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worried about my gallstone

Posted , 8 users are following.

julie83751
julie83751

Just found out today that ive got to have my gallblader removed, only found out in october that i have a gall stone

1 like, 20 replies

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  • nick1955
    nick1955 julie83751

    Posted

    Had mine out about four years ago..piece of cake really, it's basically a day case, all done key hole(laproscopically) a very common procedure.  They now can perform it rhough one small hole rather than three  that I had. Hope the link below helps if you haven't already seen it.

    http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Laparoscopiccholecystectomy/Pages/Introduction.aspx

    Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy info:

    https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ipg346

    If you have private health the gold standard is the Davinci robot the same as removing the Prostate in men:

    http://www.davincisurgery.com/da-vinci-general-surgery/conditions/gallbladder/da-vinci-surgery.php

  • anniem100
    anniem100 julie83751

    Posted

    If it needs to be done, then it needs to. just know that a diet change may or may not be in your future. 2 people I know had it done when they were teens and have never had a problem, I need to adjust my diet even more than i have, and someone mentioned starches are a problem for many.

    good luck, i will keep you in my prayers-(big believer in the POPsmile.

    anniem100

  • jan13215
    jan13215 julie83751

    Posted

    Hi there

    Sorry to hear your news. However I wouldn't necessarily take it as read that one gallstone means automatic removal of gall bladder.  If you look on this site at other threads you'll see that the gall bladder is a very important bit of kit. Yes we can live without it but many in here have complained of bile salt malabsorption and bad often uncontrollable diarrhoea.  My own gall bladder was removed in 1995 and only because I had 8 very large stone blocking the bile duct and my gall bladder was badly diseased. ...hereditary. ...

    I would recommend you ask your consultant why they believe a cholycystectomy is necessary if it's just a question of removing one gallstone. ..if I could just have had my stones removed and hadn't had the diseased gallbladder,  then I'd have wanted to have kept it...and my surgeon would have done too. 

    Best of luck xx

  • jan13215
    jan13215 julie83751

    Posted

    Hi there

    Sorry to hear your news. However I wouldn't necessarily take it as read that one gallstone means automatic removal of gall bladder.  If you look on this site at other threads you'll see that the gall bladder is a very important bit of kit. Yes we can live without it but many in here have complained of bile salt malabsorption and bad often uncontrollable diarrhoea.  My own gall bladder was removed in 1995 and only because I had 8 very large stone blocking the bile duct and my gall bladder was badly diseased. ...hereditary. ...

    I would recommend you ask your consultant why they believe a cholycystectomy is necessary if it's just a question of removing one gallstone. ..if I could just have had my stones removed and hadn't had the diseased gallbladder,  then I'd have wanted to have kept it...and my surgeon would have done too. 

    Best of luck xx

  • fumanchu
    fumanchu julie83751

    Posted

    I have gallstones but I've decided not to have it taken out. I read too many had probs afterwards.
  • hope4cure
    hope4cure julie83751

    Posted

    Hi Julie,

     

    i am sorry to hear of the stone in UR gallbladder.they can be very painful. 

    ask UR doc if he can remove the stone another way , there r many methods if the stone is not lodged in the bile duct. Most drs prefer to remove the gallbladder  so there will not be recurrences.  Stones are usually consist of calculus in the galbladder. They can for over and over if diet is not changed & sometimes it's heredity.

    check with UR dr for other alternatives for removal, u may qualify for another method rather than removing the gallbladder.

    i had mine removed when in my early 20's, in my case it was hereditary. Since the 79's they have come a long way with different techniques to remove the stones from gallbladders 

    do a bit of homework and look up the various ways to eliminate gallstones.

    then u have enough good information to know what is right for you in your particular case to make a well informed choice.

    GOOD LUCK !

    Have a merry Xmas!

  • phoebewhite
    phoebewhite julie83751

    Posted

    Oh dear you seem to be getting very negative answers, so here is a very positive one, 1 day in 1997ish I was walking kmy dogs when all of a sudden I thought I was dying of a heart attack, I had to sit down in the middle of a field and thought 'this is it'! after a while the pain subsided and I went to the docs later that morning who said it wa almost certainly gallstones (I only had 1 as it turned out) I had my gallbladder and 1 marble sized gallstone removed about 3 months later and I haven't looked back, I don't have diarrhoea, I eat more or less what I want, I am a cheeseaholic and thought I would have to give that up but didn't, I will have cream on my Xmas pud as usual, Yes there are other ways to get rid of the stone such as zapping it with lasers but, gallstones have been known to come back after this treatment, I have never regretted having the surgery done.
    • hope4cure
      hope4cure phoebewhite

      Posted

      Everyone's experience is different as phoebe mentioned the heart attack feeling. I went thru that pain many times . Even the ER THOUGHT it was a heat attack. It wasn't it was several gallstones ca ought in the bile duct.

      i had my gallbladder removed and for years had diet issues. No fatty foods, fried foods and other issues. Finally I discovered yogurt helped keep the balance in my gut with the good bacteria. A little yogurt went a long way and stopped the constant suffering after a meal.

      no I can eat most things. It so much better than going thru gallstone attacks.

      i was very young as it took ten dr and 5 years to find the culprit. I was in my 20's in good shape so the surgery was a breeze. Today at 65 I think it could be a lot more difficult as I have other issues tha can complicate recovery. Ask UR introgastrologist about what methods r available to u for your individual case. 

      I hope u can wait wait til after Xmas. Even dr. Are gone or off on vaca over the holidays.

      Best of luck

      happy Holiday's

    • jan13215
      jan13215 phoebewhite

      Posted

      I don't think my reply was at all "negative". My reply to Julie had a lot of information on howshe can make informed choices about the way forward that will best suit her.
  • lori73442
    lori73442 julie83751

    Posted

    Julie I had mine taken out in Nov.  I got up Oct. 23 in major pain. I knew what it probablywas since my mom had it.  Found out it runs in both sides of my family.

    I was scared about going under but it was easy and the best sleep I had in years.

    The pain is bad before and after. Eat a low fat diet. Skim milk only, no dairy.  No spicey foods, or fried foods. No chocolate for awhile.  If you  need a list let me know what you can eat. Since I have been on this diet I have lost over 20 pounds.  

    It took me almost a month before I felt like myself.  When you have your surgery make sure you don't lift things.  Walk around your house as much as you can but dont over do it.

    This sight helped me a lot.  Keep us updated on how you are doing.  I started the low fat diet before I had the surgery. My surgeon wants me to stay on it for two months after surgery, but I'm loving the weight loss so I will probably for sure stay on it.

    You will have four keyhole cuts to care for.  Different places cover them differently.  Drink a lot of water now and after surgery.  You will have pain after the surgery but it worth it.  I felt really bad for weeks and then before I knew it I was myself again.

    I hope the surgery and you are back on your feet real soon.

    Lori

    • julie83751
      julie83751 lori73442

      Posted

      Yes i am realy scared about the op,i was realy shocked when they told me that they would have to take me gallbladder out only been in pain twice sofar with it but told that its inflammed so thats why they are taking it out . could you please send me a list of food that i can eat that would be great .thanks Julie 
    • lori73442
      lori73442 julie83751

      Posted

      Hi Julie! Just remember no dairy, spicey and fried foods. No ham. You can eat white fish like cod and other white fish. Chicken, turkey, cornish game hens, if you like rabbit, I don't eat rabbit. Tofu, tuna, reduced fat peanut butter, almonds, egg whites, lean beef, len vension, lowfat lunch meat, use sea salt, lowfat cookies- oreo has a reduced fat cookies, marshmallows, angel food cake, jello. Potatoes are fine to. No butter. Pork if lean but I haven't tried it. I don't eat vension. I got this list from nurses we know and they both lost their gall bladders.

      Drink a lot of water. It really does help with the pain. Bending will be hard and don't lift things. Doctor should give you a weight limit, mine was 10-15 pounds. But I couldn't even lift a galloon of milk.

      Gall bladder surgery was my second surgery. First one was a c-section to safe my daughters life, her blood pressure was dropping. I was scared for about a second and was fine.

      I was scared going under for the gall bladder but it was easy. Waking up was weird, everything was fuzzy. I could hear people talking but really couldn't see them. After awhile I was fully awake with my husband and daughter with me.

      Rest as much as you can. Walk around the house. We don't have stairs so I can't tell you what you can do if you have them. You will probably be to sore to go up and down steps.

      Almost forgot you can eat noodles with margine, I added parmaseon cheese for flavor and garlic. You can make a white sauce with skim milk. Drink skim milk, the other milk is to fatty. There is skim milk icecream out there, I have a cookie and cream that I eat. Plus jello with lite whipcream.

      Veggies and fruit are good, it depends if you can eat them. I can't eat fruit and not many veggies. Don't fry your food, bake them or boil them. Take skin off the chicken, turkey just don't eat the skin.

      Watch out for bile reflux, I didn't have it but others have. I had green poop for awhile, the extra bile has to come out some how it can come out in your poop or reflux. I already had acid reflux but since surgery I haven't had an attack.

      The surgery is about two hours. Don't plan on doing much after surgery it will take you awhile to get back on your feet. It took me almost a month. Keep someone with you for the first 24 hours after surgery. Watch your keyholes forsigns of infections, if you see signs go to your doctor or where you had your surgery right away.

      I started this diet before surgery. I'm still on it. Lost 20 pounds. My surgeon told me to stay on it for 2 months after surgey. I had my surgery Nov. 11.

      I was scared too about going under and having surgery because I have a 12 year old daughter who want get along with her dad at the time, he had left us for a week in Oct. I had my attack of gall stones Oct. 23.

      I hope this helps. You will be fine having the surgery, going under was great, best sleep I had in years. I wasn't naused afterwards, which I was surprised. Sleep on your back. I ended up sleeping in my chair a few nights. Use an ice pack to help with the pain. I slept with them on. Make sure you leave the hospital with the right information on how to take care of your keyholes, some people weren't told about the diet or how to take care of the keyholes.

      Any other questions just ask. Hang in there you will be fine. Exspect to hurting and sore for a month or more. It just depends on how fast you heal. Don't over do it, it is not worth it, trust me I learned that the hard way. I walked to the store on my own and was in major pain for a week.

      Let me know how it goes.

      Lori

    • lori73442
      lori73442 kristen54318

      Posted

      Trust me you will be fine! If you need something to calm you down the doctor can give you something.

      I sent you a message.

  • Fkd
    Fkd julie83751

    Posted

    Hi Julie

    Check with doctors about (option A) removing just the Gallstone...many options available in the market to remove stone...

    Doctors who working on "Target Base" will encourage you to remove GB dont listem to them..

    Check with doctors for stone removal first, yes it is rare operation but still available

    Removing GB is not easy on long term,plus anyone telling you it is complementary part of your body ,he is not telling you the true... please think twice

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