[furlong47]

Best friend had hers out last year (at age 31) and feels so much better with it gone. It was an ongoing problem for a time before they finally took it out. She does have to run to the bathroom if she eats certain things, but is ok aside from that. (And she could probably avoid those foods but has never been good about that type of thing...)

[MsM]

I belive it is better to have it out earlier.
In retrospect, I had issues for 10-15 years before things got so bad that I was diagnosed. Part of the delay was because of the old idea that I was too young (this was 20 years ago!)

Unfortunately for me, I was one of the first laproscopic patients at the hospital. Surgeon had trouble and said it "wasnt routine" because it was so diseased and hard to get out. Still they sent me right home with precocet. Once the OR meds wore off, I tried to take one and it promptly came back up. All that night I threw up or dry-heaved painfully. Finally slowed down and I called and got an anti-nausea prescription - not by mouth. Problem was I ended up with back pain because of it. Surgeon dismissed it and I wondered why I was such a wuss. It wasnt until later that another surgeon explained about putting muscles into spasm due to the vomiting and unrelieved pain.

So now I make sure I have anti-vomiting meds with any procedure and a Plan B if I cant tolerate the oral pain meds sent home!

I'm still glad I had it out!

[Paddys Mom]

I had one problem, stomach stasis, where everything I ate for three days didn't get digested and finally came up, still as it went in.
Thankfully everything started moving after that.

See, I totally think this is what I have going on, but they said my ultrasound showed a normal gallbladder. They said the pancreatitis that showed up on bloodwork was due to GI "stress". They decided I have celiac disease, but I still am not feeling great despite being really strict about gluten and I am still losing weight that I can't afford to lose.

[Bluey]

I belive it is better to have it out earlier.
In retrospect, I had issues for 10-15 years before things got so bad that I was diagnosed. Part of the delay was because of the old idea that I was too young (this was 20 years ago!)

Unfortunately for me, I was one of the first laproscopic patients at the hospital. Surgeon had trouble and said it "wasnt routine" because it was so diseased and hard to get out. Still they sent me right home with precocet. Once the OR meds wore off, I tried to take one and it promptly came back up. All that night I threw up or dry-heaved painfully. Finally slowed down and I called and got an anti-nausea prescription - not by mouth. Problem was I ended up with back pain because of it. Surgeon dismissed it and I wondered why I was such a wuss. It wasnt until later that another surgeon explained about putting muscles into spasm due to the vomiting and unrelieved pain.

So now I make sure I have anti-vomiting meds with any procedure and a Plan B if I cant tolerate the oral pain meds sent home!

I'm still glad I had it out!

Try asking for an anti nausea behind the ear patch.
One last for several days.
Works great for me.

[Bluey]

See, I totally think this is what I have going on, but they said my ultrasound showed a normal gallbladder. They said the pancreatitis that showed up on bloodwork was due to GI "stress". They decided I have celiac disease, but I still am not feeling great despite being really strict about gluten and I am still losing weight that I can't afford to lose.

Ask your doctor to check for that, if you don't have clear symptoms, like all coming up completely undigested after several days in there.

It is really uncomfortable, especially right after abdominal surgery, when nausea is no joke, you are so sore.

[LSM1212]

I had mine out when I was 30. I started having symptoms and dropped almost 30 pounds in 3 weeks. Couldn't eat or keep anything down. Ultrasound showed nothing but gallbladder test did. Like someone else posted, mine was diseased. I didn't make it to the surgeon's appt. Was admitted to the hospital and had emergency surgery to take it out.

My Dr said the same thing... I wasn't a typical candidate. He said it's usually the 3 F's (Female, Fat and Forty). I was only female.

It did take me a little while to feel better. Ended up having an endoscope done and because I couldn't hold food down for so long, I had some damage. After taking meds for that for about 6 months, I was much better. And 10 years later, I'm fine. I am more careful about eating greasy foods and roughage.

[rideagoldenpony]

Thank you all SO MUCH for your responses.

She has a doctor's appointment this afternoon. We'll see what the verdict is.....

[PaintPony]

I had mine out 2 years ago. They think it was triggered by the fact that I had lost some weight fairly quickly. Luckily I've gained it all back though!

I also have the coolest pictures that they took of it during surgery. My favorite is the one where it's cut open and you can see the crazy amount of stones inside.

Did you know that gallstones are bright yellow?

[over60]

I was female and over 40 but not fat when I had mine removed. Between diagnosis and surgery I was advised to eat a low fat diet with the admonishment that "if it tastes good it is probably bad for you". Four days post surgery I was painting the bottom of our sailboat and preparing for weekend guests. I have no dietary restrictions at all.

[mht]

My husband had his gallbladder out just over two years ago, and wishes he had never had the surgery. He still has problems, that land him in the ER. The pain is just as bad, or worse, as the gallbladder attacks were. Our doctors have told him that the type of stone he had can still form, they just accumulate some place else. Not a good time.

[Bluey]

My husband had his gallbladder out just over two years ago, and wishes he had never had the surgery. He still has problems, that land him in the ER. The pain is just as bad, or worse, as the gallbladder attacks were. Our doctors have told him that the type of stone he had can still form, they just accumulate some place else. Not a good time.

Have they tried to put him on medication and diet to avoid those stones?

[Belair]

I had mine out 2 years ago. They think it was triggered by the fact that I had lost some weight fairly quickly. Luckily I've gained it all back though!

I also have the coolest pictures that they took of it during surgery. My favorite is the one where it's cut open and you can see the crazy amount of stones inside.

Did you know that gallstones are bright yellow?

haha SOME are yellow, anyway. When I worked in Pathology, I'd get to handle at least a few gallbladders every day. Black, brown, etc. and some are kind of pretty if you try not to think about what they are. Some patients would even ask to get them back, so back into a little specimen jar they'd go!

[Griffyn]

My Moms was one giant bright robins egg blue! Mine were gravelly, my aunt, gmother and gfather have all had theirs removed, so its not always the 3 F's though I fall into that category... Good luck OP! If its a simple one, she'll be right in no time!

[Freebird!]

Have they tried to put him on medication and diet to avoid those stones?

Has he been checked for Spincture of Oddie Dysfunction?

[mht]

Have they tried to put him on medication and diet to avoid those stones?

He has been put on medication, and it does seem to be helping somewhat, but I just don't want people to think that having your gallbladder removed is the magical cure.

[SFrost]

I had terrible pain in my early 20s, went to the ER and was sent home. Eventually the thought it was the gallbladder and I asked to have it removed even though tests were borderline normal. I felt better for a few months...

Then I was back to horrible pain, nausea, and not eating. VERY long story short, I have pancreatic divisum which has caused chronic pancreatitis. This was diagnosed by and MRI test called an MRCP. Non-invasive, quick, and it would tell you if there was divisum present.

I only mention my story because they were totally sure the gallbladder removal would do the trick. The longer I went without being treated for my pancreas the worse my damage got. Some people have divisum and never have issues while others have a terrible time. The pancreas is not something to muss around with and I now get to go to Johns Hopkins for treatment because the case can't be treated in our local medical community. Eventually, it will completely destroy my pancreas, which is a whole other issue.

I'd request an MRCP, and also a gallbladder emptying test. Better too many tests than too few.

Diet wise-no fats, stay under 40g total a day, nothing hard to digest-red meats or nuts. If there is more pain, water and chicken broth. Baked chicken is great, I would add a touch of cheese and onion and put it on a taco shell and bake it.