Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer General Forum Gallbladder!

I've had two "gallbladder" attacks in the last 3 months. Never happened before in my life. I'm 47. Woke up one night back in January at 2:00 am (after eating a large amount of pepperoni pizza) feeling like I had been shot under the right rib by a rifle. Went to ER about 4 that morning. After several tests, Dr. says I could stay and have my gallbladder taken out the next day or give it a couple weeks and see. I waited.

Fast forward til two nights ago. Ate chili cheese fries and a chili dog at the local ballpark (which I've ate several times this past month). I woke up at 1:30 am with a pain in the same area under the rib. This was less painful. Felt like perhaps a knife wound this time instead of a bullet. Anyway, I made it until about 7 in the morning and couldn't take it anymore. Back to the ER. Different Dr. Same results. Take it out tomorrow or schedule surgery in two weeks. I scheduled the surgery, but I'm not 100% committed.

If you've had experience with gallbladder problems, please tell me your story. Can I manage this through diet, or is it going to keep happening no matter what? If yours was removed, have you had any problems? What have been your side effects, if any? Thanks.

Schedule your eating so that you can retire to bed on an empty stomach. You will never have another problem.
NEVER eat Pizza at night when you get older. You're asking for it. That's a complete no-go for me no matter what
the social implications.

Change your diet.

Doctor said I didn't have gall stones - I had rocks. Outpatient surgery, small cut, had to go easy for a few days but no problems. Have had no problems since then (15years). Definitely had to back off the spicy heavy food though. I can do it once - but better not do it again for a week or more.

Chest pains for over a year on occasion. Spaghetti lit me up like you described once, almost passed out. Doc said I was 5 years past due, no stones just a dead gallbladder. I think I had 3 or 5 small incisions, but he said he was having issues because of it being overdue and stuff growing around it. Fast recovery and no issues since. Folks claim that having it removed causes a bathroom trip immediately after eating, but I think I was so long overdue that my body was already adjusted to it.

Had mine removed laproscopicly. Only problem is now after you eat sometimes you got to find a bathroom right then.

My daughter had hers removed recently and that is her number one complaint.

That is very common. DoA and both boys have had theirs out and it is definitely normal that they are in a bathroom pretty quick after eating...especially in the beginning after removal. There is a med that one can request that helps slow that event down a bit, though.

You need to find out if you have gall stones or just a poorly functioning gall bladder. If you have stones in there, then you should probably go ahead and have it removed.

DoA just had a poorly functioning one and they did a "hidascan" (sp?) and his was functioning at 7%. Our oldest son had his gall bladder out at 2 years old and his had stones in it. Our youngest son had gall stones and an infection in his when he was 11 years old.

My mom had hers out last year at 84 years of age and has done fine since.

I don't know but I can't eat pizza before bed anymore or I get heartburn bad. Spaghetti too. The last year I've gotten to where I don't eat pizza anymore cause I pay for it. I hope you get better information and can change the diet and get by. I'd ask another doctor if it was me cause I have been getting different opinions from different doctors the last few years and been sent down rabbit holes by them for no reason according to specialist doctors. The ER doctors were wrong on a few occasions I had dealing with leg pain.

Get the knife. After 16 months of pain Mother finally got insurance to allow a second opinion of her "clean no gall stone bladder" Doc took out two quarts of gallbladder sand. Yes two quarts.

My wife doesn't have that, she burps like a sailor. It would make juveniles laugh out loud.

Better check on Meemaw.

Spent 5 days in the hospital over gall bladder problems. Not fun. Then had to go back 6 weeks later and get the stint they put in a bile duct removed. This was about 6 years ago. No issues since and I eat what I want.

Thanks for the replies. Seems there's a little bit of everything. I shy away from any surgery, especially if something is to be removed. A couple of you have suggested a dietary change, some of you have had some positive surgery experiences. Some folks need a bathroom nearby after eating. Decisions. Decisions.

I had mine out back in 2010. Ate spaghetti and thought I was having a heart attack. Turns out my gallbladder wasn't working but so much. The first week after surgery I was constipated and if you read the hemorrhoid thread this is when I also had an anal fisher. When I finally did have a bowel movement I was repenting of my sins, lol!

Anyway, back to the gallbladder surgery. It went well and was an in and out type deal. For years I suffered from stomach cramps, diarrhea, just really bad gastrointestinal problems that seemed no matter what I ate caused it. It was also during the testing for the gallbladder issue it was determined that I had acid reflux as well.

About 3 yrs ago I went to a Gastroenterologist, and he suggested I take Culturelle it's a Probiotic with Prebiotics. It cleared up all the years of issues I was having. I took it for about three months and now just occasionally as needed.

Before that, as far as going to the restroom. The first half of the day was hard to get too far from a restroom. The second half I could eat anything and be alright till the next morning.

Today, I'm still good. Too much fat, grease, fiber or acidic foods will mess with both my restroom habits and acid reflux. Just have to find the balance and always be mindful of what you're goona eat and where you'll be at the time.

On a side note, I had a young cousin years ago die after Gallbladder surgery

Yeah, constipation and an anal tear will have you thinking you've bled to death on the toilet bowl!...I'm sorry to hear about your cousin. I assume the death was surgery related?

Yes, but it's been so long I don't remember the why.

that's not a gall bladder, that's defiantly more of a Colt 45 burp

I had an attack several years ago, through the night, just like you. My wife is an ultrasound tech so she took me to work with her the next day and scanned me. The stone was huge. The problem is if it moves and ends up blocking your duct, your gallbladder won’t be able to release the bile. So, I had mine removed. The only real noticeable change is I have to be careful with spicy food which I love. Buffalo sauce, with any heat at all, just about kills me. Also, if I have to go to the bathroom, I have to go RIGHT THEN.