Gallbladder and appendix issues...

Nickiechan

Is anyone having issues with their gallbladder since birth? I recently started having issues after re-introduction dairy into my diet. I am having very bad pains in my gallbladder area. My doctor is sending me in for ultrasound for my appendix and also my gallbladder. They also took four tubes of blood to do some other test... She explain that I was showing all the classic signs of gallstones, and if they don't find any gallstones then they will run a test to see if my gallbladder is function correctly. If it isn't then we may need to discus on when to remove it. I am like... really scared. She also wants to check my appendix since I was very tender in my lower abdomen. I am glad that we can figure out this pain, but I am worried. I have an ultrasound on Thursday morning and I can't eat or drink for 6 hours. Anyone else had these types of issues? Any support would be appreciated.

DramaMama06

apparently isn't pretty common. i haven't had issues, but i know a few who have.

soontobe05

I had GB attacks when I was pregnant with DD and had her via c-section then at 2wks PP had surgery to get the GB taken out. I know it's scary to have surgery, but I assure you, it's worth it. One of the best decisions I've ever made. The pain was just too horrible and if it IS your GB, your next pregnancy (should you decide to have one) will be really bad if you don't get that GB removed. I would never wish that pain on anyone. Especially while pregnant. Good luck and I hope they figure it all out for you!

CarlaAndJames

I actually wondered about your gallbladder the other day when I saw your post about Celiac's disease, I think your symptoms reminded me of my gallbladder pain. (When I'd have attacks, I had EXTREME pain right below my sternum and wrapping around to my back. Felt like an elephant was standing on my chest too, I couldn't catch my breath.)

Apparently it is super common during and post pregnancy! My dr said they're not 100% sure, but it is probably a combo of such a large hormonal shift combined with rapid weight gain/loss. I wish someone would have told me that so I would have known what happened when I was lying in the fetal position on the bathroom floor 2 weeks post partum!

I had an ultrasound that revealed multiple stones, so we decided to go ahead and remove it. Having it taken out was the best decision ever! My attacks got more frequent leading up to my surgery (like 2x per week, and especially any time i touched anything dairy or greasy!) and my surgeon said my gallbladder looked super inflamed and angry, and that I was the poster child for needing the surgery.

I haven't had a second of pain since! I do sometimes have to rush to the bathroom if I have a lot of heavy dairy (lattes seem to be the worst, but I guess thats really the only time I drink a big glass of straight milk!). But the pain isn't there, it's just that I can tell it's going through me quickly!

Surgery was laproscopic, piece of cake. 4 tiny scars on my belly (I joked with my surgeon that if he could please choose stretchmarks to hide them in so he didn't mess up my picture perfect bikini belly it would be nice!) I was only at the hospital for about 4 hours total, including pre and post surgery. Only on pain meds stronger than Tylenol for about 12 hours.  

MrsPBNJ0220

About 1.5 years ago, I had an ultrasound for something else unrelated was with my kidneys, well they checked my gallbladder while they were at it.  They found gallstones, and my Dr. scheduled me to have the surgery 3 months later.  She did that because she said a lot of times either during pregnancy or or after pregnancy you can have lots of problems with it if you have stones.  Needless to say 2 weeks later I had horrible attacks, it got infected and I had to have emergency surgery to remove it along with the duct ( I think that is what it is called, LOL).

I think that is pretty common though, but I will say the surgery was a real PITA, it was not fun at all.

Nickiechan

MrsPBNJ0220:

About 1.5 years ago, I had an ultrasound for something else unrelated was with my kidneys, well they checked my gallbladder while they were at it.  They found gallstones, and my Dr. scheduled me to have the surgery 3 months later.  She did that because she said a lot of times either during pregnancy or or after pregnancy you can have lots of problems with it if you have stones.  Needless to say 2 weeks later I had horrible attacks, it got infected and I had to have emergency surgery to remove it along with the duct ( I think that is what it is called, LOL).

I think that is pretty common though, but I will say the surgery was a real PITA, it was not fun at all.

Thanks for calming me down! LOL.... I have the ultrasound tomorrow at 7am... I am nervous..

CarlaAndJames

Girl don't be nervous! Remember in June, when they removed an entire person from your body?? Your lil' ol' gallbladder will be nothing!

lovebugkim

Just like a PP said, when I read your post the other day, I was going to mention gallbladder, but didn't want to sound like a "know it all." LOL

Anyways, I thought I had pulled a muscle at first. Then the attacks & pain continued to progress and it got so bad that there was no position or massage that would have made me comfortable. I ended up getting an u/s as well and they found gallstones.  My Dr. explained that the horrible pain comes from the fact that when your gallbladder flushes itself out, sometimes those stones stuck in the bile duct causing the horrific pain. The night before my surgery I was in so much pain I couldn't sleep so I spent the whole night bent over the couch thriving in pain!!

The day of my surgery was a whole different story... I woke up from my gallbladder surgery to hear that I had to have another surgery to remove a stone that was stuck AND I was still in pain!! I ended up having to deal with that pain for another 6 hours waiting for the surgeon to arrive and then it got to late so they admitted me and I was FINALLY able to get meds. After the 2nd surgery, I woke up so tired & drained from all the pain I went through for 2 days, but I would do it all over again to not have to have that pain. Both surgeries were VERY easy with no complications.