Gallbladder issues? (And more:/)

knottiecc9b4226b9c8130d

Hi! I’m just wondering if anyone is having or has had issues with their gallbladder and gallstones. I had a little spell a couple days ago that sent me to the ER. Turned out I had water intoxication from having practically no sodium and my other electrolytes were super low as well. They also found that I was very close to being in ketosis with signs of malnourishment. Now those have been easier to correct as I’ve been adjusting my diet and will just take time for my body to get back on track. My gallbladder on the other hand has a couple gallstones that are causing major pain. I’m trying to do my best to watch what foods make it worse but oof when it flares I want to jump outta my skin. It’s all still pretty new so I’m learning about the different paths I could take. Full gallbladder removal seems to be common even during pregnancy but idk how I feel about that, just wondering if anyone has experienced this or has a little knowledge to share. TIA✨

lqbtqmommy

I have a low functioning GB but I'm able to manage it with food choices. From what I understand of the process, once a GB goes bad, it's bad for life. If there are stones in the GB, they can be ejected and travel down the bile ducts and potentially cause even more issues by blocking the pancreas. The riskiest part of an elective GB surgery is the anesthesia. While no surgery is 100% safe, GB surgery is laparoscopic, quick, outpatient and generally low risk when it is elective. There's a recovery time after with about 2 weeks of lift restriction under 5 lbs and another 4 weeks before your body is mostly back to normal.

If you can control your symptoms through diet, maybe you can wait until after baby to have it out. However, if you're having frequent symptoms, maybe electing to have it before baby is here might be better. If you end up having to do the surgery urgently due to a blocked bile duct, it can be a little more risky of a surgery and you wouldn't be able to choose when it happened. You didn't mention how far along you are but that might play a role in your decision. Definitely take your questions to your doctor since they know you and your baby's medical history and can help you make an informed decision! Good luck!