I need support, anyone ever have gallstones?

silhouettes

I have had very bad heartburn for a few years now. It got worse a few weeks ago, lasted 20 hours and was followed by stabbing pains in my side.

After numerous blood tests and an ultrasound, I just found out what's wrong today.

I have no other symptons but occasional heartburn that I can fix with Prilosec. It's been getting worse lately, but it was once or twice a month, then once a week, then this episode.

Apparently I have gallstones and the doctor said I have to have my gallbladder removed.

He said it could be because I have lost so much weight... over 100 lbs.. but it's been over 2 years! But I felt like he was blaiming me! Either way, I am blaiming myself, I try to get healthy and loose weight and look what happens... I hurt myself.

I am so scared to get surgery, I have never had a broken bone or cavity to get capped or anything major, I am scared of pain.

I need support and I don't know where to go. Have any of you ever had gallstones? Surgery?

I am so scared of the after results. I read some nightmare stories about never eating certain foods again! I am not ready to never had a spec of alochol or a piece of pizza or going out to eat on special occasions.

Is there anyone here that can talk to me that has had the surgery... that isn't some annyomous person on a website scaring me?

I can't believe this. I am so scared it's not funny.

timvet

I have not personally had the surgery but my bff did and she is doing great! it took a few weeks for recovery but she eats everything she was eating before. No worries, I think you will feel much better once you have it take out, i know she did!

Pedal_Pusher

ouch

alohagirl81

I had my gallbladder removed a year and a half ago. I was getting paralyzing pain in my side up and around my shoulder. It was worse than labor. Each episode was worse than the last. Recovery was about a week at home but i have had no trouble since. I don't have to avoid certain foods or alcohol, the surgeon had told me that most people never have problems with certain foods after. Surgery can be a scary thing but if they can do it laproscopic then it won't be as bad. Good luck to you and hope it gets better

lizziebeth1028

I had my gallbladder removed two years ago. Best thing I ever did!!! I was getting severe attacks, so severe I would black out from the pain. They ran the test and my gallbladder was loaded with gall stones.

Yes it can be causes by weight loss or just a sluggish gall bladder. So don't take it personally. The surgery was a piece of cake. Recovery time a few days. So worth it!

jkenny52

I have had several friends who lost weight on various plans, HCG and Protien diets who then had to have the GB out. The surgery is laproscopic, most go home that evening, weekend of recovery, no lifting for awhile and do very well. I would guess having lost the weight you have you made changes in diet that you are living with and don't have to worry too much about not being able to eat what is normal for you now. I have experienced gall sludge - very sick, pain but did not need surgery, just quit eating fast food junk and fatty foods, sticking to what I know is good, fiber, fruit and veggies, lean meat. If it is causing that much trouble, I think you will feel so much better not having to cope with it. You will find your acid is better also and perhaps you can get off the meds for that. I had to have my esophogus repaired with laproscopic surgery and no longer take any antacids - I didn't realize how much my quality of lif e was being affected by the reflux until it was gone. Good luck, fear not!

AmyMalley77

I have had very bad heartburn for a few years now. It got worse a few weeks ago, lasted 20 hours and was followed by stabbing pains in my side.

After numerous blood tests and an ultrasound, I just found out what's wrong today.

I have no other symptons but occasional heartburn that I can fix with Prilosec. It's been getting worse lately, but it was once or twice a month, then once a week, then this episode.

Apparently I have gallstones and the doctor said I have to have my gallbladder removed.

He said it could be because I have lost so much weight... over 100 lbs.. but it's been over 2 years! But I felt like he was blaiming me! Either way, I am blaiming myself, I try to get healthy and loose weight and look what happens... I hurt myself.

I am so scared to get surgery, I have never had a broken bone or cavity to get capped or anything major, I am scared of pain.

I need support and I don't know where to go. Have any of you ever had gallstones? Surgery?

I am so scared of the after results. I read some nightmare stories about never eating certain foods again! I am not ready to never had a spec of alochol or a piece of pizza or going out to eat on special occasions.

Is there anyone here that can talk to me that has had the surgery... that isn't some annyomous person on a website scaring me?

I can't believe this. I am so scared it's not funny.

Gallstones can be caused by loosing a lot of weight...that's why gallbladders are routinely removed when people have certain types of bariatric surgeries... I don't think the doctor was placing blame on you though. And it takes some time for the stones to form!

That said, I just had my gallbladder removed in June. The surgery was NO sweat. I was ready to go back to work in five days. Only took narcotic painkillers for three days. I had four very small incisions no wider than the width of your finger nail.

The ONLY side effect I had, which is common, is diarrhea for about the first two weeks to a month--and my doctor told me would most certainly happen while my body got used to not having the gallbladder. Not like the crazy, uncontrollable kind though. Haha. I will still get it if I eat a big, really greasy meal...

I read all those "horror" stories about people having their gallbladder removed and now how they can't eat anything or now they have uncontrollable pain that doctors can't explain or this or that, before I had my surgery also...I really think the internet really makes it SEEM like it's tons of people having these weird problems (and the problems they have may not even BE because of the surgery!), when really, they are just a tiny speck of the people who have had the surgery and have not had one problem afterwards. I drink alcohol a couple times a week (like wine with meals, and we go out for beers on the weekends) and I have no problems.

I am glad I got mine out. The doctor said it would just keep happening--then I had a major attack that sent me to the ER because the pain was so bad. Because they could see how many and the size of them, there was a risk of them getting stuck and causing pancreatitis.Which is not something to mess around with. My liver enzymes were all out of whack--so I was told I needed to get it out ASAP.

hummingbird71

I had an episode, a BAD ONE, 3 yrs ago! Woke up with stabbing pain on right side and radiated around my right side to my back and up over my shoulder. I hurt to move, to lay still to breathe!! I had an allergic reaction to SOMETHING too...more than likely it was the bile back up because I had a gal stone that was lodged in my duct! I was jondice and had a fever too boot as well, not to mention my face swelled up due to allergic reaction. Was in hospital for 6 days. NOW 4 of those were to clear up my "yellowish tint" I had going on as well as to see if that stone would pass the duct. It did and I had liproscopic surgery on a Sunday- was released on Tuesday morning and back at work by Wednesday. I was slow moving and I had a desk job so that is why I was able to return to work. I was unable to work out for 6 weeks, not even walking for 4 weeks. BUT once I healed it has been so much better. Yes there are things you DO NEED to watch out for. What those things are, well everyone is different. Me its bacon! :sad: My mom its cheese, my sister its icing and yes we have all had our gal bladders out. So you will have to "play around" until you find out what your triggers are. Be fair warned too. Be close to bathroom, can get to one within about 15 mins. That is about how long it will take to KNOW you can not have that food again! Or small quantities at least. Surgery was easy, didn't feel a thing- thank goodness....lol The pain afterwards, don't remember pain more soreness than anything. Like you did 300 situps and your whole stomach was sore. Within a week that was mostly gone. Still tender where the incisons were but for the most part it was gone. I had 2 extra incisions as well. My doc said I had a "floppy liver". Apparently every time he tried to just move it out of the way it would flop into the space he needed to work in...so 2 more cuts and clamps and liver was out of the way. Heart burn... I still have it on occassions but very minor. NOTHING like what it was before I got it out! You will feel much better when its out! All will be fine! Good luck!