Gallstones

Last week I had a full abdominal ultrasound which reveled, unofficially (call from radiologist friend), I have 2 large gallstones, but no inflammation or blockage. So I did a test this weekend w/ some beef tenderloin from a formal event Friday. I must have eaten several pounds of primo glorious juicy rare filet mignons grilled in my George Forman device Friday, Saturday & Sunday. My only complaint was that the meat was too heavily seasoned with salt. Sunday night I did have a familiar pain under my rt ribcage. Still waiting for the call from the doc that ordered the test. Good thing I’m not dying.
Got (had) Gallstones? Your experience?

 

you must dump like Mike Tyson.

 

I know absolutely nothing about gallstones, but isn't your "test" comparable to testing one's timing belts by taking a drive with the tach pinned to the redline?

I'll take any excuse for eating lots of meat. Maybe I've got stones... hmmm.

 

When in doubt, cut it out.

Heal with steel.

 

Been there and done that. It is generally not the beef, but the call from the body to digest high quantities of fats that causes the problems. If your pain is tolerable, I would leave it alone, if not tolerable, cut it out.

My own experience was a diagnosis of gallstones after very severe stomach/rib/back pain followed by “emergency evacuation” or “intestinal dumping” to put it delicately. I have a reasonably high pain tolerance, but GB pain was pretty damn bad. When it only happened once every 9 to 12 months, it was annoying. When it was every 3 to 6, it was concerning and when it started happening more frequently (every 1 to 3 months), it was time to get it fixed.

First trip to the ER at the direction of the GP doc resulted in admittance for a Lap Appi, as it turned out to be an inverted appendix that was getting ready to rupture. I tried to get them to take the GB while they were in there, but they are too far apart (lower abdominal vs. upper). Second trip to ER resulted in being sent home after pain resolved waiting for a doc (yes, you can feel the stone dropping out and the pain washing away in minutes after the GB opens up). Third trip to the ER resulted in confirmed GB attack and a scheduled Lap Choli.

You are told that your body will take some time to adjust to not having an appendix and that you can live a happy, normal life with out it. What you are not told that you will need to be very careful for the rest of your life with what you eat and how much you eat. While the periodic intense pain is gone, so is the enjoyment of being able to eat whatever you might like and at times I question whether it was the right decision. Large quantity, high fat meals can result in aforementioned “dumping”. In the end, it is a compromise. Laproscopic surgery looks like no big deal on the outside and it is far better than full open surgeries, but you will not just jump up at the end of the day. Hope you don’t have to result to the surgery, but if you do at least someone will have warned you that it will result in permanent changes in your diet and a more sensitive digestive tract. Many people have stones, not all result in GB attack. Good luck!

[sarcasm]Thanks for the mental image Dcup.[/sarcasm]

 

Symptomatic gallstones need to be treated. A laparoscopic cholecystectomy is pretty easy back to full actvity in a week. Ignore it and you could get into real trouble. Open operation out of work for three weeks increased pain and complications
Better to get it out at your conveniance rather than at your GB's demand at 3 am

 

Love how "dumping" is actually a medical term...

 

I had the same symptoms as mentioned above when I ate red meat. It went on for years. One day I was rushed to the ER with symptoms of a heart attack. Turns out my gall bladder had shut down. They yanked it out and as said previously, I have to watch every thing I eat. It's pretty much eat and immediately dump these days. Just started on fiber, but that seems to just make the dumps a little more "fluffier".

 

Thanks for sharing that visual.

 

A while back, I had some really sharp pains right under the right side of my ribcage as well. We went to the doctors and they said I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I find it to be loads of crap. But, all I did was change my diet and I havent had the pains in 2 months. It left me unable to get out of bed a few times. Don't really think this helps the OP though lol

 

Wtf?

 

Fluusthuuuusthfluooothussssplop. Ah.

 

Well, it is easier on the 'roids.