Should I let them take my gall bladder?

[Mysfyt]

On New Year's Day we ate a disgustingly fatty meal of chicken cordeon bleu with EXTRA hollandaise sauce smothering it, and greasy rostaed potatoes which had way too much olive oil on them.  I of course, piggy as usual, had to have a second ehaping portion.  20 minutes later, a sharp excruciating pain hit me in the upper right abdomen right under my rib cage. It radiated to the center of my chest where it burned, and into my back.  

I went to ER and they couldn't diagnose me.  They said my amylase level was elevated but my gall bladder showed as being VERY contracted on the CT Scan and they couldn't see anything - so they sent me home and said to fast and go see doc next day.

I never made it to my doctor 3 days later (they couldn't see me right away,) because I ended up at the ER again.  This time, all I'd had was a glass of soda to keep my blood sugar up.  I picked up my 30 lb. toddler and was carrying him to the car when the pain hit like a knife and felt like someone had put a belt around my entire upper abdomen and back and put it to the very tightest notch. I couldn't move!  I thought I was dying.  I called my husband who came to get me out of the car.  It was the scariest, and much more excruciating than anything I'd ever felt (even giving birth!)

The ER did an ultrasound, EKG, and x-ray and said they couldn't find anything. They gave me pain meds, told me to take Prilosec and off I went.

I got to my doc the next day and he got me into the gastroenterologist 1 hour later.  The gastro sent me for a HIDA Scan.  During the scan, the techs were whispering and saying "Wow...that's strange."  The test took 4x longer than one I had had in 2003.  Back in 2003 they'd told me I had the fastest digestive system they'd ever seen and the test was done very quickly.  This time, they told me I was taking a long time to move the radioactive material and that my gall bladder wasn't showing up well.  Thy kept whispering and pointing and I was getting nervous.  After the nurse came with the CCK, they left the room, still chatting about me.  I was a nervous wreck.

3 days later I hadn't heard anything. I called office and doc called back.  Apparently the slow reporting people at the imaging lab didn't think it was a rush!  Finally my doc called to tell me that my gall bladder is malfunctioning and that it is only ejecting at an 18% rate.  He said it will ned to come out, as an elective surgery.  He also still has me scheduled to get my endoscopy because he thinks I may also have an ulcer. The acid reflux has been insane since the first attack!

I'm on vacation now and worried "sick."  I've cut out 80% of the fat in my diet, am still having some pain, and can't stop thinking that my poor sickly gall bladder may just be going through a bad time and will get better.  

Do gall bladders malfunction for any particular reason?  Is it hereditary?  My mother who doesn't drink) gets pancreatitis, and frequent attacks if she eats fats like butter or milk in excess.)  I've never had a problem with eating fats.  In fact, I did Atkins Diet for 3 years about 12 years ago and had no issues.  Hmmm.. could that have burned out my gall bladder?

Can a gall bladder malfunction be caused my medications?  Could it just be overly sensitive now that I'm 35, or since I've gained so much weight (211 lbs. on a 5' 2" frame,) or maybe it got kicked too much by my son when I was pregnant 2 years ago?

Can it get better?  Is removing it my only option, or can I change my diet or try some alternative medicine?  I'd hate to have to lose an organ!  I want to save it!  Maybe this is a temporary thing for it?  Has anyone ever permanently staved off surgery with some lifestyle alterations?  18% doesn't seem THAT severe that I should give up on the poor thing... (I'm rather attached to my body parts.)

Thanks,
-Tiffany (Mysfyt)

[babygirl6152]

Take it out- you will have bowel movements maybe a little watery for a few days- weeks. that's it- just keep close to a restroom. I feel wonderful now.

18% ejection is not great but it is not terrible. I think 35 is normal.

[beldin44]

I have had my gallbladder removed laproscopically and it was the best thing I ever did.  I have had no major problems and the surgery was very easy with almost no recuperation time.  I highly recommend it if you need it.  Hope this helps.

[sillyvixen]

i had my gallbladder removed 3 years ago - it only really played up a couple of times!! it made me go yellow and had to have several endoscopic proceedures to stent and remove the obstruction. when i eventually had surgery i had to have an open proceedure as my gall bladder was broken down and gangreenous and had adhered to my liver and bowel and caused absesses i also had a degree of peritionitus and my apendix had to be removed as it was showing signs of distress. if left another few weeks my gallbladder could have killed me- having it removed was the best thing i ever did.

[Cakedecr8r]

Hello, I can't help responding after reading your story. It is all too similar to mine. I am a 29 year old female and had my gallbladder removed almost 7 years ago. I also had the High Density Gallbladder scan and the techs kept looking at me. I was a nervous wreck as you. The results were an only 3% functioning gallbladder (the worst that they had ever seen). Most likely the reason for the looks and whispering. They were probably amazed that I was still ticking. Anyways, prior to the surgery I had tried EVERYTHING to try and save my gallbladder...from acupuncture to the liver/gallbladder flush by drinking olive oil and grapefuit juice (really disgusting, but I was desperate to avoid going under the knife). In the end the gallbladder surgery saved my life because I couldn't even eat I was in so much pain. Now I am currently anticipating an appendectomy because my appendix is flaring up 7 years later. I wish that they would have taken that too at the same time. Also I do believe that this is a hereditary condition. My grandmother and cousin had to have the same operation. Mysfyt...I wish you the best of luck because I know how miserable it is. Don't wait too long to get help. When I woke up in recovery....that awful pain was gone and I was so relieved.

[worrywart3069]

Do you feel any pressure in the throat like lumps or the ceing pain I have this and not sure what it is

[crambone]

it can get better,but you got to watch all that stuff is connected,and if it needs to come out and you dont do it,,,it can cause pancreas problems!,,and you do not want that.
you never want them to take something out,as it cannot go back,but at least you can live without a gullbladder,it messes the pancreas up,and thats another story.
no stones?,,,i think it could get better,like your already doing,watch your food,lifing exct,,but if you sontinue to have miserable bouts like that,get it out!,,problem is 80% of people who get it out,STILL HAVE THE PAIN!!!...so just keep that in mind!!