Is this something I should worry about
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Is this something I should worry about
| Sun, 09-25-2005 - 6:46am |
I have been bothered by reoccuring pain in the area of my gallbladder. The pain is not new. My doctor told me he though my gallbladder had colic as they could not find any stones. He gave me bentyl and it helped some. I am not under doctors care anymore. I have no insurance and do not have a job. Even before the pain started I was told that I had a "fat or thick" gallbladder and liver. I am wondering if they are related and what exactly does it mean? What can be done and will I have to have the gallbladder removed? Has anyone else had similar problems or know anything about what it means to have a thick gallbladder and liver? Please help. Is there anything I can do to ease the pain?

Hi and Welcome
I am no expert
tosh wrote: Even before the pain started I was told that I had a "fat or thick" gallbladder and liver. I am wondering if they are related and what exactly does it mean?
If they've told you the walls of the GB are thick - then it means that there has been inflamation going on for a long time (ie. years). The walls can not get thin again. This is usually indicative that the GB has to come out.
tosh wrote: What can be done and will I have to have the gallbladder removed? Has anyone else had similar problems or know anything about what it means to have a thick gallbladder and liver?
I don't know about the 'thick liver' - but only resolution for the gb is to have it out.
tosh wrote: Is there anything I can do to ease the pain?
Diet can play a *huge* part - but it isn't easy and it won't reverse the damage that has been done. Leading up to my surgery I gave up a number of foods and it made a huge difference in the food. I've posted about this before - so rather than re-type I'll find the link.
I don't know how medical care works without insurance (I live in Canada)- I'm sure some of the other ladies can share some insight.
If you experience any of the following go to the ER right away:
* vomiting that won't stop
* constant diahrea (meaning several times in a day & nothing stays in)
* dehydraytion (this can happen without noticing it - something to remember is 'what goes in must come out' - if you notice you are only passing urine twice a day you are dehydrayted)
* severe pain that doesn't get better or let up
* severe pain that keeps getting worse
* yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes or gums
Best of luck,
Jo
link about diet:
http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-bhgendigesti/?msg=2416.3
Hi Tosh05!
Welcome to the board.
I think the others pretty much summed it up. I had a thickened GB wall with cholesterol polyps(no stones) and I had to have mine removed because of the inflamation. It caused alot of the same things one with gallstones would experience ex. pain under rib cage radiating to the back, nausea, diahrrea. A test to find out how well your GB is functioning would be a Hida Scan. Alot of people with thickened or inflamed GB walls find that their GB doesn't function well through the Hida Scan and have to have it removed. Surprisingly, mine was functioning normal according to the Hida Scan but still causing alot of problems. Sometimes eating a low-fat diet helps to ease the pain or "attacks" from the GB.
Hope this helps and keep us updated!
Donna M