My health has not been good lately. In the course of finding out what’s wrong with me they have discovered I have gallstones. This came as a surprise, as it had nothing to do with the original problem that sent me to the doctors, and, to my recollection, I have not had any symptoms of that.
My doctors reckon that I could have had them for a long time, and have no idea how long I can go on living with them without further problems. I have been advised on a few dietary changes (not needed, as that is exactly how I eat anyways), and told me to let doctors know in case I ever came down with debilitating abdominal pain or any other symptoms of the condition.
I am not seeking medical advice (I got it already), but mostly information on what is the likelihood that I had gallstones for years (or months) and not know. And how likely it is that I’d never develop any serious symptoms?
Is there anyone out there with a similar Damocles sword hanging over their heads?
Between 10 and 20 percent of adults have gallstones, so you’ve got plenty of company. Although figures vary widely, each year about 2 or 3 percent of people with gallstones become symptomatic. So, even if someone has gallstones, chances are they’ll be OK in any given interval.
Gallstones form over years, even decades. You’ve probably had yours since George H, maybe longer.
I was diagnosed with gallstones after an appalling attack of biliary colic in 1986. I’m still here. Still eating a low-fat low-cholesterol diet. Went through two successful pregnancies with them (I was actually preg throughout that preliminary attack, sitting there in the ER).
I never thought of it as a Sword of Damocles, frankly. On the scale of “things to worry about”, “my gallstones” ranks way down at the bottom along with “I’ll probably have arthritis one day”. I internalized the dietary rules so long ago that the gallstones just don’t appear on the radar any more. It certainly isn’t anything approaching what diabetics have to go through.
Just a quick note to add that the pain may not refer to the abdomen. Mine referred to the back. That, and the fact that the pain didn’t come right after eating, slowed the diagnosis.
The question they used once they suspected it was “does it feel worse when you’re breathing in?” Then, of course, the doctor prodded, asking "does it hurt when I press. . . " He never got the word “here” out.
Even bumped up, the pain was still in my back. And, oddly, in a few other places in my feet and arms, once he pushed. Referred pain is interesting.
Good luck with the diet.
I’ve got one. It was a surprise to me as I have no symptoms (I was having an abdominal ultrasound for something else). My doctor said it was nothing to worry about if it wasn’t obstructing the bile duct and said mine was too big to fit in there. I’m working on reducing my cholesterol level though.