Had a CAT scan today for something unrelated,
( No they didn't find any cats)

Surgeon wanted to know if I wanted my 66 y.o. gall bladder removed.
Seems it was a third full of stones.

Question:
Do you have yours ?

Choices:
Still have mine , without concern
I could use one ( just in case)
They took mine out, not missing it
I got yer pole right here
Seems like a good way to lose those extra unwanted pounds, do it

 

My wife had hers out about 25 years ago. It was good for her, as she feels better since it was done.

Still have mine
Wife had hers out in 2013, something to the effect of the fluid [bile?] being too viscous/thick & causing other issues.
Took a while to adjust to it & takes a bile supplement that seems to help.

Mine got inflamed/infected and didn't give me much of a choice. Exactly one year later, I got the same symptoms and found out that I had three(3) gall stones in my common bile duct. They had to come out.

Mine was taken out at 31 years old (12 years ago) via laparoscopic surgery. No issues afterwards, don't miss it. It was causing all sorts of problems in the week leading up to surgery with stones and it was inflamed.

If you have recurrent symptoms, yes, but jusr the presence of gall stones does not equal surgery.

I had weight loss surgery in Dec 2021 and they removed my gall bladder at that time... said the various scans showed stones. I was 64 when I had the surgery.

I'm not missing it.


PS - years ago this was pretty major surgery. Now it can be done laparoscopically which really shortens the recovery period.

Mine was removed ~30 years ago. It was really bad. Had symptoms for quite a while. Finally got a diagnosis. Had a great surgeon. Did it laproscopicaly. It was attached to my liver. Thanks to the skills of the surgeon no need for a "zipper". Did have a drain for a couple days. Needed to monitor for bile leaking from liver. When the tube was pulled out the pain was the worst I ever experienced. Must be similar getting shot.
Never any problem after

Mine tried to kill me at age 49, leading to pancreatitis and a week in the hospital. I do NOT miss the pain on the first day. I don't miss the gall bladder, either.

Coincidentally, the wife's gall bladder also went sideways when she was 49, and it's gone, too. She only spent a night in the hospital that I remember; it may have been two nights.

Had mine out last year at age 61.

Full of stones, never had a symptom...

Had one stone travell to the pancreas and caused pancreatitis. One week in the hospital for that...

Doing fine without it....

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
If you have recurrent symptoms, yes, but jusr the presence of gall stones does not equal surgery.

Don't take anything out unless and until you have to. It is a majory surgery and nothing to trifle with. People die from simple things like colonoscopies. Just ask Joan Rivers.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
If you have recurrent symptoms, yes, but jusr the presence of gall stones does not equal surgery.

Don't take anything out unless and until you have to. It is a majory surgery and nothing to trifle with. People die from simple things like colonoscopies. Just ask Joan Rivers.

Yep, just because it's laparoscopy doesn't necessarily mean it's benign. Had a surgeon who was chief of staff at a hospital where I worked in ER several years ago take out a patient's right kidney. Only problem was, the surgery was for the gallbladder. Bet that, during obtaining consent for the procedure, the list of all the risks involved didn't have "taking out the wrong organ" as one.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
If you have recurrent symptoms, yes, but jusr the presence of gall stones does not equal surgery.

Don't take anything out unless and until you have to. It is a majory surgery and nothing to trifle with. People die from simple things like colonoscopies. Just ask Joan Rivers.

I had mine out because I had to, the stones were the cause of the most pain I've ever experienced. That being said, I'd never do anything medically that's not necessary. As someone above stated, a co workers dad died during the colonoscopy due to not coming out of the anesthesia.

Do we know what causes stones to stay in or depart ?

I'm also 66 and still have mine.

Still there after 65 years. A friend had his taken out yesterday morning. He said the stones were from 19 cans of Coke per day. He quit that all together. He's been texting me today saying the gas they inflated him with is causing some real discomfort. Believe he is taking oxycodone for the pain. He has had attacks for a few years. Weight down from 354 pounds at 6'8" to 288 pounds. He's a big man. We talk about real food a lot as he has been eating very clean for over a year now.

My dad had his out in the 50's. Only down side was having to avoid certain foods.

quote:

Originally posted by filipows:
Did it laproscopicaly. It was attached to my liver.

^ I hate to even mention this and don't mean to bring negativity into this but.. another family member was having what the Dr's thought were issues from his gall bladder. They scoped him and found tumors in his liver. They had spread from his pancreas. Not very long story short, that was that.

Since I assist about 10 of these a week I only worry that a small stone will cause an obstruction. I'll assume that they did a HIDAscan, or an MRCP, if you were symptomatic. If not symptomatic as I expect, keep the damn thing if its not causing problems.

Doctors just wanna cut/cut/cut

Had mine out when I was 20 or 21. 30 ish years later, really no issues.

Chris

Thank you Texas Scrub