Hi I'm Laura and I'm 16. For the past year I have had really sharp stomach pains under my right rib cage and in my intestinal area after eating a fatty meal. This has become alot worse in the past year. It's to the point that I can barely eat anything with fat. When I get these 'attacks' I have to curl up into a ball and I cry. They last for about 45 mins. I also have begun to jaundice in my skin slightly. I'm going to see a gastrologist, but arn't I too young to have gallbladder problems (which is what my dad, whose a pediatrician)? Please respond with what you think!!

Although gallbladder disease is most common among middle-aged people esp. women, kids can get it too, just like Childhood [Type I] versus Adult-Onset [Type II] diabetes.

Safer to have it checked out, esp. at your age.
Here's a link to some info:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001138.htm

Laura, I do not think you are too old for gallblader problems. I new a preschooler whom the doctors, after unpleasant investigations, told that it has a "lazy gallblader" so the fats weren't digested well. The medicines that stimulated the secretion worked well, but seemed that without them nothing worked. The good times came when annimal fats were eliminated from the diet. Vegetable fats did not bring the attacks anymore, though the margarines brought other simptoms and they've been eliminated too. Vegetable oils, epecialy olive oil(hoppfuly you like it, if not, the taste buds can be educated progressively), the avocadoes, sunflower seeds, nuts(one kind of nut and not more then a handfull at one meal), cereals like fresh corn or polenta are the indipensable sources of fats in the diet of any gallblader sufferer. No sudden change needs to be done, but as more and more of vagetable fats are chosen the need of the animals fats decreases. Natural gallblader stimulants have their beneficial place (one is milk thistle - a plant extract), but will not replace the comfort of a vegetable fat diet. Cheer up there is hope and don't worry over the sickness it is manageable!Cristiana




[This message has been edited by Cristiana (edited 06-24-2002).]