Thread: Gall Bladder Removal

Don't know how you feel about natural cures Pedro but key into Google "natural cures for gall bladder". Might be worth a try before you resort to an operation.

Good Luck.

I had mine removed a number of years ago due to gallstones which I assume is your problem. I've never had any problems but you should be aware not everyone is lucky in this regard, there are a number of things that can trouble you after the operations. Unfortunately Doctors will always take the easy way out and remove the gallbladder rather than just the stones.

Originally Posted by woodPixel

There are no "natural" cures.

Yes there are - I write from experience.

Thanks to all who have replied, especially WoodPixel.
As far as "natural" cures go, I will entrust myself to proven medical science rather than Google science.
Doctors appointment tomorrow, I'll see what he has to say.

Thanks
Keith

Have to agree with you woodpixel; but, I'd be very interested in what these
'natural' cures are! perhaps Cava could elucidate??? When I had the GB attacks I thought I was dying, second worse pain I've ever experienced.

It is to be agreed that Google is not the complete lexicon of all information, however it is best to not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Sometimes 'old time' remedies are as effective as modern drugs.

Whilst everyone is different, under advice from others with similar gall bladder issues, apple cider vinegar and olive oil is the magical secret that I used and it cleared up the pain within days. Google is your friend here.

Whichever route you take goodluck.

Thank you Woodpixel and sacc51 for your sensible replies.
Woodpixel, I'm sorry to hear about your wife's condition I hope everything works out well.
As I said, I will go with medical science every time. Doctors who study for 5 years at university and further study after, have got to be a better bet than someone who reads a remedy from a book, magazine or internet.
I have heard of apple cider vinegar being the cure for other conditions also. If it were such a universal remedy, chemist shops would be full of the stuff.

Many years ago my mother in law was seeing a naturapath and prescribed alterative medicines for a stomach / bowel condition. She became very ill, and against the naturapath's wishes, my wife intervened and took the MIL to a doctor. Very quickly the MIL was admitted to hospital for surgery on an advanced bowel cancer. That was over 20 years ago, and she is still here today, we are sure it would be a different story if she kept to the alternative medicines.

I was back to my doctor today, and seeing the surgeon tomorrow. Hopefully things will happen quickly, and I will be back to normal soon. That's the beauty of private health insurance.

Regards
Keith

There are several reasons why the gall bladder may cause pain, gall stones is but one, albeit by far the most common. Altenative therapies/treatments/ remedies have been around for as long as we have but unfortunately many of these alternatives that people turn to are really nothing but old wive's tales. Turmeric for example has long been used as an anti inflammatory and is currently undergoing scientific testing, MSM is another. I currently take both and whilst they are certainly no cure they do provide very, very limited relief from pain due to inflammation - if you are desperate enough you will try anything! I think perhaps cava may be talking about gall bladder inflammation or one of several other gall bladder conditions, certainly olive oil and apple cider vinegar will not dissolve gall stones.

Understandably, little is known about the private lives of posters on this forum.

In my case, I used to travel around Melbourne selling products to doctors, physio and the alternate health industry for 10(?)+ years - I know what gall stones look and feel like.

Whilst I understand your reticence to believe what will or will not happen, it is your choice and one that I respect.

However, I suggest to you not to discount other avenues than mainstream medical professionals.

I had been suffering from the Gall Bladder problems for a couple of years, pills kept the pain to a comfortable level.
Last October I was rushed to the hospital with pancrititis (spelling ?) wich was infected badly and I will tell you pain level maxed out at 10.
This is an effect of gall bladder problems too many quickeze 6-8 per day.
Hospital stay was 11 days with the gall bladder removed.
The big worry at the time was diabetes and cancer, blood tests twice a day checking everything till all was in control.

It took about 6 weeks to get up to full steam as the body felt weak at times, they say this is a result of the operation

Since leaving hospital I have not had any quickeze and no change of diet, so for me no more problems sugar levels are low and no cholestoral problems
One happy boy.

Hi Jim, you must have gone through hell when you were rushed to hospital. But good to hear that you are now okay.
I had a visit to the surgeon this afternoon, and are now booked in to have the gall bladder out on Monday afternoon, which means I will be kept in hospital overnight for observation. If the operation was earlier in the day I would have gone home that day. But at least it will be done and dusted.
Thank goodness for private health cover, if I was in the public system I would have joined the queue on the waiting list.

Bye the way, I should have explained earlier. In 2008 when I had a scan to check my lungs for asbestos (ex Navy, the ships were full of the stuff ) it showed up back then that I had a good supply of gallstones.

Thanks to all who have replied
Keith

I had my gallbladder removed 8 years ago. I had suffered recurrent attacks were I would be bent over in agony for hours. Eventually I suffered two such attack in 24 hours and was admitted to emergency, I was running a fever, had an infection and could have died if not for surgery. We forget that people used to routinely die from gallstones and the surgery used to be horrific, involving cutting an L shape flap into the abdomen and lifting the interior wall up so as to access the inertial organs, recovery from surgery often took years.

The actor John Banner (Sergeant Schultz in the situation comedy Hogan's Heroes) died from a abdominal haemorrhage believed to have been caused by a gallstone.

Today keyhole surgery makes the procedure a simple affair. Minimal pain and scarring. However all is not roses.

Since the operation I have developed IBS, I am prone diarrhoea and loose bowl and have had some embracing accidents. This side effect is relatively rare, the problem is that the gallbladder stores bile, since you are no longer storing it the bile leaks into the intestines this causes the bile to act like a laxative. This means that I have had to manage my diet extensively.

However considering the option of dying from an abdominal haemorrhage then its a small price to pay. Get the surgery and the odds are she will be fine and it will be over.

Please do not waste your time and money on new age quacks. I have seen people dying, they do not call for spiritual healer or Reiki when their guts are falling on the floor.

Thanks for your interest Thumbsucker,
I had the gallbladder removed July last year, soon after my last post in this thread.
I am pleased to say, that I have not had to change my diet or lifestyle, which at the time was a concern for me.

Regards
Keith

I had stones when I was 20 (29 years ago). Surgeon suggested removal (cholecystectomy) despite being able to break the stones up with ultra sound. His theory being that if I had trouble at 20, I would be a monty to have recurrent issues through my life.

I can confidently say I haven't missed it. No issues with diet.

As a reasonably fit 20 year old .. the recovery was quite easy. Surgery left a 6" to 8" scar on my belly .... but I am sure things would be done differently these days.

Good luck with it .. I sympathise with your pain .. it's horrendous !