Gallbladder worries

This is a bit long, I apologize but thanking everyone know if you read everything. 

Hi everybody, my name is Jamie and I’m new and a bit nervous but here’s my case (this might be a bit long but I want to make sure I get it all). I’ve been having nausea symptoms since December when I caught a bad stomach flu, along with 3 other of my family members and I’m the only one (which kinda sucks but I’m glad everyone else is healthy) that has continuous symptoms. 

Finally went to see a doctor (who wasn’t my normal doctor, she was out of state at the time) mid January because I was fed up, was put on prescription Zantac 150. Didn’t take it (probably a bad choice but I can barely swallow pills, plus I have a fear of choking and /hate/ throwing up! I avoid it all costs) but I got better by myself and a Tums everyday before I ate until late February, started to feel nauseous and barely ate, got fed up AGAIN and saw my actual doctor because she was back in town. Told her I was stressed out and other symptoms, along with us planning surgery for a lipoma that I have. She told me to not eat after 6 pm, not to lay down after eating, and to start walking. Did a blood test to check my blood count, liver, and vitamin D levels and a breath test for h pylori. She put me on Omeprazole for GERD which I also haven’t taken, but it is in a capsule that I can sprinkle in applesauce so I’m trying my best to talk myself up to it. My biggest fear is that decreasing the acid will make my stomach even worse. But if anyone has any suggestions besides applesauce, please tell me because the consistency is gross to me!! I’ve thought about yogurt, is that okay? Besides that, I tested negative for h pylori and the rest of them came back fine except for vitamin D. 

It’s now March and I’ve been doing so much better, until the 18th I ate something that didn’t agree with me and ended up with me having severe abdominal pain and going to the hospital because I could no longer handle it. We went at 12:30 am, started testing at around 1:30 am, and was out of the hospital by 4:30 am. Did a urine test, blood test, and had an ultrasound done of my gallbladder and appendix. Almost threw up because of how bad the pain was until it just faded..

Turns out I have gallstones at 16! Kinda expected it if I’m honest, my mom had the same and it runs in the women on my dad’s side. Was told to stick to a low fat diet and was prescribed Zofran for any nausea. It’s dissolvable so thank god, I haven’t felt the need to take them yet so I’m glad. Went to the hospital on a Sunday night/Monday morning, and I wasn’t complete recovered until Wednesday. My stomach was so sore when I walked out, despite the attack already being over! It’s now Sunday morning (does 4am count as morning?) and I’ve been worrying over my options. 

I have to mention that also before going to the hospital, I had went the previous week to get an ultrasound done to check out the lipoma to see it’s size and what surgery would be best. The nurse told me I was extremely gassy so it was hard to take pictures (I could not stop apologizing and I felt so embarrassed!!). 

I don’t see my doctor until April (though I’m thinking of asking for an earlier date because this anxiety sucks and I only see my therapist once a week) and gallbladder surgery scares me. My mother had it (laparoscopy) and while she’s perfectly healthy now, I’m scared I won’t turn out the same. The doctor at the hospital told me I’m still considered pediatric so he’s not sure if surgery is the right way, but to speak to my doctor about it. But if I’m honest, that pain was awful and I can only describe the pain as close to labor pain as possible—which my mom agreed with. The only major symptoms I have is nausea (which comes and goes), very minimal abdominal pain (normally at night), maybe indigestion??, constipation, but I also weirdly get the urge of diarrhea or the urge to use the bathroom but nothing comes out?? Which is weird. My stomach has a burning, rumble feeling sometimes as well. I also have a lot of burping, sometimes tastes like acid (bitter) or what I had ate previously. I also have what I call a brain fog, which I just describe as feeling detached from my body in a way. Moving too quickly makes me feel foggy. After meals, I feel weird in my stomach and then I burp and I feel fine so maybe I’m bloated? I’m not sure. I’ve lost 13 pounds overall, not sure if I’ve lost more since but I’ll know when I go back to the doctors. (155 to 142lbs! I fit in a medium in shirts now and most of my jeans slip on like a charm. I’ve lost weight mainly in my face, arms, and thighs. Keep in mind I’m like 4’11 haha). 

What I’m majorly scared of is surgery and gastroparesis. My mother and I have a lot of differences in our GB symptoms. While she had much more pain and diarrhea to deal with (we had a horrible diet of eating out all the time while she had gallstones), I have more nausea and find it hard to use the bathroom sometimes. I know some people come out of surgery worse than they were and I don’t want to be like that. These past few months have changed my social life and mental health so much and I don’t want to live like this. These past few weeks are the most I’ve felt like myself before my stomach flu but everyday is different and I deal with them as they come. 

So what I’ve been meaning to get to, is the gallbladder surgery worth it? Or should I just do it before it gets even worse than it is? I’ve been also thinking about asking my doctor to either see a doctor that specializes in the stomach or for a gastric empty study (maybe both?) and maybe a HIDA scan. I only know all of these terms and tests and doctors because I’ve been on the medical side of YouTube to learn more (I follow two gals with gastroparesis and god, do I feel for them. I hope they find relief) and lots of internet research. Any help, advice, or personal stories would be so greatly appreciated!

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