Gall Bladder

[anygunanywhere]

Had mine removed today, surgeon used one of those long skinny cameras. I admit that as opposed to the old method it is easier on he body. Don't fall for that "less pain" bull.

Five holes in my abdomen. Looks like somebody shot me with a scattergun.

It hurts. Thank goodness for painkillers.

Mrs Anygun is a skilled, competent, compassionate nurse and is taking God care of me.

She makes a wicked good chicken soup, dontcha know.

I got lots of recovery time on my hands. Youse guys need to keep me entertained.

[ELB]

I had mine out back in early 2000s, and good riddance. I recall only a couple holes, but I might be wrong. I do not miss gall stones.

The post-op pain was not bad at all for me. My stomach muscles felt really stiff, like I had done about 500 situps -- I guess it they had been stretched by the gas they pump in to make room to do the surgery.

What hurt a whole lot more was a liver biopsy I had a few years later. I HURT after that. But not long, thankfully.

Good luck on the recovery, hope it goes as well as mine did.

[anygunanywhere]

I had mine out back in early 2000s, and good riddance. I recall only a couple holes, but I might be wrong. I do not miss gall stones.

The post-op pain was not bad at all for me. My stomach muscles felt really stiff, like I had done about 500 situps -- I guess it they had been stretched by the gas they pump in to make room to do the surgery.

What hurt a whole lot more was a liver biopsy I had a few years later. I HURT after that. But not long, thankfully.

Good luck on the recovery, hope it goes as well as mine did.

Thanks mang.

Mine has been interesting. No gallstones. Bladder worked fine, did what it was supposed to do. It as calcified, condition called porcelaine gallbladder.

Higher risk of cancer with a 5 year survival rate of 2%.

Didn't like the odds.

[ELB]

Sounds like good riddance indeed. Maybe the "calcified" business made it harder to pull out than the usual gall stone reason. Best wishes!

[mojo84]

My mom had cancer that originated in her gallbladder. It wasn't found until it has spread throughout. The doctors said she would live about 6-12 months. I believe she made it about 18 months. She passed away in 1982. I wonder if she had what you did and the doctors just didn't know what it was or how to diagnose it back then.

The docs told us back when she was diagnosed through exploratory surgery that it's very rare for cancer to originate in the gallbladder. Apparently, if it does it is very deadly.

Glad to learn you had yours removed before it got too bad. Prayers for a quick and full recovery.

[SewTexas]

I've never heard of cancer in the gall bladder, interesting.

anygun, take it slow but be sure to walk a bit, and a bit more each day.

[G.A. Heath]

I had mine removed some years ago, 4 holes and not as much pain afterwards as when I went in. My problem is that when I wake up I tend to set up immediately. usually my first coherent thoughts are with me sitting up so when I can out from anaesthesia I tried what I normally do and that did not feel too good. Good luck, get better quick, and you are in my prayers.

[sugar land dave]

I had mine removed back in 95. Three holes. The organ was completely calcified so they took it out in small pieces. I remember moving kind of slow for a couple of days, but was happy they did not have to do the old style of surgery. I saw a couple of those folks in the hospital, and they all were pale and in pain.

[RPBrown]

Prayers for a speedy recovery sent

[Abraham]

I had a constant pain in my right upper side that felt like I'd been hit with a hard body blow about 2/3 days earlier. As I experienced plenty of body blows in fights, it was a quite similar pain.

My internist had me take an ultrasound test which didn't reveal a GB problem, but the pain persisted.

Finally, I went to see a gastroenterologist who suspected a GB problem and had me take a HIDA Scan.

The test results revealed I was down to a 14% contraction rate. (whatever that is)

I was immediately scheduled for surgery to have my GB removed.

The surgeon advised if my contraction rate had hit single digits (had I delayed surgery it would have eventually) I would experience the symptoms of a heart attack. He said many think they're having a heart attack and head for the emergency room only to find it's their gall bladder giving them trouble. I'm guessing these are the folks who experience no pain symptoms and finally their contraction hits the single digits.

My laparoscopic surgery went smoothly with almost no post op pain.

[anygunanywhere]

My mom had cancer that originated in her gallbladder. It wasn't found until it has spread throughout. The doctors said she would live about 6-12 months. I believe she made it about 18 months. She passed away in 1982. I wonder if she had what you did and the doctors just didn't know what it was or how to diagnose it back then.

The docs told us back when she was diagnosed through exploratory surgery that it's very rare for cancer to originate in the gallbladder. Apparently, if it does it is very deadly.

Glad to learn you had yours removed before it got too bad. Prayers for a quick and full recovery.

Thanks for all the prayers from you fine folks.

The reason I posted this event in my life is because of everything that has transpired since before last Thanksgiving.

I began feeling a dull pain in my abdomen right upper quadrant. I shrugged it off for a few weeks but it didn't go away. I went to my PCP and he scheduled me for an ultrasound. I had no history of gall bladder problems. My dad died from pancreatic cancer so the genetic predisposition issue was gnawing at me.

The ultrasound showed a slightly inflamed gall bladder with calcification but no gallstones. Next was a nuclear gall bladder function test which showed it was working fine. Next was a CT scan with contrast which confirmed the previous findings and revealed no other abnormalities. Next were upper and lower endoscopies. Only one polyp was found and all of the rest of my upper and lower gut was normal except for minor diverticulum in two locations.

I consulted a surgeon. We discussed the incidence rate of gall bladder cancer in calcified gall bladders. According to him there is a "minor" increase in the occurrence of cancer in calcified GB, around 3-7%. His advice was to monitor the pain and be reevaluated in the future.

I searched the internet for calcified GB and cancer. Most of the sites mirrored the surgeon's opinion. Then I found a site that went in great depth discussing my symptoms. I never had jaundice, nausea or vomiting, just pain. This site had X-ray and CT scan images taken from patients with my exact symptoms in my age group (60 yrs). This site claimed a 20% incidence rate when cases identical to mine were diagnosed.

The survival rate for GB cancer is so low because in most of the cases there are no symptoms and the cancer is discovered as a result of examinations for other health issues. Also, by the time GB cancer is diagnosed the disease is already in the advanced stage 3 or 4. Chemotherapy is not very successful because of the way the GB exists in the overall scheme of digestion. Bile is produced in the liver and the liver negated a lot of chemo drugs because that is what the liver does.

Bottom line, don't ignore symptoms no matter how minor.

[Abraham]

anygunanywhere,

I got so carried away blathering about my own GB story, I forgot to wish you a speedy recovery.

So: Here's wishing you a speedy recovery and I'm sorry you had to go through so many tests as some are brutal.

[anygunanywhere]

anygunanywhere,

I got so carried away blathering about my own GB story, I forgot to wish you a speedy recovery.

So: Here's wishing you a speedy recovery and I'm sorry you had to go through so many tests as some are brutal.

Thanks Abraham. 'Preciate it.

[mojo84]

Anygun, Reading your last post sent chills down my spine. My mom had gotten to the point of being jaundiced with nausea and vomiting on top of severe pain. She tried for quite some time to get the proper diagnosis. Thank God you stuck with it and got that sucker out. She was in her early 50's when finally diagnosed.

[anygunanywhere]

Anygun, Reading your last post sent chills down my spine. My mom had gotten to the point of being jaundiced with nausea and vomiting on top of severe pain. She tried for quite some time to get the proper diagnosis. Thank God you stuck with it and got that sucker out. She was in her early 50's when finally diagnosed.

I'm sorry for your loss. It is truly heartbreaking to lose your mother at such a young age.