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Help me choose a surgeon for Gallbladder removal

Posted , 5 users are following.

nicole16099
nicole16099

Hello everyone, I found out a few weeks ago that my gallbladder needs to be removed because it is only functing at 12%, but I have no stones. I have made my choices down to two surgeons, but can not pick, because there are reasons I do and do not want to pick either one of them. So I'm hoping some of you all can give me your opinions after I give you my reasons.

Surgeon 1:

Has 20 + years of experience and I have heard good things about him from several people. BUT the hospital he does surgery at is a small town local hospital, which I worry about because I feel like it's not up to date with the newest stuff and less doctors and nurses that might know what they are doing if something happen to me during surgery. This is a place where I would not want to be if something major happen. 

Surgeon 2: 

He works at a bigger hospital that I would feel safer at if something went wrong. And he did my cousins surgery a few months back and she is ok. BUT he is young with only close to two years experience with surgery and this scares me, because I feel like experience is important and I don't know much about him (besides what my cousin says).

I've have been putting this off because I can't decide, which risk I'll take because like I said there are negatives to both, well I feel anyway. But just incase anyone wants to know I am a 30 year old female and I have only been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and vitamin D deficiency. But one thing I'm worried about is my heart rate, it's been running up a lot at night at bed time since I got sick and I'm not sure if it's the anxiety I've been getting cause of my gallbladder or what I did have an EKG done and the doctor never said anything about it so I assumed the results where ok.  

Anyway any advice you can give me will be greatly appreciated. 

0 likes, 16 replies

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  • fernando90225
    fernando90225 nicole16099

    Posted

    I'd go with experience. This new Dr. Doesn't have enough time in surgery. If something happens he will be able to help you that's the experience one of course. Good Luck.

    • nicole16099
      nicole16099 fernando90225

      Posted

      Thank you for replying. I do feel like the experienced guy would do best at taking my gallbladder out, but if something else went wrong (which I hope not) but if let's say something went wrong with my heart, he's not experienced in that and since it's a small town hospital they might not have a good heart doctor near by to help. And the closest better hospital is an hour and a half away and a bigger city hospital is about 2 hours and a half away. And the other hospital with the newer surgeon most likely will have other specialist near by. Also I do know the newer surgeon is certified in cardiovascular life support, advanced trauma life support and basic life support. Don't know if that changes anything but thought I'd throw that in there. So would you still stick with you're first opinion? 

  • linda282930
    linda282930 nicole16099

    Posted

    I'd go for the experienced surgeon , plus you get better care

    at a smaller hospital .

    Good luck and let us know how you get on.

    • nicole16099
      nicole16099 linda282930

      Posted

      Experience is important to me, but I worry about the small town hospital, because if something went wrong with me during the surgery is there other doctors/surgeons there qualified to help, which there might not be because they do have to send people out to a better hospital. This hospital is about an hour and a half away from a better hospital and about two hours and a half away from a big city hospital. This all worries me as you can see. If it was you would you still risk it? 
    • nicole16099
      nicole16099

      Posted

      Also don't know if this changes anything the newer doctor is certified in cardiovascular life support, advanced trauma life support and basic life support.

    • biliarydyskines
      biliarydyskines nicole16099

      Posted

      You are thinking too much on the heart and also I did the same and did series of test like ecg,echodoppler and treadmill test and all came back good. I also get high heart rate when I become more bloated and feel gassy in my stomach, so don't think too much on heart. Always go with experience doctor as he might come across many patients and he can clear all your questions and concerns.

  • biliarydyskines
    biliarydyskines nicole16099

    Posted

    Better to go with experience doctor. What symptoms do you have? Did you rule out stomach issues by endoscopy before surgery?
    • nicole16099
      nicole16099 biliarydyskines

      Posted

      I have pain where the gallbladder is sometimes and I also have pain in my upper back and I have heartburn and I also burp more then I use to and eating greasy foods like deep fries foods makes me sicker feeling. I have not had an endoscopy, but I did have a scan on my gallbladder that showed its only functioning only at 12% so it is bad and only gonna get worse, I assume if I don't have it taken out. 

    • biliarydyskines
      biliarydyskines nicole16099

      Posted

      I also have the same symptoms as you. Im 37 year old male. I get pain when I eat greasy or fried foods and I get lot of burps and acid reflux for 2 weeks. I have avoided eating fried and greasy food, that made the pain to go away,but still struggling with lot of burps and bloating.i have been diagnosed with gastritis by endoscopy long time back,then did hida scan in 2011 which said 0% working gallbladder and ultrasound in 2017 showed stones. My main concern is more burping and bloating compared to the pain. I have not yet decided to remove gallbladder as doctor is doubtful if it will fix my burping and bloating. Did you have a history for burping and bloating before the pain? Please do endoscopy before removing your gallbladder.
    • nicole16099
      nicole16099 biliarydyskines

      Posted

      Thank you for replying. I have had a history of feeling bloated, but not the burping, so I don't know if gastritis is part of my problem.  If you're gallbladder is bad, should you not have to remove it eventually? Because it does not get better. You said in 2011 it was at 0% and now you have stones, which can cause problems (not always I guess) but I've seen how sick people can get with their gallbladder sometimes and either way I don't know if I want to let it sit and get worse. 

    • biliarydyskines
      biliarydyskines nicole16099

      Posted

      I absolutely agree with you. One day for sure I need to get rid off. But I don't have a severe pain to get it removed right away, only who got removed can tell how they feel before and after surgery and how good is their digestion. I don't want to remove for pain alone, if it is the cause for burping and bloating and surgery will fix it, happy to remove...but we never know the outcome especially on the digestion part, but pain should go away for sure. Please do Post after your surgery how do you feel especially on the stomach bloating

    • biliarydyskines
      biliarydyskines nicole16099

      Posted

      Can you explain in detail on sick feeling?

      I get lot of dizziness, extreme tiredness and confusion after having fried foods plus lot of burps and bloated stomach.

    • nicole16099
      nicole16099 biliarydyskines

      Posted

      When I eat fried food or foods high in fat it make my stomach hurt and feel bloated and makes me burp and have heart burn. It also makes me have to go to the bathroom quick (sorry for the detail but it is what happens). I don't experience any of the other side effects that you are having.  Sorry I could not help more. 

  • karen_35577
    karen_35577 nicole16099

    Posted

    Yes I tend to ageee with the comments!  Experience is important as larger hospitals don't always mean better care!!  I understand your concerns but if your not totally comfortable you need to find an experienced surgeon with good references at a larger hospital! Lol.  Go with your gut feeling.  Just make sure you rule out anything else first if you don't have stones or a diseased gallbladder.  It's a tough call with gallbladder but if you have the pain attacks it's a better call on it being your gallbladder.  I have a huge gallstone but no pain attacks except sick most of the time with bloating, gas & neasea when I eat.  They won't take my out because I don't have pain?!  They aren't sure & talk about IBS & gastropresis but my gastric study was only 2% slower then normal?!  It's frustrating as you are stuck unwell & I lost 45 pounds & can't gain any being unwell.  Did you mention you had a thyroid issue?  That can be a factor?  Good luck with your decisions. 

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