I still have occasionnal pain... even after my surgery!!!

[Guest guest]

Hi every one. I'm a new comer to this mesage board.

Finally I can speak to people who know what I'm going through.

I began showing symptoms in November 1999 shortly after I found out I

was pregnant. Obviously I had no idea what was happening to me.

Attacks woke me up at 3AM (and keeping me awake until 6)for no

particular reason at all. After my son was born in June 2000, the

attacks became worse. I mean I was crying in agonizing pain for hours

on end. One doctor thought it was a stomach tumor! even my own family

doctor didn't recoginze the signs.

I finally saw a stomach specialist who sent me to the hospital for an

ultrasound, and sure enough I had 3 rows of stones in my gallbladder!

I mean I actually saw them! WOW. It took 6 months of waiting to be

able to be operated on. I got the laparoscopic cholecystectomy in

Novembre 2000. Man was that hard to recuperat from!!

Anyhoo! 1 year went by without any pain at all. Christmas 2001 and I

began to have pain again. I thought it was just a flimsy of my

imagination because it was very faint and came and went very quickly.

But I felt all the warning signs : becoming suddenly very tired,

nausea, I became very weak and weird enough I tend to yawn alot.

Now within the last couple of months the pain has been increasing and

the length of the attacks are becoming longer.

But what I can't understand is why? After my surgery the doctor said

that is was practically impossible for stones to loge themselve in

there, they were supposed to flow right through.

Before anyone asks: Yes I have scheduled an appointment to meet with

the doctor who operated on me... in October. It's a long time away!!

Does anybody else out there have the same problem as I do, or is this

just a result of the operation gone bad?

Please help, at least for some moral support. My husband is

sympathetic but can never know what I'm, we, are going through.

Thank you

Elaine

[Guest guest]

Dear Elaine,

Surgery may only relieve pain from the obstruction in the gallbladder

at the time of surgery. Stones may continue to foorm in the liver

and create problems in the bile ducts.

I've copied this from Adrienne's post #12091

" During surgery, my surgeon did not do a cholangiogram, which would

have detected stones in the bile ducts, because there didn't appear

to be any

inflamation of the cystic or bile ducts. He guessed that there

weren't any

stones in the ducts.....bad guess. So, obviously, the stones were

still there

to cause problems. Guess what his solution was? Come in for another

medical

procedure...an ERCP. I said, " No thanks, " and decided to give the

liver flush

a try. It worked.

Hope that clears up any confusion.

Adrienne "

[Guest guest]

> Before anyone asks: Yes I have scheduled an appointment to meet

with

> the doctor who operated on me... in October. It's a long time away!!

>

> Does anybody else out there have the same problem as I do, or is

this

> just a result of the operation gone bad?

Elaine,

I am having the same problem. I went to my PCP for a checkup on

Friday and he scheduled an abdominal ultrasound for Tuesday. Why

don't you go to your PCP to see if you can get an ultrasound before

you go see the surgeon? Then you would have more info and the

surgeon could further help narrow things down if necessary. Please

keep us posted on your situation; it might help me to compare notes

with you.

I'm thinking of asking my PCP if I can get blood tests for liver

function also. My PCP said that if the ultrasound didn't show

anything that he would order a CAT scan. That surprised me; I hadn't

really considered that I might have to have a CAT scan to diagnose

whatever is going on with me.

-

[Guest guest]

Elaine, (and anyone else who has had their GB removed),

I am carefully considering having the surgery as one of my opions.

The doctor told me that one of the side-effects of having the surgery

is the possibility of having diareah for the rest of my life. But he

reassured me that he could give me meds (for the rest of my life) to

help. I dont like taking any meds, and the thought of this side-

effect is one of the biggest reasons for me not to have the surgery.

Could you please honestly tell me any side-effects that you suspect

from not having your gallbladder. Any pain associated with the

laproscopic scars, or side-effects, changes in your diet, changes in

things you can tollerate, anything would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Naomi

[Guest guest]

Naomi (sorry for all my posts), The worst pain from the surgery is

the gas that they inject in your belly. I can't speak to open

surgery, mine was laparoscopic. It took a solid week to recover and I

was not back to normal for two weeks. I have four scars. One over the

belly button, and three diagonally from midpoint up high under

sternum down to over the gb. No long term pain or effects at this

point. I did do 16 cleanses over 7 months, so I am sure that was

helpful. I have a dozen friends who have had the surgery locally

where I am with not a single problem. 1 friend however does have the

lifetime " dysentary " as he calls it. But, I just read about the

calcium thing helping with that. Good luck. If you believe in prayer,

I'll be using it in your behalf. Let us know what you decide.Dawn

> Could you please honestly tell me any side-effects that you suspect

> from not having your gallbladder. Any pain associated with the

> laproscopic scars, or side-effects, changes in your diet, changes

in

> things you can tollerate, anything would be appreciated.

>

> Thanks,

>

> Naomi