GALLBLADDER SURGERY

[angelsummers]

I am set to have my gallbladder removed on 10/1/07 and have some concerns if it is the right choice or not. I had a HIDA scan a few weeks ago that came back with a 9% ejection rate. I have consulted my Gastro doc who said my gallbladder needs to come out, I also consulted with the surgeon that is performing the surgery and he said it needs to come out, and lastly I got a second surgical opinion from the Dept Head of surgery of one of my local Hospitals and I was told my gallbladder needs to come out.

I have no gallstones per ultrasound done in Feb. 07 and have had a Cat Scan,Colonoscopy,and Upper GI and all were normal except for an internal hemmorrid found during the colonoscopy. Blood test for Celiac disease was negative and was tests for H-Pylori. I do have Reflux disease and am on Aciphex for that and it seems to help.

I have recurrent upper right and left side abdominal pain, nausea, altered bowel movements(more constipation lately than the Big D). I have read so many horror stories of people having their gallbladder out and the symptoms stay the same or worse. I need some advice from my fellow sufferers. What would U do???

[Avas Mom]

OK please get it out. Its the best thing you will ever do. My mom waited forever to get hers out and one day she passed out in her car and was taking to the e.r. and was in icu for days and she almost died bcuz her gallbladder had leaked out the toxic fluids or w/e is in there(i should know i had mine out too) but anyway i didnt have any probs with mine til after i had my baby. Xmas day i had my first attack and i waited about a month and when i was admitted to the hosp. the dr. performed all the sono's and things and said he didnt want to take it out.I told him if he doesnt ill be back in a week cuz im not gonna live with that pain again( i was having attacks weekly) so he finally took it out and i had sum pains afterwards that felt like an attack was coming on but not nearly as bad. And those only lasted a few months. I rarely feel any pain and when/if i do it doesnt compare to an attack.(I also did not have stones, i just had a gallbladder in bad shape)

[VanillaBeanGonzo]

My doctor today told me even though my Hida scan came out at 40%...I am in pain and like JayBay..anything makes me blow up like a balloon and he thinks it best if my GB be removed. I am seeing a surgeon on the 11th to get this surgery scheduled!

[Jaybay]

Some people have luck managing a poorly-functioning, diseased gallbladder for some time by modifying their diet - basically no fat, and low protein.  I had the same situation as you, but my ejection fraction was closer to normal.  I couldn't eat anything and hurt all the time.  If I so much as drank a glass of juice I'd blow up like a balloon and be flat on my back for hours.  It turned out I had no stones, but the gallbladder was diseased and ready to rupture.  On top of that, the infection caused scar tissue (adhesions) to form that blocked off several loops of small intestine.  

There is a reason your gallbladder is not functioning.  It's the same reason you are experiencing your symptoms.  There is a reason three doctors have told you it needs to come out.  You're doing the right thing.