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Original poster

Gallstones help!

52 replies

Fadeintoyou · 15/05/2026 06:09

Hi, looking for some advice and to see if anyone has a familiar story as I am
clueless.
I’m currently on a surgical waiting for an mri scan. I woke in the early hours of Sunday feeling dreadful and was sick, then had a fever and pain in my back between my shoulder blades and a fever.

I put it down to food poisoning as we had been out for a meal and I’d had a chicken dish that i didn’t finish as it wasn’t nice at all. So I was in bed on Sunday and went to work on Monday feeling ropey.
On Tuesday I went to work and in the afternoon had a wee that was really dark orange colour but put it down to me having had Pepto Bismol, anyway I went home that evening and DS1 said I looked a funny colour, when I looked in the mirror I was yellow!! It was so shocking, called 111 and they said go to a&e.
So I’ve been here since then, I had a CT scan and the consultant said it shows I have a 13mm gallstone blocking my bile duct which explains the jaundice, he wants to put operate via my throat to remove it but wants me to have a mri scan first, there is a wait for that though, he thinks Tuesday so I am stuck here in the meantime.

I’m so worried, he said that I would need my gallbladder removed further down the line but has anyone had an experience where they haven’t needed it removed after having gallstones?

My family history is surrounded, my dad and his brother have had a gallbladder removed and both my gran and grandad on my mums side had trouble!

OP posts:
Username19893847477374 · 15/05/2026 06:23

I was so pleased to get mine removed, no issues, recovery was easy and haven't had to worry about it since.

Why don't you want it removed?

Original poster
Fadeintoyou · 15/05/2026 06:32

Thanks for replying, I suppose I don’t know enough about life with the gallbladder removed and how that may effect what I can eat in future

OP posts:
waitresswalled · 15/05/2026 06:35

Fadeintoyou · 15/05/2026 06:32

Thanks for replying, I suppose I don’t know enough about life with the gallbladder removed and how that may effect what I can eat in future

I had mine removed about 12 years ago. It’s never stopped me eating anything. I’ve just carried on as normal.

FeralWoman · 15/05/2026 06:39

Had mine removed about 14 years ago. I haven’t noticed any difference in what I can eat. Same for my mum.

InfoSecInTheCity · 15/05/2026 06:51

Had mine out as an emergency procedure after being admitted same as you with a completely blocked bile buck, in agony and with a raging infection that didn’t respond to IV antibiotics.

I’ve had no bad effects, can eat what I want and no pain or other symptoms, getting it out was the best option. Plus when they did remove it they found it had basically started to rot due to the infection and blockage.

Lansonmaid · 15/05/2026 07:10

I had mine removed about 3 years ago, like you I'd worried about after effects but I got acute pancreatitis which was incredibly painful (apparently a gall stone managed to get into the pancreatic duct). As a result the gall bladder was removed and to be honest I haven't noticed much difference. What was good is that I haven't had crippling abdominal pains since!

kateluvscats · 15/05/2026 07:23

Having the gallstones removed from the common bile duct, that is priority, then having your gallbladder removed will prevent further episodes of gallstones coming out the gallbladder again and going into the common bile duct which could again lead to jaundice or pancreatitis. Other problems leaving your gallbladder in place is that you are at risk of cholecystitis, infection of the gallbladder, this can make you very unwell and make the surgery more difficult in the future due to scar tissue around the gallbladder. I recommend you have the surgery, prevent future complications and no more abdominal pain. Good luck!

holjam · 15/05/2026 07:30

I had mine removed over a year ago and I was the best decision I made. No more pain and discomfort and I can eat whatever I want.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 15/05/2026 07:37

Another one here that was delighted to get rid of it and have had no issues with what I can eat whatsoever

SouthernNights59 · 15/05/2026 07:38

I didn't want my gallbladder removed - until the attacks were happening more frequently, and eventually I got pancreatitis. By then I was overjoyed to hear it was going to be removed. Almost four weeks later I feel better than I have in years and no longer have to worry what is going to set off horrific pain.

ByCyanFinch · 15/05/2026 07:42

I was very hesitant to have mine removed having read all the horror stories. There are a few foods that I no longer tolerate (eg quiche) but overall it has been hugely beneficial. I felt so much better when it was out.

Original poster
Fadeintoyou · 15/05/2026 07:58

Oh wow, thank you all so much for replying, I’m lying here feeling very scared and sorry for myself and reading your responses has been so reassuring.

I think the first procedure is going to be to get the stone via my throat and then gallbladder removal at a later date but I don’t feel so worried about that now.

Honestly thank you all so much, just have to wait for the mri now.

OP posts:
FeralWoman · 15/05/2026 08:05

Why don’t they just take out the gallbladder and stone via keyhole surgery? Why waste time and risk further attacks by waiting for an MRI and not just removing the whole thing?

I haven’t missed my gallbladder for one moment in the 14 years since it was removed. Some people do have digestive issues after removal but I haven’t. You’ll most likely be completely okay without it.

Original poster
Fadeintoyou · 15/05/2026 08:13

@FeralWoman I honestly don’t know, it doesn’t make sense to me, you’d think they would just do it now and get it over with

OP posts:
CompleteMere · 15/05/2026 08:19

Removing your gallbladder won’t clear the blockage because that’s not in your gallbladder it’s in your bile duct. They won’t want to remove that and because it’s a smaller/more delicate part they do it via tube to break up the stone so it can pass easily. Then (later unless it’s an emergency) they will remove the gallbladder so the other stones don’t have the chance to go wandering where they shouldn’t!

I have an MRI this weekend following a painful attack in Feb. I don’t think there’s anything stuck at the moment (it was incredibly painful so I think I’d know!) but I was told I need to do this before they’ll put me on the waiting list for gallbladder surgery. Luckily (touch wood) I seem to be fine in between attacks and they are quite rare so I’m ok to wait.

SouthernNights59 · 15/05/2026 08:30

Fadeintoyou · 15/05/2026 07:58

Oh wow, thank you all so much for replying, I’m lying here feeling very scared and sorry for myself and reading your responses has been so reassuring.

I think the first procedure is going to be to get the stone via my throat and then gallbladder removal at a later date but I don’t feel so worried about that now.

Honestly thank you all so much, just have to wait for the mri now.

Don't worry. It was my first time in hospital (I'm 66) and I had the gallbladder removal, then the ERCP (down the throat thing) two days later and both went well. I had very little pain and as I said earlier I feel so much better. I hadn't realised how much my gallbladder had been affecting my digestion. I was lucky as because I had pancreatitis I had the surgery as soon as possible rather than having to go on a waiting list.

All the best.

Oblahdeeoblahdoe · 15/05/2026 08:44

Similar thing happened to me last year. An ultrasound found I had 3 stones in the common bile duct and a lot in the gallbladder itself.
I had the ERCP under sedation first and then was put on the waiting list for the gallbladder removal. I ended up paying privately for that operation because I didn't want the uncertainty of the NHS waiting list. I must say just having the ERCP relieved the pain though.
The operation was successful and I've had no digestion problems whatsoever since. Good luck.

Queenage · 15/05/2026 08:49

Similar here, I had loads of gallstones some were wandering and my gallbladder was very infected. Had it out a year ago, stones swept up and I’ve been fine ever since. No real digestive issues and no pain.

InfoSecInTheCity · 15/05/2026 09:05

CompleteMere · 15/05/2026 08:19

Removing your gallbladder won’t clear the blockage because that’s not in your gallbladder it’s in your bile duct. They won’t want to remove that and because it’s a smaller/more delicate part they do it via tube to break up the stone so it can pass easily. Then (later unless it’s an emergency) they will remove the gallbladder so the other stones don’t have the chance to go wandering where they shouldn’t!

I have an MRI this weekend following a painful attack in Feb. I don’t think there’s anything stuck at the moment (it was incredibly painful so I think I’d know!) but I was told I need to do this before they’ll put me on the waiting list for gallbladder surgery. Luckily (touch wood) I seem to be fine in between attacks and they are quite rare so I’m ok to wait.

It depends a bit on the type and size of the stones. I had 1 single stone but it was a big bugger and had caused the gallbladder to go necrotic, so they removed the gallbladder and the stone in one laparoscopic surgery and the problem was solved

Gallstones help!
CompleteMere · 15/05/2026 09:07

InfoSecInTheCity · 15/05/2026 09:05

It depends a bit on the type and size of the stones. I had 1 single stone but it was a big bugger and had caused the gallbladder to go necrotic, so they removed the gallbladder and the stone in one laparoscopic surgery and the problem was solved

Show quote history

I love that they let you take the bugger home!

Original poster
Fadeintoyou · 15/05/2026 10:03

@InfoSecInTheCitywow that’s a whopper! My DM has told me that her Auntie Gladys kept hers in a jar in her bedside drawers, I seem to be uncovering a lot of family history of gallstones that I had no idea about!

OP posts:
InfoSecInTheCity · 15/05/2026 10:11

I do like to keep souvenirs from all my exciting trips @CompleteMere😂

FeralWoman · 15/05/2026 10:24

@InfoSecInTheCity Ooh, you lucky thing! The surgeon wouldn’t let me have any of mine. I asked beforehand and he said no. I had 100s of tiny ones, more like gall gravel than gallstones. Please go post your photo over in Sporner’s Corner. We love things that have been extracted from bodies. Grin

My mum got to take her gallstones home. She had a few big ones. They looked like decorative pebbles or crystals. They were very cool to look at.

Superscientist · 15/05/2026 11:55

My sister had her gallbladder removed at 19 after she developed acute pancreatitis and sepsis. They put a stent in to remove the blockage to the pancreas from the 5 gallstones. Once she recovered from that she had it removed. She had been having a and e admissions due to severe abdominal pain for the previous 3 years. She has adapted well to not having a gallbladder. She gets smelly wind if she eats too much high fat foods.

My mum had her gallbladder removed 3 years ago. She was recovering from a different abdominal surgery when she was rushed back into hospital at 8 days post surgery with suspected sepsis and jaundice. They determined that it was unrelated to the original surgery and due to gallstones. Had she not had the previous surgery they would have removed her gallbladder that week. She spent a week in hospital on IV antibiotics . They removed it 8 weeks later. It's hard to say what impact this has had on her as she has stomach issues that have been ongoing for the last 20 years

Original poster
Fadeintoyou · 16/05/2026 08:24

I’ve got the MRI at 3 today so hopefully I will have some news, I feel very trapped here, DS has just started his a levels and I feel like the worst mum being away from him

OP posts: