my system. been rocking in the rockingchair and walking several laps at a time throughout the house to get this gas to release. Lots of rest needed. Can't tell if I'm feeling any better yet until I start healing.

Janice, glad to hear your surgery went well. I was on pain meds for about 3 days then started Tylenol and ibuprofen. I started feeling better with in a few days. I'm on week three post op and can actually eat more than soup and crackers. I still haves some pain in my right side, it hurts more when I'm active. I had my follow with my surgeon yesterday, he said the right side pain is from the nerve the runs along the gallbladder, liver, diaphram and into the back. He said the nerve is aggravated from surgery, but will settle down. It has gotten better since surgery, because it would hurt when I would breathe. I'm still getting the nerve issues, like tingling and pins and needles, but I wonder if it's due to the aggravated nerve from surgery.

Hey James! Sorry im just now responding. Haven't been feeling well at all since my surgery. Going on 4 wks this coming Friday and im still having alot of post op pain from where the gallbladder was andy energy level is just non existent. Trying to build it back up but so exhausted and weak. My Dr did say it can take 6 wks. I have deep stitches in the middle incision in the chest area that have caused alot more discomfort than I'd like. There's only a couple in there but they're a pain....literally lol. They will take the entire 6 wks to heal and go away though as my surgeon told me. i had one whole wk where I had insomnia so bad. I think I only slept maybe a few hrs that whole wk. Ended up in the ER on the 26th of Aug bc of the pain and just feeling rough. Once again after they checked with a CT scan and labs was told it's all post op and it would take time. I just want to feel better be able to say I feel good for once instead of always being miserable. I hope 6 wks is the lucky number and everything is all uphill from there on out. Hope you are having an easier time than I am. Hopefully in the long run it will all be worth it. Hope you are finally getting answers as well Chris. Keep pushing for a HIDA SCAN if you haven't already had one. That will be what tells if your gb is functioning properly. I had all the tests and more that you also had and all were good until they discovered my actual problem w the hida scan. I had absolute 0% function. Hope it gets figured out soon for you!

My gallbladder issues have been going on for so long and I have been so sick w it for months. lost over 40 pounds. Finally had my gallbladder removed yesterday morning. I am in alot of pain right now but hopefully it gets better w time. Hang in there and push for the surgeon to remove it and then you can finally start feeling better

Hello Chris,

I would request a HIDA scan, that is how my Dr found out it was my gallbladder, My gallbladder was barely functioning, it was 7%. A biopsy of my gallbladder after surgery showed chronic cholecystitis (inflamed gallbladder) and some sludge. An inflamed gallbladder will aggravate the nerve that runs along it, the pain can radiate into the middle of your back and into your shoulder. I would get a dull burny pain just right of the middle of my back. I still get the pain after surgery, but my surgeon told me yesterday that the nerve is aggravated due to surgery and will settle down after awhile. I wouldn't let your Dr brush it off as anxiety, my Dr was saying the same thing, I would request a HIDA scan test to see how gallbladder is functioning.