Gallbladder Problems? (1 Viewer)

I've recently has a blood test that indicates I may have gallbladder disease. This morning I had an ultrasound. I hope by tomorrow to have the results.I gather having the gallbladder removed is a much simpler surgery than it used to be. My neighbor and his wife had had theirs removed. The wife more recently, and she wasn't in the hospital overnight.Anyone here on the forum had any experience with this? I'd love to read about it.

My GOD!, We are getting old, ain't we, Johnny,

Been hospitalized over a dozen times and have had at least that many with something similar, Kidney Stones. both suck! Good luck!

Almost had my gallbladder removed about seven years ago. Ultrasound showed "sludge" in the ducts. Thankfully turned out to be nothing.Unlike your appendix, gallbladder removal is a bit more major and though it's not necessary for life, it does help. Has something to do with liver function and other things to keep you going. Sorry that sounds so vague, will have to get out my anatomy books to give you a better answer.Unless your doctors have positive proof there is an issue, it's better to keep all your original parts. A blood test can show a possible problem, no need to rush into surgery when it could literally turn out to be no problem at all.

Stan, if the ultra sound indicated a problem, how was it determined that there was no problem?

Johnny Angell said:

Stan, if the ultra sound indicated a problem, how was it determined that there was no problem?

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I had an ultrasound on my gall bladder years ago that was inconclusive, so they followed it up with a CT scan. Thankfully turned out to be nothing.

My grandmother had her gall bladder removed over 40 years ago and it was considered major surgery. My neighbor had his removed last year laparoscopically and they sent him home the same day. Crazy...

Johnny - For what it's worth, a coworker had to have his gall bladder out about 3 weeks ago because he had some stones and his bladder had become very infected. The surgery was an outpatient laparoscopy and his recovery time until he was released to come back to work was about 2 weeks. The only diet / lifestyle change he is adjusting to is his doctor said he may be a bit intolerant of fatty fried foods now.

Thanks, Clinton, for that information. The trend of info does seem to indicate the surgery should be routine and I should be fine without a gallbladder.

I was talking to an acquaintance and she said she had her gallbladder out 30 years ago and regretted it then, as she had problems living without it. She then went to say that's it different for an older (that's me) person. Old farts do fine without the damn thing.

Now my update: My doctor's office called and told me the results of the ultrasound, I have gallstones. Surgery is recommended. I am now waiting for the surgeon's office to call to setup a consultation appointment.

Well, I've always said that higher mileage vehicles require more maintenance.

Sam Posten said:

Been hospitalized over a dozen times and have had at least that many with something similar, Kidney Stones. both suck! Good luck!

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I've had kidney stones too, so far just one occurrence. It was the worst pain i've ever felt.

I had my gall bladder taken out a few years ago, due to gall stones. Surgery was nothing. Recovery included soreness for just a few days, and more pain sitting than standing or lying down. No lifestyle changes were suggested.

A buddy of mine had his gall bladder out a couple of years ago, and doesn't seem much worse for wear. Good luck!

My father's kidney stones manifested in me as gout. Basically it's kidney stones in your foot joints. When it first happened, I thought I'd woken up with a broken foot! Good lord, did that hurt.

My stepfather had his gall bladder out a few years ago. It was just a fairly quick, outpatient procedure, done laproscopically. Home right after, just a little soreness.

Quite different from my uncle who had his out in the 1980's, was in the hospital for days, and has a huge scar to prove it.

Keep those "it's no big deal" cards and letters comin' folks. I makes me feel better. I now have a consultation appt with the surgeon on the 22nd.

Johnny Angell said:

Stan, if the ultra sound indicated a problem, how was it determined that there was no problem?

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They were actually screening me for other issues, all of which turned out fine.

Ultrasound is often used as a very "cheap" test to look for things. If there are problems, then it goes further, into CT scans, MRIs, etc.Ultrasound is useful, but very limited in what it can truly show. Even X-rays, MRIs and others can miss things. I tore my rotator cuff about five years ago, scans showed it would take one quick surgery, repair things and I'd be fine. Three surgeries and ten months of physical therapy and I was fine, but the scans and pictures didn't show nearly how bad things were. Not until the surgeon was inside the joint, did he realize it would be a major repair.

The surgery was yesterday and everything went routinely (so far as I can remember). However like the mythological god with a hammer, I am a little Thor.

In recent years, I've been put under three times. Once for that procedure where they use sound waves to shatter kidney stones, and twice for a bunionectomy on each foot. In none of those procedures was a awake while they wheeled m through hallways into the operating room (at least I don't remember it). They put me out before any of that happened.

Yesterday though, I was wide awake while being wheeled to the surgery room on a gurney. The world looks different laying down on a gurney watching hospital staff make way and doors being opened automatically.

The surgery room had these large sets of lights (which I presume to be led's since the room wasn't warm.) The anesthesiologist told me he was giving me a squirt of something to relax me and shortly thereafter said he was going to put me out. I started to countdown from 100 and the last number I'm positive I remember is 98.

Every time I've been put under I've tried to see if I can remember the moment. Nope, can't do it. One moment you're awake, the next someone is saying wake up Johnny.

One thing that I noticed was that every single hospital personnel I had interaction with was so pleasant and wanted to help me. Did I need help getting to the restroom? No problem, as many times as you want. I did need help even before the surgery because I already had a bag of ringers fluids hooked up to me. Can I have some more apple juice? Of course you can. This even included the fellow who checked me in on the first floor.

I think that was important, because even though this was routine surgery, there's really no such thing. Risk is involved and my mind was eased by the friendly attitude at St. Vincents in Little Rock.

I've got a followup appointment with the surgeon, but this episode in my life is nearly over. Just have to get over the pain, which isn't bad, and I've got some "happy" medication to take to ease me through.