Gallbladder problems, maybe

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by jannieC

I've tried ALL the gas meds- Gas-Ex, Mylanta, I even bought some Beano. Nothing is relieving it. My doctor said that I should not still be suffering 10 weeks into WW. Eh, I don't know. This ultrasound is the end of the line for me. If it doesn't show anything, I'm going to have to wait until I have a better job with benefits. SUCKS.


Thank you all for your support. Look- it's post #1000 for me!

( I had "pot" #1000, instead of "post". oy)

I understand how you feel. It does suck to have something like this for so long. I hope everything works out.

And congrats on your posting milestone.

[jannieC]

Originally Posted by Brad

I've never had the surgery myself, but have watched it countless times...

It wouldn't surprise me if it's the most common surgery performed next to say c-sections and hysterectomies. It's pretty routine surgery, now done almost exclusively laparascopically...meaning they punch 3 very small holes in your abdomen. One is near your navel, and that's where the camera goes in. The other two are in your right upper abdomen, near your gallbladder. That's where they put in the instruments to isolate the gallbladder from the liver, clip the ducts, and remove it. All that with just tiny scars. Now, sometimes they can get in there and things may be a huge mess...such as scar tissue or the anatomy may be in such a way that it is very difficult for the surgeons to see anything with the camera. In that case, they'll have to go ahead and cut a regular incision into the abdomen and remove the gallbladder that way. But out of the say 20 gallbladder removals I've seen, I think I only saw them do that once.

Your symptoms sound like they could be gallbladder. Many, many people have gallstones (cholelithiasis) alone (most common are overweight/obese women over 40, although anyone can get them). If there are no symptoms or signs of obstruction, typically nothing is done. I think you can have laser treatment to break the stones up, but you're probably just going to reform them later anyway.

But sometimes the stones can get stuck in a duct and cause blockage (biliary colic). With that you typically will experience crampy right upper abdominal pain that comes and goes and is worse after meals, especially those high in fat. The gallbladder can also become infected (cholecystitis)if a stone is blocking the duct, and this causes severe, steady right upper abdominal pain, fever, high white blood cell count, and abnormal liver enzymes. In either case, the gallbladder is almost always taken out to prevent further complications. Your liver is actually what makes bile (the gallbladder just helps to store it) and it will continue to do so even after the gallbladder is gone. It (the liver) also has a duct that feeds the bile to your small intestines, so there is no problem with not having enough bile get into your system.

Anyway, I rambled on and on basically to say...if it is gallbladder, don't worry too much about it! It's very common and very routine surgery. If you have surgery you'll be fine in a day or two!

Sorry for the rather verbose response. But I'm actually being unleashed into the real world of medicine July 1 when residency starts, and I figure I may as well start practicing now!

Oh, and on edit: if it is anything to do with the gallbladder (any of the things I mentiones above), the ultrasound will find it!

Brad

Wow, thank you Brad. I look at your post as free medical advice, and I'm all for that.

[Livia]

Dr. Brad! Paging Dr. Brad! Wow, that was lots of useful info!

Good luck, girl, keep us posted!

[Ghosty]

If it's not gallbladder, it could be your appendix. I mean, it might not be. But just keep an eye out, and maybe look up symptoms online on a good medical website. My husband had what the doctors kept telling him was gas. For months. Then he finally ended up in the emergency room with his appendix about to burst. They got it removed just barely in time. Then I have also heard some people have trouble with their gallbladder but might not need it removed. Look up websites about it - sometimes avoiding certain foods and eating certain other foods can help it, if it hasn't gone too far.

Anyone with other stomach or intestinal problems, I read to eat an apple a day. It's suppose to be good for so many things, including gastrointestinal problems. It's like the old saying of an apple a day keeps the doctor away - lol! But I heard it's also good for helping with blood sugar, keeping it not too high and not too low. And all kinds of good things about an apple a day.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by jannieC

Wow, thank you Brad. I look at your post as free medical advice, and I'm all for that.

No problem! Hope you get some answers soon!

[estranged4life]

Originally Posted by jannieC

I'm having an ultrasound this morning to see if I have a problem with my gallbladder. Nothing to eat or drink after midnight last night and if you know anything about me, you'd know I can't live without my morning coffee. I'm so thirsty now, it's insane. Anyway- has anyone ever had gallbladder problems? Surgery?

my wife Deb had her gallbladder removed in early 2003...It was really an easy procedure, A "Lapscotomy" (Probably spelt it wrong...aka laparascopical), she was out of the hospital the same day as the procedure.

She was put under anesthesia, had 3 small incisions made and the gall bladder was removed through those incisions...Really wasnt as painful as compared to the older way a gall bladder was removed (Which was through a large open incision, Which was very risky for infection)

Oh well, Just saw Brad's post...That is exactly how it is done.

Kinda odd, But my Dr thought I was having gall bladder/gall stone problems...Turns out I have some residual effects in my back from the unknown neurological problems I am still suffering (Have an appt on the 31st to see if the MRI can finally be performed to determine what is the cause of the "abnormal" CT scan I had.)

Good luck with your ultrasound!!!

[Violet]

I had my gallbladder out about 15 years ago. The laperoscopic procedure for it was pretty new then, I think, and I actually had to stay over night in the hospital. I had it done the day before thanksgiving and was back to work the following monday. Pain from the surgery wasn't too bad.

As for the pain from the gallstones themselves, worst I've EVER had. At the time I compared it to someone taking a broom handle and shoving it through my stomach (actually right below my sternum). It radiated all the way to my back. I've never given birth, but I've spoken to people who have had both gallstones and given birth (not at the same time ) and said that the pain from gallstones was worse than giving birth. Even though it's been 15 years I can still vividly remember the pain. I actually went to the ER one night before I got a diagnosis. I remember that rocking back and forth seemed to help a tiny bit, and someone suggested that movement might stop the stones from blocking the duct.

Anyway, good luck with it. I hope you find out soon what it is. Now that I think about it, I had both an ultrasound and upper GI, and I THINK they saw the stones on the ultrasound. OT, but I have a CAT scan scheduled Saturday to see if I have kidney stones.

Good luck...
Carol

[jannieC]

I have had a week from HELL and it's only Wednesday. Can I share?

The day before yesterday I had to go to the doctor because I have a really bad infected ingrown toenail (I know, sorry- but that's part of what makes my week so hellish- I couldn't leave that out.). In addition to that, I pulled a muscle in my back, and could hardly walk. So, I went to the doctor and she gave me an antibiotic for the toe and a shot of demerol/phenergan for the back (yay). While I was there, she pulled my results from my ultrasound the week before and told me that not only do I have gallstones, but my gallbladder isn't functioning properly. So, they're scheduling me for surgery next week and I have no medical insurance!!!! How's your week going?

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by jannieC

I have had a week from HELL and it's only Wednesday. Can I share?

oh my lord. I'm so sorry. Here's a positive...at least you know and they are going to take care of it and HOPEFULLY you will feel a zillion times better. As far as insurance goes...yeah, that's a bitch. Have you thought about getting it on your own? I know that can be quite pricey too. If all else fails, put it on your credit card...there's not a lot you can do.

[estranged4life]

Originally Posted by jannieC

I have had a week from HELL and it's only Wednesday. Can I share?

The day before yesterday I had to go to the doctor because I have a really bad infected ingrown toenail (I know, sorry- but that's part of what makes my week so hellish- I couldn't leave that out.). In addition to that, I pulled a muscle in my back, and could hardly walk. So, I went to the doctor and she gave me an antibiotic for the toe and a shot of demerol/phenergan for the back (yay). While I was there, she pulled my results from my ultrasound the week before and told me that not only do I have gallstones, but my gallbladder isn't functioning properly. So, they're scheduling me for surgery next week and I have no medical insurance!!!!

to all the medical problems yer sufferin'...Just hang in there ok? Sucks about the no medical insurance (I am forever thankful, that as a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, I have health coverage.)

Also, doesnt phenergan burn like a #$%^&* ???? It may lessen the pain, but that stuff hurts like hell when it is injected....A few weeks ago the nurse gave me another shot of it in my hip and I lept off the ground cause my ass was in flames!

Originally Posted by jannieC

How's your week going?

About the same as yours...****ty as usual, but at least for about 10 minutes yesterday it was great (Finally found a near-mint CD of Pretty Boy Floyd's "Leather Boyz with Electric Toyz" for $4.99!!! The damn thing usually sells online for about $29.99+ in used condition) now that it's obviously another day this week is back to suckin' the big one.

[Livia]

I'm so sorry to hear about your health problems! That sucks...maybe the hospital can work out a payment plan with you?

As for my week - I have to take my car back to the mechanic (after spending over $300 on it last week). They thought only one hose needed to be replaced, but I'm still leaking power steering fluid from the other hose.

And I have a raccoon living in my attic. More $$$ to get rid of it and patch the hole it has chewed through my chimney.

Want more? My cat keeps eating grass and throwing up all over my living room carpet. I had 3 barf spots to scrub this morning.

None of it compares to what you're going through, my dear. But thanks for letting me hijack your thread and vent. Good luck to you w/ the surgery - let us know how it goes. Demerol? Goooood!!!

[skcin]

Originally Posted by jannieC

I have a really bad infected ingrown toenail (I know, sorry- but that's part of what makes my week so hellish- I couldn't leave that out.). In addition to that, I pulled a muscle in my back, and could hardly walk.

Wow. You must have looked pretty hot.

Sorry about the health stuff, it really sucks. But you WILL get through it and you WILL pay it off & you'll feel a whole hell of a lot better when all this is resolved.

[jannieC]

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

oh my lord. I'm so sorry. Here's a positive...at least you know and they are going to take care of it and HOPEFULLY you will feel a zillion times better.

Jason, in a way I was SO relieved to know what the hell my problem IS. It really explains why so much of my life has been wrapped up in stomach pain. I can't believe I never looked into it while I had insurance. Actually, a couple of years ago, my husband had to rush me to the ER because of horrendous stomach pains. Basically, the doctor treated me like an idiot and told me I had acid reflux. Looking back, I'm sure it was a gallbladder attack and I HAD insurance back then. What pisses me off is that I've had years of stomach pain since then. Anyway.

Originally Posted by estranged4life

Also, doesnt phenergan burn like a #$%^&* ???? It may lessen the pain, but that stuff hurts like hell when it is injected....A few weeks ago the nurse gave me another shot of it in my hip and I lept off the ground cause my ass was in flames!

Hell yes it burns! But I have to do it or else I'm really nauseous. I'd rather be anything than nauseous.

Originally Posted by Livia

I'm so sorry to hear about your health problems! That sucks...maybe the hospital can work out a payment plan with you?

They are working a payment plan out with me, I'll probably be paying for the next 30 years, but whatever.

Originally Posted by skcin

Wow. You must have looked pretty hot.

Omg, you are hilaroius, but it's so true.

I'm actually pretty close with my doctor, who just found out she was pregnant. I was like, Heather- don't even LOOK at my toe if it's going to make you lightheaded!

Thanks to all you guys- I'm feeling better about it, now that the shock has worn off. I'm meeting with the specialist on Friday and will probably have the surgery Monday or Tuesday of next week.

[skcin]

Will the procedure be laproscopic?

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by jannieC

Jason, in a way I was SO relieved to know what the hell my problem IS.

at least, like you said, your problem will be corrected and you will feel so much better. do you have any idea how much the total cost will be? take care of yourself please so we can do this again. oh wait, that's Stevie's line.