Is 3:10 in the morning and I just got home from the ER. Last night I suddenly developed severe stomach pains and Mrs. OBBN took me to the ER. I thought I had food poisoning as I ate at Streak and Shake about an hour before (Wisconsin Buttery and a double order of fries:D). The doctor ran some blood test and found my liver enzymes to be elevated. He then ordered an ultrasound where he discovered a large (his description) stone in my gall bladder.
I was told that the attack was due to my body trying to process the buttery goodness (fat) from dinner. He told me that it looks as if my gall bladder will have to come out. I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow morning to follow up and was hoping a few of you Dopers could advise me as to what to ask the doctor, since I know practically nothing about this organ.
The ER doc told me that life without a gall bladder isn’t much different than one with. I’m sure there are one or two of you here that are walking around without yours. What am I in for?
Well it’s late, I’m tired and I’ll look for replies before my appointment tomorrow. Sadly the doc told me the bacon extravaganza I had planned for breakfast tomorrow has to be canceled, but my wife promised me a wholesome low fast rice cake instead. Joy!
Here’s my thread from the beginning of the month. I had mine out on the 4th, laproscopically, and recovery has been just fine. I have a “difficult airway” so there was a bit of a hitch for me in that thread about stuff that happened post-op, don’t let that scare you! I was up and walking around and going to the bathroom on my own within an hour of getting back to my room from recovery.
If I hadn’t had a possible infection and inflammation, I could have gone home from the ER and scheduled surgery to go in the morning and go home in the evening, so I was hospitalized in the first place for slightly unusual reasons, plus I’m allergic to penicillin and so had to have IV antibiotics.
Anyway, it was the first time I had an issue with pain from my gall bladder (though my surgeon said it looked like it had been having issues for a while. Then I remembered I had been having some mild nausea once in a while after meals now and then - those were apparently gall bladder attacks and it wasn’t anything I thought was a problem), and definitely the last!
I know three people who’ve had their gallbladders removed in the past few years. All three had it done laparoscopically and were out of the hospital on the same day as the surgery. They haven’t reported much difference in their everyday lives, except not being able to handle fatty foods like they used to. They mostly still eat them, and accept the consequences.
It’s still surgery, but as far as surgeries go, it’s one of the more routine ones. Good luck!
Commiserating. I’ve had 2 this week. I’m starting the process to get mine yanked.
FWIW, I have no idea what cause mine. I don’t have a diet particularly high in fat to begin with, and had to eat the night before yesterday’s attack was wonton soup and a single cookie.
The liver produces bile, the gall bladder stores it and delivers it when needed to help with digesting fatty foods.
Some people, probably the majority, don’t notice much or any difference after having their gall bladder removed.
Some, as I understand those whose liver produces a less-than-average amount of bile, have indigestion if they eat more than a certain amount of fatty foods.
A small minority (~5%?), as I understand those whose liver produces a greater-than-average amount of bile, suffer from bile salt diarrhea. This can be controlled with medication, which may be necessary for the rest of one’s life.
The gall bladder is one of three organs that can be removed from the human body with no ill effects (the others are tonsils and appendix). You will need to watch your intake of really fatty foods, but otherwise you will be just fine without it. If you have a stone, I am surprised they bothered to send you home. Most of the time they will take the gall bladder out right away as there is no reason to keep it. Once you get a stone you will keep getting stones on a more frequent basis until it either gets infected or a stone that is too big to pass. Best that you just schedule to have it out as soon as convieient for you, but IANAD.
With no threat to life or general health, yes. With no ill effects – that’s not true for everybody. Severe indigestion or bile salt diarrhea, which affect some people after gall bladder removal, can certainly qualify as ill effects.
Definitely, I agree. These are manageable conditions. I’m not advocating keeping the gall bladder, just pointing out that some folks will have some aftereffects to deal with.
Sadly, I was butchered by a doctor after an emergency removal of said organ.
happened after a delicious pastrami deli sandwich.
The pain was horrendous. He said my gall bladder was the size of a softball.
20 minutes later I was on the operating table.
I have a scar from the middle of my stomach to the belly button.
Recovery was nasty with staples and everything.
This was back in 1992.
The only thing I have noticed, is it’s hard for me to lose weight.
before no problem, now it’s like moving a mountain to lose 5 pounds.
Oh yeah, and an ugly ass scar that has made me so self conscious about my abdomen area. £!>%{^]*{€€|?'curses!!
Best of luck to you and a speedy recovery.
Thanks for the replies. I got back from my family doctor a little while ago and we’ve decided to have the organ removed. He has scheduled me with a surgeon and I’ll have it done right after Christmas. The hospital wanted to keep me last night, but let me go on the condition I saw my doctor today. I just didn’t want to spend Christmas recovering if it could be postponed.
Sounds life life will be pretty much the same after removal, I’ll just have to see how the intake of fat will affect me. Apparently I got if very easy last night compared to some. Prior to the attack I had taken 60mg of morphine and 30mg of oxycodone for my chronic back pain. That seemed to dull the pain from the attack quite a bit, although it still hurt pretty good. Lady Luck shined on me I guess. But since Baconpaloza got canceled what Lady Luck gives she also takes away! Thanks everyone! (my wife doesn’t let me have bacon often due to cholesterol concerns, so it’s a big event for me when I get to have some wonderful bacon)
But this is the perfect reason for a baconpalooza post op at home, you need to assess how highly fatty foods [like bacon] affect you now your gall bladder has been removed!
I had it done about 15 years ago after one attack. I was not a candidate for the laparoscopic surgery, so I too have the big incision.
With the abdominal surgery the recovery was a bit longer. No driving or lifting for a bit, and just general aches and pains.
For about a month it seemed like my system was struggling to adjust, but then it did and I’ve had no problems since. I don’t feel any differently than I did before the surgery, and it’s nice to know I will never have an attack again. That was painful!
Jettison the g.b. before it causes you more problems.
It has its uses but when it gets stony or sandy, it’s no good anymore. In fact, if it ruptures, you could end up in the ICU with more pain, infection, gangrene, huge medical bills, etc.
I went through the pain and violent nausea of biliary colic before having mine removed. The post op discomfort is nothing compared to the hell of living with a malfunctioning g.b.
The surgeon will most likely do a laparoscopic cholecystectomy–the less invasive kind. This involves inserting a few trocars into different area. The main one goes several inches above the navel and has a lighted tube and also shoots carbon dioxide gas into the abdomen to make more room for work. Two other small one go into the g.b. area to snip it off and seal off the place where it used to be. The other will be in the navel–the organ is actually pulled out through that one. This will take about an hour. You will have staples for about 10 days.
You will have pain upon awakening and they will give you something for it. If your insurance is decent you get to stay over night. You might not be allowed anything by mouth for quite a while since the anesthesia takes a while to wear off. You may find it hard to go to the bathroom during this time as well. It’s the carb. diox. gas that hurts the most. Burp really hard to get rid of it. If you feel like you might hurl, tell the nurse right away and get some Compazine. Hurling after abdominal surgery is not desirable. You will be given ice chips and then clear liquid meals later. Go home, take some Metamucil, eat normally but no fatty or greasy stuff. I would not recommend eating anything solid for a while.
The first 48 hours are the most uncomfortable. I would call it Tylenol or Aleve pain, not Vicodin pain. Press a small pillow against your abdomen for more comfort. It will hurt when you cough, sneeze, or laugh due to that large laparoscope scar under the breastbone. In a few days you can go out to eat–carefully. Spicy foods are fine, just not fatty ones. Later you can drive. You might want to walk softly for less discomfort. Don’t do any heavy lifting. Don’t be alarmed if a few staples pop out.
Surgeon will remove all staples about 10 days post op. Your digestive system will adjust itself in about 2 weeks post op.
That’s my own story, YMMV, but you will be better off in the long run.
