Trip delay due to Gall stones....

Submitted: Friday, May 18, 2007 at 17:59
ThreadID: 45626 Views:2466 Replies:8 FollowUps:8
This Thread has been Archived
My wife and I had a trip all planned this weekend despite the fact that she had not been feeling to well over the last couple of weeks.

Went to the Doctors for a check up and after he suggested that she have an ultra sound, it was discovered she had gall stones.

OK, a weird subject I know, but we're keen to get back on the road. Has anybody got any remedies to rid herself of these stones. Chinese herbalist? Diet? Old wives tales?

The Doctor said that the only way to get rid of the gall stones was to surgically remove the gall bladder. Sounds bloody drastic.

Suggestions from anyone who has been down this road would be great.

True Blue.
Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator

Reply By: Footloose - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 18:01

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 18:01
Sad to say this , but AFAIK the doc is right. Wife had hers out, felt much better eventually.
AnswerID: 240836

Follow Up By: CLC50 - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 18:10

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 18:10
My wife two key hole surgery.She is great now,has to watch what she eats. She was in a lot of pain & could not get it out quick enough.
0
FollowupID: 501733

Follow Up By: Footloose - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 18:17

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 18:17
I had a kidney stone that was blocking a kidney. Had a stent put in, and next op they played star wars on the stone with a laser. I won't mention where they put the laser in...it would give you blokes tears in your eyes, I can assure you.
Hospital care was wonderful, but they threw me out as a day surgery patient cause I was too cheerful after each op. (yes I know its hard to imagine me cheerful but true. I think it was the drugz :))
0
FollowupID: 501735

Follow Up By: Gob & Denny - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 19:20

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 19:20
goodday footy
funny you should mention that i have just received all the paper work for a bit of the camera up where i dont really want it for kidney stones and related bits
i nned a philladelpyian lawyer tio fill the damn things out plus an other day off work to get more blood test (wont have any left shortly)and a preadmission clinic
be ok if all was well when i come out i can only hope

steve
at least i go in on the 31st not the 13th
0
FollowupID: 501753

Follow Up By: Footloose - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 19:29

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 19:29
Steve, you'll be fine mate. I have always been terrified of hospitals, and ops are a bit risky for me. I saw the specialist on Thurs, first op Monday. So not much time to fret. I expected a few days inside if I lived. But modern medicine is good stuff, and the staff couldn't have been better. I remember waking up after the second one, all the theatre staff were disappearing. I was the last one for the avo, and they were off to the pub. "Not without me" I told them.
They sent me home that night :))
A bit of discomfort that lasted a couple of days was the only drawback.
Drink more water I was told.
0
FollowupID: 501755

Follow Up By: madfisher - Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 16:15

Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 16:15
Hi Footy,
They are the most painfull thing I have ever experienced. Got an attack while out fishing . had to SLOWLY make my way back to the car, thowing up every 10m . Mananaged to get to the car sat down for a breather and passed out.

I do not wish to experienced that again so try to drink more these days lol.
cheers pete
0
FollowupID: 501910

Reply By: Member - Uncle (NSW) - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 19:28

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 19:28
Hi there TB, wow, what a week for gall stones! I took Jodie to casualty on Wed night at 9pm for the same thing and she was released at 4am thurs morn. Doctors advice was to cut down on the fat intake, so far its working great! Not that we are fond of it, but his remarks about KFC and gall stones wasn't good. All the best, Unc.
AnswerID: 240856

Follow Up By: Member - Uncle (NSW) - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 19:30

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 19:30
For relif of the pain , take 2 Voltaren tablets when it starts.
0
FollowupID: 501758

Follow Up By: troy - Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 21:11

Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 21:11
watch out if you take voltaren and have ulcers ...
0
FollowupID: 501979

Reply By: Gerhardp1 - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 19:49

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 19:49
I thought these days they could pulverise them with some doohickey without surgery?

Or is that just kidney stones? I had a kidney stone years ago which passed into the bladder by itself, but it let me know in a massive way that it had done so. That was the worst spasm pain imaginable, and it was totally irregular so you couldn't brace for it. The most luxurious feeling I have ever felt occured a couple of minutes after the pethedine shot in the bum....

here is a link form a quick google showing surgery is one of a few options.

http://www.ehealthmd.com/library/gallstones/GS_treatment.html#nonsurg

If pain permits, a second opinion should be sought.

All the best
AnswerID: 240863

Reply By: disco driver - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 20:03

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 20:03
Hi True Blue,

Take the Doctors advice, It's not worth the risk of things going pearshaped.

My Missus and I were up near the Zuytdorp Cliffs (in WA)about 12 years ago when she had a gall bladder attack. We were only 70 k from the bitumen (took nearly 2.5 hours to get back to it) and then a further 180km to Geraldton hospital.
She was in EXTREME pain the whole way back. Rushed her straight into Hospital, straight into theatre and had Gall Bladder removed.
She's OK now but still has to watch what she eats.

Doc said another couple of hours would have been too late.

Think seriously before you go.

Disco
AnswerID: 240865

Reply By: Member - Au-2 - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 20:04

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 20:04
For immediate (within two hrs) relief, True Blue, when an attack is coming on, I would say drink as much water as she can this side of drowning herself, and then some;-)) For prevention, she must NOT eat any fatty/oily or spicy food, as these will generate attacks very quickly. Long term, go for the keyhole surgery which is very simple and quick these days. Once you've had one of these attacks you never want another one. I was told this, while waiting for treatment many years ago, by another patient. After spending 8days in hospital on a drip when I had my first G.B attack, the doctors could/would not tell me anything preventative. I was home 1 day ate a tiny bit of baked chicken and was back at the hospital within hours. Until I had surgery (the old fashioned way) 5mths later, I did what the lady told me and it worked. Commiserations to your lady.
Ozesheila.
AnswerID: 240867

Reply By: T-Ribby - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 20:34

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 20:34
Had my gallbladder removed 5 years ago.
Keyhole surgery, only stayed in hosp overnight.
2 weeks off work and had to take it easy for those
2 weeks.
I'm told the procedure is a bit tougher on women than men.
Well worth it in the long run tho - the pain was shocking.
Never had a problem since. The liver takes over the function of
the gallbladder.
cheers
T.R.
AnswerID: 240879

Reply By: wazzaaaa - Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 18:46

Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 18:46
Hi Trus Blue,
Had my gall bladder out 20 years ago when I was 27, my mother gave me a "gall bladder flush" similar to the one below after 6 or 7 extremely painfull attacks ( my first one on my honeymoon at 21) before I had the surgery. I did pass stones and every thing was ok for a while but I again got attacks a year or so later, so from my experence the gall bladder needs to be removed to stop the attacks completly.
No problems since but I do have a huge scar as it was the days before key hole surgery.
Wazzaaaaaa
AnswerID: 241044

Follow Up By: wazzaaaa - Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 18:48

Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 18:48
This is the gall bladder flush
Site Link
0
FollowupID: 501930

Reply By: Peter - Monday, May 21, 2007 at 08:12

Monday, May 21, 2007 at 08:12
Sorry to hear about the attacks.

I to have suffered theses. Hospital twice and they are still there and under control. This was on advice of 2 doctors. There reasoning was it is better to not be cut open if possible. Gp has quite a few people who have had gall stones for many years. Check to see if there is an infection in gall bladder as well.

GP Doctor suggested modify diet first. So far this has worked. Try the gall bladder flush under supervision. then think about the operation.

All surgon cod say was open you up and all will be fixed. When asked about other options, he relyed on the I have been doing this for 30 years theroy which did not go down well.

So for me it is modify diet a little bit and all is good.
If it becomes cronic then i will have it out

Peter S
AnswerID: 241350

Sponsored Links