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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To just have my gallbladder removed privately if I can afford it?

156 replies

MoveYourArmsLikeHenry · 13/09/2014 18:16

I have been suffering from gallstone pain for several years, only finding out the cause earlier this year. I went to see the consultant a month ago, feeling relieved that the ball is rolling and something may be done to stop these awful pains.

The consultant doesn't want to remove my gallbladder :( he wants me to lose weight to control it, which is fair enough, have been trying for a month now. And also said I'm am very young (nearly 26) for gallstones, surgery isn't necessary right now, let's try losing weight and improving overall health first and review you again in 6 months.

All well and lovely. Except I am still having these godawful bastarding pains :( even if I am not having an attack, the right side of my back feels like someone has struck it repeatedly with an iron bar, nearly everyday and I can't take it anymore :(

Wibu to say sod the 6 month review, I am in daily pain, and see about having it removed privately? I feel like because I am fat and young they are just fobbing me off but I cat bear the agony of it any more.

OP posts:

Darkesteyes · 13/09/2014 19:06

I was in and out of a and e many times over 10 months then doctors would come out and give me morphine injections and then i was given morphine pills to put under my tongue.

BoreOfWhabylon · 13/09/2014 19:27

YANBU.

You are in constant, severe pain. Apart from the sheer misery, this could be a sign of inflammation, which can lead to complications.

You need further investigation and surgery treatment. See your GP asap. Request 2nd opinion if necessary.

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Gallstones/Pages/Treatment.aspx

www.patient.co.uk/health/gallstones-leaflet

Badvoc123 · 13/09/2014 19:33

Op...
I had a dreadful attack last nov.
I was on tramadol, nefapam and oromorph.
I was hospitalised 3 times.
My operation was canceled 3 days on a row.
I discharged myself and has the op privately 3 days later.
I lived on rice cakes and I was still in agony. The low fat diet does not all ways work, ESP when the stone is lodged in the duct as mine was.
Do it.

Badvoc123 · 13/09/2014 19:34

(Just rang a local private hospital and got in the first consultant I could)

PersonOfInterest · 13/09/2014 19:37

Can I ask all those who have had the op...?

Did it work? Is the pain gone?

siddis · 13/09/2014 19:41

YANBU. I'm not sure why he thinks losing weight is going to help with your gallstones (fair enough if it's to lower your risk if you have surgery). I looked into having mine done privately and would have done if my gallbladder hadn't become gangrenous and needed removing ASAP (think they quoted between £4000-6000 depending on the hospital). Your age shouldn't matter. Do you have children? Hormone changes during pregnancy can promote the formation of gallstones. You have my sympathies, the pain is hell. I'm very relieved to have got rid of mine!

PowderMum · 13/09/2014 19:42

OP, I had mine out privately, the consultant still expected me to lose weight before the surgery. Going private won't remove the need to eat a sensible diet and to get yourself in shape for the operation.

Mine was inflamed and infected with the consultant we talked about managing the condition and when I would be ready for the operation, private doesn't always mean immediate operation as it may not be the best solution for you.

The attack that finally identified gallstones was at the end of August, I was under a private consultant with a week or 2 and had the op a week before Christmas.

PowderMum · 13/09/2014 19:43

And to answer the question - yes it worked, recovery was 2 weeks of hell, then I have been fine, no attacks, no issues for nearly 2 years.

YouHaveBeenOutbid · 13/09/2014 19:47

My pain and nausea is gone yes! Obviously the wounds hurt and the anaesthetic takes it out of you but I don't regret paying for mine.

rainbowinmyroom · 13/09/2014 19:51

Go for it.

0898 · 13/09/2014 19:52

Would anyone who's gone private mind saying how much it cost?

Badvoc123 · 13/09/2014 19:54

It was £5.5k. It I think that was because I had an overnight stay.

Badvoc123 · 13/09/2014 19:55

My recovery was complicated by my youngest Ds getting d and v 48 hours after my op and Dh having to go on a work trip 3 days after :(
But if I had been able to rest I would have been fine.

badfurday · 13/09/2014 19:57

I had mine removed at 24. I was a healthy weight and was told it was because my mum had it and they thought there could be a link. She is a size 8 health freak.
I managed to get it privately as my work at the time included private health care insurance.
Id say the op is fairly routine. If it was me id pester the gp some more.
If rather go through labour again than have gallstone episodes. Worst pain I have ever experienced. I feel for you.

NormHonal · 13/09/2014 20:01

Gallstone pains are the worst.

I had mine done privately. Do it, if you can afford it.

Runwayqueen · 13/09/2014 20:12

I had mine out last aug, over a year on and I'm still in pain, despite continuing low fat eating. The worst bit is that the pain management I used before I can no longer use as it makes the pain tenfold worse. I wish in hindsight I had kept mine, at least I could manage the pain then.

However I realise I was just unlucky, irregular anatomy and post op infections just added to the fun.

I promise I'm not being negative but it is worth remembering it's not always the cure, the regular threads in general health will show this

Greenfizzywater · 13/09/2014 20:38

How overweight are you? Surgery is much riskier if you are very big.

Duckstar · 13/09/2014 20:47

I would say go for a private consultation. Probably a few hundred pounds. You'll have a second opinion and can consider how to proceed. I had my gallbladder out at 22. Was normal weight. There seems to have been a major shift in how gallstones are treated. My op was 10 years ago. I went into hospital for 5 days with infected gallbladder. I have had 2 children and the gallbladder pain was far worse. Was at uni at time. They were going to put me on list for removal, but I chose to have it done privately in uni holidays at home. My surgeon at home was horrified they hadn't removed my surgery once infection was under control.

Duckstar · 13/09/2014 20:49

In terms of pain/problems. Was sore for 10 days after. No pain since. Only slight problem is if I eat very fatty food can go through me very quickly.

Oneandonlyone · 13/09/2014 22:51

I had mine out Wednesday. It was coming out whether private or NHS but we opted for private as it made it easy to schedule (other stuff to plan around).

It is certainly a common enough operation, but if they're recommending you lose weight first and seeing if there's an issue, then I'm wondering why you're so resistant to listening to the doctor? Bearing in mind it is entirely possible that your private doctor (and they may be the same - I would have had had the same consultant either way. Every other consultant was recommending him and he does NHS as well.) may have the same advice? It isn't plastic surgery - you can't just have it out because you think that's what it is. In my case, no gallstones ( or it would have been taken out ages ago) but we've been having to narrow down causes for a year and are playing the odds here.

Darkesteyes · 13/09/2014 23:06

It needs to be taken much more seriously.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2365464/Man-41-died-gallstones-begging-999-operator-GP-ambulance-told-bath.html

elephanteraser · 13/09/2014 23:11

i am 10 stone 5ft 6 and am having awful pains. getting an op in november. losing weight has nowt to do with it.

get the op

shadowdancer · 13/09/2014 23:31

I had to be taken away in an ambulance with gallstone pain 5 years ago, thought I was dying the pain was so bad, and from then on the pain did not go away. I hardly ate a thing for a month and still the pain continued, but GP told me I'd have to wait up to 18 weeks for an op which was out of the question as I had DCs to look after and a mortgage to pay. Can't do that when you're off your face on tramadol. My parents ended up giving me money to go private and although I didn't want to take it it was the best thing I ever did. Keyhole surgery, enjoyed my three course breakfast the morning after, back to (fairly physical) work after a fortnight and no long term effects. You have my sympathy, the pain is the worst thing I've ever experienced. You'll know yourself if you think your weight is an issue or not, and whether a low fat diet makes a difference or not - with me it didn't. Maybe get a second opinion. Good luck.

Darkesteyes · 13/09/2014 23:39

YY shadow My gallstones developed after losing weight ( i lost ten stone altogether) The surgeon and a couple of doctors told me it was due to losing weight too fast.

Initially they gave me tramadol which didnt even touch the sides. So i was mixing them with paracetamol ibuprofen etc. and risking overdose The pain was THAT bad! I was eventually given morphine injections and later pills but not before my then employer decided to "make me redundant" I paid for a private consultation with a surgeon (id lost 8 stone by that point) he thought i was being treated unfairly after all the effort id made to lose weight. After more a and e admissions i had another consultation with the same surgeon in the NHS setting and he operated on me on the NHS 5 weeks later.

comedancing · 13/09/2014 23:55

Im having gallstones operation next week so very interested in this..my main trigger is coffee and took me a while to narrow that down..no mention of losing weight..lm in menopause and doc said its due to hormones.. I'mnot slim..at ultra ssound guy said my gall bladder was perfect but stones are there..very nervous of getting that pain again but hate having gall bladder out..wish they could dissolve stones

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