It took me nearly 20 years to realize it was dragging me down, which is now known to be common in my maternal genes. I had a night after dinner with fever, queasy, lack of urination, and upset stomach. I was subsequently affected with stomach and bowel pain and inflammation when I ate for a couple days. About a month prior to this episode, I had a slight sharp pain on the right side under my rib cage(typical location for male gallbladder symptoms). At the time I figured this was due to a misalignment in my spine(quite typical for me at the time). I put together the current condition(associated with food intake) and the previous pain to conclude that I needed to have my gallbladder checked. I went with the least invasive, lowest false negative, and least expensive check first, an ultrasound. Thankfully(more on this later), it showed a polyp near the base of the gallbladder.
With my symptoms and ultrasound report, I was a candidate for removal. Two years after the described episode I had it removed. I opted out of pathology and let the surgeon open up the gallbladder and report to me. He found no polyp! It was full of stones. They varied in size from a grain of sand to 7mm. The ultrasound technician was correct in their assessment of the image, however, the image was misleading.
Every one of my siblings and my mother have suffered for years without any of the typically significant acute symptoms of cholecystitis. One of my brothers suffers occasionally like I did, but every single test for gallbladder issues comes back negative. Anecdotally, I ran into a person who had all tests show negative gallbladder issues, yet had it removed to see if it helped. It cured her bowel issues.
Prior to my knowing what the issues were(20 years), here are the symptoms I can 100% associate with my gallbladder problem. Walking up stairs caused increased heart rate and fatigue after smoking a cigarette. Occasional slight queasiness after eating meals(they must have been high in fat). Rare episodes of fever, nausea, bowel discomfort after a meal that I wrote off as food poisoning or altitude sickness in one instance. General malaise.
My mother and I both were very aware of some of our symptoms, but it was incredibly easy to associate them with other things we had come in contact with. Mold and fragrances are two that come to mind. When I was eating "healthy" I noticed significant improvements in my energy. At the time I didn't realize the "healthy" eating I was doing was low fat. That low fat was reducing inflammation in my gallbladder allowing me to get proper rest. Not eating dairy(maternal genes as well) is reducing inflammation in my gut, allowing me to get proper rest.
Yikes, some of this is hitting too close to home. If you can think of any other info to share please write it out. I'm curious about other symptoms, if there's any alternatives to gallbladder removal that you've considered, whether other members of your family have had similar procedures. Why did it take 2 years to have it removed. What was the recovery like. Etc.
The most important question is how you associate the symptoms with gallbladder. Is it based on your experience before and after?
> if there's any alternatives to gallbladder removal that you've considered
There really is no alternative. The gallbladder is not necessary and when any issues arrive, it is generally removed. I did a lot of reading on that. I could not find any medicinal or herbal alternatives to break up stones.
> I'm curious about other symptoms
It is possible my sense of smell was affected. The days after the removal, I noticed I was smelling things that I had never noticed before. This is still happening a year later. The anesthetics used may have caused this though. One symptom that may have been gallbladder was what I thought was hypoglycemia. I had not been diagnosed, but between meals I frequently would get some slight weakness/anxiety and somewhat trembly. I would go into detail about my sleep pattern, but it was so sporadic toward the end and spinal issues contributed to it as well. Throughout the years though I had trouble getting to bed at a decent time. This was not as significant when I was eating "healthy". I did not notice it correlating to my eating at the time.
> whether other members of your family have had similar procedures
My mother found the source of her similar and more pronounced issues about a year after I had mine diagnosed. She had many similar issues for about the same amount of time. She ended up in the emergency room with a gallstone in her bile duct that had to be removed via endoscope once they got the inflammation down. Many people die from bile stones every year. My two brothers are toughing it out.
> Why did it take 2 years to have it removed
I was eating a very very low fat diet at first and managing fairly well. I was also trying to save money for surgery. As time went on, I could barely function and was going to get it removed no matter what the cost.
> What was the recovery like
The surgery was uneventful. I popped right out of sedation. I attribute this to my body's reaction to the scopolamine patch administered right before surgery. It is used to prevent vomiting. One of the potential side effects is tachycardia. I was wide awake and full of energy from 1pm(after surgery) to 11pm. My family was dumbfounded. When I tried to sleep, I couldn't. I began to realize this was abnormal and removed the patch to see if that would help. Thirty minutes later I was asleep. I was able to sit stand and lay the first night, being careful when changing position not to cause a hernia. The second and third day, if I recall correctly, were the most painful. This was only while laying flat on my back though. In a more upright position I managed to sleep fine. I understand a little now what it must be like to receive a penetrating wound.
The surgery was on a Thursday. I was back at the office the following Tuesday. The small incisions(4) occasionally gave me pain and I was afraid I might cause a hernia for about 3-4 weeks. I still feel a slight tingle/itch at two of the sites. I also still feel very mild pain from my non existent gallbladder when I am really hungry or when I have eaten too much oil/fat.
> The most important question is how you associate the symptoms with gallbladder
I knew the typical symptoms of cholecystitis from reading long before I associated it with my own symptoms. My father had typical symptoms and had his removed when he was about 26. He ate fast food and fatty food almost exclusively! My symptoms were atypical. Only in hindsight am I able to pinpoint some of them. I had one typical symptom, but it was not there during my acute attacks, which I described in my earlier comment here. I had so many symptoms that were gradual as I grew older or not severe enough for me to think it was abnormal. I had no idea how bad I was. (I may have misinterpreted your point in this response.)
> Is it based on your experience before and after?
Almost exclusively. My "food poisoning" episodes were, retrospectively, clearly my gallbladder. It was very easy to associate these to the gallbladder once I figured out I had a problem. The smoking and climbing stairs issue went away immediately when I stopped eating fatty food prior to surgery. My sleep was immensely better immediately following the surgery. My energy level was profound following the surgery, even compared to as much as six years before the surgery, before I knew the cause. I am relatively healthy otherwise, so there was not much to decipher. I am acutely aware of what my body feels. I am proficient at diagnosing computer hardware problems and apply the same style testing when it comes to fixing myself. I do not try multiple tests at the same time. This makes it easier to narrow down the cause of issues.
Can you elaborate on `My mother and I both were very aware of some of our symptoms, but it was incredibly easy to associate them with other things we had come in contact with. Mold and fragrances are two that come to mind.`?
My mother and I both have sensitive skin, she had her gallbladder removed. I've lived with overly sensitive skin for most of my life, but never thought it could be gallbladder related.
The week before my diagnosis and severe attack, I was eating a fatty diet. I was at the office and noticed my stomach feeling slightly queasy. I had just that week brought a box of fridge magnets into the room I work in. This was the first time I had a box of them around me. I could smell the off gassing. I assumed this was the problem, since that was the new thing around me. I removed them and seemingly had relief, until the attack. Placebo...
Ten years ago I would visit my parents house and eat fatty meals. I usually had a slight queasiness when I was there. I did not like going to their place. My subconscious mind had taken the queasy feeling and turned it into disdain. They had mold issues. I blew it off as a reaction to that. I know for certain some molds cause a reaction in me, but it is just puffy eyes in the morning after sleeping in a moldy/mildewy place.
I went to Denver and did some hiking in the mountains. After eating a meal in town, I was quite sick. It felt much like a cold/flu without the respiratory symptoms. I blew it off as altitude sickness. I am not a doctor...
My mother has similar stories. Her first bought she associated with a cat that was in our basement. The cat was gone and her problems persisted. She then began to associate her symptoms with mold. The mold was removed and her problems persisted. She then began to blame it on gut bacteria imbalance triggered by her breast cancer and or treatment of. In the end, she had her gallbladder removed in the E.R. after a stone was lodged in her bile duct. She sleeps great and has more energy than she has had in decades.
These atypical symptoms are not easy for a person to diagnose intuitively. Erroneous associations were easy because our diets are not consistent and the symptoms were not immediate or as severe as something like a broken bone.
As far as sensitive skin is concerned. Laundry detergent and soaps come to mind as irritants. I get spots and itches from dairy.
