OT- Gallbladder issues

[Tink-n-MrIncredible]

I know this is not budget related (kind of is, being hospitalized for the same issue twice in a short period of time and having to pay double for a hospital stay and different specalist not too budget friendly). I don't know where to post this question, as this is the only board I usually visit and everyone here is knowleagable on different issues.

If you or a family memeber has had gallbladder issues did either of you have any "unusual" or "different" issues associated with it?

 

[v.t.]

I had my gallbladder taken out 2 months after my twins were born. The only unusual thing was the recovery period. It took me about 2 weeks to get back to normal. That said, it was the best surgery I ever had.
My DGM had her's out last summer and had complications because the gallbladder was surrounded by alot of scar tissue. The surgery took over 3 hours. It did take them a few weeks to figure out that it was her gallbladder, not a heart problem.
Sorry I can't be of more help, I know how much pain you are in.

 

[pigletto]

I had my gallbladder out. The attacks leading up to the Emergency surgery got increasingly severe and were some of the worst pain I have experinced.
As far as unusual..
Well, there was vomiting during attacks because of the back up of bile, and some not so pleasant digestive issues I guess you could say. Also back pain. But I can't think of anything else.

 

[loganpaulsmom]

What kind of other issues are you having? I know alot about gallbladder issues as I just had gallbladder cancer (dont be too worried about this as I was a very rare case, it is really NOT common at all). But, I learned ALOT about gallbladders along the way..
Have the doctors done a Catscan or an MRI on you? Ultra sounds and Xrays will show shadows but you really need a catscan or MRI.. If there is something there, like stones or sludge then it will show up with those tests.. also, has any doctor mentioned taking it out? have you recently lost a lot of weight?

 

[heathernfrankie]

I just had mine out in July. Last January (2009), I was in the hospital overnight for chest pains (at the age of 32). Nothing ever came of it. HERE, I went for a gallbladder u/s and apparently, I had stones back then. No one told me that. Fast forward to July 1st of this year. I got so sick. Mostly vomiting. I started complaining that it hurt under my breasts, right at the tip of the ribcage. I went to the doc, and she just said it was a virus. 2 days later, I was in the ER doubled over. I couldn't even stand up straight. It was my gallbladder. I never had an attack in between Jan 09 and July 10. Ever since April of 2010, I have been eating healthier and loosing weight. I wasn't eating fatty foods or gorging out on food. It was sooo wierd. I finally had my gallbladder out at the end of July 2010 and have been fine ever since.
I wish you nothing but the best. Good luck and I hope everything is ok.

 

[englishteacha]

My gallbladder quit working. My ultrasound showed no stones, nothing abnormal at all. When I kept getting sicker, I insisted they test my GB and they did a HIDA scan to test for its functioning. Well...it didn't work. No wonder I was sick. I had it out 2 years ago. Took a while to heal, and now I can't eat eggs. Some foods don't sit well with me now, things that are very greasy or fatty. Otherwise, I'm mostly fine.

 

[Tink-n-MrIncredible]

What kind of other issues are you having? I know alot about gallbladder issues as I just had gallbladder cancer (dont be too worried about this as I was a very rare case, it is really NOT common at all). But, I learned ALOT about gallbladders along the way..
Have the doctors done a Catscan or an MRI on you? Ultra sounds and Xrays will show shadows but you really need a catscan or MRI.. If there is something there, like stones or sludge then it will show up with those tests.. also, has any doctor mentioned taking it out? have you recently lost a lot of weight?

Short term memory loss of about 6 hours until given medication, then the memory coming back slowly. Ever heard of Charcot's Triad and Reynold's Pentad (trying to self diagnose as the Doctors's have no idea). There were several cat scans, mri's, ultrasounds and more than enough blood test.

 

[msmama]

I, too, had my gallbladder out after my kid was born. Apparently that's incredibly common though no one ever tells you until after it happens to you, lol.

Anyway, I had one major attack that was so bad I ended up in the ER. The pain was worse than labor.

They decided it needed to come out. What should have been a day surgery ended up with my in the hospital for 4 days BEFORE the surgery even happened. One of the stones ended up blocking something (sorry I was heavily medicated and in lots of pain) which made all the bloodwork they were doing totally screwy.

Could you have gall stones that are leaving the gall bladder and travelling somewhere else and affecting...something? Could something be some swollen it's pressing against something else it shouldn't?

Good luck!

 

[clanmcculloch]

Short term memory loss of about 6 hours until given medication, then the memory coming back slowly. Ever heard of Charcot's Triad and Reynold's Pentad (trying to self diagnose as the Doctors's have no idea). There were several cat scans, mri's, ultrasounds and more than enough blood test.

What medication helps? What is making you so sure that this is related to your gallbladder or billiary system?

 

[gillenkl]

I had mine removed after my twins were born also - I had been hospitalized once for the pain and after 2 similiar "attacks" I just decided to have it removed. I'd go to your primary doctor versus self diagnosing - see about having a mri/catscan although if you were hospitalized wouldn't they have already done those? Hope you feel better.

 

[rvchat]

ago. but i don't understand your questions.

pm me anytime. i can tell you all about it. thank God , that's over. HORRIBLE

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

I just had an u/s of mine today. Dear lord I hope its what is causing my heartburn. I went from never having heartburn (except when I was pg) and now in the past 3 months I get it 3 times a week or so and it's awful and now I'm getting some pain.

 

[Tink-n-MrIncredible]

What medication helps? What is making you so sure that this is related to your gallbladder or billiary system?

I'm not sure if it is related that is why I am asking if anyone has had any "unusual" issues as memory loss was happening at the same time as the pain.

 

[mamalle]

I swear my GB is acting up but 1.5 years later, two negative GB ultrasound and a hida scan that shows it functioning at 75%. Im told its not that. I have right upper abd pain and right rib pain that seems to be triggered by certain foods. It can radiate to my back and recently right shoulder. Nausea on/off& belching. I had outback last month and thought I was going to die for 2 days after. All lab tests are negative and pancreas and liver are fine also. Memory loss?? well I do think Im forgetful at times but Im also told Im a mom and have alot on my plate.. lol.. couldnt for the life of me remember my pin number the last week for my debit card.. hope you get some answers and feel better

 

[Aryn]

I had a gallbladder attack 1 year ago. Went to the emergency, and was so sick they waited 2 days for me to recover before they removed it. I went home the same day only to be back 24 hours later with Pancrititis. Spent another 10 days in the hospital. No food at all! Just an IV with fluids and electrolytes I think. I had a blood tranfusion somewhere in there as well

I can tell you that I don't remember much of the first 3 days, but I mostly blame it on the pain killers.
I hope you feel better soon, i remember the pain was horrible, it felt like a band constricting my chest that would not let go. I thought it was heartburn at first, but when it didn't go away, I knew something was very wrong.

Good luck!

 

[poohbear158]

Had my gallbladder out last January. I had three attacks before I found out it was my gallbladder. I had my first attack about three months after I had my daughter. First one happened in the middle of the night and had pain that radiated from my back all the way around under my right rib cage. Next day I was fine so I didn't think too much of it. Second time I got an attack it happened the same exact way about three months after the first. The third time it happened, I got an attack on Friday night and the pain didn't go away until Sunday. I went to the Dr. on Monday morning and they sent me to the hospital for an ultrasound and blood work. The ultrasound tech said my gallbladder was like looking at gumballs in a gumball machine. I went to see the surgeon on Tuesday. When I seen the surgeon on Tuesday, she was very concerned because my blood work did not look good. My bilirubins were elevated which indicated liver problems and I was slightly jaundice. She had me get more blood work that day and the numbers were back to normal. She said what probably happened was that I had a gallstone blocking a duct to the liver which was causing the liver not to function properly and that is why I had the pain for so many days and that caused my abnormal blood work. I must of passed the stone and that is when the pain ceased and my liver started functioning normally again. All of that occured last December the week before Christmas and I had my gallbladder out at the end of January. I was told to go to the ER if I had an attack between December and when my surgery was scheduled. I did not have another attack so I had my normal scheduled surgery. I went in the hospital at 6am, surgery was at 7:30am and was home by noon. No complications or issues. Was very sore for the first 4 or 5 days, but things got better everyday.

 

[E-P-C-O-T]

This:

I had my gallbladder out. The attacks leading up to the Emergency surgery got increasingly severe and were some of the worst pain I have experinced.
As far as unusual..
Well, there was vomiting during attacks because of the back up of bile, and some not so pleasant digestive issues I guess you could say. Also back pain. But I can't think of anything else.

Best decision I ever made was to have it removed. Worst pain I ever had and I had back labor pains that I went thru without any drugs! Now, I can't have broccoli or 4 cheese pizza, small sacrifice to never go thru that excruciating pain again.

 

[clanmcculloch]

I'm not sure if it is related that is why I am asking if anyone has had any "unusual" issues as memory loss was happening at the same time as the pain.

I'll be more specific with my question.

What medication helped to bring back your memory and did this same mediation also help with the other symptoms?
What are all of your symtpoms?
What kind of test results have you had?
Do you have any family history of either gallbladder problems or autoimmune conditions even if the autoimmune conditions in your family seem unrelated to this?

Memory loss/disorientation are not symptoms of gallbladder problems but attacks that feel like gallbladder attacks can be from other things and the memory/disorientation issue can be a symptom along with the pain and whatever other symptoms you're experiencing. Knowing what tests have been done can make a difference when discussing these things.

 

[Calliaz]

I didn't have memory loss, but I've had gallbladder issues for years (removed and then was diagnosed with Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction). Could gallbladder attacks be triggering a migraine? There is mention of memory loss with complex migraines also of gall bladder attacks triggering migraine.

 

[loganpaulsmom]

Short term memory loss of about 6 hours until given medication, then the memory coming back slowly. Ever heard of Charcot's Triad and Reynold's Pentad (trying to self diagnose as the Doctors's have no idea). There were several cat scans, mri's, ultrasounds and more than enough blood test.

I have not heard of those 2.. However, my blood tests all came back ok as well..have they talked about just taking out your gallbladder. I mean, my doctors, that was the first thing they said ,because it is such a "normal" thing these days..