1. Community
  2. Liver and gallbladder
  3. Gallbladder Problems

Removing GallBladder With No Symptom Pain

Posted , 6 users are following.

anita03601
anita03601

I was diagnosed with 1 large gallstone and go back on the 8th of May to let him know if I have decided to have my gallbladder removed.

When I last went to my Dr's he told me they only remove gallbladders if you have the pain that is asscociated with it.

I just have an occassional niggle but get nausea, tiredness and a general feeling of being unwell.

Do they remove gallbladders where you have no pain as my doctor was most insistant that they don't. I didn't ask if the condition of the gallbladder was ok and don't know if they can tell that from just an ultrasound scan but will be asking more questions when I see my consultant.

 

0 likes, 18 replies

18 Replies

Next
  • debbie89808
    debbie89808 anita03601

    Posted

    Hi Anita

    I am due to have my gallbladder removed in two days but I do not have any gallstones - at least none that could be seen on an ultrasound scan.  Nevertheless I have been unable to work for 7 months due to severe pain day and night and feeling generally unwell, unable to eat without agonising pain.  A special scan called a HIDA scan discovered that my gallbladder was only working at 9% and is probably scarred and very inflammed which is what is calling the pain.  I had many niggles over the years like what you are experiencing now - 6 years ago I had a full blown attach which settled down afterwards and didn't repeat until last year but I have always had some discomfort under my ribs and sometimes tiredness for many years.  Having a stone in your gallbladder can irritate the walls of your gallbladder which will cause discomfort and the gallbladder will become inflamed.  There is also the risk that the stone can move and block one of the ducts which will cause severe pain and can cause serious consequences if not dealt with.  On the other hand there are people who have gallstones discovered by accident for other reasons who never have any problems. 

    If I were you and you are not happy with what your doctor has said, either get a second opinion or ask to see a gastroenterologist to explore your options more fully.

    Wishing you all the best

    • anita03601
      anita03601 debbie89808

      Posted

      Hi Debbie. Good luck with your op and hope everything goes well for you. My father-in-law passed away a few weeks ago and he never had his gallstone removed so there is hope. The consultant asked me for an answer the same day that he told me I had one and as I said I didn't know what to do gave me another 14 weeks to decide and to read up on it which I have done. I guess I will know more when I see him next.
  • chris91257
    chris91257 anita03601

    Posted

    I've had 2 really painful bouts with gallstones. The first time I blamed the pain on a pulled muscle but the second time I was in agony for hours. I was admitted to hospital but sent out as they couldn't do an ultra sound that night and the pain went off. I had an mri scan a couple of weeks later, met the surgeon and decided to have it removed. For me this was the best decision as I am now pain free. After following lots of discussions on this board I realise I've been really lucky, many are waiting up to a year and more to have an operation. If you get the chance to have it removed I would say take it, you dont want to be in the postition of waiting months for removal while in pain and knowing that you could have got rid of it. Good luck with your consultant x
  • Acejohnston
    Acejohnston anita03601

    Posted

    Hi Anita I too had 1 large gallstone diagnosed last October. Had similar symptoms to you and had scope and told I had gastritis. Was put on meds for that. I ate scrambled eggs a few days later and the pain from the stone started. It never went away and had my healthy gallbladder removed in December. I have been sick ever since it was removed. Yes the pain from the stone went but have had diarrhea dry wretching, vomiting horrendous nausea daily and can't eat much. It's been a nightmare. A lot of people have gallstones and no symptoms. I would suggest a endoscope first to check is your tummy inflamed before going through with the surgery. Your doctor is correct in what they are telling you. Don't have it done unless it's completely necessary. X
    • anita03601
      anita03601 Acejohnston

      Posted

      Hi,

      I have already had an endoscopy and apart from a few polyps everything else was fine. It was the ultra sound scan that showed the stone. I have been following your post and feel so sorry for what you have been through. Hoping you are feeling better soon.

    • Acejohnston
      Acejohnston anita03601

      Posted

      Thank you Anita. I wish you well in whatever decision you make. Good luck. X
  • angela72602
    angela72602 anita03601

    Posted

    I had ONE attack and that is all it took! I had my gb removed two weeks after that. Believe me, if you have a stone, more will come and attacks will happen. get that gb out...
    • Acejohnston
      Acejohnston angela72602

      Posted

      Angela was your gallbladder inflamed or did you just have the stones? Have you had any digestive issues since? X
    • chris91257
      chris91257 angela72602

      Posted

      Completely agree, why put up with pain if you dont have to. Turns out I'd had gallstones for ages - showed up on scans I'd had years before - but it wasn't mentioned to me as I hadn't complained about pain. We tend to hear from people who've had trouble when theirs has been removed but I would guess that the majority of folk who've had their gallbladders removed are symtom free now. It's the choice of the individual, suppose it depends on how painful it is.
    • Acejohnston
      Acejohnston chris91257

      Posted

      Chris was your gallbladder inflamed too or was it removed due to stones? How have you been since the operation? Any issues? I agree most people have no issues after removal and some of us do. X
    • chris91257
      chris91257 Acejohnston

      Posted

      Yes, my gallbladder was inflamed, bit of a mess is what the surgeon said. I've got Crohns and have quite a high pain threshold but couldn't cope with the pain the gallstones caused. No issues since it was removed, just relieved it's out. I feel for you, still suffering after it's been removed. I dont know if it made any difference to me but I'm permanently on anti sickness tablets because of the drugs I take for Crohns, this could be helping me but regardless, I feel so much better being rid of it.
    • angela72602
      angela72602 Acejohnston

      Posted

      No inflamation, just about 4 stones. I have always had IBS but most of us do have more diarrhea after the gb is removed. I have found the powder my dr. put me on Choylestimine 2x's a day and about 2-3 immodium every other day has helped this situation so much! I had mine out in 2004 and last year started having pain in the upper right quandrant like the ribs. Dr, said it was scar tissue.I always have adhesions with every surgery.Because of Insurance problems I can no longer see my dr. I had and in fact, he retired. So, I am looking for another one  to go to. I want confirmation of adhesions. You still have to watch what you eat. With all this; I am happy my gb is gone and no more attacks!! lol
    • Acejohnston
      Acejohnston chris91257

      Posted

      Thanks Chris. I had uc and have j pouch 20 years. Have never been as sick in my life as I have been since the gallbladder was removed. The gi doc said he has seen this before and it's very rare but it will settle in time. I haven't vomited in 10 days so am hoping I have turned a corner. Still have Absolutely horrendous nausea all day long and find it hard to eat. I had none of these symptoms prior to surgery. I have been in and out of hospital. It's been hell but I did meet a woman in hospital who went through similar who gradually got better over 6 months. Have also heard of others who have gone through the same thing or similar who have recovered from it so am hoping it will settle over the coming weeks. X
    • chris91257
      chris91257 Acejohnston

      Posted

      I hope it settles for you soon, it's no fun feeling sick all the time. I feel incredibly lucky to have had a really good surgeon. 3 years ago I had 80% of my intestines removed and a good bit of my bowel. Thankfully I didn't need a bag  - which I later found out was due to the skill of the surgeon - and have recovered really well. When I was given the option of having my gallbladder out it was the same surgeon. He explained things to me and I gladly opted for the removal. I felt fine the day after the op and haven't looked back since. My niece has uc and she has lots of gastro problems, she too has an internal pouch. I wonder if it's the uc that's causing you to feel so sick? I hope you feel better soon and things improve for you x

       

    • Acejohnston
      Acejohnston chris91257

      Posted

      Thanks Chris. It was actually the same surgeon who removed my bowel that removed my gallbladder 22 years later. He's one of the top surgeons here in Ireland. I've had scopes and have mild gastritis and some very mild inflammation in the pouch which he and the gi doc said is not the cause of Me being so sick. It's a rare side effect of gallbladder removal unfortunately. I'd do anything to have my gallbladder back but unfortunately I'm stuck like this for now and all I can do is hope it does settle down. I don't feel I will ever be the same again. Take care
Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.