ER to OR

[gr8ful4all]

What happened over the past couple of days seems so surreal. I feel like I'm doing things backwards as I just started reading the digestive boards after having undergone laparoscopic gallbladder surgery. I'm wondering if anyone out there has had a similar experience.

On Tuesday evening, I guess I overdid it with the chinese food because I woke up in the middle of the night with what felt like extreme heartburn. Tagamet and later a shot of Pepto didn't help. My symptoms got worse after a couple of hours (aching pain below my shoulder blades & nausea) so I drove myself to the local ER, thinking that they would make it all better and send me on my way. They tested to rule out heart attack (ekg/blood work/x-ray/negative nitro results) and then I went for a CAT scan and ultrasound after the docs concluded that it was my gallbladder giving me such grief. Sure enough it was inflamed and there were large stones present. I know that the choice was mine and after talking to a surgeon from a group I was familiar with I decided then and there that the thing causing me such pain had to go. I made a couple of phone calls to my loved ones and work to let them know what was happening. By 1:00 PM I was being wheeled into the OR and I was ready to leave post op at 3:00.

So far, all is well. I have been able to tolerate everything I've eaten. I felt tired and slept most of the day on Thursday after getting home at 2:00 but now I'm wide awake in the middle of the night...trying to sort out everything that happened. I'll be spending some time on this board reading everyone's experiences and I'll be wishing the best for each of you.

Be well,
Lin

[Harry]

Lin,

It seems like everyone's gallbladder surgery is different and we all react dfferently??

Several members from the Pittsburgh area have had gallbladder surgery recently---stars and pyewacket. I think they are doing OK -- Have not heard recently.

My wife had her GB removed on 11/16/2006 after eat a very greasy meal but has been doing well since the surgery.
My only advice since you have no symptoms NOW-- is to take it easy and eat lightly for the next week or 2.
It takes some people time for their bodies to adjust to being without a gallbladder -- so don't eat any really greasy foods for awhile.

I think you did a wise thing!!

God Bless---Harry

[pyewacket]

hi,, back after a few days,,,seems pgh is a real gall bladder city,,,so many people having them removed,,I am wondering if anyone has taken welchol? I took it for 6 yrs. until my gb surgury,,,stopped all meds ,,took questran for diarrehea,,,stopped after bloodwork showed high liver function tests on my alt,,read on another board Caltratre d and 1 welchol stops it, and well so far it has worked, but does anyone know about welchol causing abnormal liver function tests? I call the company that makes it and they said, they have had no reports,,but thought zetia caused abnormal liver function tests,,,and these are sort of in the same family,,
also a ? for harry,,,saw you listed back in feb, alt levels being up to 70 or so,,,where did you find this info,,
thanks all

[Harry]

pyewacket,

Evidently when getting blood work done, the normal range is listed on the righthand side of the test report. I think the blood test machine used to conduct the test lists the normal range and not all machines are the same?

The normal range listed on several blood test reports that I have had was for liver enzymes and is --- ALT-- 19 to 71 and for AST -- 0 to 36.
I have seen others test results where the ALT range is 7.0 to 35.0 and the AST range of 8.0 to 34 done at hospitals.

I had never heard of the cholestrol lowering drug WelChol until tonight when you wrote about it --- I did a little search and found it works much like Questran by binding bile salts in the intestines and not letting them reach the colon to cause diarrhea. WelChol is not absorbed by the intestines so it should not have any affect on your liver enzymes.

I have seen the ads on TV about Zetia and it appears to do the same thing but have not read about it-- yet. It does not work on your liver like the statins drugs do!!

Keep us informed----Harry

[Flash55]

I have taken every cholesterol medicine available. I either get the muscle pain or terrible pains in the gallbladder area. I don't have stones but my ejection rate is 4%. I am having GB surgery tomorrow so maybe I will be able to tolerate some cholesteral meds.