Gallbladder Surgery

[WaGirl360]

I am going to see a surgion soon since I was diagnosed with gallstones.  My Dr. didn't give me any heads up what to expect.  My problem is that I have been researching it and I see that 10% of the patients that have the gallbladder removed end up with chronic diahrea.  I have had issues with my stomach hurting and diahrea for most of my life, and I dont know if this surgery will help that issue or make it worse?  Anyone have any experience you can share with me?

[CalGal]

If you have gallstones and are having some of the more 'classic' symptoms of GB issues, you have a lesser possibility of having post surgical problems. It's typically the unfortunate person with no stones, a lowered ejection fraction and no clear-cut, true diagnosis that the problem is defiinitely coming from a problematic GB that results in problems.

Have you had you ejection fraction checked? Are you experiencing pain, nausea, diarrhea/constipation, etc?

If you do have the surgery, you may want to consider staying on a low fat diet for a number of months before challenging your system with a normal diet. Many find it takes a bit of time to swing their systems back toward normal - and fatty foods can be extremely 'challenging.' Also realize that your system will not be able to process fats as it did before the surgery, so you may have to make some allowences.

[WaGirl360]

I dont even know what a lovered ejection is?  i had the ultrasound and they found a stone in the neck of my gallbladder, and yes I have the classic symptoms diarrhea then constipation, slight to moderate pain in my stomache and sever pain between my shoulder blades in my back.

[WaGirl360]

CORRECTION::   I dont know what a lowered ejection fraction ...

[CalGal]

Ejection is the amount of bile you 'eject' with each squeeze of the GB. It's measured via a test called a HIDA scan with CCK injection. That test is typically coupled with the ultrasound sound because stones are not always an indication that something is wrong. There are many people with stones that have them all their lives and have no problems at all. So most docs want to know whether any discomfort is coming from the pressure of the contracting GB on the stones, or if the stones are blocking the outlet of the bile from the GB into the common bile duct.

[CalGal]

Or perhaps I should say 'overall amount of bile ejected from the GB' when the natural hormone CCK in injected. CCK is the hormone that's produced in your body in response to foods that causes the GB to contract.