![]() Scientists have found a way to reverse multiple sclerosis in mice using a hybrid protein, GIFT15. More >
Would you like to ask our staff a question?
>
Join the discussion and leave a comment on this article
>
|
Gallstones and Complications: Detection and TreatmentDrs. Simpson, Yen and Ahmed are from the Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California and *Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics Veteran's Administration Medical Center, San Diego, California University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California.
We all have a gallbladder but most of us do not spend much time thinking about it. Those that do are probably among the 25 million or so Americans who suffer from gallstones. The pear-shaped gallbladder sits below the liver in the upper right-hand corner of the abdomen. It is connected to the liver and to the small intestine by several tubes called bile ducts. Its purpose is to store bile, a liquid which is produced by the liver that helps us digest fat. After a meal, the gallbladder contracts and sends bile into the intestine. Once a meal has been digested, the gallbladder stops sending bile and returns to its old job of storing up bile for our next steak dinner. What is a Gallstone?
Bile is a brown liquid made up of bile salts, cholesterol, bilirubin and lecithin. Bile salts and lecithin help break up fat so that it can be digested more easily. Bilirubin, which gives both bile and stool their characteristic color, is a waste product.
Problems begin when some of the components of bile form hard crystals (or stones). Most gallstones are made up of either cholesterol or bilirubin but not both. Because they range in size from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a golf ball, a gallbladder may contain anywhere from one stone to hundreds. These gallstones may cause problems in the gallbladder or in the bile duct, or they may cause no problems at all. We are not sure why gallstones happen but we do know that people with high levels of cholesterol in their bile are more likely to develop cholesterol stones and those with high levels of bilirubin are more likely to develop bilirubin stones. Problems with the gallbladder muscle, causing incomplete emptying of the gallbladder, also seem to play a part in gallstone development. Exactly how diet affects gallstone formation is not well understood but it is suspected that a diet high in cholesterol and fat can increase a person's risk of developing gallstones Really Bad Pain
The most typical first sign of gallstones is pain — sometimes excruciating pain — in the upper abdomen or right side. This is sometimes accompanied by fever, vomiting or sweating. The most common treatment is surgical removal of the gallbladder, although there are other treatments, depending on the type of gallstone, the severity of a person's attacks and the presence of complications such as infection.
Most treatments are much more successful if they are given early on. Anyone who thinks they might have gallstones should see a doctor as soon as possible. Typical symptoms
Table 1.
Risk Factors for Cholesterol Gallstone Formation.
(21) Comments have been made Bill White
I totally agree with the article. I also think more people need to learn about gallstones natural treatments. Surgery should only be the last resort. I once had gallstones. I found a natural solution to mine, maybe others can too.Posted Sat, Jul. 17, 2010 at 5:07 pm EDT
Anonymous
I posted back in March about my fears of having my gallbladder removed. Anyway I had my surgery in March. The surgery went very well, no complication a little pain only from the co2 gas they used to inflate my stomach. I have to say my biggest complaint has to be the lose stools. I already eat a very low fat diet including lots of fruits and vegetables and lean chicken turkey and fish...no red meat. I'm wondering if there is something I can do...I haven't had a normal bowel movement since the surgery. :(Posted Sun, Jun. 13, 2010 at 10:23 pm EDT
TheDoctor's Editor
According to the American Gastroenterological Association, it's not understood why some people develop gallstones and others don't. But the following factors are known to increase a person's risk:
* Having diabetes or liver disease
* Being obese
* Not getting enough exercise
* Being female
* Having high levels of cholesterol or billirubin in your bile
* Being older than age 40.
* Having a family history of gallstones
Posted Tue, May. 25, 2010 at 9:44 am EDT
Martha
Where does a gall stone go once it passes through the bile duct? If it goes into the pancreas, is this a serious condition? What happens to the gall stone?Posted Mon, May. 17, 2010 at 7:46 pm EDT
jennifer
i just found out i have gallstones. I am 25. I have had severe pain since 2006. I am sick after each attack, which lasts 2 to 6 hours. My symptoms are rapid heartbeat and pain in my collar bone. I cant move at all with the pain; it's crippling, and it happens all the time. I've have about 5 attacks a week. Posted Thu, May. 6, 2010 at 10:16 am EDT
Phil Mc Devitt
My wife is currently suffering gallstone problems which flared up for the first time about 3 weeks ago, on holiday.
The symptoms are severe nausea, but not pain.
Whist in hospital abroad, the patient in the next room was also in with gallbladder problems. He had suffered similar milder symptoms two years previously and was advised to seek treatment. He recovered and did not pursue treatment. However during the current attack, he suffered excruciating pain and required emergency surgery to remove the gallbladder, which was severely inflamed and gangrenous.He subsequently suffered blood poisoning and the surgeons confirmed that if he had waited another 12 hours, he may not have survived.
Anyone who has symptoms or is thinking twice about following doctors advice, please don't take any risks.It's not worth it.
My wife attended the doctor as soon as we came home and is now awaiting further treatment.Posted Tue, May. 4, 2010 at 2:36 am EDT
kathy
I recently was sleeping and I woke up with a pain. I thought I was having a heart attack, so I stood up to see if the cramp would go away and it got worse. It was under and between my breasts the pain was so bad I started to sweat and called 911 but I took a aspirin in case it was a heart attack and it went away. It only lasted about 10 minutes total and now I get sick every time I eat. I feel very gassy and afraid of eating I want to start juicing my food and eat a better diet will that help? Right now we don't have any insurance and I know it will cost a lot if I look in to it. I was wondering if I could control it with diet or if that is even the problem at all.Posted Thu, Apr. 22, 2010 at 1:39 am EDT
GURTEJ SINGH
I have one 12 mm stone and multiple stones in my gall bladder, but I have no problem. Do I need to have my gall bladder removed?Posted Sat, Apr. 17, 2010 at 4:52 am EDT
linda
I had my first gall stone attack about 2 years ago and only mild discomfort since. However today I'm having quite a bit of pain and next week I'm scheduled for a tummy tuck. What are my chances of getting thru that with gall stones??? Can anyone tell me?Posted Tue, Apr. 6, 2010 at 3:09 pm EDT
Rachel evans
i wonder if you could help in october i got scan on my stocamch and they said i has gallstones im now in a bit of pain do yopu fink it could be the gallstones playin up Posted Mon, Mar. 15, 2010 at 12:43 pm EDT
Robert
I had a gall bladder attack on March 3 2010. I didnt have the usual symptoms that go with an attack. I had chest pains and thought it was a heart attack. BP was normal so I went through the next day in pain, then I went to the ER. X-rays showed several stones with blockage. I had the gall bladder removed and have had no ill effects. I would have never guessed it was my gall bladder. It turned out the best thing was having it removed. Posted Mon, Mar. 8, 2010 at 10:13 pm EST
Eeilos
I'm having a minor attack at the moment, is there a way to rid of the pain? Please! Any answers are appreciated... OWWW!Posted Sat, Mar. 6, 2010 at 2:15 am EST
Sara Jonson
I had my gallbladder out 2 years ago. Now, it turns out that I had been passing gall stones for over 30 yrs about 1-3 times a week.
Yes, I have a high pain tolerance. The only reason I went to the hospital this time, was because of the different levels of pain going deep in my abdomen. It turns out that I had gravel, stones and sludge dislodge all at the same time and some stopped for a rest in my pancreas. The surgeon discovered in the operating room that I had gangrene. My grandmother many years ago, was sick for 2 years until someone listened to her and she went to the hospital with a solid chalk gallbladder.
It turns out, mine was probably from mineral deficiency as my cholesterol has usually been about 130.
My only recommendation, is to get all the information and then make your choice, but if you do not have it removed, make sure you know the warning signs to watch for.
All the best for everyone. Thank you doctor for being here grabadream@gmail.comPosted Sun, Feb. 28, 2010 at 12:47 am EST
Melissa
I'm due to have surgery on the 12 of March. This will be my first surgery and I'm really worried. I've been reading about all the side affects of having your gallbladder removed and I'm a little scared! I lost 109 lbs 3 years ago. Since losing the weight I have run 4 1/2 marathons. I'm worried the surgery is going adversly affect my life. I have had 4 attacks in 6 months. The pain occurs in my chest and feels like I'm having a heart attack. When I went to the doctor they ordered blood work and an ultra sound. The blood work showed that my liver enzyme count was off the chart and the ultrasound showed that I had small gallstones. I've been reading a lot about alternatives to surgery. The doctor told me to avoid fatty greasy food. That's the funny thing... since I lost the weight 3 years ago I don't touch those kinds of foods. I'm wondering if the gallstone attacks (which are very infrequent) and high liver enzyme count are dangerous. Posted Sat, Feb. 20, 2010 at 6:51 pm EST
Gary M. Gray, M.D.
It depends on the nature of the "attack". Although the simple presence of gallstones without symptoms is NOT an indication for surgery, attacks of so-called biliary colic (severe pain that prompts visits to a hospital Emergency Room) may be very dangerous in terms of inflammation, systemic infection, and even perforation and death. But minor discomforts or pains that are non-specific should not be attributed to the gallstones and are usually due to another cause. If the severe colic occurs, and especially if it is associated with abnormal liver function blood tests (aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin) then it should prompt the recommendation for a cholecystectomy. It's done by relatively non-invasive laparscopic surgery, often not requiring even an overnight admission. Alternatives such as synthetic bile acid medications or ultrasound breaking of stones have additional attendant risks and, by and large, have been abandoned.
### Dr. Gary M. Gray, Professor of Medicine Emeritus, Stanford University School of Medicine, and President of the Celiac Sprue Research Foundation is TheDoctor's specialist in gastroenterology.
Posted Thu, Feb. 11, 2010 at 10:57 am EST
JJ
I had my gallbladder out on the 3rd. I had only had one severe attack in the last 6 months. I def noticed that certain foods affected it. I too thought about putting off the surgery. Fortunately I did not. When the doctors removed my gallbladder they indicated that it was very very inflamed. Recovery has been pretty easy. No major problems. I feel ready to return to work. Good Luck.Posted Mon, Feb. 8, 2010 at 5:55 pm EST
moorthy
i have been diagnosed with uncomplicated gall stones in gallbladder. whether it is necessary to remove the gallbladderPosted Sun, Feb. 7, 2010 at 12:50 pm EST
TheDoctor Ed.
Dr. Gary Gray, our specialist in gastroenterology, has responded to this concern about gallbladder operations in the Question of the Week.Posted Tue, Feb. 2, 2010 at 9:50 am EST
zimmrah
It must be that time of year! I am having my gallbladder removed on Feb. 10. Val - they try laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery first on everyone - but if there are any complications, they may need to switch to "open" surgery. You should definitely prepare for that. Also, for those of you reconsidering - I was as well. I'm not a fan of surgery - and wasn't happy with the high percentage of people who had severe issues post-surgery. HOWEVER, the fact remains that if you do have stones - and they get lodged in the wrong places - you'll be in a life threatening situation. Also, depending on your age/choices - the attacks tend to flare up when you're pregnant. I decided on a pre-emptive strike before the stones could threaten my life - or a baby's.Posted Sun, Jan. 31, 2010 at 8:41 pm EST
val murphy
I am also due to have my gallbladder removed by keyhole surgery on feb 4th 2010 and I am also having second thoughts about the whole process, I suppose the nerves are getting to me just like linda jackson, all I can say is good luck linda and I'm sure everything will be okayPosted Fri, Jan. 29, 2010 at 2:59 pm EST
linda jackson
i am due to have my gallbladder removed on feb.10,2010. after reading up on it, i am really reconcidering it..i have gall stones. i have had 3 attacks in 2 yrs. am i better off leaving the gallbladder in or takng it out? i dont know if or when i will have another one and what the time span will be between the attacks.i am really concerned about what to do..your return answer would be greatly; appreciated..thank youPosted Sun, Jan. 17, 2010 at 10:05 pm EST
|
| The Doctor Will See You Now | |
LEGAL RESTRICTIONS AND TERMS OF USE OF THIS SITE. USE OF THIS SITE IS YOUR AGREEMENT TO THESE TERMS. Copyright 2010 interMDnet Corporation. All rights reserved. About Us | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | System Requirements |