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In accordance with Lounge rules...gall bladders, who needs them?

32,000 3,053 April 5, 2016 at 06:32 PM in News
So I get mine removed in the morning. I hear it's more or less routine and that we don't technically need them. So I'm giving mine up.

I'm going to ask that the put it in a jar so I can bring it home.

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Autumn | Staff
04-06-2016 at 02:45 PM.
04-06-2016 at 02:45 PM.
Quote from MsGal :
Unless you have stones or cancer (rare), you should never get your GB removed. And I can say that because I had mine removed in '96 and really wish I had not. I had a "low-functioning" GB but no stones at all. It would be about 5 years later that I would find out there are treatments for low-functioning GB and that I could have kept mine if I had had the right doctor. Sadwalk
Mine had a bunch of stones and one particularly huge stone blocking it when they removed it. But why do you wish you hadn't had yours removed? Have you had problems since? I've been pretty happy since mine was removed a few years ago.
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Zoe Moon
04-06-2016 at 02:55 PM.
04-06-2016 at 02:55 PM.
Quote from Iaaaiws :
Whee I almost forgot. I think I am required to post this picture any time Raddish has any type of surgery done. Probably not many folks left here that recall the first time it was posted. I can't even remember what it was for either. laugh out loud

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MsGal
04-06-2016 at 03:09 PM.
04-06-2016 at 03:09 PM.
Quote from Autumn :
But why do you wish you hadn't had yours removed? Have you had problems since? I've been pretty happy since mine was removed a few years ago.

More problems than I ever imagined possible. Bile duct scarring, low stomach acid, depleted stomach enzymes, and worst of all, adhesion-related problems. Due to the fact that scar tissue grows like kudzu, part of my stomach is attached to my abdominal wall. Some of the scar tissue also grew down into my pelvic region. I've had some of it removed but as most doctors know, it grows right back and sometimes worse. I just live with it now.

I went to a specialist in South Florida in '08 that said that 100% of his patients with adhesion-related disorders had the "keyhole" (laparoscopic) surgery. He's never had one come through that had the old-fashioned (cut completely open) type surgery. And I believe it. I know three people that had the old-fashioned surgery and none of them have any complaints. I know several with issues similar to mine and they all had the keyhole surgery like I did.

I don't blame the surgeon, I blame myself for not getting a second opinion. I had a 1 year old at the time and my husband was stationed overseas for six months. I was six hours away from family and I just wanted the pain to go away so I could function again.

If the internet had been available at that time, I would have researched the sh*t out of the topic and would probably still have my GB. 'Cause everyone knows that the internet doctors know everything, right? laugh out loud
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Autumn | Staff
04-06-2016 at 03:19 PM.
04-06-2016 at 03:19 PM.
Quote from MsGal :
More problems than I ever imagined possible. Bile duct scarring, low stomach acid, depleted stomach enzymes, and worst of all, adhesion-related problems. Due to the fact that scar tissue grows like kudzu, part of my stomach is attached to my abdominal wall. Some of the scar tissue also grew down into my pelvic region. I've had some of it removed but as most doctors know, it grows right back and sometimes worse. I just live with it now.

I went to a specialist in South Florida in '08 that said that 100% of his patients with adhesion-related disorders had the "keyhole" (laparoscopic) surgery. He's never had one come through that had the old-fashioned (cut completely open) type surgery. And I believe it. I know three people that had the old-fashioned surgery and none of them have any complaints. I know several with issues similar to mine and they all had the keyhole surgery like I did.

I don't blame the surgeon, I blame myself for not getting a second opinion. I had a 1 year old at the time and my husband was stationed overseas for six months. I was six hours away from family and I just wanted the pain to go away so I could function again.

If the internet had been available at that time, I would have researched the sh*t out of the topic and would probably still have my GB. 'Cause everyone knows that the internet doctors know everything, right? laugh out loud

Omg that's awful! I'm so sorry you've had to deal with that hug I had the laparoscoptic surgery, three incisions. I haven't had any issues but after I had it...I made this mistake of looking online and saw all kinds of people who've had issues after that surgery.
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VorlonFrog
04-06-2016 at 03:25 PM.
04-06-2016 at 03:25 PM.
They took mine out a couple of years ago, due to excessive gall stones. Frown Mine was caused by two different things: a) a family history of gallstones, and b) years of statin use for cholesterol. Statins are known to cause gallstones, the farkers. The only problems I have are a tendency to belch about three or four hours after eating, and heartburn I never had before.
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Original Poster
The Raddish
04-06-2016 at 03:30 PM.
04-06-2016 at 03:30 PM.
Quote from MsGal :
Unless you have stones or cancer (rare), you should never get your GB removed. And I can say that because I had mine removed in '96 and really wish I had not. I had a "low-functioning" GB but no stones at all. It would be about 5 years later that I would find out there are treatments for low-functioning GB and that I could have kept mine if I had had the right doctor.
It used to be that when doctors performed a Gastric Bypass, they went ahead and took teh gall bladder at the same time since there was usually about a 60% chance it'd have to be removed later anyway, usually associated with extreme weight loss.

My doctor doesn't do this, but he warned he was likely going to have to go back in and take it. Today he did.

I haven't had stones or pain with mine, but I had a recent lab show with elevated bilirubin so they did an ultrasound and found my gall bladder was full of sludge. As I am a diabetic, gall stones can cause pancreatitis and that would be bad. So they went ahead and took it today since an inflamed, sludgy gall bladder isn't fixable and will lead to problems down the road anyway.
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Autumn | Staff
04-06-2016 at 03:37 PM.
04-06-2016 at 03:37 PM.
Quote from The Raddish :
It used to be that when doctors performed a Gastric Bypass, they went ahead and took teh gall bladder at the same time since there was usually about a 60% chance it'd have to be removed later anyway, usually associated with extreme weight loss.

My doctor doesn't do this, but he warned he was likely going to have to go back in and take it. Today he did.

I haven't had stones or pain with mine, but I had a recent lab show with elevated bilirubin so they did an ultrasound and found my gall bladder was full of sludge. As I am a diabetic, gall stones can cause pancreatitis and that would be bad. So they went ahead and took it today since an inflamed, sludgy gall bladder isn't fixable and will lead to problems down the road anyway.
Man, it was sludgy? I super duper wish you had pictures now Sadwalk
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The Raddish
04-06-2016 at 03:42 PM.
04-06-2016 at 03:42 PM.
Quote from Autumn :
Man, it was sludgy? I super duper wish you had pictures now
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04-06-2016 at 03:47 PM.
04-06-2016 at 03:47 PM.
Quote from The Raddish :
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VorlonFrog
04-06-2016 at 03:55 PM.
04-06-2016 at 03:55 PM.
Quote from The Raddish :
I haven't had stones or pain with mine, but I had a recent lab show with elevated bilirubin so they did an ultrasound and found my gall bladder was full of sludge. As I am a diabetic, gall stones can cause pancreatitis and that would be bad. So they went ahead and took it today since an inflamed, sludgy gall bladder isn't fixable and will lead to problems down the road anyway.
I had bouts of pancreatitis several years ago, caused by gall stones blocking my pancreatic ducts. Getting the gall bladder removed is a much better option. Trust me. Pancreatitis hurt so ridiculously intensely, I'd rather have been dead.
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BostonGirl
04-06-2016 at 03:59 PM.
04-06-2016 at 03:59 PM.
Quote from VorlonFrog :
I had bouts of pancreatitis several years ago, caused by gall stones blocking my pancreatic ducts. Getting the gall bladder removed is a much better option. Trust me. Pancreatitis hurt so ridiculously intensely, I'd rather have been dead.
My brother gets that, and been in the hospital twice. Did getting it removed help a lot?
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The Raddish
04-06-2016 at 04:09 PM.
04-06-2016 at 04:09 PM.
Quote from BostonGirl :
My brother gets that, and been in the hospital twice. Did getting it removed help a lot?
It should. The primary cause of pancreatitis is gall stones blocking the duct of the pancreas. Since once a gall bladder is removed it can no longer create gall stones, it's unlikely that said missing gall stones could block the duct from the pancreas. Dontknow
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VorlonFrog
04-06-2016 at 04:32 PM.
04-06-2016 at 04:32 PM.
Quote from BostonGirl :
My brother gets that, and been in the hospital twice. Did getting it removed help a lot?
Helped 100%. See TR's response, below.
Quote from The Raddish :
It should. The primary cause of pancreatitis is gall stones blocking the duct of the pancreas. Since once a gall bladder is removed it can no longer create gall stones, it's unlikely that said missing gall stones could block the duct from the pancreas. Dontknow
What he said.
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MsGal
04-06-2016 at 10:07 PM.
04-06-2016 at 10:07 PM.
Quote from The Raddish :
I haven't had stones or pain with mine, but I had a recent lab show with elevated bilirubin so they did an ultrasound and found my gall bladder was full of sludge. As I am a diabetic, gall stones can cause pancreatitis and that would be bad. So they went ahead and took it today since an inflamed, sludgy gall bladder isn't fixable and will lead to problems down the road anyway.
Quote from VorlonFrog :
I had bouts of pancreatitis several years ago, caused by gall stones blocking my pancreatic ducts. Getting the gall bladder removed is a much better option. Trust me. Pancreatitis hurt so ridiculously intensely, I'd rather have been dead.
Quote from The Raddish :
It should. The primary cause of pancreatitis is gall stones blocking the duct of the pancreas. Since once a gall bladder is removed it can no longer create gall stones, it's unlikely that said missing gall stones could block the duct from the pancreas. Dontknow

Oddly enough, I never had pancreatitis BEFORE they took my GB but I've had it five times since. The last time I was in the hospital for 5 days. No food or drink for the first 3. After that they gave me jello. I HATE JELLO!!!!!! Mad

I've had multiple ERCP's, MRCP's, and more endoscopies than any one human being should ever have to endure. They don't know why I get pancreatitis. The only thing they know for certain is that I have something called Sphincter of Oddi.

"Sphincter" jokes in 3, 2 ........... Stick Out Tongue
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VorlonFrog
04-07-2016 at 06:36 AM.
04-07-2016 at 06:36 AM.
For Mr. Raddish, when he awakes from his Lortab-induced coma:
Imgur: A true hand cannon [imgur.com]

NSFW, due to excessively strong text language
and one big motherfarking .50 caliber pistol.
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