Living with Gallstones….Advice

Amy: Sorry hear that you are going through this. I think you are currently at a place where many of us who discovered we had gallstones and were experiencing attacks found ourselves ........ that is, trying to find a way to avoid surgery.

I suffered sporadic attacks, each differing in length, initially I did not know the cause, but during an ultrasound gallstones were found. Progressively the attacks got worse, despite trying hard to watch everything I ate. My worst attack (last one I had before surgery) was caused by the tiniest slither of avocado, and that one made me pass out. All of the time I was anxious about eating or drinking for fear of another attack - my quality of life was being affected and things like socialising with friends over lunch or dinner became a no no. It can become quite isolating trying to cope with it.

I read a lot, did a great deal of research and spoke with various medics, a couple of whom were friends. They all, without fail, told me that I would just be delaying the inevitable by not having it removed and that it was far safer to have the surgery whilst it was uncomplicated, a non emergency and I was healthy. The surgery is typically more straightforward for the surgeon and recovery easier for the patient if carried out by elective surgery. This made sense because I recalled reading about situations when people had put off surgery and subsequently been admitted as an emergency for surgery with potentially life threatening symptoms. Additionally, the chances of requiring open surgery, rather than the less invasive key hole, are increased for more complicated cases.

So I saw a surgeon, discussed it all, and I went ahead with the surgery. That was almost 2 years ago and it all went really well. I healed well, and can now barely even see the tiny incision scars. I got my life back and I I suffered no negative after effects from surgery. I was really anxious prior to surgery, having read so many negative stories, and could've quite easily talked myself out of it, but I didn't, and I'm glad I didn't, because that awful anxiety I had about what I could eat and when the next attack might strike has gone, and life is normal again. Had I not had the surgery, I am sure that the situation would have become progressively worse.

I am not sure if there are any 'golden tips' to be had, but I wish you luck, and hope that by sharing my experience it has reassured you in some small way. Not all outcomes from this surgery are negative, it just seems like it because people with negative experiences seem more likely to comment about them than those who had positive experiences.

unless u can face a fat free life best to have it out !