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Gall bladder and hepatitis
Hi, Medhelpers! I'm in Buenos Aires and we are having a heat wave. Man, is it hot! Whew!!!
I got to see the head hepatologist at one of the big public hospitals here last week. Very nice and knowledgable guy, quite different from the screwballs at my own hospital. Many people here have told me that the public hospitals are better than the private ones, and I am beginning to believe it.
This head honcho, Dr. Frider, told me among other things that I ought to have my gall bladder removed as I have stones. He says that the gall bladder is a danger for hepatitics because once you've got cirrhosis the operation to remove it can cause decompensation. So he says I should have it removed now rather than later, when it might be too late. He also said I can have another liver biopsy done at the same time.
This seems to make sense to me, but I wanted to check with people here in the forum about it. Anyone have knowledge or experience with gall bladder problems, or preventative gall bladder surgery?
Any helpful comments will be greatly appreciated.
Cheers!
Mike
I got to see the head hepatologist at one of the big public hospitals here last week. Very nice and knowledgable guy, quite different from the screwballs at my own hospital. Many people here have told me that the public hospitals are better than the private ones, and I am beginning to believe it.
This head honcho, Dr. Frider, told me among other things that I ought to have my gall bladder removed as I have stones. He says that the gall bladder is a danger for hepatitics because once you've got cirrhosis the operation to remove it can cause decompensation. So he says I should have it removed now rather than later, when it might be too late. He also said I can have another liver biopsy done at the same time.
This seems to make sense to me, but I wanted to check with people here in the forum about it. Anyone have knowledge or experience with gall bladder problems, or preventative gall bladder surgery?
Any helpful comments will be greatly appreciated.
Cheers!
Mike
Hi! How's life?
Yeah, I'm working on getting as much info as possible re the gall bladder thing. I don't even know if I could talk my hopsital into removing it, so there's plenty of time to see about other options. A friend told me just yesterday that some people have had their gall bladder stones removed my laser surgery. That sure sounds like the way to go.
Today my hospital sprung a new one on me: they want me to have a bone marrow punture, apparently to see why my hgb is so high. I don't like the sound of this at all. Like, are they just using me for practicing their procedures? From boredom or something?
Any way, do you know anything about bone marrow? I don't know diddly.
Mike
Yeah, I'm working on getting as much info as possible re the gall bladder thing. I don't even know if I could talk my hopsital into removing it, so there's plenty of time to see about other options. A friend told me just yesterday that some people have had their gall bladder stones removed my laser surgery. That sure sounds like the way to go.
Today my hospital sprung a new one on me: they want me to have a bone marrow punture, apparently to see why my hgb is so high. I don't like the sound of this at all. Like, are they just using me for practicing their procedures? From boredom or something?
Any way, do you know anything about bone marrow? I don't know diddly.
Mike
I've gotten my IBS pretty much under control, by changing my diet and using Miopropan (don't know the U.S. name) once in a while. I changed my diet considerably, to good effect. I still have diarrhea attacks once or twice a month, but it's always because I didn't eat right or at the wrong time. I'm also a very stressed person and that makes it worse.
Yes, they did all the possible tests on me, and they all came back negative. The gastros decided it was due to nerves, improper diet, and diverticulos. Can't do much about the nerves or the diverticulos, but diet change has helped a lot.
I agree that the tests do not jibe. My MELD is high mostly because of my low platelets. But most of my other blood scores are normal (hgb a little high, and transaminases high and going higher). Maybe I've got onbe lobe F2 and the other F3. Seems pretty likely.
BTW, I saw a hematologist today to get an opinion on doing a phlebotomy to get my hgb down so I can get into that trial in New York in March, when they'll be opening it up again. Get this: the hematologist gave me an order for a bone marrow punction! She didn't explain exactly why she wanted it, but it has something to do with my high hgb (16 to 17). I'm kinda scared, as I know nothing about bone marrow punctions, except that they'll be giving me a general anesthetic, so it must be pretty painful. I guess it's some sort of biopsy. I wonder how long it takes to recuperate???
Have you got any info on this? All I know is that someone oin the forum told me to be careful about anesthesia because some of the drugs they use can dammage the liver. Frankly, the whole thing freaks me out. I didn't think my hgb was that high.
I'm going to try and get my GP at the hospital to enquire why they want this bone puncture done. I wish I'd never gone to see that hematologist [grin].
Mike
Yes, they did all the possible tests on me, and they all came back negative. The gastros decided it was due to nerves, improper diet, and diverticulos. Can't do much about the nerves or the diverticulos, but diet change has helped a lot.
I agree that the tests do not jibe. My MELD is high mostly because of my low platelets. But most of my other blood scores are normal (hgb a little high, and transaminases high and going higher). Maybe I've got onbe lobe F2 and the other F3. Seems pretty likely.
BTW, I saw a hematologist today to get an opinion on doing a phlebotomy to get my hgb down so I can get into that trial in New York in March, when they'll be opening it up again. Get this: the hematologist gave me an order for a bone marrow punction! She didn't explain exactly why she wanted it, but it has something to do with my high hgb (16 to 17). I'm kinda scared, as I know nothing about bone marrow punctions, except that they'll be giving me a general anesthetic, so it must be pretty painful. I guess it's some sort of biopsy. I wonder how long it takes to recuperate???
Have you got any info on this? All I know is that someone oin the forum told me to be careful about anesthesia because some of the drugs they use can dammage the liver. Frankly, the whole thing freaks me out. I didn't think my hgb was that high.
I'm going to try and get my GP at the hospital to enquire why they want this bone puncture done. I wish I'd never gone to see that hematologist [grin].
Mike
Thank you, Trish, for all your good words and kind thoughts. It means a lot to me, more than you can imagine, that I now have such good friends as you and the other nice people in the forum who try to help me. I could not have made it this far in one piece if it weren't for you.
Michael
Michael
I would think that there might be a risk of gallstone getting into the cyctic duct of common bile duct. I would think that would cause some real problems with the liver. If they know you have the stones, then maybe they can watch them. By all accounts I have heard, you'll know it if the stones start to move or the gall bladder itself gets diseased. Maybe it is better not to remove it until that occurs, but listen to the doctor on that one because I have no idea how much or how fast a clogged duct could affect the liver.
They took my GB out with the liver during transplant. I can't say I have missed it in the least. Maybe I fart a little more! :-)
Good luck to ya, buddy!
They took my GB out with the liver during transplant. I can't say I have missed it in the least. Maybe I fart a little more! :-)
Good luck to ya, buddy!
just google gall bladder removal side effects for more info about it.
as for treating, how do you feel about treating with the new drugs in about a year? this would up your SVR % to around 80+ %. And most likely a shorter course of tx with telaprevir.
as for treating, how do you feel about treating with the new drugs in about a year? this would up your SVR % to around 80+ %. And most likely a shorter course of tx with telaprevir.
See what you can find out about he possibility of dissolution of stones by some other method. Personally, I am for leaving this earth with as many of my parts and pieces as possible. On the other hand, I have had several in-laws who had gall bladders removed with no later problems whatsoever. Makes you wonder why some parts are there if there removal doesn't change your life at all.
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