What causess gallbladder dysfunction?

[tpadalino]

My 13 year old daughter just had a HIDA scan today, and the technician said that it seems to be abnormal.  We will be waiting a few days for the official results.  My question is, what causes a gallbladder to go bad?  We have been through quite an ordeal since January with her health.  This started with waht we thought was a typical case of the flu, then it went to an unexplained fever for about 10 days, then the stomach problems started.  In all she was sick for 5 weeks, and missed school most of the time, counting the 1 week vacation that fell in there she missed close to 4 weeks of school.  Could the gallbladder problem be triggered by a virus?  Now that we have an idea of what is causing the stomach problems, is it possible to put the rest of the puzzle together? Can this be triggered by a virus, possibly?  

[jennamre]

I sympathize with you, gastro problems run in my family...many gallbladders out and IBS.
Did you get a totally complete work up at a gastro specialist?  She has no stones in gallbladder or anywhere else?  Did she have an ultra sound in ducts?  You need someone to check out everything.  Have they ruled out stones?  Does pain wake her at night?
Is pain lower right side?  Night/lower right is stones.  back pain?  You need to have her thoroughly checked out with all tests for digestive system.  Does she have IBS?

[tpadalino]

Since the HIDA scan yesterday she has been having terrible URQ pain, and nausea.  I don't know what to do for her.  I have been watching what she eats, making sure that she stays away from anything that might aggravate it.  This has been going on since January, and she has missed much school.  I have had a truancy officer at my door despite the Doctors notes that I have provided.  Today she is screaming in pain again.  I don't know what to do at this point. Any suggestions?

[jennamre]

My son had 14 small stones by age 19 and had gallbladder removed.  If she does not have stones, I would try anything to save the gallbladder if i was you.  We got six opionions and all of them said to remove the gallbladder due to small dangerous stones which could end up in other places including pancreas.  He passed one stone with great pain and problems.
If she has NO STONES, i would get many opinions on how to help her get back a healthier gallbladder.  My son had a very healthy body but a very troublesome gallbladder.  It runs in my family.  As I said, he had stones.  He started getting attacks at 15 but we didn't know it was gallbladder until age 19...it got worse.  I would see a nutritional expert and a good gastro doctor and try and get her on a healthy food plan.

[GhostOf1901]

The short answer is yes, it could. However, not enough studies have been done on this to really make it conclusive. Another possibility is an autoimmune disorder, but again, not a lot a research. The gallbladder's seen as such a "throw away" organ that no one's willing to put much money into finding out what causes biliary dyskinesia.

I've been using acupuncture myself to see if I could rehabilitate the organ. I believe I'm seeing some positive direction in this (heartburn has greatly diminished, no URQ pain, bowel movements have become more regular) but won't know for sure until I get another HIDA/CCK done at the end of the year to see whether there's been progress.