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

[MoveYourArmsLikeHenry]

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.

Thanks for your replies. It's not the losing weight bit have an issue with, it's the constant stabbing pain. I will still have to lose weight after the op, not sure why some people think I have a problem with this?

I just want the security of knowing that I won't have gallstone pains again if my gallbladder is out, I am doubled over in pain with them and fed up of having to get sent home from work with it. Fed up of it ruining my life. I can't stand this any longer :(:(:(:(

Constant stabbing pain on a daily basis is not typical of gallstones and gallbladder pain does not respond to drugs such as omeprazole - they switch off acid in the stomach.

It may be worth getting a second opinion to ensure the gallstones are actually the cause of the symptoms as if you are overweight you could end up with complications of surgery and still have ongoing pain.

Did they say what they actually saw on your scan?

Yes, gallstones was confirmed, my gp told me the pain was biliary colic.

WTF?
Demand a second opinion, losing weight will do very little help if your GB is full of stones. Losing weight before an op is a good idea though.
You're not too young - it's a lot more common in younger women now. I was 22 when mine had to be removed.

There can be complications though, more so when you have it removed at a younger age OP, I won't lie to you - I still get pain some 14 years later. Similar to a gall stone attack but very rarely now and mostly if I eat a heavy fat meal. It's landed me in hospital many times and is still unexplained but related to the loss of my GB.
I've finally managed to keep myself off lanzoprazole which I was told I'd probably have to take very long term but so far I'm not having any real problems.
If I knew back then before getting it removed what I know now..... would I still go ahead?
Bet your fucking life I would :)

Good luck and I hope you're soon free from this hell.

I would definitely get a second opinion, it doesn't matter if you are overweight or not. Once you have stones you can have an attack at any time. I had an attack on the plane on my way to Portugal. I had paramedics assess me and I ended up being in a Portuguese hospital for 9 days. I didn't even know at that point I had gallstones and thought I was having a heart attack. They would not remove my gallbladder as it was very inflamed I was treated by antibiotics and nil by mouth not even water! When I came home I was put on a waiting list and I looked at going privately as I had another trip coming up, I was quoted 5k. I ended up having it done on NHS earlier this year. Best thing that could have happened I feel so much better!

Hello, I really feel for you ive suffered with them before and they are horendous. I waited a year for my op and managed to loose over 4 stone before the op not from trying but couldnt stomach hardly anything was living off practically dry toast and plain pasta dishes for the last 3 months. If I could of afforded it I would of gone private as it ruined my life at that point in time, even been in and out of hospital didnt rush things along. Even when I did manage to eat something proper I would either be sick or get an instant pain flare up.

I was drugged up on tramadol half the time feel like I missed so much of my sons first year and my daughters toddler stage. Can you not keep on at your gp to push the hospital? I couldnt eat dairy, fatty, acidy or spicy foods so try avoid them.

I still have to be careful now 5 years on I still get slight pain if over indulge on any of the problem items, also if I get a sickness bug or morning sickness it strains the area the gall bladder was and get an horrible pain I have been told this is normal, it was deffinately worth the operation though

If you can afford it then go for it you will probilly get better care aswell but thats another issue :)

Good luck x

CarbeDiem I was 23 when I started and like you are suffering with pain 5 years on ive been told its normal although know someone whos ner had any trouble since.

Is deffinately more common for younger people these days especially those who have recently been pregnant although im not sure the reason why

Old fashioned medical school teaching is fair, fat, fertile and forty but I guess you don't need the full house!

OP, you will have to get your BMI down to under 30 for elective surgery. Even for a private operation, a surgeon will not touch anyone who is clinically obese. It is just too dangerous. And if you lose the weight, your digestive problems will probably improve to such an extent, you will not need surgery anyway.

Yes, windchime, just like all the posters here who were normal weight, even under, and were still in constant pain from gallstones until their gallbladder's were removed.

I had mine out in Belgium (cheaper), and I've never regretted it for one moment.

I had a large one the size of a big green olive, they left it next to my bed in a jar for me lol.

Gallstones get worse with losing weight usually, so not sure what your doctor is thinking really.

Why go through life on a low fat diet, okay, that's fine for losing weight, but what about when you want a rare indian meal treat, or Birthday cake etc, you just can't as you know you will be up all night with the stabbing pain and overdosing on co-codamol to get rid of it and stop you having to go hospital for morphine at 2am..

If you can afford it then get it done, but maybe lose weight before you go for the surgery to help with your recovery. (I say that as an overweight person, so I'm not judging).

Windchime - I've had operations when over 30 BMI, probably 35 BMI, no complications and there was no fuss. If you pay privately they will do it for you, just another excuse for the NHS usually to put you off them giving you the surgery.

I understand the risks, but I'm 38 BMI, very active, play squash 3 times a week, eat healthy food, normal blood pressure etc..

Agree with rainbow, weight doesn't impact on gallstones, usually a poor diet, or an issue with certain foods does. Improving your diet does not get rid of them, and in some issues can make them a lot worse! Lots of people who lose weight on Lighter Life or other diets get gallstones issues.

windchime id lost 8 stone by the time i had my op. The surgeon and two doctors told me it was caused by losing weight too fast. (slimming world) The pain was excrutiating and the first attack appeared after id lost nearly 4 stone. Back then i had no idea fast weight loss could cause gallstones I was losing a stone a month and whenever i did try to slow it down i either stayed the same or gained.

The medical profession are so invested in ppl losing weight that some GPS are sending patients to weight loss classes which advocate and cheer on fast weight loss. ITS MADNESS Fast weight loss is stupid and dangerous and pushed at us ALL THE TIME. And then when you end up with an excrutiating illness like this you are treated like a drug addict when you beg for something stronger to actually stop the pain. THAT is how bad the hatred for overweight people and formerly overweight people is.

And that fucking dangerous experiement KH is doing (due to be televised after Christmas) should not be happening.

Think mine were caused by pg.
Although I have lost lots if weight quickly in he last too (due to ill health)

I had one really painful episode where I was really not aware of what was going on around me, as the pain was so intense, and then lots of indegestion type pain. I went privately and was told it was a good job I had had it done then, as it was about to get much much worse.
Yes I was fat(ish) fair and forty.

No pain now, but I do get very loose stools.

I also got GB problems when on SW and losing eventually 4 stone.

I had it privately through BUPA and it would have cost around £4k I think, this was 10 years ago when I was 25.

As it was it started to keep getting infected so wouldn't have had long to wait anyway, they were going to take me down for emergency surgery at the NHS at one point.

crazylady321
I was pregnant at the time mine started at around 2 mths, obviously I must've had some stones before but hormones are responsible for accelerating it.
Had I been taken seriously at the start and not A) dismissed because I didn't fit into the 5F's used for diagnosing GS and B) accused for months of being a pregnant alcoholic arseholes then I could have had the GB removed under local anaesthetic and sedation before 20 weeks as my womb would have been low enough to operate without affecting my baby. I had to wait until 7 months after giving birth to have it removed.

I still see a consultant when I'm in the UK because of my issues after and also because I have a damaged bile duct from the initial op which had to be repaired and caused a few problems too. He told me that they're unsure exactly why younger people have issues after the removal - apparently most older people don't have the same problems. It could be that they do but it's put down to something else because of their age? Who knows?

Like I said earlier - I'd still go ahead with the op today, knowing everything that I do. Occasional problems are better than attacks every day and a severely limited diet- no contest.

Carbe I hear you One of my attacks was on Christmas Eve 2002 Doc came out injected me with morphine. I was screaming like i usually did when i had an attack. Next day i couldnt stand up I collapsed and fainted 3 times. I was determined not to let it ruin Christmas but i just couldnt stand We were due for dinner at my parents that day. I was taken to hospital where for many hours i still couldnt stand without my legs giving way.
I think he assumed i was an addict and overdosed me. This is what i mean by the hatred for overweight and formerly overweight people. Im so sorry you were treated like that Carbe. I was approaching my 30th birthday when i had mine removed. For a few years after i had phantom pains which were painful but not as bad but (touches wooden coffee table) that doesnt seem to happen now.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2184451-To-ask-the-most-weight-youve-ever-lost-in-a-month

I would at least have a private consultation just to get a second opinion as the pains don't sound typical of gallstones. I had occasional gallstone attacks for a couple of years (I didn't go to the doctor so didn't know what it was and thought I had trapped wind ). I had no trigger foods and I eventually had my gallbladder removed after 4 attacks in 3 weeks and ending up in hospital with pancreatitis.

I was told that, due to the pancreatitis, I didn't really have a choice about having mine out and I had it done privately 12 days after going to A & E. It wasn't the easy recovery that I expected and I had 4 weeks off work but I don't regret it. The main side effect for me is indigestion and I was given lansoperazole for that. I've stopped taking it though as it was making me feel sick and tired all the time. The indigestion is only after big meals so I'm being careful and on the positive side I've lost 1.5st!

I hope you get some answers and feel better soon.

If you are getting constant pains I would assume that the gall bladder is probably inflamed and or infected and needs to come out. I had mine removed shortly after the birth of my dd as it had gotten to the point where anything I ate would trigger an attack

Have they checked your bloods? Due to gall bladder being such a mess my liver was packing up and I ended with pancreatitis, was probably the most miserable time of my life so far.

So yanbu and I would if I could afford it.

Oh I was 26 and slim. Apparently they were caused by pregnancy hormones, gallstones ruined any enjoyment of pregnancy and I also blame them for the horrendous 4 day labour and resulting emcs as it was after a particularly horrendous attack that my waters went 3 weeks early, labour didn't progress.... you get the picture!

OP has had it confirmed that she's got GS so I'm assuming that was done by a scan. No second opinion needed if that is the case only to see if another Dr agree's about the no surgery/losing weight issue. I think it's a very cruel stance to take as a person can try all they like to control it and still end up having to be operated on .

I could only stomach dry toast, potato, apples and haribo without mine kicking off but because I was pregnant I had to force myself to drink prescribed shakes to try and nourish my baby - luckily I have babies that are the human equivalent to baby elephants :) so my ds was ok.

My attacks weren't all the same, sometimes stabbing and sharp and over within an hour other times it felt as though I had a hot knife repeatedly being pierced through my body from front to back, on the right hand side.Which lasted for hours. The only common factor was that it affected my breathing and made me sweaty/faint and I felt what I can only describe as a constant feeling of fullness where the GB is situated - kind of like if you eat a large meal and your stomach feels very full but on the opposite side of my body.

Does anyone else who's had theirs removed suffer with a common after effect of too-much-fat-in-one-shot = Diarrhoea ? It's not painful at all but if I eat too much fat, fresh cream is my enemy, along with a few other things, then it happens. Strangely it doesn't with butter, marscapone etc..
For anyone who's took the slimming aid - Xenical - it's a similar effect to what happens.