gallbladder removal

[Guest guest]

K,

It is a shame they made you wait that long! I can't understand why they wait

that long. The gallbladder causes so many problems and we can live without it

so easily, I don't understand why they hesitate to take it out. I hate they

put you through that but I do hope that now you will be getting better every

day and that your strength returns quickly! I also pray that this will alleviate

your cp.

Take care, and keep me updated.

Angie in SC

" The happiest of people don't necessarily have the

best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along

their way. "

[Guest guest]

Hi guys,

I have been wondering:

I was told for 2+ years that my gallbladder was fine (no stones, no nothing).

Normal. Then I get hospitalized with accute pancreatitis. I am still told that

my gallbladder is fine & it has nothing to do with the pancreatitis & that the

pancreatitis is chronic & idiopathic. I then see a pancreatologist who says I

do indeed have chronic pancreatitis & that my pancreas is diffusely bulky &

enlarged. That I have chronic pancreatitis involving the small duct. That I

also have sludge in my gallbladder & my PCP or GI doc may decide to remove the

gallbladder but it is highly unlikely that it is causing the pancreatitis. My

gallbladder still remains in my body for over a year (when I mention to my GI

doc the possibility of getting relief if having it removed he practically bit my

head off). I then get tired of the pain, nausea, chest pressure & upper back

pain & call my G.I. doc. He finally agrees to " refer me " to a surgeon & " maybe

he'll agree to take my gallbladder out. " I guess

that was to say " if I'm lucky " ??? That was pretty much the way I took it. I

go see the surgeon, he spends 5 minutes with me (I belong to an HMO), & says " I

think it is reasonable that having your gallbladder removed may alleviate some

of your problem " . I wait months still suffering in pain (haven't worked for 4

weeks now), go in for surgery which was like night of the living dead. I swear,

they line you up like an assembly line, a nurse with absolutely no emotion asks

you why you are there, hooks you up to an I.V., tells you she will give you

something to relax you that last for about 1/2 hour of the 2 hr wait before

surgery, some guy from the " anesthesiology staff " comes in & without introducing

himself, starts asking you questions never once making eye contact with you &

you finally ask " Are you an anesthesiologist? " when he still looking at the

computer screen replies " I'm doctor Pearl part of the anesthesiology staff

here " . Well Whopeee, I'm sorry but I'm not too

impressed. Gosh heaven forbid I expect to be treated like a real live human

being here. You know, the kind with fears, anxieties, hmmm... maybe a few

questions. I tell the nurse that I am not feeling too relaxed & she gives me

more of what she gave me the first time that didn't relax me & about an hour or

so later the wheel me down to the surgery room (cold & sterile). I'm wide

awake, my entire body is shaking like a leaf & I'm the whole time telling them

" I'm not feeling too relaxed " , no one seems to give a rats you know what. Well

finally when all was said & done I am in the recovery room my dear husband is

escorted back to me & says. The doctor gave me this & holds up a jar with about

6 little gray & white colored rocks shaking them proudly & says " The Doctor said

this was only half of what was in your gallbladder & you should be feeling alot

better now " . Now I don't know about you guys, but don't ya think I went through

quite a bit to get to this point.

Don't get me wrong I am grateful that the problem or maybe part of the problem

is now taken care of, but don't you think maybe we could have come to this point

alot earlier in the game?

I can't tell if I am better yet. Still sore & nauseated. I am trying to be

patient since it has not even been a week yet.

Just needed to share that with you all.

Take care,

K.

[Guest guest]

, I had a similar thing happen. I was told there was no problem with my

gallbladder for about 18 months in the early 90s. Finally I went for a HIDA

scan and am informed there is no blood flow in my gallbladder. Bingo. I go

home, the doc calls and tells me I need to be admitted immediately. Three

days later my gallbladder gets taken out. About seven years later I get

diagnosed with pancreatitis. Throughout those seven years I had pancreatitis

attacks. I didn't know it then, but I recognize them now.

Jerry/NC

>

> Hi guys,

>

> I have been wondering:

>

> I was told for 2+ years that my gallbladder was fine (no stones, no

> nothing). Normal. Then I get hospitalized with accute pancreatitis. I am

> still told that my gallbladder is fine & it has nothing to do with the

> pancreatitis & that the pancreatitis is chronic & idiopathic.

>

[Guest guest]

So Jerrry,

Are you saying that going all that time undiagnosed with gallbladder disease

caused your pancreatitis? I am wondering if I will be plagued with this disease

for the rest of my life due to the fact that I went so long untreated.

What do you think?

Thanks,

K.

Jerry Pople wrote:

, I had a similar thing happen. I was told there was no problem with my

gallbladder for about 18 months in the early 90s. Finally I went for a HIDA

scan and am informed there is no blood flow in my gallbladder. Bingo. I go

home, the doc calls and tells me I need to be admitted immediately. Three

days later my gallbladder gets taken out. About seven years later I get

diagnosed with pancreatitis. Throughout those seven years I had pancreatitis

attacks. I didn't know it then, but I recognize them now.

Jerry/NC

>

> Hi guys,

>

> I have been wondering:

>

> I was told for 2+ years that my gallbladder was fine (no stones, no

> nothing). Normal. Then I get hospitalized with accute pancreatitis. I am

> still told that my gallbladder is fine & it has nothing to do with the

> pancreatitis & that the pancreatitis is chronic & idiopathic.

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks very much Angie.

Take care & I WILL keep you posted.

Hope you are well,

K.

NOTOFARMS2@... wrote:

K,

It is a shame they made you wait that long! I can't understand why they wait

that long. The gallbladder causes so many problems and we can live without it

so easily, I don't understand why they hesitate to take it out. I hate they

put you through that but I do hope that now you will be getting better every

day and that your strength returns quickly! I also pray that this will alleviate

your cp.

Take care, and keep me updated.

Angie in SC

" The happiest of people don't necessarily have the

best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along

their way. "

[Guest guest]

I am just appalled at how you were treated in the pre-op area.

I worked in the pre-op pt prep area of the Main OR at MUSC for

years. It was a positions I adored and I so hated to resign. I can

assure you we have never treated a patient the way you described.

The anesthesiology staff is outstanding and very kind and

understanding of the stress a persons goes through prior to surgery.

Irregardless if it is a lap chole or open heart surgery.

It is not uncommon to be some what awake when entering the OR so that

you can lift yourself to the table and so on. However, most people

are doped up with versed that they recall little. Myself included.

I would think that a written complaint regarding your treatment would

be warranted. The doctors and nurses should have introduced

themselves and told you everything they were doing and what they were

giving you. Your family shouldhave been brought back to be with you

and if they had any questions those should have been answered as

well. I am so sorry that you had such a nighmarish experience.

As far as whether or not you will have any residual pancreatic damage

remains to be seen. You did say on tests that you had ductal changes

and some of the signs of cp. I hope that getting your gallbladder

out will make you feel much much better but only time will tell if

you will have any damage of your pancreas from having a sick

gallbladder for so long. I will hope and pray that you dont and all

your problems will be a distant memory.

Warmly,

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

It really all just hit me today as the fog is starting to clear recovering from

surgery. No one should be treated or should I say not treated the way I was.

I do plan to write a complaint to Kaiser hospital.

I hope things are going well for you . Are you still job hunting?

Prayers,

K.

wrote:

I am just appalled at how you were treated in the pre-op area.

I worked in the pre-op pt prep area of the Main OR at MUSC for

years. It was a positions I adored and I so hated to resign. I can

assure you we have never treated a patient the way you described.

The anesthesiology staff is outstanding and very kind and

understanding of the stress a persons goes through prior to surgery.

Irregardless if it is a lap chole or open heart surgery.

It is not uncommon to be some what awake when entering the OR so that

you can lift yourself to the table and so on. However, most people

are doped up with versed that they recall little. Myself included.

I would think that a written complaint regarding your treatment would

be warranted. The doctors and nurses should have introduced

themselves and told you everything they were doing and what they were

giving you. Your family shouldhave been brought back to be with you

and if they had any questions those should have been answered as

well. I am so sorry that you had such a nighmarish experience.

As far as whether or not you will have any residual pancreatic damage

remains to be seen. You did say on tests that you had ductal changes

and some of the signs of cp. I hope that getting your gallbladder

out will make you feel much much better but only time will tell if

you will have any damage of your pancreas from having a sick

gallbladder for so long. I will hope and pray that you dont and all

your problems will be a distant memory.

Warmly,

[Guest guest]

I'm glad that you are writing a letter to Kaiser. I also think that

Heidi's suggestion of reporting them to JCACHO is a good one too.

They should not be allowed to get away with that. It would also be a

good idea to find out who is the nurse manager of the pre op unit and

write her/him a letter as well.

I hope you are starting to feel better. It does take a little while

to get over a lap surgery. They have to inflate, literlly inflate,

your abdomen with CO2 in order to better visualize the organs. They

try to remove as much of that gas as they can, but cant. The best

thing to do is to try to walk it off and well pass gas. You can try

the anti gas meds that are out there to ease some of the bubbling

discomfort; but the best thing is to walk. Try to hold off on the

sodas and dont use a straw as they tend to increase the gas you

swallow.

I have decided to hold off on the job hunt for the time being until I

can get this new pain thing under better control. Its really killing

me as I saw a position posted that I would very much like to have a

shot at. It is not in the endoscopy unit but is still in the

digestive disease dept. It would certainly get my foot in the door.

We'll see.

I hope this helps some and that you are feeling better.

Warmly