Hi all,
Just found out i have to have my gallbladder out. I have been sick for months and after numerous tests found out that my gallbladder is only funtioning at 21% whereas it should be 35% and above. It is also leaking bile into my stomach. Does anyone know why a gallbladder goes "bad" and why it would leak?
Thanks.

Lots of reasons...genetics, too much fat in your diet,stones, etc, etc, etc. It seems to run in families on the female side. be sure to stick to a low fat diet from now till several weeks after the surgery. Good luck! It isn't a bad surgery....had mine out in Feb and have not missed it for one moment.

Just had mine out Monday and things are going real well. Pain is very mild and I have been out walking a bit and eating is OK, stools are a little soft but from what the doc said it is to be expected for a week or so.

I'm sorry you are suffering, but know exactly how you feel. Also, my 19 y/o son just had his gallbladder out. We couldn't understand why someone so young would have that problem - he had only one teeny little stone, but it was in the duct and blocked it. Anyway, I asked the dr about this, and he said that sudden changes in diet resulting in significant weight loss (more than 10-15 pounds) can bring on gallbladder problems. My son recently lost about 25 pounds (giving up soda and junk food). The dr said that when they do gastric bypass surgery they usually take the gallbladder out as well, because between 75-90% of gastric bypass patients end up with failed gallbladders as a result of the weight loss. I don't know if this is true in your case - it's just what the dr told me. He's done about 6000 gallbladder removals, so I tend to believe what he said. I had mine out 3 years ago (I was 45), and I've always been really careful of the fat content in my diet. I had no gallstones (just a lot of sludge), but I had recently lost some weight. I hope this information helps. Take care. :bouncing:

Thanks for the reply.
I haven't lost any weight. In face i've gained over the last few years, partly due to taking hormones for 10 yrs. as i had a hysterectomy at 31. The doctor didn't see any gallstones when they did the ultrasound so i'm not sure what's going on. Guess i'll find out after surgery.

Mine just up and quit when I was 21 years old. (A long time ago).. anyway, mine felt like a horrible back pain for awhile, then I got very sick and ended up in the hospital on antibiotics for a week. They thought it was going to rupture, but after week, they took it out. I had the old surgery with the big ole incision. Sure wished I could have waited for the laproscopic version. Anyway.. I wasn't fat and forty as they used to say..(I was at 40 though) and the only thing I can attribute it to is genetics. Lot's of family members had it. Also, they have seen a connection in younger females to the birth control pill. Hormones may have something to do with it. I had no stones..none at all. Go figure.