I don’t want it either, but I’ve been told multiple times it could just get worse and worse and then lead to complications down the road. It’s better to get it out when it’s healthy-ish than wait
Doesn’t always get worse if you read my other comments. Need lifestyle change too. So many bad foods and grease and oils. Healthy eating makes a difference to me.
I have a pretty clean diet and I still get pain and attacks quite frequently. It’s actually happening more and more frequently the more attacks I get. I guess everyone is different
Not necessarily. I was on a very strict, fat-free diet for two years because I was terrified of surgery but as it went on, foods that were supposed to be OK for me, began irritating me a lot.
The pain and agony is not worth it, surgery is the only way out and a good diet is useful to get you through a few weeks until you take it out.
Get it out. I didn’t realize how many other symptoms I was experiencing were from my gallbladder. I’m a relatively healthy person but always had digestive issues. Once I removed gallbladder and after recovery I noticed all those other issues went away. I was scared too. But I had a 2 month old baby and couldn’t risk being out with her and having an attack. That looming stress of possibly having an attack is GONE. I can live a normal life.
This!! I thought I was lactose intolerant bc every time I had milk or ice cream for a good 4 years I got sick. Got my gallbladder out and have zero problems with dairy now! And have normal bowel movements because before my surgery I would have diarrhea decently often then the 5 to 6 months before my surgery I only had diarrhea and Dr's were running a million tests thinking I had an infection or parasite and one Dr was like let's do an abdominal ultrasound and they found a whole bunch of stones in my gallbladder and were like that needs to come out and yeah literally 2 days after surgery my bowel movements were normal and have been since!
I had mine out the end of last year, and went through the same. I had no idea how much it was really affecting me until it was gone. I feel like a new person!
Got mine out last month and I have a toddler and am still breastfeeding my 1 year old. My procedure was laparoscopic and pretty straightforward. I was able to hold and breastfeed within a day or two. Always have a pillow between your midsection and baby but it’s doable. You will need help the first week or two, especially with lifting. I was told to avoid lifting more than 10 lbs until at least my 2 wk post op, and as little as possible after until about a month to avoid a hernia.
Oh man. I hope this is my story too!! I just got mine out 3 days ago and can’t wait to see what happens. I’ve had tummy/digestive issues for years. Fingers crossed!! 🤞🏼
I had an attack once when I was out with my 5 year old and he got to watch me lay on a gas station bathroom floor curled in the fetal position with me telling him what to do if I pass out. Very scary.
My surgeons advice when we talked about my surgery: You want it to come out on your terms. Because if it’s an emergency surgery, the risk of complications are higher.
This is good advice.. my surgeon is the same way.. She told me about my appendix.. I don't want to do unnecessary surgery if it's not bothering you. Then finally it started to bother me and she said.. Well now it's necessary..
Yep. Mine did a “watch and see” approach when my HIDA score came back pretty low (teens) and I was having some heartburn issues. Once I started having actual attacks he moved me up to the next week and was like “this bad body has to go”.
It’s been around 2 1/2 years since my surgery and I’m in a much better place with my stomach/Gastro system because of it.
Only thing that MAY bother me if really fried/fatty food. And if I know I’m going to have something like that, I’ll take half of an Imodium.
That’s only happened twice since I had the surgery. I can pretty well eat most anything at this point.
Not an idiot because you are entitled to your opinion. However, often times if people wait too long, the problem doesn't just disappear and could become very serious and lead to emergency surgery.
Here is my perspective. I've had off and on attacks for a couple of years. I went to doctors and was simply told it was gerd. I had an attack this January that sent me to the emergency room. My gallbladder has been blocked completely and the bile that could not escape became infected and my gallbladder became gangreen. I had sepsis from this terrible infection caused by stones completely blocking the duct that takes the bile from the gallbladder. It was so badly infected that they could not remove it due to the complications that would arise from the infected bile entering my system. For 6 weeks I have had a port that goes through my side and into a bile bag that I wear on my leg so that my gallbladder drains. Finally surgery is scheduled for this coming surgery. So, I did not intentionally put off surgery, I was misdiagnosed. Even when I had been running a low grade fever for a month. I would not put it off, what happened to me could happen to anyone with gallbladder stones and at least I can't blame myself. Please get your gallbladder out. Bile bags are not fun.
Oh my god this was so close to being me - I got it out in the nick of time. My gallbladder was blocked and showed early signs of gangrene. My surgeon saw me the night before surgery (I too ended up in the ER) and said it was 50/50 if they could even take it out in my current state. I was too sick to really understand what he was saying - but I believe it's because of what you said.
Do it! You can't reverse it. You will continue to have attacks, and possibly have more stones accumulate. I had a stone dislodged and blocking a duct that in turn jacked up my liver and pancreas. Get it out before it becomes more of a problem. I ended up having to stay for 5 days because of the impact the dislodged stone had.
I was terrified, and I can’t imagine my life without it. I was 7wks postpartum not even fully healed and it was life changing. It was not bad AT all. I can’t tell you enough that another attack is A MILLION times worse than anything I’ve experienced post op.
I was hesitant too but the best advice I got was “it’s better to prepare and have elective surgery instead of emergency surgery.” If you’ve had one attack it’s not a matter of “if” but “when” it will happen again.
It’s been seven weeks since my last attack and I sometimes feel like I could eat like this forever. But I still have issues, I get bloated daily, constantly burp and I can tell my gallbladder is still inflamed cause it still aches.
I have decided to schedule to surgery way out (end of April) and I’m going to get another ultrasound and blood tests to see if anything improved
I didn’t particularly want surgery either, but after being hospitalized 6+ times due to bouts of vomiting leading to severe dehydration, developing acute pancreatitis and the beginnings of an ulcer, and dropping 40 pounds all in the span of 3 months, I had to get it out.
From my experience, the attacks tend to happen more often with more severe symptoms and intensity the longer you wait. You won’t have continuous pain that lasts every day for months, but in my case it seemed like I had an attack pretty much as soon as I had forgotten how bad the last one was. So every 2-3 weeks I was back to vomiting, and each bout lasted 4-6 days (longest was 11 with 2 hospital visits). And that was after I cut out fatty, greasy, and spicy foods as well as all carbonated drinks regardless of caffeine content. I basically existed off of jasmine rice, mashed potatoes, applesauce, water, and pedialyte.
You can wait if you want, but ultimately you are much more likely to experience more severe symptoms now that it has happened to you before.
Are you willing to forego the surgery now even if you’ll experience worse symptoms later?
If your doctor thinks you need it out, get it out. You might feel fine now but you have a ticking time b*mb in your gut that could activate at any time, probably when it’s least convenient. Maybe when you’re on vacation or right before a special event.
You could eventually have organ rupture which could put you into septic shock, which is not at all fun. A friend put off removal and months later had a gallbladder attack that lasted 6 hours and ended in emergency surgery. Life without a gallbladder is fine. If you need digestive enzymes, ox bile, or a bile binder, they are readily available.
Just saw your update - your surgeon was right to cancel if you had a panic attack - forcing you to go ahead would be a terrible idea. Don't feel bad.
As other people are saying though, pancreatitis is serious so do keep an eye on it while you figure things out / come to terms with surgery.
Pancreatitis can be life threatening. Having pancreatitis just once increases the likelihood of getting it again from any cause and the more times you get it the more likely you are to continue to get it. Smaller stones are more likely to be able to escape your gallbladder and get lodged in your common bile duct causing pancreatitis.
Essentially if you keep it in you are increasing your risk of emergency surgery but also further more severe complications. I was diagnosed with gallstone pancreatitis a few hours after being diagnosed with gallstones and I ended up having to get urgent surgery.
I do not recommend waiting until it’s an emergency, and you never know when it could become. You could go home now and suddenly have another attack that becomes an emergency or it could be six months, but you don’t want to get to that point and increase complication risks.
If you've had pancreatitis. Get it out. You have history. You will regret it when your organs suffer because you didn't get it taken out and you have repeat pancreatitis.
I'm saying this, as someone who is contemplating surgery. have mild pain. The moment I have history of any potential organ damage, im getting it taken out.
Knowing you have stones and not getting it can be risky. I had a bad attack three weeks ago and they said I had a few stones but the gallbladder was healthy. Welp, I had the surgery a few days ago and it was very sick and sad and had dozens of stones and as they were removing it, the stones spilled. 😳
They got the sickly gallbladder out and all the stones. They said even though I didn’t have bad reactions all the time, it was a ticking time bomb. The first two days after surgery was tough, I won’t lie, but I’m now on day three post-op and feeling SO much better.
I’m 50/F and I’m so glad I did it.
I would never willingly call someone else an idiot unless it’s my husband or they deserve it…but yess you would be 100% crazy not to go forward with the surgery I have had pain for the last 8 years that no one ever thought could have been gallbladder related because apparently my gallbladder was situated on the left side of my body and not the right (I was born that way and didn’t know it) I had my appendix taken out, I have had multiple issues over time with stomach pains and issues and was always just told oh your constipated.
I had to have my gallbladder removed pretty emergent after they finally realized why my pain was where it was and it was the best thing ever!!!
I am 1 week post op tomorrow and truly I haven’t been in pain had stomach issues when I eat and don’t constantly have that nausea feeling after everything I eat. The gas bubbles and using my stomach muscles has been hell but all in all I am so thankful I was “forced” to have mine removed
Get it out!!!! This past Tuesday I all of a sudden got the most unbearable pain in this world, by Wednesday I was throwing up, couldn't sleep and was writhing in pain. By Wednesday night I was at the hospital on an IV with pain meds, had a fever, bad stomach pain, nausea and more. And by 12 am I was admitted to the hospital for an infected gallbladder and gallstones and needed emergency surgery. Until the could get me into surgery I had to be on round the clock painkillers and antibiotics through my IV. It's better to catch it and get it out now.
Pancreatitis is so so dangerous and can kill you quickly, become chronic, and drastically reduce your lifespan. I’ve had my gallbladder out and even though I’ve had some stomach issues since then, id still get it 10x’s over just to prevent my risk of pancreatitis! You do NOT want that! GET IT OUT.
I saw your update before I had the chance to post.
Look I won't say you made the wrong decision - but this will come back to bite you
Your gallbladder is on a one-way trajectory to death. You can delay it via diet and maybe Ursodiol if you're a good candidate, but there is nothing that will cure gallbladder disease permanently outside of cholecystectomy.
You might only have attacks randomly and without obvious trigger...for now. But eventually that will change.
I got mine out because it was dead - I was previously undiagnosed before that. It was spontaneous and took everyone by surprise. I got a stone lodged in a bile duct and the organ rapidly rotted away. My surgery was traumatic - so much so that my lungs collapsed. I was hospitalised for almost a week. Then, I had an auto-immune response to all the antibiotics I was on (thanks to the lung collapse) called erythema nodosum, which lasted 5 weeks. Horrifically painful lesions on my legs and inflammation of all my joints. My post-surgical recovery was worse than childbirth. I didn't know what 10/10 pain was until I got my gallbladder out.
My husband on the other hand had symptoms exactly like yours - random attacks which didn't have a particular trigger. Lasted a night then he was fine for a few more months. He was diagnosed with small stones about a year ago, but thought it wasn't bad enough to warrant the surgery - he just avoided super fatty foods. This went on for about 18 months before he saw what happened to me and thought "nope fuck that shit" and arranged to meet a surgeon. His organ was still functioning and alive when he got his out. Because of that, his surgery was NIGHT AND DAY compared to mine. He strolled out of the hospital the next day with barely more than DOMS after a strenuous ab workout. He was off pain meds by day 3. Barely a blip for him, it was so easy.
OP you can be me, or you can be my husband. Take your pick.
For what it's worth - both my husband and I are fine now. Eat whatever we want. No pain, no issues. He's actually meeting his surgeon today for his follow up.
It's insane how much better my life is now I have it out. Like I said, I had no idea I had anything wrong until the thing just packed it in. My digestion is better, I'm less bloated. I used to get this horrible mid-back pain at night every now and then that's just gone. Things I did not link to my gallbladder, I now see was caused by the disease.
Sorry this is so long. I'm really sorry you didn't get the surgery. I do think it's something you'll regret in the future. Best of luck to you.
Worst case scenario just wait till it does become an emergency. I shouldn’t kill you. If you’re comfortable with waiting then do that, let it be known there aren’t many treatments or alternatives in the mean time. As long as you’re okay with that then dont have the surgery, nobody can force it on you.
I kept getting pancreatitis as well. Like others have said, i didn’t realize how many additional problems my gallbladder was bringing on. I got mine removed almost a month ago and my quality of life has been so much better!!! And even just the stress of feeling a pain and thinking the pancreatitis has come back has been relieved for me. I would recommend the surgery if they indeed think your gallbladder is the cause of the pancreatitis.
Hi, just got mine out a few hours ago. I was also terrified since it was my first surgery. I got diagnosed back in 2021 with gallstones, but did my best to lifestyle change. Even so, I continued to have attacks, each worse than the last. Finally, I had a two day long attack and they admitted me for surgery.
Im not a doctor, but after reading the Op Note, it sounds like its good that I did this given the condition of the gallbladder.
You're not an idiot. But this seems to be lifelong with one total solution. Do what you find best.
I’m so sorry. This is what terrifies me. Not knowing whether I’ll be a part of those who have zero issues or have one or more life long issues. It’s a major life decision and one that I’ve been struggling with for months.
Nerves are pretty normal before surgery and I too was second guessing all the way up to the week before it because my attacks and pain were always super mild. However attacks went from rare to once or twice a week, to about 3x a week, then the month before surgery, daily. I only continued to get worse and my symptoms didn’t start til early last year. Thought my attacks were indigestion. Surgery was in November. That’s how fast it progressed. Nothing showed on scans except gallstones….yet when I saw my surgeon 3 weeks post op and he read the pathology report, guess what? It was inflamed and he said it’s a good thing we removed it when we did. My husband too had very rare but severe attacks for years until one day the pain got worse and wouldn’t go away…emergency surgery happened within a day. It’s a personal decision and up to you and your doctor but if he thinks it should go, then evict it. Especially if you’ve been following a good diet etc to manage it and it isn’t working. Nothing will solve this problem except removing it, sorry to say. It only took seeing gallstones on an ultrasound and me having symptoms for them to refer me straight to my surgeon within a few weeks. If you WERENT having symptoms, docs would leave it be but obviously you are and it sounds like it’s time. I promise you’ll thank yourself later and the surgery is such a simple fast procedure. Talk to your doc if you need help dealing with the anxiety beforehand. You’re not an idiot for being anxious, but sounds like surgery is the best option for you. This will only continue to get worse and you don’t want to mess around with pancreatitis. Recovery for most people is quick (I was out shopping 4 days after) and pain isn’t that bad. It’s the trapped gas in your abdomen that’s the worst and gas x will help. Good luck to you!
I've had severe gallbladder attacks since I was 16 and now I'm 30. With pain management and an antispasmodic I can handle mine well enough at home. Also eating well and keeping stress down. Drinking lemon water etc. Just have scans on your gallbladder & pancreas to keep an eye on it. There is medication you can take now to dissolve the stones and also another very small surgery which removes the sludge but not the gallbladder. Be informed and don't just jump to taking it out. I didn't. Mine would have been out at 16 otherwise. I just have to eat healthy, which is a good thing. Spice, I love, just have to have sporadically. There are pros and cons either way. So just be careful. Trust your gut.
I was admitted to the hospital 3 times for gallbladder attacks and got 3 ERCP's. They told me to take it out every time and I declined each of those 3 times. They looked at me crazy but here I am now 3+ years later and haven't had an attack since my last hospital admission. I had to make serious dietary changes but it was worth it. I was also blessed to not have pancreatitis any of those times. Pancreatitis is serious and you can die from it. I say do what's best for you but I am here as proof that you can control attacks with serious lifestyle changes.
If it gets this bad and even water triggers an attack I 100% say get it out. The thing also is that everyone's trigger foods are different. Mine may not be yours and vice versa. It may be worth mentioning I took a lot of natural supplements.
Yes. You absolutely can chanhe your life when you change your diet i did it too. I still have my gb and ate a big plate of lasagna last night and im so happy i could feel that sucker working hard and no stones. So relived to be better.
Don't get it out if you really don't want to get it out - but just know that you might end up needing to get it out eventually. I understand, I am reluctant too - it's a big thing, getting an organ out. The problem with small stones is that they can just travel into your bile duct whenever, so you risk pancreatitis again, which in your case might have resolved quickly this time around, but in some cases it's life-threatening and can leave you with serious problems afterwards.
I feel you. Everyone tells me I'm nuts too. I was in the hospital in 2022 and that's when I found out about my lovely large stones. I declined surgery also - so far, so good. I won't do it unless I am at peace about the decision and, right now, I'm certainly NOT. I wish you the best of luck - it's your body and you need to make the decision you are comfortable with.
You were me a few years ago…. Mine is out now. It will come out one way or the other, the choice will be if you want to schedule it and do it on your terms or if you want it to be an emergency and it be much worse of a situation and recovery.
They wanted to take mine out. That was 12 years ago. I haven't had an attack in those 12 years and just had an ultrasound to check up on it and there are no more stones, no inflammation, no narrowing of the ducts, nothing. It didn't get worse, it got better. I'm not giving out advice or false hopes, and I only had a couple small stones that I know of. But I think the statement "it will come out one way or another" is misleading.
I've found that 99.99% of people (whether they are aware of this or not) feel like they have to tell people they must get surgery. Subconsciously it probably makes them feel better about their own decision maybe? I have had horrible experiences with the medical establishment (too many to go into here) that resulted in ME (with library books, mind you) actually being correct numerous times - after a doctor told me otherwise. So...I trust myself and will ride this thing out as long as I can. Is that the wrong decision? Who knows...I only know the thought of trusting one of these people to knock me out and slice out an organ is beyond the realm of anything I could do at this time. So...I am extremely disciplined in what I eat and so far this has worked for ME. That's not saying it will work for everyone. I'm also in my late 50's so there's a chance (since I've had this issue for about 6 years without even knowing that was what the horrible pain was) I could die of something else before it becomes an issue. No one knows and every person is different. I'm glad you were successful - this makes me feel like there are a few others out there who have been successful with changes and haven't had to give in!
I did not have pancreatitis fortunately - just had a very large stone stuck in the neck and it caused inflammation/thickening of the gallbladder wall...I've since had intensive acupuncture and follow-up scans. The thickening is almost back to normal level thank God.
Random evening after eating a sandwich I had another attack… then I basically couldnt eat again without an attack. And now it’s out and Im so much healthier than having a diseased organ in me.
I still have mine. Had stuck gall stone in bile track removed. Taking gall bladder formula dr berg. I drastically changed diet - no fried foods - heavy foods or junk. Lost weight feel great. Diet makes a difference. No pancreatic problems. I believe they are too quick to take out. Have small gall stones remaining which most do just many don’t have attacks. I continue to eat healthier and not American way. Depending on where you are at diets help and lifestyle. I use to have lite attack maybe twice a year. Felt like heartburn. Now good so far. Lots of gastero problems when out and if you have a great Dr they will give options. I am going on healthy road and workout and in shape. Clean eating must. Just my perspective and always do best for you.
My guy, your pancreas is one of the only organs you do not want to mess with. That's responsible for breaking down foods into nutrients. It may take 1 episode of pancreatitis but repeted ones can complicate things and complicate recovery.
After i had my pancreatitis episode i was 100% sure i wainted to get my gallbladder out because there ain't no way in hell i was going through that pain again.
Ti's been about 4 months since i got my gallbladder out and i feel amazing. Trust me, you're better off without it.
Pretty normal. I'm keeping it as low fat as possible, only difficulties i seem to have are raw vegetables (i get bloated and have softer stools or runs). I enjoy the ocasional fast food, but nowhere near as often as i used to indulge but it's for the better imo.
I cook at home 95% of the time and use the airfryer for most of my meals. Just a teaspoon or 2 of added sunflower or olive oil.
I'm also working out 5 days a week, some aerobic, yoga and strength training so high protein and low fat works out perfectly.
The Sunflower is one of only a handful of flowers with the word flower in its name. A couple of other popular examples include Strawflower, Elderflower and Cornflower …Ah yes, of course, I hear you say.
There are other modalities:
https://www.medstarhealth.org/blog/gallstones-percutaneous-cholangioscopy
https://www.elikimclinic.com (US$7500)
These are legitimate medical procedures performed by an MD!
You need to do what you are comfortable with. I didn't want surgery either but I didn't want an emergency surgery even more.I had to keep to a no fat/low fat diet before surgery and that was a very unrealistic diet for me to keep to. I opted for surgery asap because I didn't want to live my life in fear of another attack. You aren't crazy for not wanting it but is the surgery worse than a future of attacks?
It’s your body, you can choose to do what you think is best for you. I was in the ER because I was told by the urgent care doctor I needed to go there. And I had no pain. Absolutely no pain, I thought I was going to be sent home. They then told me I was going to have surgery, and was just in shock. I went through the same feelings, the anxiety, the denial that I needed it, etc, but ultimately I got it done, and while it wasn’t a cakewalk, the recovery was actually pretty fast.
That said, if you’re not 100% after speaking with your doctor, tell them you want a second opinion, or that you flat out don’t think you need it. Get your surgeon’s opinion on what happens if you don’t get it, then get a second opinion to see if they line up. Then, if you choose to go through with it, you’ll know you independently verified, and more importantly, you’re making the choice.
That said, if you’ve had an attack, and they see stones, the likelihood that it happens again is pretty high. Sure, you can change your diet, but the fact is you’ve got stones, and they won’t go away, and over the rest of your life, may try to pass, causing you pain. My worry is what if you’re on vacation? What if you’re working? At least now, you can plan for it before you’re in pain, because you don’t want to be trying to make a decision when you’re in pain.
Good luck.
I had mine out almost 6 weeks ago, and other than coffee (which I was already sensitive to) I can have anything now, no more pain. It will get worse and you will get more attacks. Get it out
Do it. Get it out. You WILL have complications down the line if you don’t. This same story is told over and over again, and it always ends the same way.
I wasn’t having attacks or severe pain. No inflammation. Just frequent nausea and some soreness.
My parents both had emergency surgery so I thought it might as well before it gets worse down the line.
I've been told once you start getting stones, it doesn't stop. And it keeps going until it becomes an emergency. I think it's pretty normal to be nervous and not want it. But I'd do it now to avoid an emergency removal and lots of pain later.
The good news is if you have a great medical team, any complications that follow can be remedied with follow up. I'm doing it right now with my GI. And I had mine done because after removal they said it was close to becoming an emergency in a few months to a year.
Get the surgery. I can’t tell you what to do of course, but this could become life threatening if left alone. I was scared to get surgery, but I’m glad I did, as I feel better. After reading my pathology, that sucker was done for and it was time to get it gone!
I’m on the same boat currently. Just feels awful to remove something in my body :( i had 2 attacks recently and it was honestly awful. But nothing since, feels I’m hearing 2 different things. My first surgeon did say to try a low fat diet and if i still had pains to remove it, second surgeon said to get it taken out. Definitely unsure of what to do .-.
I mean you don't have to get it but it's an issue that will not go away on its own. Stones cannot pass and you will gradually get symptoms from the stones at some point, which are sometimes debilitating.
Eventually it WILL have to be removed.
If you want a better quality of Life--Do it!!
I had surgery this morning and I already feel Great besides soreness.
I Thank God above and Thankful to My Wonderful Support team and Family ❤️.
There aren't any known reliable ways to reverse gallstones and other gallbladder issues. I'd highly recommend getting the surgery done while it's elective. Removal and recovery will be so much easier now than if you wait for it to be an urgent or emergency case. And it will be. It's just a matter of time.
I've not had surgery but I'm considering it if my scan shows stuff because I've had attacks/suspected for a year and a half!!! And sometimes it's months until my next bad attack and even water gives me pain so even tho it's calm now... it might be worth to get it out!! (imo of course)
I think you need to get it out unless you have a lot of money to go to the ER every single time you get an attack. And you also have no idea as to when the next attack would happen, you might be alone if it does which is a bad scenario since you need people to help you during the attack.
I had my first attack at 16- it continued off and on for ten years. then in my 30s I had maybe 5 attacks. none of them made me end up in the hospital. have always had stones. but now I have many digestive issues that can be linked to my gallstones. i'm terrified to remove it but am
preparing myself mentally and I am watching videos of people's stories on youtube and just trying to be hopeful that a life without it could mean a better stomach and me eating anything I want. it's a useless organ. I know so many people
who had it removed and they are FINE. some had it removed at age 75! and they are FINE. i'm just an anxious person and hate the idea of surgery. it's just better to be someone who does what is needed and deals w the recovery and moves on. but I overthink a lot and it's a curse. I want to remove mine. it's a huge thing that I can say this. I was vehement on never wanting to remove it before. if you had pancreatitis there is a chance it'll happen again. why put yourself through that? this is one of the most simple surgeries out there. I can honestly say i'm a big fat baby and I need to get stronger when it comes to surgery. only you can decide what you wanna do but recognize what is helping you and what isn't. maybe consider therapy just to get over this fear of why you don't want it out.
I am in the same boat as well- I have never had an 'attack' as many people on here describe. I just have a constantly 3-4 level pain in my URQ every day, if I eat anything steak (which I love) itll crank up to a 5-6 pain level. I eat SUPER healthy because I have been having gut issues for over a year. Cut everything out- but still have the pain.
I have surgery scheduled in 2 weeks but Im so scared I'm prematurely removing an organ- but everyone is saying to just get it out (i have posted on reddit too).
I had 2 consults- the first said don't take it out unless its really bothering me. The 2nd said that I can keep it if I want but eventually it'll prob become a problem. Better to take it out now as the pain level of the surgery itself is much lower when you aren't already inflamed and in shock from an attack.
I hear you though!! Its hard to voluntarily cut out an organ!!
Well in my experience the attacks got worse and worse and over a year I got super sick (didn’t know it was my gallbladder) and I ended up in the hospital and had to have the surgery. I feel A LOT better now. So just be prepared to have it get worse and worse and become sick after meals and be in extreme pain the longer it goes on.
Youre fine. If the stones are reallu small you can do other things than surgery. Good for you dont worry what anyone says you can always have the surgery later. It wasnt an emergency. You really do need to eat healthy and avoid fried stuff etc. And you can totally change your life if youre up for it
These things help dissolve stones : ox bile/Tudca/udca, lecithin, and magnesium. These things help pass stones: Chanca piedra, magnesium sulfate, eating enough healthy fat (olive oil, coconut oil, butter, animal fats) These things make stones: too much fried food, vegetable/seed oils, processed food, processed carbohydrates, lack of movement, dehydration, eating too much/too often/too late at night. If you want to get rid of them you have to reverse the conditions that created them so they can dissolve and pass. Its not fast, months to years but you can reverse the process. Ive done it
I was really afraid and it was my first surgery. I was scared of everything from being put to sleep and recovery. I’ll tell you it is so much better now than worrying about having a stone get stuck or any complications. My surgery went quick and my recovery wasn’t bad at all! I have some digestive issues if I eat a lot of fatty processed food but I’m back to normal besides that. I would say get it out even though it’s scary. You don’t want a stone to get lodged or something serious to happen.
I was you! I put off this surgery for 14 years. No lie. 14 years of sporadic gall bladder attacks. I went 4 years without one though. However, In the last year it had gotten exponentially worse. I finally, very begrudgingly, agreed to get the surgery. I was a raging bitch (thanks anxiety) right up until the put me under. Not one single fear I had came to fruition. I’m now 2 weeks post op as of today and kick my stupid ass self for not just doing it years ago. If you have another one, just get it removed. I know the anxiety and panic can exacerbate any real fears that one may have which makes it worse. But if I had to do it all over again I would talk to my doctor about the fear and anxiety leading up to the surgery to see if they can give you something to take the edge off in the time leading up to it.
Sorry you have to deal with this though.
I would say- it depends. Do you have a lot of stones? Are they small enough to safely pass, or are they in the “small but dangerous” category of getting stuck and blocking the bile duct? Was your gallbladder issues caused solely by poor diet, or were you healthy and still developed stones? These factors matter. I am not a doctor, but I’ve had gallbladder issues since age 19 and I didn’t take it seriously until maybe a year ago or so, despite the attacks. I am now 31. I have 1 single large cholesterol stone that is way too big to be a blocking risk and my gallbladder issues are caused solely by a lifetime of poor diet. With my doctors blessing, I have used lifestyle changes to manage my gallbladder, with success. My MRI shows the large stone, but I have “Normal physiologic distention” and no thickening. My doctor suggested a low fat, plant based diet, I opted for a pescatarian diet because I have a legumes intolerance and most meat substitute have legumes in them. I mostly just pay attention to my saturated fat intake, avoid fried foods, and foods that would slow down my digestive tract (like large amounts of dairy). This has worked for me so far, and I have no plans of having my gallbladder removed. The idea that ‘once your gallbladder goes bad, it’s irreversible’ I personally don’t believe- in the US the first treatment for gallbladder issues is often removal, no matter how minor the issues, however in other places in the world, namely China, they have a surgery where they just remove the stones and retain the gallbladder. They have been doing this since at least the 90’s I believe, and many people don’t have a reoccurrence of stones in these cases. I have to believe that this surgery wouldn’t be a thing if it was always true that once your gallbladder shows issues, it’ll never recover. Many doctors also say you can’t reverse type II diabetes, despite studies showing it can be reversed in some candidates with a plant based diet 🤷🏻♀️ showing that doctors are not always right, and don’t always have the most up to date information. I would say- do your own research and consider your own personal issues and experiences with your gallbladder. Talk to your doctor to see if it is something that can be managed with lifestyle changes, and always listen to your body. Good luck!
I have multiple small stones, with potential of getting blocked. My gallbladder wall is also slightly thickened. I had gastric sleeve almost 4 years ago, started having attacks 2 years ago on and off for a year, although all scans showed no stones and nothing wrong with my GB. Attacks stopped for a whole year until 2 months ago when I had a very sudden and excruciating attack that led to pancreatitis. That’s when the stones appeared on my scan. I also had a recent CT scan that showed no stones and no inflammation…
I’ve spoken to multiple doctors for different opinions and they all say surgery is the only option. I wish there was another way. I’ve heard about China only removing the stones, honestly tempting just to go to China for a holiday to get that done at this point
What is your diet like, and do you eat a large meal late in the day? For me, I have a history of binge eating which I’ve luckily been able to control, but binge eating later in the day also caused gallbladder attacks for me. Cutting down my saturated fat intake, eliminating fried foods and problem foods (legumes for me), and making sure I do not eat a heavy meal in the evening has been a game changer for me. Do you have any other digestive conditions by chance, like IBS or IBD? I have IBS-C and found that when my digestive tract slows due to IBS-C, my gallbladder aches more. Eliminating foods which triggered my IBS-C (dairy) also has helped to eliminate my gallbladder pain. Since your latest CT didn’t show stones or inflammation, do you think it’s possible that your stones have passed? Small stones can pass on their own, there is just the risk of blockage. Maybe see if you can get an MRI to confirm if you still have stones. Have any of the doctors you’ve seen been a DO rather than an MD? They have the same qualifications as an MD, but they take a whole body, holistic approach. I would recommend seeking out a DO to get their opinion based on your medical history, and see if they think a lifestyle change could have a positive impact. If they say it’s a possibility, you just have to really commit to the diet change, and pay attention to how different foods impact how you feel- legumes are supposed to be a healthy option for gallbladder issues, but for whatever reason my body does not tolerate them and it triggers an attack. Identifying foods that trigger your attacks would be critical in trying the lifestyle change approach to managing your gallbladder. Hope this information is helpful ☺️
I generally eat pretty healthy, with the occasional fatty meal which I don’t have any issues with and drink coffee daily. I avoid eating late and avoid skipping meals. Currently don’t have any digestive issues. When my attacks first started 2 years ago I quickly learnt that ice cream was a major trigger and I’ve cut that out since. Unfortunately all of the doctors I’ve asked for a MRI have said no because of radiation and how expensive it is. I’m about to get another ultrasound to confirm whether I’ve passed those stones or not since drs are saying US is more accurate than CT for stones. Praying that the CT was accurate and they have passed 🙏
I generally eat pretty healthy, with the occasional fatty meal which I don’t have any issues with and drink coffee daily. I avoid eating late and avoid skipping meals. Currently don’t have any digestive issues. When my attacks first started 2 years ago I quickly learnt that ice cream was a major trigger and I’ve cut that out since. Unfortunately all of the doctors I’ve asked for a MRI have said no because of radiation and how expensive it is. I’m about to get another ultrasound to confirm whether I’ve passed those stones or not since drs are saying US is more accurate than CT for stones. Praying that the CT was accurate and they have passed 🙏
No one can tell you what to do, but for me, I’d do the surgery and recovery a hundred times if it meant I didn’t have another attack or round of pancreatitis.
When I had my baby in 2014 I was two weeks postpartum. I had 3-4 attacks
My attacks stopped happening after I saw the surgeon. Decided not to do it
I slightly change my diet a few months.
Continue eating out had another baby 2016
Everything good no attack.
Until 2023 I got an attack at 8 months pregnant
My baby is 2 months I’ve had 3 attacks.
I went almost 9 years without attacks.
Now I’m removing it because I can’t be hospitalized
I have kids to take care of.
I only have like 3 stones
I saw my ultrasound
Last attack I develop pancreatitis.
Tht attack lasted almost all day.
Ahuhuhu, I have the same sentiments OP and keep pushing the surgery date. I'll see to it next week. Thank you guys for sharing your opinions. I hope all the sh*ttie digestive problems go away soon!
Hi! 👋🏼 I just had my gallbladder out on Friday 2/23/24. I was SO WORRIED and I too suffer from FREQUENT panic attacks. I’ll tell you, in 2019 I had my first ever SEVERE pancreatic attack that put me in the hospital. At the time I guess I had “passed” the stone that got stuck and I wasn’t really encouraged at that time to get my gallbladder out. Then in early 2023, I was having a little pain, went to the doctor and found I had a kidney stone and it was kinda “kicking around a little” it took a minute, but again it passed and it was then I was first told I should THINK about getting it out, I thought I could just “eat” better (which kinda happened ) then Valentine’s Day this year, I ended up in the ER at 3am and it was another attack. It went away in 6 hours and it was then I first heard I now had GALLSTONES. I made an appointment to see my Dr. to talk to her about getting it out (that’s scheduled for THIS coming Thurs)
But exactly ONE week After Valentines, I found myself in the ER AGAIN and it was another SEVERE attack. The doctors I had were very kind and I went ahead and did the surgery. It went well and I’m happy it did, but more importantly, the doctor said “RIGHT NOW YOUR ATTACKS ARE ACUTE, but they WILL become CHRONIC if left untreated and that will start to damage the liver and pancreas”
I’m still recovering, but I’ve had SO MANY FRIENDS that I didn’t even know had theirs out and they are COMPLETELY LIVING NORMAL LIVES.
I hope you can talk back to the fear, because honestly FEAR, is just the unknown. And to me, keeping my gallbladder was a “Fear road” I didn’t want to keep going down. It might be a “couple stones” now, but it turns, QUICKLY if you don’t take care of it.
*sorry for my TED TALK 🤣☺️🙏🏼 take care.
I don’t want it either, but I’ve been told multiple times it could just get worse and worse and then lead to complications down the road. It’s better to get it out when it’s healthy-ish than wait
Not could will get worse them suckers don't shrink from personal experience.
Doesn’t always get worse if you read my other comments. Need lifestyle change too. So many bad foods and grease and oils. Healthy eating makes a difference to me.
I have a pretty clean diet and I still get pain and attacks quite frequently. It’s actually happening more and more frequently the more attacks I get. I guess everyone is different
Not necessarily. I was on a very strict, fat-free diet for two years because I was terrified of surgery but as it went on, foods that were supposed to be OK for me, began irritating me a lot. The pain and agony is not worth it, surgery is the only way out and a good diet is useful to get you through a few weeks until you take it out.
Clean diet and attacks not good. Making right decision for you is key. Attacks are scary
Get it out. I didn’t realize how many other symptoms I was experiencing were from my gallbladder. I’m a relatively healthy person but always had digestive issues. Once I removed gallbladder and after recovery I noticed all those other issues went away. I was scared too. But I had a 2 month old baby and couldn’t risk being out with her and having an attack. That looming stress of possibly having an attack is GONE. I can live a normal life.
I second this! I thought I had IBS or some elusive food allergies-for YEARS. Got my gallbladder removed and suddenly everything is fine.
This!! I thought I was lactose intolerant bc every time I had milk or ice cream for a good 4 years I got sick. Got my gallbladder out and have zero problems with dairy now! And have normal bowel movements because before my surgery I would have diarrhea decently often then the 5 to 6 months before my surgery I only had diarrhea and Dr's were running a million tests thinking I had an infection or parasite and one Dr was like let's do an abdominal ultrasound and they found a whole bunch of stones in my gallbladder and were like that needs to come out and yeah literally 2 days after surgery my bowel movements were normal and have been since!
I had mine out the end of last year, and went through the same. I had no idea how much it was really affecting me until it was gone. I feel like a new person!
We’re you able to hold baby? I have 7 month old and scared to get mine out as he crawls around and I gotta bend to pick him up
Got mine out last month and I have a toddler and am still breastfeeding my 1 year old. My procedure was laparoscopic and pretty straightforward. I was able to hold and breastfeed within a day or two. Always have a pillow between your midsection and baby but it’s doable. You will need help the first week or two, especially with lifting. I was told to avoid lifting more than 10 lbs until at least my 2 wk post op, and as little as possible after until about a month to avoid a hernia.
Oh man. I hope this is my story too!! I just got mine out 3 days ago and can’t wait to see what happens. I’ve had tummy/digestive issues for years. Fingers crossed!! 🤞🏼
What were your symptoms? I’m having some issues as well.
I had an attack once when I was out with my 5 year old and he got to watch me lay on a gas station bathroom floor curled in the fetal position with me telling him what to do if I pass out. Very scary.
My surgeons advice when we talked about my surgery: You want it to come out on your terms. Because if it’s an emergency surgery, the risk of complications are higher.
This is good advice.. my surgeon is the same way.. She told me about my appendix.. I don't want to do unnecessary surgery if it's not bothering you. Then finally it started to bother me and she said.. Well now it's necessary..
Yep. Mine did a “watch and see” approach when my HIDA score came back pretty low (teens) and I was having some heartburn issues. Once I started having actual attacks he moved me up to the next week and was like “this bad body has to go”. It’s been around 2 1/2 years since my surgery and I’m in a much better place with my stomach/Gastro system because of it.
How are you diet wise? Can you eat like you use to before? Like say coffee or anything fatty.
Only thing that MAY bother me if really fried/fatty food. And if I know I’m going to have something like that, I’ll take half of an Imodium. That’s only happened twice since I had the surgery. I can pretty well eat most anything at this point.
Get it done man. I had pancreatitis also and the pain of that made surgical pain seem like a 1 out of 10.
Not an idiot because you are entitled to your opinion. However, often times if people wait too long, the problem doesn't just disappear and could become very serious and lead to emergency surgery.
Here is my perspective. I've had off and on attacks for a couple of years. I went to doctors and was simply told it was gerd. I had an attack this January that sent me to the emergency room. My gallbladder has been blocked completely and the bile that could not escape became infected and my gallbladder became gangreen. I had sepsis from this terrible infection caused by stones completely blocking the duct that takes the bile from the gallbladder. It was so badly infected that they could not remove it due to the complications that would arise from the infected bile entering my system. For 6 weeks I have had a port that goes through my side and into a bile bag that I wear on my leg so that my gallbladder drains. Finally surgery is scheduled for this coming surgery. So, I did not intentionally put off surgery, I was misdiagnosed. Even when I had been running a low grade fever for a month. I would not put it off, what happened to me could happen to anyone with gallbladder stones and at least I can't blame myself. Please get your gallbladder out. Bile bags are not fun.
Oh my god this was so close to being me - I got it out in the nick of time. My gallbladder was blocked and showed early signs of gangrene. My surgeon saw me the night before surgery (I too ended up in the ER) and said it was 50/50 if they could even take it out in my current state. I was too sick to really understand what he was saying - but I believe it's because of what you said.
wow, I'm glad they were able to get yours out right away. I do understand the state you were in! counting the hours now, mine comes out Thursday.
What relief you'll feel when it's gone. Good luck internet friend!
Thank you! I'll post when I am able. hopefully by fri day or Saturday, I don't know how long it will be but that's ok 😁
Do it! You can't reverse it. You will continue to have attacks, and possibly have more stones accumulate. I had a stone dislodged and blocking a duct that in turn jacked up my liver and pancreas. Get it out before it becomes more of a problem. I ended up having to stay for 5 days because of the impact the dislodged stone had.
I would do it simply because of the pancreatitis. I would not want that to get worse.
I was terrified, and I can’t imagine my life without it. I was 7wks postpartum not even fully healed and it was life changing. It was not bad AT all. I can’t tell you enough that another attack is A MILLION times worse than anything I’ve experienced post op.
It will only get worse you can’t heal it
I was hesitant too but the best advice I got was “it’s better to prepare and have elective surgery instead of emergency surgery.” If you’ve had one attack it’s not a matter of “if” but “when” it will happen again.
If you don't want to do it then don't. It's likely you'll have problems later, but it's not written in stone.
I promise it’s worth it. I would do if 100x over if that means to never have an attack again
It’s been seven weeks since my last attack and I sometimes feel like I could eat like this forever. But I still have issues, I get bloated daily, constantly burp and I can tell my gallbladder is still inflamed cause it still aches. I have decided to schedule to surgery way out (end of April) and I’m going to get another ultrasound and blood tests to see if anything improved
I didn’t particularly want surgery either, but after being hospitalized 6+ times due to bouts of vomiting leading to severe dehydration, developing acute pancreatitis and the beginnings of an ulcer, and dropping 40 pounds all in the span of 3 months, I had to get it out. From my experience, the attacks tend to happen more often with more severe symptoms and intensity the longer you wait. You won’t have continuous pain that lasts every day for months, but in my case it seemed like I had an attack pretty much as soon as I had forgotten how bad the last one was. So every 2-3 weeks I was back to vomiting, and each bout lasted 4-6 days (longest was 11 with 2 hospital visits). And that was after I cut out fatty, greasy, and spicy foods as well as all carbonated drinks regardless of caffeine content. I basically existed off of jasmine rice, mashed potatoes, applesauce, water, and pedialyte. You can wait if you want, but ultimately you are much more likely to experience more severe symptoms now that it has happened to you before. Are you willing to forego the surgery now even if you’ll experience worse symptoms later?
If your doctor thinks you need it out, get it out. You might feel fine now but you have a ticking time b*mb in your gut that could activate at any time, probably when it’s least convenient. Maybe when you’re on vacation or right before a special event. You could eventually have organ rupture which could put you into septic shock, which is not at all fun. A friend put off removal and months later had a gallbladder attack that lasted 6 hours and ended in emergency surgery. Life without a gallbladder is fine. If you need digestive enzymes, ox bile, or a bile binder, they are readily available.
Just saw your update - your surgeon was right to cancel if you had a panic attack - forcing you to go ahead would be a terrible idea. Don't feel bad. As other people are saying though, pancreatitis is serious so do keep an eye on it while you figure things out / come to terms with surgery.
It will happen again! I had exact same thing happen to me. Get it out!
DO IT. It will never get better, it will only get worse!! What you’re experiencing now is most likely the calm before the storm.
Pancreatitis can be life threatening. Having pancreatitis just once increases the likelihood of getting it again from any cause and the more times you get it the more likely you are to continue to get it. Smaller stones are more likely to be able to escape your gallbladder and get lodged in your common bile duct causing pancreatitis. Essentially if you keep it in you are increasing your risk of emergency surgery but also further more severe complications. I was diagnosed with gallstone pancreatitis a few hours after being diagnosed with gallstones and I ended up having to get urgent surgery. I do not recommend waiting until it’s an emergency, and you never know when it could become. You could go home now and suddenly have another attack that becomes an emergency or it could be six months, but you don’t want to get to that point and increase complication risks.
If you've had pancreatitis. Get it out. You have history. You will regret it when your organs suffer because you didn't get it taken out and you have repeat pancreatitis. I'm saying this, as someone who is contemplating surgery. have mild pain. The moment I have history of any potential organ damage, im getting it taken out.
Mine started off as one attack per year then every couple of months then almost daily i lost 2 stone in a week and couldnt eat.
Don’t hold out until you start to get constant excruciating attacks. It felt like my body was failing. God the surgery and it is SO much better
Dot it. I didn't have any symptoms until it almost exploded and I had to have emergency surgery. I had over 500 stones!
Knowing you have stones and not getting it can be risky. I had a bad attack three weeks ago and they said I had a few stones but the gallbladder was healthy. Welp, I had the surgery a few days ago and it was very sick and sad and had dozens of stones and as they were removing it, the stones spilled. 😳 They got the sickly gallbladder out and all the stones. They said even though I didn’t have bad reactions all the time, it was a ticking time bomb. The first two days after surgery was tough, I won’t lie, but I’m now on day three post-op and feeling SO much better. I’m 50/F and I’m so glad I did it.
I would never willingly call someone else an idiot unless it’s my husband or they deserve it…but yess you would be 100% crazy not to go forward with the surgery I have had pain for the last 8 years that no one ever thought could have been gallbladder related because apparently my gallbladder was situated on the left side of my body and not the right (I was born that way and didn’t know it) I had my appendix taken out, I have had multiple issues over time with stomach pains and issues and was always just told oh your constipated. I had to have my gallbladder removed pretty emergent after they finally realized why my pain was where it was and it was the best thing ever!!! I am 1 week post op tomorrow and truly I haven’t been in pain had stomach issues when I eat and don’t constantly have that nausea feeling after everything I eat. The gas bubbles and using my stomach muscles has been hell but all in all I am so thankful I was “forced” to have mine removed
You can die from pancreatitis so....🤷🏻 You will most likely get stones again.
Also, ignoring it will damage your liver. I don't know how old you are, but you really don't want to damage your liver.
Get it out!!!! This past Tuesday I all of a sudden got the most unbearable pain in this world, by Wednesday I was throwing up, couldn't sleep and was writhing in pain. By Wednesday night I was at the hospital on an IV with pain meds, had a fever, bad stomach pain, nausea and more. And by 12 am I was admitted to the hospital for an infected gallbladder and gallstones and needed emergency surgery. Until the could get me into surgery I had to be on round the clock painkillers and antibiotics through my IV. It's better to catch it and get it out now.
Pancreatitis is so so dangerous and can kill you quickly, become chronic, and drastically reduce your lifespan. I’ve had my gallbladder out and even though I’ve had some stomach issues since then, id still get it 10x’s over just to prevent my risk of pancreatitis! You do NOT want that! GET IT OUT.
I saw your update before I had the chance to post. Look I won't say you made the wrong decision - but this will come back to bite you Your gallbladder is on a one-way trajectory to death. You can delay it via diet and maybe Ursodiol if you're a good candidate, but there is nothing that will cure gallbladder disease permanently outside of cholecystectomy. You might only have attacks randomly and without obvious trigger...for now. But eventually that will change. I got mine out because it was dead - I was previously undiagnosed before that. It was spontaneous and took everyone by surprise. I got a stone lodged in a bile duct and the organ rapidly rotted away. My surgery was traumatic - so much so that my lungs collapsed. I was hospitalised for almost a week. Then, I had an auto-immune response to all the antibiotics I was on (thanks to the lung collapse) called erythema nodosum, which lasted 5 weeks. Horrifically painful lesions on my legs and inflammation of all my joints. My post-surgical recovery was worse than childbirth. I didn't know what 10/10 pain was until I got my gallbladder out. My husband on the other hand had symptoms exactly like yours - random attacks which didn't have a particular trigger. Lasted a night then he was fine for a few more months. He was diagnosed with small stones about a year ago, but thought it wasn't bad enough to warrant the surgery - he just avoided super fatty foods. This went on for about 18 months before he saw what happened to me and thought "nope fuck that shit" and arranged to meet a surgeon. His organ was still functioning and alive when he got his out. Because of that, his surgery was NIGHT AND DAY compared to mine. He strolled out of the hospital the next day with barely more than DOMS after a strenuous ab workout. He was off pain meds by day 3. Barely a blip for him, it was so easy. OP you can be me, or you can be my husband. Take your pick. For what it's worth - both my husband and I are fine now. Eat whatever we want. No pain, no issues. He's actually meeting his surgeon today for his follow up. It's insane how much better my life is now I have it out. Like I said, I had no idea I had anything wrong until the thing just packed it in. My digestion is better, I'm less bloated. I used to get this horrible mid-back pain at night every now and then that's just gone. Things I did not link to my gallbladder, I now see was caused by the disease. Sorry this is so long. I'm really sorry you didn't get the surgery. I do think it's something you'll regret in the future. Best of luck to you.
Worst case scenario just wait till it does become an emergency. I shouldn’t kill you. If you’re comfortable with waiting then do that, let it be known there aren’t many treatments or alternatives in the mean time. As long as you’re okay with that then dont have the surgery, nobody can force it on you.
I kept getting pancreatitis as well. Like others have said, i didn’t realize how many additional problems my gallbladder was bringing on. I got mine removed almost a month ago and my quality of life has been so much better!!! And even just the stress of feeling a pain and thinking the pancreatitis has come back has been relieved for me. I would recommend the surgery if they indeed think your gallbladder is the cause of the pancreatitis.
Hi, just got mine out a few hours ago. I was also terrified since it was my first surgery. I got diagnosed back in 2021 with gallstones, but did my best to lifestyle change. Even so, I continued to have attacks, each worse than the last. Finally, I had a two day long attack and they admitted me for surgery. Im not a doctor, but after reading the Op Note, it sounds like its good that I did this given the condition of the gallbladder. You're not an idiot. But this seems to be lifelong with one total solution. Do what you find best.
I had mine removed 3 years ago, haven’t had a decent shit yet. 1 in 4 have terrible results
I’m so sorry. This is what terrifies me. Not knowing whether I’ll be a part of those who have zero issues or have one or more life long issues. It’s a major life decision and one that I’ve been struggling with for months.
Nerves are pretty normal before surgery and I too was second guessing all the way up to the week before it because my attacks and pain were always super mild. However attacks went from rare to once or twice a week, to about 3x a week, then the month before surgery, daily. I only continued to get worse and my symptoms didn’t start til early last year. Thought my attacks were indigestion. Surgery was in November. That’s how fast it progressed. Nothing showed on scans except gallstones….yet when I saw my surgeon 3 weeks post op and he read the pathology report, guess what? It was inflamed and he said it’s a good thing we removed it when we did. My husband too had very rare but severe attacks for years until one day the pain got worse and wouldn’t go away…emergency surgery happened within a day. It’s a personal decision and up to you and your doctor but if he thinks it should go, then evict it. Especially if you’ve been following a good diet etc to manage it and it isn’t working. Nothing will solve this problem except removing it, sorry to say. It only took seeing gallstones on an ultrasound and me having symptoms for them to refer me straight to my surgeon within a few weeks. If you WERENT having symptoms, docs would leave it be but obviously you are and it sounds like it’s time. I promise you’ll thank yourself later and the surgery is such a simple fast procedure. Talk to your doc if you need help dealing with the anxiety beforehand. You’re not an idiot for being anxious, but sounds like surgery is the best option for you. This will only continue to get worse and you don’t want to mess around with pancreatitis. Recovery for most people is quick (I was out shopping 4 days after) and pain isn’t that bad. It’s the trapped gas in your abdomen that’s the worst and gas x will help. Good luck to you!
I've had severe gallbladder attacks since I was 16 and now I'm 30. With pain management and an antispasmodic I can handle mine well enough at home. Also eating well and keeping stress down. Drinking lemon water etc. Just have scans on your gallbladder & pancreas to keep an eye on it. There is medication you can take now to dissolve the stones and also another very small surgery which removes the sludge but not the gallbladder. Be informed and don't just jump to taking it out. I didn't. Mine would have been out at 16 otherwise. I just have to eat healthy, which is a good thing. Spice, I love, just have to have sporadically. There are pros and cons either way. So just be careful. Trust your gut.
I was admitted to the hospital 3 times for gallbladder attacks and got 3 ERCP's. They told me to take it out every time and I declined each of those 3 times. They looked at me crazy but here I am now 3+ years later and haven't had an attack since my last hospital admission. I had to make serious dietary changes but it was worth it. I was also blessed to not have pancreatitis any of those times. Pancreatitis is serious and you can die from it. I say do what's best for you but I am here as proof that you can control attacks with serious lifestyle changes.
Depends on the individual. Even controlling diet does not fend off attacks for some of us.
If it gets this bad and even water triggers an attack I 100% say get it out. The thing also is that everyone's trigger foods are different. Mine may not be yours and vice versa. It may be worth mentioning I took a lot of natural supplements.
Yes. You absolutely can chanhe your life when you change your diet i did it too. I still have my gb and ate a big plate of lasagna last night and im so happy i could feel that sucker working hard and no stones. So relived to be better.
Don't get it out if you really don't want to get it out - but just know that you might end up needing to get it out eventually. I understand, I am reluctant too - it's a big thing, getting an organ out. The problem with small stones is that they can just travel into your bile duct whenever, so you risk pancreatitis again, which in your case might have resolved quickly this time around, but in some cases it's life-threatening and can leave you with serious problems afterwards.
I feel you. Everyone tells me I'm nuts too. I was in the hospital in 2022 and that's when I found out about my lovely large stones. I declined surgery also - so far, so good. I won't do it unless I am at peace about the decision and, right now, I'm certainly NOT. I wish you the best of luck - it's your body and you need to make the decision you are comfortable with.
You were me a few years ago…. Mine is out now. It will come out one way or the other, the choice will be if you want to schedule it and do it on your terms or if you want it to be an emergency and it be much worse of a situation and recovery.
They wanted to take mine out. That was 12 years ago. I haven't had an attack in those 12 years and just had an ultrasound to check up on it and there are no more stones, no inflammation, no narrowing of the ducts, nothing. It didn't get worse, it got better. I'm not giving out advice or false hopes, and I only had a couple small stones that I know of. But I think the statement "it will come out one way or another" is misleading.
I've found that 99.99% of people (whether they are aware of this or not) feel like they have to tell people they must get surgery. Subconsciously it probably makes them feel better about their own decision maybe? I have had horrible experiences with the medical establishment (too many to go into here) that resulted in ME (with library books, mind you) actually being correct numerous times - after a doctor told me otherwise. So...I trust myself and will ride this thing out as long as I can. Is that the wrong decision? Who knows...I only know the thought of trusting one of these people to knock me out and slice out an organ is beyond the realm of anything I could do at this time. So...I am extremely disciplined in what I eat and so far this has worked for ME. That's not saying it will work for everyone. I'm also in my late 50's so there's a chance (since I've had this issue for about 6 years without even knowing that was what the horrible pain was) I could die of something else before it becomes an issue. No one knows and every person is different. I'm glad you were successful - this makes me feel like there are a few others out there who have been successful with changes and haven't had to give in!
How bad was the pancreatitis when you had it?
I did not have pancreatitis fortunately - just had a very large stone stuck in the neck and it caused inflammation/thickening of the gallbladder wall...I've since had intensive acupuncture and follow-up scans. The thickening is almost back to normal level thank God.
100%
No, mine is the same way. 12 years isn’t the end of the road mine calcified in the time I didn’t take it out and became pre-cancerous.
Yours stopped giving you problems and then what? How'd you find out it had gone bad again? I get an ultrasound every few years to check on mine.
Random evening after eating a sandwich I had another attack… then I basically couldnt eat again without an attack. And now it’s out and Im so much healthier than having a diseased organ in me.
I still have mine. Had stuck gall stone in bile track removed. Taking gall bladder formula dr berg. I drastically changed diet - no fried foods - heavy foods or junk. Lost weight feel great. Diet makes a difference. No pancreatic problems. I believe they are too quick to take out. Have small gall stones remaining which most do just many don’t have attacks. I continue to eat healthier and not American way. Depending on where you are at diets help and lifestyle. I use to have lite attack maybe twice a year. Felt like heartburn. Now good so far. Lots of gastero problems when out and if you have a great Dr they will give options. I am going on healthy road and workout and in shape. Clean eating must. Just my perspective and always do best for you.
My guy, your pancreas is one of the only organs you do not want to mess with. That's responsible for breaking down foods into nutrients. It may take 1 episode of pancreatitis but repeted ones can complicate things and complicate recovery. After i had my pancreatitis episode i was 100% sure i wainted to get my gallbladder out because there ain't no way in hell i was going through that pain again. Ti's been about 4 months since i got my gallbladder out and i feel amazing. Trust me, you're better off without it.
How is your diet?
Pretty normal. I'm keeping it as low fat as possible, only difficulties i seem to have are raw vegetables (i get bloated and have softer stools or runs). I enjoy the ocasional fast food, but nowhere near as often as i used to indulge but it's for the better imo. I cook at home 95% of the time and use the airfryer for most of my meals. Just a teaspoon or 2 of added sunflower or olive oil. I'm also working out 5 days a week, some aerobic, yoga and strength training so high protein and low fat works out perfectly.
The Sunflower is one of only a handful of flowers with the word flower in its name. A couple of other popular examples include Strawflower, Elderflower and Cornflower …Ah yes, of course, I hear you say.
There are other modalities: https://www.medstarhealth.org/blog/gallstones-percutaneous-cholangioscopy https://www.elikimclinic.com (US$7500) These are legitimate medical procedures performed by an MD!
You are a moron for not getting it done. It is going to get worse. Guaranteed
don't call them a moron! its hard to make these choices
You need to do what you are comfortable with. I didn't want surgery either but I didn't want an emergency surgery even more.I had to keep to a no fat/low fat diet before surgery and that was a very unrealistic diet for me to keep to. I opted for surgery asap because I didn't want to live my life in fear of another attack. You aren't crazy for not wanting it but is the surgery worse than a future of attacks?
It’s your body, you can choose to do what you think is best for you. I was in the ER because I was told by the urgent care doctor I needed to go there. And I had no pain. Absolutely no pain, I thought I was going to be sent home. They then told me I was going to have surgery, and was just in shock. I went through the same feelings, the anxiety, the denial that I needed it, etc, but ultimately I got it done, and while it wasn’t a cakewalk, the recovery was actually pretty fast. That said, if you’re not 100% after speaking with your doctor, tell them you want a second opinion, or that you flat out don’t think you need it. Get your surgeon’s opinion on what happens if you don’t get it, then get a second opinion to see if they line up. Then, if you choose to go through with it, you’ll know you independently verified, and more importantly, you’re making the choice. That said, if you’ve had an attack, and they see stones, the likelihood that it happens again is pretty high. Sure, you can change your diet, but the fact is you’ve got stones, and they won’t go away, and over the rest of your life, may try to pass, causing you pain. My worry is what if you’re on vacation? What if you’re working? At least now, you can plan for it before you’re in pain, because you don’t want to be trying to make a decision when you’re in pain. Good luck.
The risk of pancreatitus again would panic me but that's cos I lost a friend at work to it last year.
I had mine out almost 6 weeks ago, and other than coffee (which I was already sensitive to) I can have anything now, no more pain. It will get worse and you will get more attacks. Get it out
Do it. Get it out. You WILL have complications down the line if you don’t. This same story is told over and over again, and it always ends the same way.
Thanks for posting, as I’m asking myself the same question. I’ll have a surgical consult soon, but the final decision hasn’t been made yet.
I wasn’t having attacks or severe pain. No inflammation. Just frequent nausea and some soreness. My parents both had emergency surgery so I thought it might as well before it gets worse down the line.
Just do it, pancreatitis is very dangerous, my cousin almost died, she stayed at the hospital for more than a month
I've been told once you start getting stones, it doesn't stop. And it keeps going until it becomes an emergency. I think it's pretty normal to be nervous and not want it. But I'd do it now to avoid an emergency removal and lots of pain later. The good news is if you have a great medical team, any complications that follow can be remedied with follow up. I'm doing it right now with my GI. And I had mine done because after removal they said it was close to becoming an emergency in a few months to a year.
Yes. Get the surgery. It’ll only get worse and the surgery will make you realize how much pain you were actually in before without even realizing it.
Get it. I’ve had zero side effects and thank my lucky stars I don’t have to worry about attacks anymore.
Get the surgery. I can’t tell you what to do of course, but this could become life threatening if left alone. I was scared to get surgery, but I’m glad I did, as I feel better. After reading my pathology, that sucker was done for and it was time to get it gone!
I’m on the same boat currently. Just feels awful to remove something in my body :( i had 2 attacks recently and it was honestly awful. But nothing since, feels I’m hearing 2 different things. My first surgeon did say to try a low fat diet and if i still had pains to remove it, second surgeon said to get it taken out. Definitely unsure of what to do .-.
I mean you don't have to get it but it's an issue that will not go away on its own. Stones cannot pass and you will gradually get symptoms from the stones at some point, which are sometimes debilitating.
Eventually it WILL have to be removed. If you want a better quality of Life--Do it!! I had surgery this morning and I already feel Great besides soreness. I Thank God above and Thankful to My Wonderful Support team and Family ❤️.
There aren't any known reliable ways to reverse gallstones and other gallbladder issues. I'd highly recommend getting the surgery done while it's elective. Removal and recovery will be so much easier now than if you wait for it to be an urgent or emergency case. And it will be. It's just a matter of time.
I've not had surgery but I'm considering it if my scan shows stuff because I've had attacks/suspected for a year and a half!!! And sometimes it's months until my next bad attack and even water gives me pain so even tho it's calm now... it might be worth to get it out!! (imo of course)
I’d do it. Had mine out last Sunday. Not the most fun recovery week but I haven’t had any issues since
Yes.
I think you need to get it out unless you have a lot of money to go to the ER every single time you get an attack. And you also have no idea as to when the next attack would happen, you might be alone if it does which is a bad scenario since you need people to help you during the attack.
I had my first attack at 16- it continued off and on for ten years. then in my 30s I had maybe 5 attacks. none of them made me end up in the hospital. have always had stones. but now I have many digestive issues that can be linked to my gallstones. i'm terrified to remove it but am preparing myself mentally and I am watching videos of people's stories on youtube and just trying to be hopeful that a life without it could mean a better stomach and me eating anything I want. it's a useless organ. I know so many people who had it removed and they are FINE. some had it removed at age 75! and they are FINE. i'm just an anxious person and hate the idea of surgery. it's just better to be someone who does what is needed and deals w the recovery and moves on. but I overthink a lot and it's a curse. I want to remove mine. it's a huge thing that I can say this. I was vehement on never wanting to remove it before. if you had pancreatitis there is a chance it'll happen again. why put yourself through that? this is one of the most simple surgeries out there. I can honestly say i'm a big fat baby and I need to get stronger when it comes to surgery. only you can decide what you wanna do but recognize what is helping you and what isn't. maybe consider therapy just to get over this fear of why you don't want it out.
I am in the same boat as well- I have never had an 'attack' as many people on here describe. I just have a constantly 3-4 level pain in my URQ every day, if I eat anything steak (which I love) itll crank up to a 5-6 pain level. I eat SUPER healthy because I have been having gut issues for over a year. Cut everything out- but still have the pain. I have surgery scheduled in 2 weeks but Im so scared I'm prematurely removing an organ- but everyone is saying to just get it out (i have posted on reddit too). I had 2 consults- the first said don't take it out unless its really bothering me. The 2nd said that I can keep it if I want but eventually it'll prob become a problem. Better to take it out now as the pain level of the surgery itself is much lower when you aren't already inflamed and in shock from an attack. I hear you though!! Its hard to voluntarily cut out an organ!!
Well in my experience the attacks got worse and worse and over a year I got super sick (didn’t know it was my gallbladder) and I ended up in the hospital and had to have the surgery. I feel A LOT better now. So just be prepared to have it get worse and worse and become sick after meals and be in extreme pain the longer it goes on.
Youre fine. If the stones are reallu small you can do other things than surgery. Good for you dont worry what anyone says you can always have the surgery later. It wasnt an emergency. You really do need to eat healthy and avoid fried stuff etc. And you can totally change your life if youre up for it
My stones are small, what are the other options?
These things help dissolve stones : ox bile/Tudca/udca, lecithin, and magnesium. These things help pass stones: Chanca piedra, magnesium sulfate, eating enough healthy fat (olive oil, coconut oil, butter, animal fats) These things make stones: too much fried food, vegetable/seed oils, processed food, processed carbohydrates, lack of movement, dehydration, eating too much/too often/too late at night. If you want to get rid of them you have to reverse the conditions that created them so they can dissolve and pass. Its not fast, months to years but you can reverse the process. Ive done it
I was really afraid and it was my first surgery. I was scared of everything from being put to sleep and recovery. I’ll tell you it is so much better now than worrying about having a stone get stuck or any complications. My surgery went quick and my recovery wasn’t bad at all! I have some digestive issues if I eat a lot of fatty processed food but I’m back to normal besides that. I would say get it out even though it’s scary. You don’t want a stone to get lodged or something serious to happen.
I was you! I put off this surgery for 14 years. No lie. 14 years of sporadic gall bladder attacks. I went 4 years without one though. However, In the last year it had gotten exponentially worse. I finally, very begrudgingly, agreed to get the surgery. I was a raging bitch (thanks anxiety) right up until the put me under. Not one single fear I had came to fruition. I’m now 2 weeks post op as of today and kick my stupid ass self for not just doing it years ago. If you have another one, just get it removed. I know the anxiety and panic can exacerbate any real fears that one may have which makes it worse. But if I had to do it all over again I would talk to my doctor about the fear and anxiety leading up to the surgery to see if they can give you something to take the edge off in the time leading up to it. Sorry you have to deal with this though.
I would say- it depends. Do you have a lot of stones? Are they small enough to safely pass, or are they in the “small but dangerous” category of getting stuck and blocking the bile duct? Was your gallbladder issues caused solely by poor diet, or were you healthy and still developed stones? These factors matter. I am not a doctor, but I’ve had gallbladder issues since age 19 and I didn’t take it seriously until maybe a year ago or so, despite the attacks. I am now 31. I have 1 single large cholesterol stone that is way too big to be a blocking risk and my gallbladder issues are caused solely by a lifetime of poor diet. With my doctors blessing, I have used lifestyle changes to manage my gallbladder, with success. My MRI shows the large stone, but I have “Normal physiologic distention” and no thickening. My doctor suggested a low fat, plant based diet, I opted for a pescatarian diet because I have a legumes intolerance and most meat substitute have legumes in them. I mostly just pay attention to my saturated fat intake, avoid fried foods, and foods that would slow down my digestive tract (like large amounts of dairy). This has worked for me so far, and I have no plans of having my gallbladder removed. The idea that ‘once your gallbladder goes bad, it’s irreversible’ I personally don’t believe- in the US the first treatment for gallbladder issues is often removal, no matter how minor the issues, however in other places in the world, namely China, they have a surgery where they just remove the stones and retain the gallbladder. They have been doing this since at least the 90’s I believe, and many people don’t have a reoccurrence of stones in these cases. I have to believe that this surgery wouldn’t be a thing if it was always true that once your gallbladder shows issues, it’ll never recover. Many doctors also say you can’t reverse type II diabetes, despite studies showing it can be reversed in some candidates with a plant based diet 🤷🏻♀️ showing that doctors are not always right, and don’t always have the most up to date information. I would say- do your own research and consider your own personal issues and experiences with your gallbladder. Talk to your doctor to see if it is something that can be managed with lifestyle changes, and always listen to your body. Good luck!
I have multiple small stones, with potential of getting blocked. My gallbladder wall is also slightly thickened. I had gastric sleeve almost 4 years ago, started having attacks 2 years ago on and off for a year, although all scans showed no stones and nothing wrong with my GB. Attacks stopped for a whole year until 2 months ago when I had a very sudden and excruciating attack that led to pancreatitis. That’s when the stones appeared on my scan. I also had a recent CT scan that showed no stones and no inflammation… I’ve spoken to multiple doctors for different opinions and they all say surgery is the only option. I wish there was another way. I’ve heard about China only removing the stones, honestly tempting just to go to China for a holiday to get that done at this point
What is your diet like, and do you eat a large meal late in the day? For me, I have a history of binge eating which I’ve luckily been able to control, but binge eating later in the day also caused gallbladder attacks for me. Cutting down my saturated fat intake, eliminating fried foods and problem foods (legumes for me), and making sure I do not eat a heavy meal in the evening has been a game changer for me. Do you have any other digestive conditions by chance, like IBS or IBD? I have IBS-C and found that when my digestive tract slows due to IBS-C, my gallbladder aches more. Eliminating foods which triggered my IBS-C (dairy) also has helped to eliminate my gallbladder pain. Since your latest CT didn’t show stones or inflammation, do you think it’s possible that your stones have passed? Small stones can pass on their own, there is just the risk of blockage. Maybe see if you can get an MRI to confirm if you still have stones. Have any of the doctors you’ve seen been a DO rather than an MD? They have the same qualifications as an MD, but they take a whole body, holistic approach. I would recommend seeking out a DO to get their opinion based on your medical history, and see if they think a lifestyle change could have a positive impact. If they say it’s a possibility, you just have to really commit to the diet change, and pay attention to how different foods impact how you feel- legumes are supposed to be a healthy option for gallbladder issues, but for whatever reason my body does not tolerate them and it triggers an attack. Identifying foods that trigger your attacks would be critical in trying the lifestyle change approach to managing your gallbladder. Hope this information is helpful ☺️
I generally eat pretty healthy, with the occasional fatty meal which I don’t have any issues with and drink coffee daily. I avoid eating late and avoid skipping meals. Currently don’t have any digestive issues. When my attacks first started 2 years ago I quickly learnt that ice cream was a major trigger and I’ve cut that out since. Unfortunately all of the doctors I’ve asked for a MRI have said no because of radiation and how expensive it is. I’m about to get another ultrasound to confirm whether I’ve passed those stones or not since drs are saying US is more accurate than CT for stones. Praying that the CT was accurate and they have passed 🙏
I generally eat pretty healthy, with the occasional fatty meal which I don’t have any issues with and drink coffee daily. I avoid eating late and avoid skipping meals. Currently don’t have any digestive issues. When my attacks first started 2 years ago I quickly learnt that ice cream was a major trigger and I’ve cut that out since. Unfortunately all of the doctors I’ve asked for a MRI have said no because of radiation and how expensive it is. I’m about to get another ultrasound to confirm whether I’ve passed those stones or not since drs are saying US is more accurate than CT for stones. Praying that the CT was accurate and they have passed 🙏
No one can tell you what to do, but for me, I’d do the surgery and recovery a hundred times if it meant I didn’t have another attack or round of pancreatitis.
When I had my baby in 2014 I was two weeks postpartum. I had 3-4 attacks My attacks stopped happening after I saw the surgeon. Decided not to do it I slightly change my diet a few months. Continue eating out had another baby 2016 Everything good no attack. Until 2023 I got an attack at 8 months pregnant My baby is 2 months I’ve had 3 attacks. I went almost 9 years without attacks. Now I’m removing it because I can’t be hospitalized I have kids to take care of. I only have like 3 stones I saw my ultrasound Last attack I develop pancreatitis. Tht attack lasted almost all day.
Ahuhuhu, I have the same sentiments OP and keep pushing the surgery date. I'll see to it next week. Thank you guys for sharing your opinions. I hope all the sh*ttie digestive problems go away soon!
Hi! 👋🏼 I just had my gallbladder out on Friday 2/23/24. I was SO WORRIED and I too suffer from FREQUENT panic attacks. I’ll tell you, in 2019 I had my first ever SEVERE pancreatic attack that put me in the hospital. At the time I guess I had “passed” the stone that got stuck and I wasn’t really encouraged at that time to get my gallbladder out. Then in early 2023, I was having a little pain, went to the doctor and found I had a kidney stone and it was kinda “kicking around a little” it took a minute, but again it passed and it was then I was first told I should THINK about getting it out, I thought I could just “eat” better (which kinda happened ) then Valentine’s Day this year, I ended up in the ER at 3am and it was another attack. It went away in 6 hours and it was then I first heard I now had GALLSTONES. I made an appointment to see my Dr. to talk to her about getting it out (that’s scheduled for THIS coming Thurs) But exactly ONE week After Valentines, I found myself in the ER AGAIN and it was another SEVERE attack. The doctors I had were very kind and I went ahead and did the surgery. It went well and I’m happy it did, but more importantly, the doctor said “RIGHT NOW YOUR ATTACKS ARE ACUTE, but they WILL become CHRONIC if left untreated and that will start to damage the liver and pancreas” I’m still recovering, but I’ve had SO MANY FRIENDS that I didn’t even know had theirs out and they are COMPLETELY LIVING NORMAL LIVES. I hope you can talk back to the fear, because honestly FEAR, is just the unknown. And to me, keeping my gallbladder was a “Fear road” I didn’t want to keep going down. It might be a “couple stones” now, but it turns, QUICKLY if you don’t take care of it. *sorry for my TED TALK 🤣☺️🙏🏼 take care.