Anybody ever have gallbladder issues?

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I've been having this bad pain for a couple of months now. I finally went to the doctor. They ran test after test. Finally got the latest results last night.
Not kidney stones, not a broken rib (?), not even gall stones. My gallbladder is functioning at 20%. What's with that?! I have a great relationship with my dr. so the conversation went something like this:

"Hi. You're gallbladder is functioning at only 20%"
"But I'm an overachiever. That's just not possible."
"You need to see the surgeon."
long pause on my part
"Hello - you still there."
"yeah I'm trying to come up with something witty to say. You do remember that I told you I'm going to Disney in 3 weeks."
"Yeah right! Oh wait. You're serious?!" Who jokes about Disney - need to re-educate him in the finer ways of life (can we say single and no kids)

So I can't see the surgeon until the 15th which means I will have this lazy gallbladder tagging along the entire time.
And the worst part - no good desserts or mickey bars. I love mickey bars.

Has anyone ever heard of this before? Both my sisters had stones and had their gallbladders removed. I had to go the difficult route! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[RayaniFoxmur]

Well I had stones and extreme pain so I had to have my gall bladder removed on September 25th, but I'm not quite sure what the solution to an underactive gall bladder would be! I know with my stones it would react so randomly... but with my Grandmother's she could just avoid certain foods and be fine. Have you figured out what those foods are yet? Is there any way you can get in to see a DIFFERENT surgeon sooner? Getting it removed is no problem at ALL... heck I was out the next day and lifting and back at work the following day

 

[Virgo10]

I'm going to have an ultrasound on my gallbladder today. I've been having abdominal discomfort over the past 5 weeks and on two occasions the worst pain I have ever felt. I don't know about an under active GB though. Maybe he meant it's 80% full of sandy type grit. I'd pin him down until I got an answer that was understandable.

BTW, what the heck is going on with all these GB problems??

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Its supposed to come out. I really like to keep my body parts where they are though.
I seem to have a real issue with dairy and then of course anything fatty. It usually acts up around 2:30 a.m. and settles around 4 a.m. Nice timing, huh.
Otherwise it will hurt somewhat during the day but nothing I can't live through.
I'm in Jersey and all the public schools have huge vacations next week. The surgeons have school aged kids and the practice is short staffed due to vacations (niece goes to school with the kids). As both my Dsis have used this guy I guess I will wait.

I'm glad that you were up and around very quickly. Do they really recommend that you go back to work the next day? I was hoping I could at least get a couple of days offs.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I'm going to have an ultrasound on my gallbladder today. I've been having abdominal discomfort over the past 5 weeks and on two occasions the worst pain I have ever felt. I don't know about an under active GB though. Maybe he meant it's 80% full of sandy type grit. I'd pin him down until I got an answer that was understandable.

BTW, what the heck is going on with all these GB problems??

I figure I will pin down the surgeon on the exact issue. I had a nuclear scan and he is getting the results. I knew something was up when they lab tech called someone else in and said that they dye was flowing the way it should.

Good luck with your ultrasound. Ask the tech to show you the gall bladder when she sees it. If there are large white dots then you have stones (at least that's how it was described to me). Post back and let me know how you are doing. We can commiserate together.

 

[RayaniFoxmur]

Its supposed to come out. I really like to keep my body parts where they are though.
I seem to have a real issue with dairy and then of course anything fatty. It usually acts up around 2:30 a.m. and settles around 4 a.m. Nice timing, huh.
Otherwise it will hurt somewhat during the day but nothing I can't live through.
I'm in Jersey and all the public schools have huge vacations next week. The surgeons have school aged kids and the practice is short staffed due to vacations (niece goes to school with the kids). As both my Dsis have used this guy I guess I will wait.

I'm glad that you were up and around very quickly. Do they really recommend that you go back to work the next day? I was hoping I could at least get a couple of days offs.

I'm sure you can get a few more days off! But you can bounce back really fast from the surgery.

I had a bit of a problem losing my gall bladder too (heck I still have my TONCILS!) but I feel SO MUCH BETTER now that it's out. I can eat anything I want without pain! You will feel so much better too And you won't remember a thing after the surgery since you'll be out the whole time

 

[Laura]

BTW, what the heck is going on with all these GB problems??

I dunno. I'm on the bandwagon, too. Had a normal ultrasound (pain during ultrasound) and HIDA scan, though. Going back to the doc on the 9th for some answers. I don't have lingering pain, but my doctor felt my gallbladder during a regular exam--that was a bit painful--and thought I should have the ultrasound. I have other symptoms, too, so I'm going to run through the list. I just wish I knew what the problem is.

 

[Virgo10]

I figure I will pin down the surgeon on the exact issue. I had a nuclear scan and he is getting the results. I knew something was up when they lab tech called someone else in and said that they dye was flowing the way it should.

Good luck with your ultrasound. Ask the tech to show you the gall bladder when she sees it. If there are large white dots then you have stones (at least that's how it was described to me).

Thanks for the info. I'm another one who's tired of giving up body parts!

Post back and let me know how you are doing. We can commiserate together.

Maybe we can form the Gallbladder Clique.

 

[Disney Doll]

I have had what I think is gall bladder problems for about 5 years, have had normal work-ups, ultrasounds etc., but my symptoms, when they happen, are classic gall bladder.

I can't get anyone to take mine out, even though I have begged and pleaded with several of the surgeons at my hospital.

 

[phorsenuf]

I've been having problems for a couple years now. My ultrasounds show nothing and my HDA scan was 97%. I have some type of pain every day and attacks on occaison. They say to go to the ER when you have one as that's the best time to catch those stones.
I have another ultrasound next Tuesday (been a year since my last one) but at this point the Dr. feels if it walks like a duck and sounds like a duck....
So more than likely they'll take mine out sometime soon. I have to do the ultrasound though because of insurance reasons. But maybe it'll show something conclusive this time.

 

[RayaniFoxmur]

BTW, what the heck is going on with all these GB problems??

My mom always said that gall bladder problems were very consistant with the 4 F's:

Female
Fair (as in skin)
Fat
Forty

I have three of the F's... so I'm pretty much a good canadate for it. My surgeon comfirmed this. Maybe that's part of what's going on?

Our diets can't be helping either. I love me some fats!

 

[Mellie2162]

Count me in...I was in the ER 2 weeks ago on a Saturday morning after eating Dominos chicken kickers on Friday night. After x-rays and ultrasound they told me I have a 10 cm gallstone and have to see the surgeon this month. Ive had no other attacks since then and Im scared to death of having it removed. I'll just wait until I see him before getting myself worked up over it though.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

My gallbladder was removed last year. Out of those four Fs, I only had one - Female. What I did have was a family history of gallstones/ gallbladder issues in nearly every female on my mom's side of the family. I was misdiagnosed 10 years prior to my surgery. I was a poor college student and was given a quicky diagnosis of IBS. I didn't know enough then to realize that an IBS diagnosis could only be given after all other GI disorders and diseases had been ruled out.

My surgery went fine. Turns out my gallbladder was FULL of stones, like to the brim. My surgeon was quite surprised. I spent one night in the hospital (due to my gallbladder being in such bad shape, my surgeon wanted me observed). I took a week off of work, but I was off pain meds the second day post op. I was out eating Mexican food four days post op. I did have to modify my strength training and cardio routines for six weeks however.

I have not had ANY GI issues since my surgery.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

My mom always said that gall bladder problems were very consistant with the 4 F's:

Female
Fair (as in skin)
Fat
Forty

I've got all 4. Guess it was inevitable.

Disney Doll - my ultrasound came back negative and the pain was lessening. My dr. insisted on this biliary test (not even sure if that's right). Basically it tests the functionality of the gall bladder. It was painless at the time but the pain has been ramped up after the fact. They start an IV, inject nuclear fluid, trace it and then inject you with something to activate the gall bladder function. I guess its supposed to simulate digestion. This is where they found it wasn't working! Sounds stupid but it makes me feel a little better that they found something and I wasn't making it up.

And I love the fact that we can start our own clique! I've never been in one before.

 

[Laura]

I've been having problems for a couple years now. My ultrasounds show nothing and my HDA scan was 97%. I have some type of pain every day and attacks on occaison.

Sounds like me, but not a lot of pain and no attacks (knock wood)! Some nausea when I eat, and hiccups. I feel twinges of pain and the area is tender when I press on it. When I had the HIDA scan and they injected me with the stuff to make the GB empty, I had huge stomach cramps and nausea.

I do have 3 of those four Fs too, and also having minor GI problems. Maybe I had stones that were passed and my GB's just irritated? I haven't a clue.

 

[Hillbeans]

I'm going to be my usual broken record here on any gallbladder thread that pops up on the DIS. My mom had chronic gallbladder problems for about 20 years. For some reason or other, she did not have hers out - probably 50 percent her choice and 50 percent the fact that at the time it was considered a major surgery.

Unfortunately she developed gallbladder cancer and she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer on June 27th 2003. She passed away on August 17th, 2003 at the age of 66.

Although G-cancer is rare, she fit all of the "F"'s as listed above as well as the fact that she had chronic gallbladder issues and stones for years. I know that not everyone who has gallbladder issues get cancer, but I never knew it could happen until my mom was dying.

If you can get it out, get it out. In my opinion, if you have an organ in your body that is not functioning and causing you lots of troubles, it's not going to get better on its own. Take it from someone who wishes they could go back in time 5 years and beg my mother to finally have hers out.

Take care of yourself.

 

[Laura]

You are right, Hillbeans. I just need to know if something else is affecting my gallbladder. If it's what's messed up, I'd definitely rather have it out. Cancer is something I hope I don't have, but I know that's always a possibility.

How did they diagnose your mother's cancer?

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Hillbeans - I am so sorry to hear about your mom. I've never heard of gallbladder cancer. I'm definitely going to have it removed (too much pain). I really think I'm more concerned about missing out on the Mickey Bars when I'm at WDW. Thanks for sharing your story. I never knew it could turn out so badly.

 

[Hillbeans]

You are right, Hillbeans. I just need to know if something else is affecting my gallbladder. If it's what's messed up, I'd definitely rather have it out. Cancer is something I hope I don't have, but I know that's always a possibility.

How did they diagnose your mother's cancer?

Well, she hadn't been feeling well, and she had lost a lot of weight over the course of a few months. I didn't even put 2 and 2 together but her skin had slowly been turning yellow (from the bile which built up in her system) and then one day she was so sick she TMI (threw up bile).

From there she had to wear a bag on the outside of her body and at that point I believe the cancer had spread to her liver. They were going to try and start chemo, but there really wasn't any reason at that point.

I think she got used to the Gallbladder pain over the years, because I don't specifically remember her saying that it hurt at the time.

 

[RitaZ.]

My mom always said that gall bladder problems were very consistant with the 4 F's:

Female
Fair (as in skin)
Fat
Forty

I had 3 of the four, not fat. One single attack, never had any digestive problems and no abdominal pain prior to the attack. My u/s showed edema and surgery was recommended. I'm glad it's done because the thought of having another episode would just drive me .

These g/b problems can turn serious if not taken care of. My friend's husband had his removed early last month. He had been complaining of abdominal discomfort all summer long. Now, he is not one of those guys that avoids the doctor. They did all kinds of tests, even one with iodine and nothing showed.

Fast forward to late September... He had tremendous pain and drove himself to the ER. Again, they couldn't find anything wrong and the pain was attributed to a med that he is taking. THey sent him home... A few hours later, the pain got even worse, he was shaking, pale, etc. My friend called the ambulance. When they admitted him to the hospital, they immediately began running tests. Apparently he had sepsis, but the doctors didn't know where it was coming from. Then he got worse, his b/p dropped to 60/0 and he was taken to ICU. They found that his organs were beginning to fail. The doctors decided to do exploratory surgery and that's when they found the gallbladder had gangrened and that was causing the sepsis. When the surgery was over, the surgeon told my friend that "things" didn't look good. Fortunately, he survived and remained in the hospital for another week after the surgery (this was early October). He is still recovering, but he is still not feeling well. He has tried to return to work, but doesn't have the strength to make it through a full day.