Has anyone had their gallbladder taken out? what were the symptoms that you had  before it was removed?
451553
The symptoms are, after you eat, your right side, right under your breast, feels like something is sticking, and it aches. Everything iritates it. You have TERRIBLE heartburn, and acid reflux after you eat anything. I have had my gallbladder taken out, but when you go to the doctor, make sure you ask for hidascan. That eliminates a lot of steps. The surgery is simple, its outpatient surgery, and you only are in the hospital for about five hours, depending on how you feel when you wake up. I had the surgery on a Thursday, and by Monday, was up cleaning house. They make four incisions, and take the gallbladder out on of the openings. The scaring is very little. Afterwards you will experience some of the same symptoms, but without the risk of it exploding, and poisioning your body. Good luck, and I hope this helps.
516313
Gall Bladder Symptom List\nThe following is a basic list of gall bladder disease symptoms: \n\nGall Bladder Symptom 1 - Jaundice\nAs you may already know, the gall bladder is a holding vessel for bile flowing from the liver to the intestines. The symptoms of disease may vary, but the first and most obvious symptom is jaundice. If the skin becomes jaundiced, then we know that there is most likely an issue with the Gall Bladder or liver. Jaundice can either turn the skin yellow or orange depending on the type. With this, the whites of the eyes often take on a yellow color as well. Jaundice is the result of the liver not properly breaking down old blood and transforming it into bile. This can be the result of either the liver not functioning properly, or jaundice can indicate a blockage of the gall bladder.\n\nGall Bladder Symptom 2 - Gall Bladder Pain Symptoms\nGall Bladder Pain Symptom List - Types of Pain\nSporadic pains in the middle of the upper abdomen, or just below the ribs on the right side. \nThe pain may spread to the right shoulder or between the shoulder blades.\n\nThe pain can be accompanied by nausea and vomiting and sometimes excessive wind. \nThe attack can last from a few minutes to two to three hours before getting better. \nThe frequency and severity of attacks is very variable. \nAttacks can be triggered by eating fatty foods such as chocolate, cheese or pastry. \nIt can be difficult to distinguish the pain from other diseases, such as: gastric ulcer, back problems, heart pains, pneumonia and kidney stones. \nGall Bladder Symptom 3 - Gall Stones\nSymptoms of Gall Stones may include:\n\nNo Symptoms... Many people don't know they have gallstones. These "silent stones" are often found by accident from x-rays for other medical reasons. These stones may or may not require treatment. \nAbdominal pain \nNausea \nVomiting \nIndigestion \nAbdominal bloating \nFatty food intolerance \nBiliary Colic \nBelching \nGas \nIndigestion \nCertain symptoms indicate that there is a higher risk of danger and require immediate medical attention. These include:\n\nFever \nSweating \nChills \nJaundice \nYellow eyes \nYellow skin \nPersistent pain \nClay-colored stools ("Light Colored Stools" or "Pale Stools") \nGall Bladder Symptom 4 - Gall Bladder Atack Symptoms\nAn acute gall bladder attack symptom can occur at any time, such as the night or after a fatty meal. A gallstone attack indicates that medical attention is required. A gallstone attack usually is marked by a steady, severe pain in the upper abdomen. Attacks may last only 20 or 30 minutes but more often they last for one to several hours. A gallstone attack may also cause pain in the back between the shoulder blades or in the right shoulder and may cause nausea or vomiting. Attacks may be separated by weeks, months, or even years. Once a true attack occurs, subsequent attacks are much more likely.\n\nGall Bladder Attack Symptom List in Summary:\n\nUpper abdominal pain \nBack pain - between the shoulder blades \nPain under the right shoulder \nNausea \nVomiting \nSteady, severe pain in the upper abdomen that increases rapidly and lasts from 30 minutes to several hours. \nPain in the back between the shoulder blades. \nPain under the right shoulder. \nNausea or vomiting. \nGall bladder attack symptoms often follow fatty meals, and they may occur during the night. Other gallstone symptoms include\n\nAbdominal bloating \nRecurring intolerance of fatty foods \nColic \nBelching. \nGas \nIndigestion. \n\n\nDISCLAIMER:\nThis information has not been reviewed by the FDA, and as such should not be taken as medical advice or medical fact. We request that all practitioners refer to their clinical training and experience when evaluating the true effectiveness and use of these herbs with their patients. (The organs listed in our literature, such as Liver, refer to the common Traditional Oriental Medical functional groups, and may not directly relate to t
600740
gallbladder surgery is not painful. All they do is make 3 little cuts in a line on your stomach then one right above the belly button. It took me 1 day to recovery
1032430
just to clear it up...there is a type of gallbladder removal surgery that enlarges the stomach. its called laparoscopic gallbladder removal surgery. its becoming the most common way to remove one. they make four small incisions instead of one really big one. they inflate your stomach with gas so that they have room to get in there and work. i had mine removed in the end of 2003. i do still have a problem with a bloated stomach but its not constant. it has to do with what i eat or how much (or lack there of). if your stomach is constantly swollen i would definitely go back to the doc. i really don't think that would be a side effect. and when it comes to the stomach/digestive areas, you don't wanna play around. it really could be any number of things. and anyone out there that is dealing with digestive problems since their surgery, take my advice. do something about it. i couldn't find a doc to listen to me about mine until a few months ago. now i'm sitting here with a number of peptic ulcers that were caused by the excess acid that my stomach now has to take on itself. and trust me, this hurts! don't play when it comes to your stomach...go to the doc!!!
178652
I believe just losing weight can cause gallbladder problems. I know most people who have bariatric (weight loss) surgery or lose a large amount of weight in other ways have to have the gall bladder out.
834297
You’ve already been answered correctly by Shannon.  Once the gall stones have been removed, usually the gall bladder is also removed as it usually affected by chronic cholecystitis, and if left in-situ it may lead to recurrence of cholecystitis.  However, certain patients do have a tendency of their bile forming stones by the process of sedimentation.   Now this can only happen after a surgical removal of gall bladder in the CBD (Common Bile Duct) which carries the bile from the liver into an opening in the small intestine (its duodenal part).  IF this CBD is somehow damaged or constricted, stones can start forming in it and may again restart gall colic.  Sometimes the stones, being small as they are, get into the pancreatic duct and may block it, resulting in pancreatitis and its resulting complications.
144320
Usually bloated, sometimes nausea, pain (if stones), or feeling gassy.  Contact doctor.  I had no symptoms, but tests revealed gallbladder only functioning at 10%.
866868
Since all of her symptoms seem to be related to the gallstone, removing the gallbladder would seem to be the cure. However, she could have what is referred to as gallstone pancreatitis. Check for a stone in the distal CBD with ultrasound or ERCP.
234773
It depends on the size and amount of stones that you have.As far as alternative treatment is considered,stay away from so called "gall bladder flushes",trying to flush out stones yourself is a serious no no,because their is a chance a stone can get lodged in the bile duct,and in that case it would require emergency surgery.Most of the time gallstones remain inactive and there is no potential risks other then the  occassional discomfort after fatty meals.Most gastrointologist reccomend having the entire gallbladder removed,if the stones are very large or it continues to be bothersome.Stones can push against the liver leading to several serious conditions.This is why proper evaluation and treatment from a well trained gastrointologist is an absolute must!What are the complications of gallstones? \n\nBiliary colic is the most common symptom of gallstones, but, fortunately, it is a self-limiting symptom. There are, however, more serious complications of gallstones. \n\nCholecystitis. Cholecystitis is an inflammatory condition of the gallbladder. Like biliary colic, it too is caused by sudden obstruction of the ducts by a gallstone, usually the cystic duct. In fact, cholecystitis may begin with an episode of biliary colic. Obstruction of the cystic duct causes the wall of the gallbladder to begin secreting fluid just as with biliary colic, however, for unclear reasons, inflammation sets in. At first the inflammation is sterile, that is, there is no infection with bacteria; however, over time the bile and gallbladder become infected with bacteria that travel through the ducts from the intestine.\n\nWith cholecystitis, there is constant pain in the right upper abdomen. Inflammation extends through the wall of the gallbladder, and the right upper abdomen becomes tender when it is pushed. Unlike with biliary colic, however, it is painful to move. Individuals with cholecystitis usually lie still. There is fever, and the white blood cell count is elevated, both signs of inflammation. Cholecystitis usually is treated with antibiotics, and most episodes will resolve over several days. Even without antibiotics, cholecystitis often resolves. As with biliary colic, movement of the gallstone out of the cystic duct and back into the gallbladder relieves the obstruction and allows the inflammation to resolve.\n\nCholangitis. Cholangitis is a condition in which bile in the common, hepatic, and intrahepatic ducts becomes infected. Like cholecystitis, the infection spreads through the ducts from the intestine after the ducts become obstructed by a gallstone. Patients with cholangitis are very sick with a high fever and elevated white blood cell counts. Cholangitis may result in an abscess within the liver or sepsis. (See discussion of sepsis below.)\n\nGangrene. Gangrene of the gallbladder is a condition in which the inflammation of cholecystitis cuts off the supply of blood to the gallbladder. Without blood, the tissues forming the wall of the gallbladder die, and this makes the wall very weak. The weakness combined with infection often leads to rupture of the gallbladder. The infection then may spread throughout the abdomen, though often the rupture is confined to a small area around the gallbladder (a confined perforation).\n\nJaundice. Jaundice is a condition in which bilirubin accumulates in the body. Bilirubin is brownish-black, yellow when it is not too concentrated. A build-up of bilirubin in the body turns the skin and whites of the eye (sclera) yellow. Jaundice occurs when there is prolonged obstruction of the bile ducts. The obstruction may be due to gallstones, but it also may be due to many other causes of obstruction, for example, tumors of the bile ducts or surrounding tissues. (Other causes of jaundice are a rapid destruction of red blood cells that overwhelms the ability of the liver to remove it from the blood or a damaged liver that cannot remove bilirubin from the blood normally.) Jaundice, by itself, does not cause pr
65272
I had mine removed about 8 years ago.. with mine I had the most horrible pain right below my rib cage that would last for about 10-15 minutes, closes I can describe the pain is child birth. I would get "attacks" 5-10 times a day, they would come on everywhere. All I would want to do is roll up in a ball on the floor until it passed... I still get "attacks" even with my Gall Bladder removed, they call them 'Phantom Attacks' not sure what it's caused from, but mainly comes on in the morning when I have an empty stomach, not nearly as painful as the real thing though.
75198
Eat too much oily foods or don't hydrate enough and you get gall stones which are extremely painful result in gallbladder removal.
562638
When my gallbladder gave me problems I was having stomache pain and diarria, plus heartburn. It got to the point that the pain in my upper stomache got so bad I couldn't sleep-it was worse at night. After a few hrs of pain it would jsut stop. I had an upper GI test and they found out it was full of stones and wasn't even working. i've read that sometimes too much calcium causes the stones and i've wondered if all the vitamins i took while I was pregnant didn't help cause it. Both my sister and I had our gallbladders remover shortly after having our first child.\nYou'll know if you need ot have it out. I was fortunate to have my first major attack after I was laready scheduled for surgery to have it removed. My sister had several attacks before her Dr figured it out and the pain was so horrible she fell to the floor in pain and we had to take her to the ER where they gave her Morphine to dull the pain.
1154398
It can vary.  My mother had heartburn for years before her gallstones were noticed.  Antacids can cover it over by neutralizing the acids in greasy foods, so your gallbladder doesn't have to help digest the food.  My husband's grandfather just developed sudden severe pain just below the ribs, and due to his age, people thought it was a heart attack.  I never knew anybody with a gallbladder condition, who didn't keep food down, but it's logical that you might not be able to.  Pancreatitis, an irritation of the pancreas, is also a symptom of gallbladder problems.  It can cause all the pain and nausea, and also a bit of fever.\n\nDoctors may choose to wait and see if the pain comes frequently before deciding to remove a gallbladder.  Many people have problems with theirs, without needing to remove it, even after a couple episodes of pain.  The important thing is to make sure your doctor knows, and feels that it's okay to just wait and see what it does.
353925
I had my gallbladder removed when I was 15 and I am now 26. At the time of my surgery, they did not tell me what I was in for. I sure wish I had the darn thing back. I had an upset stomach after only a few bites of food and was running to the bathroom every 10 minutes. The doctor told me to stay away from spicy and really fatty foods, but I have found that most of the time I get sick no matter what type of food I eat. What I have found is that if you skip a meal or two and then eat a heavy meal, you will most surely be really sick. So I make sure that I eat a little something even if I'm not that hungry. It also helps to make sure that you eat a bland breakfast if you want to have a nice lunch or dinner that might be fatty or spicy. I hope this helps and feel free to send me a message. I have found that you really have to bond with other people who have had this procedure and you will find that you are not alone. Good luck!
72502
Generally if there are no symptoms, there is no treatment (ignore them as it were).\n\nModern advances in surgery have revolutionized the treatment of gallstones. In general, surgery is used only if you have symptoms.\n\nIn the past, open cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) was the usual procedure for uncomplicated cases. This operation required a medium-to-large incision just below the right lower rib in order to get to the gallbladder. After this operation, a patient typically spent 3 - 5 days in the hospital recovering.\n\nHowever, a minimally-invasive technique called laparoscopic cholecystectomy was introduced in the 1980s, which uses small incisions and camera guidance to remove the gallbladder.\n\nCurrently, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the gold standard for treating gallstones that cause symptoms and is one of the most common operations performed in hospitals today. Using this approach, a patient may have the gallbladder removed in the morning and be discharged from the hospital on the same evening or the next morning.\n\nIn addition, gallstones blocking the common bile duct may be visualized and removed during the laparoscopic procedure. Because this surgical treatment method has a complication rate of less than 1%, it has supplanted using medication to treat gallstones.\n\nMEDICATION\n\nIn people with a functioning gallbladder, bile salts taken by mouth may dissolve gallstones. However, the process may take 2 years or longer, and stones may return after the therapy is ended.\n\nMedical dissolution, using both high-dose and low-dose chenodeoxycholic acids (CDCA, chenediol) was an approach investigated in the early 1980s. However, it was successful in only 14% of cases and required a long period of administration and a lifetime of maintenance therapy.\n\nUrodeoxycholic acid (UDCA, ursodiol) is successful in only 40% of cases. Both CDCA and UDCA therapies are useful only for gallstones formed from cholesterol.\n\nOther chemical methods include contact dissolution, in which a catheter is passed through the abdominal wall and into the gallbladder. Methyl tert-butyl ether, a volatile chemical, is then instilled. This chemical rapidly dissolves cholesterol stones, but potential toxicity, stone recurrence, and other complications limit its usefulness.\n\nLITHOTRIPSY\n\nElectrohydraulic shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) has also been used to treat gallstones. In this method, electromagnetic high-energy shock waves break up the stones.\n\nThis approach was particularly popular in the mid-to-late 1980s, when some studies found it to clear gallstones in up to 60% of patients. However, its application is limited if there are a large number of stones present, if the stones are very large, or in the presence of acute cholecystitis or cholangitis. It can also be used in association with UDCA to improve its effect.
542155
I also had gallbladder surgery.The surgeon said the reason i had such a large cut was because they had to make sure there were no gallstones trapped between where the gallbladder was & down toward my stomach.They found no trapped stones but the surgeon said it happens.If your surgeon didn't explore for furthur stones you should talk to your doctor.They can find any stones that were left,if that is the case.Wish i could help more.Hope it turns out ok.I remember how bad the attacks hurt!!
861141
You really need to go see a regular doctor to have all this evaluated properly.  It should not hurt to eat, and the technician who did the ultrasound is not qualified to make any sort of interpretation of the ultrasound results.  That should have come from a radiologist at the very least, and been gone over with you by the doctor who ordered the test.  It's tough to say if it is actually your gallbladder causing  the problem, since pain from the gallbladder in women usually causes pain in the upper right back, just about the shoulder blade level.  Although a blockage of the duct leading from the gallbladder to the stomach is certainly possible, the time frame after eating is about right,  it may also be treatable.  The blockage would most likely be caused by stones, and some can even be dissolved with medication.  Worst case and you require surgery, removing a gallbladder is not actually that bad anymore.  The best advice I can give you is to  choose a good physician and make an appointment for a full evaluation.  Take all the papers you have now, all the test results, dates, etc, plus a list of any questions you have.  You do not have to continue suffering pain after you eat.  There's nothing to be afraid of, gall bladder problems are common enough and treatable.  If the nurse practitioner isn't willing to help you, find somebody who will.