Gallstones

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maria1993
maria1993 Posts: 112
in Health and Weight Loss
I am only 18, but since July my back has started hurting me once or twice a week. And when it does the pain wraps around my stomach.

I just chalked it up to having something wrong with my back.

Friday was a treat night, I had a stromboli. Glorious pepperoni, steak and cheeeese!! But at about 5am Saturday I woke up, I had my "normal" back pain. I got up, when to the bathroom and took a aleve liquid gel. I tried to go back to sleep but the pain kept getting worse, I had my mother take me to the ER. Half way there the pain just stopped. It went from being so bad I could barely breath to nearly nothing.. We went ahead to the er. I had blood drawn and urine taken. My mother was pushing gallstones from the beginning. The nurses asked some questions and later the doctor came in and did too, he felt of my stomach and left. He came back later and said my blood was normal and would have shown increased liver enzymes if I had gallstones. He said urine showed a few white cells so said I was free to go, that I just had a slight UTI.. He said that we could wait another 30-45 minutes until the ultrasound techs began their shifts but that since my blood was fine and since I am really too young for gallstones that I could go ahead and be released. Mom said that we should wait, so we did. Once the ultrasound tech came we asked how long it would take to get the results. She said an hour. So she took a bunch of snapshots and an hour later the doctor came back, very disappointed like, he said that I DO have stones and will need surgery.

Sooooo... Have any of you had the surgery?? Was it very painful? Did it effect your weight loss? Did anything change after the surgery??

It runs through both sides of my family, one of my aunts did have surgery for them when she was about 19 but she passed away a few years later. And of course I am over weight, plus have lost 30 pounds within the last 4 months.. Which all contributes. The greasy food on Friday just sent me over the edge, they did confirm that I have had them for a while now. They could tell by thickening of the walls.

Replies

  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
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    i had mine out a few years ago
    didnt hurt
    couldnt exercise for 8 weeks gained back 60lbs
  • DonnaLFitz
    DonnaLFitz Posts: 270 Member
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    You're young for it, but it can normally be laparoscopically, with little healing time required. I had mine out 14 years ago. I have had no adverse affects.

    However, just having the gallbladder out does NOT mean you will never get gallstones. I get them from time to time (when I don't take my Milk Thistle every day). My liver gets sore, my digestion backs up, and I feel no hunger then. I drink hot tea and eat toast for several days until the symptoms ease. Then I'm fine.

    Good luck. Nothing to be afraid of.
  • megamoo04
    megamoo04 Posts: 269
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    I had my gallbladder removed a year ago due to gallstones, the surgery was very easy they make 4 cuts on ur stomach but they are very small, it wasnt to painful it was just a little hard to bend at the waist. The recovery was easy also. I have had no complations with mine, i dont ever get them horrible pains, the only side effect that i have from the surgery is having lots of bowel movements, other then that things have been find and it hasnt had any effects on my weight loss. I actually believe it is helping me because of the extra bowel movements.

    I wish you the best of luck and a speedy recovery!
  • inotnew
    inotnew Posts: 218 Member
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    you are young, but I have heard of girls having them at 12. The surgury was three small insisions (spelling?), very little recovery time. Try to limit fats until the surgury.
  • ChRiStA_1983
    ChRiStA_1983 Posts: 380 Member
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    I had gall bladder disease and gall stones back when I was 18 (ten years ago, now).....It took nearly a year to diagnose, because I DIDN'T have any of the normal contributing factors! I wasn't overweight, I didn't smoke, I didn't have high blood pressure, I was "too young" (or so they thought!), etc.

    The surgery itself was laparoscopic, and it wasn't a big deal. I had the usual soreness for a few days, but nothing TOO terrible. I can now eat whatever I want (although I don't, since I track what I eat!), and have had ZERO digestive problems since the surgery.

    You'll feel SO much better once you've healed! I wasn't able to exercise for approximately 6 weeks or so; HOWEVER, if you continue to eat properly and track all of your food (and stay under your recommended caloric intake), you shouldn't gain any weight, so your weight loss won't be HUGELY affected.

    Hope that helps! Good luck!
  • omgitsgarry
    omgitsgarry Posts: 138
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    I had mine taken out about 2 years ago. It hurts for the first few days, but after that it is smooth sailing. I was off my pain meds four days after. It just depends on what type of surgery you are getting. I had the microscopic done and I was fine with in a few days. Sometimes they release you the day of your surgery, but most hospitals keep you overnight with it. You should be doing normal things within a week or two, but wait till after your check up to go back to exercising. Because I wasn't losing weight when I had mine taken out, I don't know if it impedes or helps weight loss, but not having mine now hasn't effected anything. Good luck!
  • genxrider
    genxrider Posts: 107 Member
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    I had a horrible gallstone attack but never had my gallbladder removed. I passed the stone(s) apparently that one time I ER'd it.

    At least now I know what it is - it is horrible pain and discomfort, isn't it?

    I don't touch greasy food any more and haven't had an attack since that first one almost 7 years ago. It was Crawfish Monica at Jazzest that triggered it.

    But yeah - getting your gallbladder out is no big deal.
  • christmre
    christmre Posts: 109 Member
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    I had mine out a couple of years ago, take it easy for a couple of weeks, watch what you eat, sometimes after you get it out some things you used to eat will run right through you, I can't eat much fried foods anymore, myself. Pain is minimal, they use lasers most of the time now. Didn't gain any weight from it. Good luck!
  • CJK1959
    CJK1959 Posts: 279 Member
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    The surgery is pretty simple. Just some band aid incisions. The only problem I had with it was some lingering shoulder pain from the anethesia. There is nothing quite like the pain from a gall bladder attack! Anyway, no worries.....easy peasy....good luck to you!
  • jleevans
    jleevans Posts: 4 Member
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    I had my gallbladder removed 5 years ago. You could have written my story - exact same issues, doctor comments, etc. I had also lost 24 lbs just prior to the major issues. I have not had any issues since having the gallbladder removed. It did not affect my weight loss. I have since gained back the 24 lbs+ but I don't feel it had anything to do with the gallbladder being removed.
    The surgery did not hurt - laproscopic. Everything went well and was back to normal in just a few weeks. Gallstones are no joke.. I would put that pain in the same category with labor and delivery..... seriously..... LOL.
    Praying all will go well with your surgery.
  • StixFight
    StixFight Posts: 16 Member
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    Had my gallbladder removed this time last year after a third painful episode which I could imagine labor pains feel like...the surgery is quick & easy with slight soreness afterwards that prevents u from bending over completely...also since the surgery entails pumping carbon dioxide to make the workspace easier for the doctor, expect alil soreness in the area & shoulders until the air expels (about 2-3 weeks)...meanwhile, I was on a soup/soft food which helped maintain the weightloss & even helped accelerate it...just introduce foods slowly & evalaute its effect on your body...but I would say avoid heavy/spicy items until about 3 weeks as not fatigue the body while healing...if u taske it slow & easy in the beginning, you have a faster & better recovery later...good luck :)
  • maria1993
    maria1993 Posts: 112
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    Thanks everybody.

    Hearing your experiences really helps. I know the surgery isn't a major one, this will just be my first time being cut open for anything. I had a burn surgery but it was external and I was about 3 or 4.

    I will be glad once it is over. I definitely don't want to be in pain like I was the other morning.. I was also thinking that must be like labor, but hey.. At least you get "Fruits of your labor" when delivering babies. The same isn't true when you just have evil little rocks inside you.

    I will be watching what I eat.. Trying to stay away from a lot of fat/oil/grease.
  • kiannakat
    kiannakat Posts: 2
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    I had an impacted gall stone, and had my surgery almost 4 weeks ago. I had the laproscopic surgery, and was sent home for 4 weeks. (YAY for short term disability, BOO I have to go back to work in 3 days!)

    The first week wasnt bad at all. Can't sleep on your right side or tummy (which I do) or pick up anything off the ground, because of the bending. I only took pain medication for 4 days. The second week, you get up in the morning and think you can do anything. By the afternoon you realize that you did too much. Week 2 and 3 were the hardest for not "eating cause I'm bored" for me.

    Because you don't want to strain yourself in any way, excercise is very limited to walking. So I would go to the mall. This way I could walk for a while, and if I was too pooped, I could sit down and rest for a while.
  • auttienkassiemom
    auttienkassiemom Posts: 5 Member
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    I had my gallbladder taken out 6 weeks after I had my first daughter. She will be 9 in October. My gallstone pain started when I was about 4 months pregnant with her. I went to the ER 3 times during my pregnancy because I was in horrible horrible pain. The surgery is pretty simple. Like most people said 3 or 4 cuts to your tummy. I was in the hospital overnight for recovery. I know some people don't stay in the hospital at all. Within a week or two I was moving around pretty good like I didn't even have surgery.
  • fudgebudget
    fudgebudget Posts: 198 Member
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    I had mine out last year - it wasn't too bad. I wasn't experiencing a ton of pain when they admitted me to the hospital, but I'd gone because my eyes had gotten yellow and turns out I had a stone lodged in the common bile duct. This is probably what your doctor expected you to have if he dismissed gallbladder issues because your liver enzymes weren't elevated (nothing is going to happen with your liver if the common bile duct is clear, and gallbladder pain doesn't HAVE to involve the common bile duct).

    Anyway, one endoscopy to take out the rogue stone and a quick lap procedure the next day and I was home recovering. I was back at work 3 days later. You'll be fine - the crappiest part of my entire experience was having the IV put in.
  • olyrose
    olyrose Posts: 569 Member
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    I started having attacks when I was about 18 too, and just suffered through them (changing my diet when I felt them coming, taking some Chinese herbs) for about 12 years. I finally decided to have my gallbladder removed a couple years ago because I realized I could never eliminate the problem on my own.

    I've had no problems at all. I was back to work (though a little groggy) after 3 days. I was very mindful about what I at for several months (lots of veggies, soups, brown rice, etc). That helped me lose about 15 pounds, but once I realized there were no adverse effects for what I ate, I started eating a lot more and gained it back.

    Two years later I feel great, and only wish I would have had the surgery sooner. Good luck!
  • maria1993
    maria1993 Posts: 112
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    I started having attacks when I was about 18 too, and just suffered through them (changing my diet when I felt them coming, taking some Chinese herbs) for about 12 years. I finally decided to have my gallbladder removed a couple years ago because I realized I could never eliminate the problem on my own.

    That is what I wondered about, should I wait or get it done now? But I'm leaning toward now, because I don't want to risk getting an infection.. And I don't want to end up in as much pain as I was in the other day.. I was really to the point of thinking I was dieing from something, and when the doctor said I was free to go... Before we knew what the problem was, it scared me. I thought something could be seriously wrong with me, like cancer or something.

    I was actually glad to hear gallstones, because I KNEW what was causing me all that pain.
  • maria1993
    maria1993 Posts: 112
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    My surgery was supposed to have been on the 5th of October.. My mother called them 2 days before and told them that I had a cough.. They still wanted me to come in the next day for pre-op testing. During the pre-op I told them that I had a cough, they even asked how long I'd had it and if it was a productive one (yes, it was).. They still told me to come in for my surgery the following day. I was pricked twice so they could get the IV in, and when the nurse was standing there she asked if the dr knew I had a cough.. I explained that we'd let everybody know thus far.. She talked to the anesthesiologist and he came in and said that he was afraid I had an upper respiratory infection that would turn into a pneumonia because the trec tube would push infection into my lungs.. He said he'd talk to the dr.. So finally after waiting 4 hours the dr told me to leave, that I needed to be on antibiotics before she would preform the surgery. The next day I went to urgent care and got put on the antibiotics. It took forever for my cough to go away but my surgery has now been scheduled for next Wednesday (23rd).

    I'll be soooo glad to get it over with.. I usually have an attack once a week even though I watch how much fat I eat (Last attack came on after a breakfast of pancakes and a lunch of low fat chicken soup). I am concerned though, because I stopped counting calories around the time I was diagnosed.........I became more worried about watching my fat intake. But I've lost another 12 pounds for seemingly no reason. I could eat pasta, rice or bread all day and not gain a pound :-/ I know I need to loose weight, but I don't know why I am loosing it

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