gallstones
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| Thu, 12-09-2004 - 7:46pm |
Hi everyone,
I am new to this board, but hopefully some of you can help me. I have just been diagnosed with gallstones.I had my first pain last Saturday and then again on Monday. I thought I was going to die! My dr says from the blood test results ( elevated liver enzymes, but starting to come down a few days later ) and the u/s result ( sludge and multiple small stones ) he thinks I had a stone blocking the bile duct which ahs since passed. His recommendation is to have it removed. I am seeing a surgeon next Thursday who can operate on the 20/12 ( don't really want to upset my family on christmas though) or 31/1.If it were you what would you do? Refuse surgery completely? What would be the risks/consequences?Have it done sooner or later and why? Both times I had the pain I had eaten fatty meals about 24hrs earlier. Could that be related? Prior to that I had been on a low fat diet for 2 months.Also for those who've had their gallbladder removed......how was your recovery? I have 3 children to care for ages 10,7 and 4. Would I need dh to be home with me to help and for how long would you think?
Sorry for so many questions. It is just a lot to take on board and I am not feeling patient enough to wait till Thursday to ask the surgeon!
Thanks,
Lisa.

Hi and Welcome
Hi Lisa & gang - just took a quick look at the board before heading out to work. I'll post again tonight to answer the rest of your quesions.
The risk of not having the surgery done is to have another more serious attack that requires an emergency surgery. There is a better chance that the surgery will be done laproscopically when it's scheduled that when it's an emergency. If they are doing an emerg surg it's likely because there is also infection.
Thanks to both of you for your replies. I think I am in a bit of denial at the moment and despite the test results I have this feeling that what happened was a one off and i'll be fine now! Dumb I know.But as you say Jo, if I ignore this I could end up with an emergency surgery which would be even worse for inconvenience. The more I think about it I really don't see how I can do it before Christmas though. My DH can't get any time off, not even a day, my dad is having surgery on Monday so Mum will be looking after him and everyone else is so busy with christmas. So I guess I will just have to wait and hope I'm ok.
Lisa.
Jo
Hi Lisa,
I am a newbie here, but my daughter had her gallbladder removed last month. She is in her early 30"s.
She had day surgery on a Tuesday and by Saturday was out shopping. Still a litte sore. But it went well..
Good Luck
That's encouraging! Thank-you. Did your daughter have much trouble prior to her surgery? Had she had many attacks of pain?
Lisa.