Gallbladder surgery

[BananaCocktails]

I went for a gallbladder ultrasound scan and was told by the radiographer that the gallbladder was absolutely fine, I also had an MRI scan a week later. When I went to see the consultant a week after that I was told that I needed that I have my gallbladder out because it’s full of sludge, I don’t understand this because the radiographer said it was fine -I am terrified of anaesthetic , but I don’t understand how nothing was seen in the first scan and all of a sudden there is something in the gallbladder?
Is that normal ? What would happen if I don’t want to have it out? has anyone had their gallbladder out? Thanks x

I think that MRIs pick up more detail than an ultrasound. I have had the same tests recently, ultrasound showed normal kidneys, but MRI picked up a duplax kidney (a little but like an extra kidney!) on one side.

I guess it is helpful to know in more detail what is going on in the gallbladder.

I would just ask them about the sludge and what it means etc. Best of luck.

*duplex

@Orangesandlemons77 thank you so much! I thought it was the other way round ultrasounds more detailed than MRI. Thanks for letting me know. X

Presumably you’ve had gallbladder symptoms to have been sent for an ultrasound in the first place.

Ultrasound scans aren’t foolproof. Whilst it may not have shown clearly defined stones, it has shown something - the ‘sludge’. I assume this sludge can then form into stones in time. My ultrasound showed a few stones. At the time of my operation, my gallbladder was just one massive stone and the operation took four hours.

I would pay more attention to what your specialist told you than the radiographer. To be honest, if you’re having symptoms and have been offered surgery at this stage you are fortunate. Lots of people have stones and are symptomatic and have to wait ages for their operation.

If you don’t feel your symptoms are bad enough to warrant surgery then you absolutely don’t have to have it. You won’t be forced into it. However things are likely to worsen gradually over time until you reach the point that you’re absolutely desperate to get the damn thing taken out.

I had 'sludge'. Surgery was totally fine and I'm so happy to have not had the awful symptoms ever since.

My symptoms were: general aching in upper right back/shoulder - sometimes to the extent it would wake me up at night.
The 'colic' attacks - like going into labour almost, again top right of abdomen but moved all around. Nothing abated it and they could last for up to an hour - excruciating. It's supposedly linked to eating fatty food but honestly mine just seemed random.

Have you had anything like this?

Oh my gosh, yes I have extreme pain in right upper abdomen underneath the ribs. In fact it was so bad I was rolling on the floor it just feel so swollen
thank you for your responses as I feel a lot better about it now!