Ok, I don't know if this is the right place to post, but I need thoughts because I am going out of my skull with worry. I have Gallstones, in a very scarred up Gallbladder. I was advised surgery. So as I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, the panic set in, so I researched. Knowledge allows me some control with my OCD. I looked into the surgery, what it involves, panicked, cried, panicked some more, cried a whole lot more, but got under control, found a method, a surgeon, and a hospital my OCD can handle and talked to the surgeon who told me life will be completely normal after, I can eat, drink, run about, live happily for ever after. So I planned on having this done in a week or 2. Just to escape the mental battle because it is exhausting. Somewhere, however, my mind is screaming "but you need this body organ!!!" so I seek out alternatives, and see that there is something called a Gallstone Flush. More research. Find that it can actually be dangerous for people with my type of scarring, resulting in emergency surgery. More panic and tears, and research. What I found next is a zillion posts of people left with bowel problems after surgery. Not to mention, you can still have Gallstones and Gallstone attacks even without a Gallbladder...only then, it is more serious because it is in the liver. Most people saying surgery was the worst mistake of their lives and they are now unable to lead normal lives. The term for their condition is Post Cholecystectomy Syndrome, from which there is no real cure as the missing organ can't be put back. The Lancet, and the British Medical Surgical Journal, both report 500,000 people a year are being diagnosed with PCS, from the approx 680,000 Cholecsytectomy ops, a year that are done! I do not like these odds! So I call the previously positive surgeon, who now tells me yes there is a very high chance I will suffer too. He also added that, with my history, I will never be able to eat red meats, and will likely, be in constant pain, and get a wheat, some high acid fruits, and dairy allergy too, not to mention all the hideous problems related to the surgery. Why didn't he say this before??? And if I hadn't re-contacted him, would he have even told me. Lots of people say they weren't told about this problem occurring. As a child I was mostly bed-ridden through gripping IBS gut pain and diarrheoa. Finally it was discovered that I have a lot of allergies to the vegetables I loved and so 8 years ago, I changed my lifestyle, and cut out a hell of a lot of bad artifical products that I also had in my diet, such as diet foods, and started being pain free, losing weight, and living a little more. Now I am going to go back to my pain-filled childhood ??? - obviously I am beyond distraught. Thing is, my current lifestyle is, that I am mostly in bed all day every day, because it is the only place I have no pain...well not unbearable pain its always there though. So I am not really living any more. For 8 weeks, all I have been able to eat, is 2 chicken drumsticks, some fruit, half litre of apple juice, half litre of water, a day and that is it, or I go into a gallstone attack...or my brain is telling me I will, so just as I was as a child, I am now scared of eating anything else. It's boring but not totally unbearable - I am still able to eat - some people have no food. I am nervous about going out because of the pain, and discomfort and also when anything touches the surface of my skin over the surrounding area gallbladder, I feel physically sick, which makes even clothes wearing uncomfortable. My choices are: Leave it and live in bed for god knows how long, until I attempt to eat something different and my body screams into a genuine attack again, or until I have agonising pain even on chicken, and then go in as an emergency surgery victim, possibly with Liver issues, where I will not have any say, where or when or what form of surgery I have, leaving me with the after effects, and the mental battle of the OCD to live with, and possibly regrets. Have surgery, in my chosen method - hope that I don't wake up with 6 entry points, or a massive incision in my side so my OCD doesn't go mental on me - and start the lifelong incurable pain and suffering and mental battle of dealing with that. Try the 'alternative method' possibly risking emergency surgery and all that goes with that. The 4 alternative therapists in different places have all said with my form of problems, it is extremely likely that this would buy me only a tempory repreive - although it is highly risky - as I am already allergic to lots of the vegetables and foods they say you SHOULD eat if you have gallstone issues. At the moment all I feel like I am doing is sitting in a big long black tunnel, with the only charcoal coloured bit at the end being one of pain and isolation, and still not knowing whether to go there or wait it out. I have spent the last 3 days, not sleeping, eating anything, and crying a whole lot more saying over and over again "I don't know what to do!" Which really is very unproductive anyway. So - have you had Gallstone surgery? What were your side effects? How much pain have you now? What did you do in the immediate weeks after surgery, in regards to dietary management? and any other thoughts and opinions you may have. Sorry this is so long.
Why did you do this ?? On the hand i wanna feel bad for you, however on the other I wanna slit my wrist coz i read it all, ooh the misfortune I bring on myself.. Peace
If it hurts as much as kidney stones Id say take the chance and get them out....And thanks for making me realize that my OCD is not as bad as it could be
you could not have surgrey and stay in bed and wait till it resides. i am a massage therapist and when you arent in pain, i believe we can help by massage the area which would increase the bllod flow and possibly get things moving. usually can the doctors tell you if the stones are passable or too big? id also talk to a nutrionist and see what they say. you could have an allergy you are unaware of.
