Well I guess it's final. The gastro dr. wants to remove my gallbladder on March 22. I am a little worried because of all the horror stories I have read on here with diahrrea, pain, etc.
I have a thickened GB wall with polyps, but no stones. I do not have the GB attacks that everyone talks about only the nausea, slight discomfort under right rib cage, and fatigue.
Does anyone have anything similar and any GOOD experiences to share??
I am not worried about surgery as I have had laparoscopic surgery before.

Thanks,
Donna

How did they find out it was your gallbladder if that was your only signs. I have had nausea, back and right shoulder pain, fatigue, and right quadrant pain, and at times severe pain in arms and heaviness. I have been misserable and so hope I can make it to March 11th when mine comes out. I also didn't have the acute pain that people with stones talk about. Mine seems like chronic pain that moves around.

It seems that no one with gallbladder trouble has exactly the same symptoms but if the wall is thickened and/or stones are present AND you have some typical symptoms, as both of you do, it's a good idea to take the GB out before things get worse. I had one big pain attack -- then nothing for many months. I babied it along though I knew via ultrasound I had stones.

After about six months I began to have more nausea, more frequent vague pains, more bizarre right-sided stomachaches, etc. Often one incident was different from the previous one but three different gastroenterologists convinced me (finally) to have it out.

The lap surgery was a breeze, and I'm 55 years old. I was back at work in 10 days and could have gone back a bit earlier if I'd wanted to.

I have not had the diarrhea that about 10-20% of people have, at least for awhile. I do occasionally still have a pain, sometimes a bad and lengthy pain, but even after a recent MRCP (kind of like an MRI of the abdomen) nothing was noted. Yes, there can be complications of surgery or after the fact. These can crop up at any time -- days, weeks, months or years later. (My surgery was May of '04.

But was it worth it. HECK YES!!!!! I find that if I eat many little small meals or snacks throughout the day and avoid most milk products, I feel really quite good. A little bit of just about any foods are fine. Eating too much is not so good, but eating as I do now doesn't seem to put the weight on anymore and all the docs say "don't gain back the weight!"

I'm sure both of you will be just fine after your surgeries. Just about everyone who has had it, even with a few problems after the fact that can be dealt with, feels they are glad they had the GB out. Trust me, if you leave it in there in some diseased state, it only gets worse for you later and you definitely don't want to have it out on an emergency basis.

They found out it was my gallbladder after numerous tests like blood(normal), barium swallow(normal), ultrasound(thickened GB wall and polyps), Hida scan(normal), endoscopy(mild gastritis). Those aren't my only symptoms. I also have a full feeling after only a few bites of food, bloating, heartburn(after stopping the Pariet I was on), and gas & belching alot. The worst one is the nausea by far. If I could get rid of that I think I would be alot happier!

MHDwyane,I wish you luck on your surgery :)

cheer up, Thanks for sharing your experience!

-Donna

Thanks for the encouragement.

I saw the surgeon and the OB/Gyn yesterday. He gave me pain meds which helps take the edge off a little. You are absolutely right when you say everybody has a little different type of pain. Because I have no stones and the GB is functioning at 5%, I don't seem to have that "typical pain" I do have the nausea occasionally, my arms ache ( the right a little more than the left) and the pain across my back. Basically I'm miserable and depressed and the 11th seems a lifetime away. You feel so bad, and it comes and goes all different ways, you worry that it is something more serious. The OB/Gyn said the frequency in urine and elbow/arm pain could be related to the GB. It seems like all foods irritate it. It is a good way to loose weight! Thanks again!

It's true that we all have different symptoms of gall bladder trouble and our pains and other digestive discomforts aren't even the same from incident to incident! This can be very confusing but we should not be surprised by any of it.

Truth is that lots of digestive problems mimic gall bladder and vice versa. Gall bladder removal won't guarantee no more digestive problems, and may even create new ones. But getting the diseased thing out is for the best.

I have learned through research and talking to others who've had this surgery to expect just about anything in the way of pain and other symptoms, both before AND frequently after surgery. My gastro doc has also had GB removed and said he had bizarre pain episodes, usually very brief but again none of this is set in stone, for at LEAST a full year. One co-worker of mine had her GB removed 8 years ago and still has an occasional weird episode. But she is still glad she had it out, as are her mom, her sister and her brother. All of them have had symptoms that seem very different from each other and have had different after-effects from surgery.

We are all individuals and it seems gall bladder problems and surgical outcomes are as varied as our fingerprints -- unique to each of us. I'm still glad I did it, even though right now I am having (all morning !) an annoying little pain below where the mid-line incision was made. Nothing to do about it but ignore it, however. I had the MCRP abdominal (like an MRI) test done a couple of weeks ago because of a really bad and lengthy pain episode yet nothing showed up at all.

All we can do is take one day at a time and try not to dwell on this stuff too much. Attitude does play a part in health issues, I believe.

Good luck to those awaiting the GB surgery! You will be sore, yes, but not for long and every day you feel better, honest!

Thank you so much for the reassurance. You have been great!

You're most welcome. Let us know how you are doing, post-op! I'm guessing you'll be back posting on the computer the day after surgery if not the very same day!

Just want to say thanks to you guys for the reasurrance. Glad to know I am not the only one going through this. Please keep us updated MHDwyane. So I know what I have to look forward to ;)

-Donna

I had three attacks on a trip to TX. I waited to when I got back in TN. to have it checked out. Had ultrasound of gallbladder and liver on Thur. and Fri. Dr. called and said I have gallstones. Going to talk to a surgeon on Tues. I'm scheduled for cataract surgery the 15 of March. So I have to get this done between getting my eyes done. May be able to hold off the second eye surgery. I have pains up my back in my right shoulder blade area. Also just a pressure across my back. Some pain in my right arm. It is not real painful but just can not get comfortable no matter what I do. Have been in slight pain since my scan. Just have to see what the surgeon says on Tues.

Saw the surgeon today. Said I had several stones and some were about1/2 inch around. I am having cataract surgery next Tues. So we have to wait until I recoup from that. May have to have the other eye done too but hope to wait awhile before I get it done. He is contacting the eye Dr. to see how long I need to wait until I can have gallbladder surgery. Just have to watch what I eat until then. Pain right now is not too bad but I'd like it to stop for the other surgery!!

:wave: Hi there to all of you GB posters!

Just a quick word of support - I had my GB out in '97 done as a lap surgery. I came through surgery great, stayed out of work for a week, and then back to my full routine within 6 weeks (exercise, eating whatever, working full time, etc.)

I was one of the unlucky ones that ended up with the condition called bile salt diarrhea, but didn't know for 5 (!) years that the removal of my GB caused my severe and chronic diarrhea. Once I found this board back in 2002, my life was saved - literally.

Anyway, knowing what I know today about bile salt diarrhea, would I have my GB out again? YOU BET!!!!!!!!!!! I can't describe how much better I felt after the darn thing was out - the nausea, severe attacks of pain, loss of appetite, feeling full/bloated, right side pain up into the shoulder every time I ate, and between meals too, was GONE!!!! Oh yes, I've had phantom pains since surgery occasionally, but nothing like they were.

I'm on medication to control the diarrhea, and it's worked like a charm for the last 2 years. Don't suffer by leaving the GB in - your body can adjust without it. I didn't have stones; mine was severely inflamed and infected even though all my medical tests were considered "normal." The surgeon basically had to recommend surgery based on my complaints, and when he opened me up, he found it to be severely inflamed and covered in scar tissue from repeated "attacks."

So for those facing potential surgery, I am proof positive that even though the negatives occurred for me, I'm treating it successfully with medication and feel tons better since the GB is out.

Good luck to you,
Katie G

Thanks for sharing your stories Katie G and Orangecrate.
Sounds like it was a relief to have the GB taken out. My GB is inflammed and full of polyps. I just got over the flu and had ALOT of pain in the GB area for the first time. Seems to me like it's just going to go downhill from here. And March 22 seems like a lifetime away :rolleyes:
I am having all the same symptoms as you were having Katie G. The worst by far is the nausea! I am just worried that once I get my GB out that I might still suffer all these symptoms. How long was it before these symptoms went away? Did you have any vomitting after the surgery? My mom had her GB out many years ago(the old fashion way) and she says that everytime she's sick she vomits bile. I hope that doesn't happen!

-Donna

Hi Donna. As far as the nausea, I would say it was minimal. I started out eating a very soft, bland diet, but 2 days after surgery, I remember having a craving for a beef meximelt from Taco Bell. I was so scared to eat it, but NOTHING HAPPENED!!!! No pain, no nausea, no bloating, gas, etc. Just the darn diarrhea, but that is now a distant memory.

Anyway, don't rush right into eating all those things that bothered you when the GB was in. Start out slow, and build up to whatever you can eat. Some people do still have nausea and pain even after their GB is out, but others like me, have no problems with it whatsoever.

Good luck and keep us posted - March 22 will be here soon. I'll be thinking of you on that day!

Katie G