Well...It looks like the guilty party IS my gall bladder...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

I went back to the clinic today, and was examined very thoroughly by a new doctor. He stuck his fingers up under my right side ribs, and OUCH.

The left side, not so much.

Classic, he said. My labs are all OK.

So. Tomorrow at the crack of dawn, (6:30 am, PDT) I will be at the diagnostic center, preparing to have an ultrasound of my offending gall bladder.

That information will allow me and my doc to decide what happens next.......we shall see.

Your continuing vibes will be most helpful as well as greatly appreciated!

[NYC_SKP]

1. Oh My!

What do they do with an perstersome gall bladder, Peggy?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. My dear NYC_SKP!

I believe they take it out!

[zbdent]

32. I had it done via laproscopy in '96

(1996).

Actually, I didn't have pain after the surgery (and yes, I had meds available, but didn't need them!).

I hope your surgery, should you need it, goes as well. Better, since the technology has got to have improved ...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

33. I appreciate your info, my dear zbdent!

It's good to hear from folks who've been there...

[Tobin S.]

3. Jen had her gall bladder removed not too long ago

It's usually a routine surgery. After the first week or so of recovery she felt much better. She can now eat and do things she couldn't before the surgery. Take care, Peggy. It'll be okay.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Aw, thank you, my dear Tobin...

I'm sure it'll be OK...I keep hearing the same sort of things from others who've been there.

Thanks for your reassuring words, sweetie...

[elleng]

4. *Vibing* and knowing you'll be fine, CalPeg.

As I said, gall bladder-ectomies are CINCHY! New word: cholecystectomy

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. Thanks so much, my dear elleng!

We'll see what the ultrasound shows...

But I'm not nervous about the surgery. It's usually out-patient. After my knee replacement, this will be CINCHY!

[sarge43]

70. Exactly

Far less traumatic than joint replacement. You keep us posted.

Good vibrations, dear Peggy.

[Steerpike]

6. Happy Vibes to you!

And some extra good vibes to your doctors too!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. Thank you so much, my dear Steerpike!

Indeed. I don't even know where it'll happen, or with which surgeon...

We shall see!

[struggle4progress]

9. Since we know it's guilty, I say we form a posse right here and now and track it down and shoot it

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. I do appreciate your um...very good thoughts, my dear struggle4progress!

But, see, the thing is, it's still attached to me, on the inside, ya know???

[struggle4progress]

14. You never like my ideas

[CaliforniaPeggy]

18. ...

[struggle4progress]

21. Best of luck at the center tomorrow AM

[zbdent]

34. that complicates things ...

just a tad ...

Better go over to the gun-rights discussion board, and find a sharp-shooter or two ...

[lastlib]

39. "Head it off at the (p)ass!!"

[MiddleFingerMom]

11. Knowledge is a good thing...

Last edited Thu Jul 5, 2012, 06:28 PM - Edit history (1)

.
.
.
... ("upper right side"? Sure it's not your liver?)
.
.
I would listen closely and talk to him about the pros and cons of having it removed.
.
The gallbladder seems to be a seriously chronic problem for so many -- and it's completely
negated by removal (it seems almost as unnecessary as the appendix).
.
.
.
Besides, it's not like we can imagine in our wildest dreams NOT hearing someone exclaim,
"The GALL of that woman!!!!!"
.

.
Kali would be a good anecdotal source for this. I think her cholecystectomy did a positive
180-degree turnabout in her quality-of-life.
.
.
.
Strong strength, coping, and healing vibes still coming your way.
.
.
.
And take it from the voice of experience... do NOT choose a surgeon who's also a sports fanatic.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

12. Ahem! MY LIVER IS JUST FINE, TYVM!

I believe Kali said she didn't notice any real difference once it was gone. I'm not worried about it.

Yes, there will be discussions!

Most def will avoid the above scenario!

Thank you, sweetie...

[Manifestor_of_Light]

13. "He had enough gall to be divided into three parts."

Bad pun.
The first line of the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius is "Omnia gallia divisi in tres partes".

All Gaul (France) is divided into three parts.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

16. A LONG time ago, I studied Latin, my dear Manifestor_of_Light!

In high school, and briefly in college...I remember that quote!

You've adapted it very cleverly! It's an excellent pun...

Thanks!

[Turbineguy]

20. According to Tom Lehrer

The Gall bladder was invented by Dr Samuel Gall. Dr. Gall was a Physician who specialized in diseases of the rich which enabled hime to retire at an early age to Sunny Mexico.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

35. Thank you, THANK YOU so much, my dear Turbineguy!

I adore Tom Lehrer! I had not heard this song...it's hilarious, as they all are.

[Turbineguy]

37. Actually

there was a period of time where my Internist coveted my gall bladder. They did scans and tests but eventually he gave up. What the scan revealed was later determined to be a fatty deposit. Living well may be the best revenge but it has its downside.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

65. Yes, dear, right back atcha! I studied Latin in high school many years ago myself!

And no, we did have books, not papyrus scrolls. I had two years of Latin and two years of Spanish. The Spanish was in Junior High starting when I was ten years old in the sixth grade. I think because I was still a kid, most of it stuck. I LOVE Romance languages!!

One of my high school Latin teachers went to Rutgers and eventually became a lawyer (logical if you love Latin) and the other one was a Vassar graduate. Kinda rare in Texas.

I left out the verb. It's "Omnia Gallia divisa EST in tres partes."

pardonnez-moi.

[Lionel Mandrake]

48. Julius Caesar wrote something similar.

"Gallia est omnis divisa in partis tris ... "

De Bello Gallico, Book 1

[Whoa_Nelly]

60. As California Peggy's husband

Am sure you would know more about that than most.

[bluesbassman]

15. Vibes for the test tomorrow.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

17. Aw, thank you so much, my dear bluesbassman...

It means a lot.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

19. I'm heading out for my farmer's market now...

I'll catch up with all of you later........

Thank you again, so much...

[frogmarch]

22. Peggy, here’s some

good vibes for tomorrow.


I’ll be thinking of you and wishing you well.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

26. Thank you so much, my dear frogmarch!

And wow, what colorful vibes!

I LOVE 'em!

[lastlib]

40. we would've KILLED for those in the '60s!

GROOVY!!

[WCGreen]

23. Here's thinking of you, kid....

[CaliforniaPeggy]

27. Aw, thanks, Chris.......it means a lot!

[Archae]

24. I had my gall bladder out 30 years ago...

They do things a lot differently now.

LOT less pain.

Big vibes heading your way, from me and my two kittys.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

28. This is what I hear too, my dear Archae...

But tomorrow, I'm just having it scanned...

That's not supposed to hurt!

[sarge43]

69. Won't hurt at all

Weird though. The damn thing looks like a baby Alien.

[Paladin]

25. Get It Removed. You'll Never Miss It. (nt)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

29. Probably will, my dear Paladin...time will tell...first, the ultrasound! n/t

[nolabear]

30. Glad you have a diagnosis! Laproscopic surgery isn't too bad.

Thank goodness they've gotten really good at it and I just had a couple of tiny scars.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

31. Well, the diagnosis is mostly confirmed...

The ultrasound will certainly give me more data to help my decision as to what to do next...

But you're probably right, my dear nolabear...

It will probably mean surgery, and yes indeed, thank goodness it's a lot faster than it used to be!

[GaltFreeDiet]

36. It may sound crazy, drink a 6-pack of Guinness!

I had that problem about 7 years ago. It was a constant sharp pain exactly where you described, total agony. The pain got so bad that one evening I decided to get some beer to help me sleep. (I don't have health insurance)

I picked Guinness Extra Stout because of the higher alcohol content.

That night I slammed them all. The next morning I woke up to discover that the pain had eased considerably.
Since then I've been drinking a 6-pack once a week (Fridays!) and the pain has disappeared completely. Although, I do feel a little temporary "tightness" in that area if I eat something really fatty like ribs, but it doesn't last more than a day.


Note: Early on I tried cheaper domestic beers to save money but none of them had the same effect. Apparently, there's something in the Guinness Extra Stout that the others lack.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

42. It does sound crazy, my dear GaltFreeDiet!

I don't handle alcohol well, so I think I'll pass, but TYVM!



I"m glad it worked for you!

[lastlib]

38. We always knew you had a lotta gall, Peg....

Just kidding, wish you all the best for a complete speedy recovery!!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

43. Hey! My dear lastlib!

LOL, I know you're kidding, and thanks for the good wishes!

[stevenleser]

41. Feel Better Peggy!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

44. I expect to, and thanks, my dear stevenleser! n/t

[rurallib]

45. heard those are powerful painful

best wishes.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

46. Haven't gotten any pain from these best wishes!

Or am I running together two phrases?

[pscot]

47. Curtail your intake of bacon, egg and cheese biscuits

and you be fine, CP. Good luck.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

55. Alas, my dear pscot!

I rarely eat any of those things!

The day I had the attack, though, I had just eaten a very rich fatty dish...shrimp and andouille, macaroni and a four cheese sauce!

It was delicious, sob...

[pscot]

73. End of Lent syndrome

A high fat meal after a period of relative abstention invariably triggers a complaint from my gall bladder. It's painful, but a couple days of moderation generally resolve the problem.

[irisblue]

49. the ultrasound is easy

If you wear a button front shirt and yoga pants, you might not even need to get into a patient gown. Did your doctor ask for the study to be read at time of service, so your Dr can have the results in an hour or so after you're finished. (hint )

[CaliforniaPeggy]

56. Thank you, my dear irisblue!

Alas, if I'd known to ask for that, I would have...

So who knows when it'll be read.

I'm going to ask if they'll give me a picture, though...wouldn't that be cool???

[Fridays Child]

50. Well, there it is.

Hope your ultrasound goes well. I've hung onto a tricky gall bladder for many years. Large intakes of fatty foods make it go crazy--sometimes, for days afterward. The little sucker will probably need to come out, someday, but I've been told that it's a fairly simple procedure. Best of luck to you and feel better!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

57. I expect it'll go well, and thank you, my dear Fridays Child!

I have to be fasting, though, and that won't be fun. I'll just hurry home and gobble my breakfast!

I'm taking naprosyn for the pain, and it's working!

Thanks for your good thoughts!

[Rhiannon12866]

51. Good luck, Peggy!

Hope it's over soon and you're feeling better even sooner...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

58. Aw, thanks, my dear Rhiannon12866!

I'm feeling pretty good now...

But I really want this thing to be over with!

[Pool Hall Ace]

52. More hugs 'n vibes!

I've been there with the gall bladder - mine was removed via laparascope. No problem at all. If yours has to come out, I hope you get to have the cinchy surgery, too!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

59. Thanks for all the great hugs 'n vibes, my dear Pool Hall Ace!

I won't let 'em touch me unless they do it that way too, lol!

[Aristus]

53. Ah! A positive Murphy's Sign!

Pathognomonic for gallbladder trouble.

Get better soon, CalPeg!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

61. It didn't feel so positive to me, my dear Aristus!

I was too busy yelling ouch! The doc wanted me to take a deep breath, lol! No way.....it hurt too much!

But when he did it to my left side.....and it didn't hurt.

I knew.

I plan on being much better very soon....thanks, sweetie...

[marmar]

54. Good vibes....Get well soon.

nt

[CaliforniaPeggy]

62. Thank you so much, my dear marmar.....I truly appreciate your good thoughts...

[harmonicon]

63. Good luck.

A girlfriend of mine had her gall bladder removed a few years ago. I was a bit freaked out, just because it was surgery, but it all went fine - and that was a bad scenario where it was regularly inflamed. Since you've found out at this stage, you'll be fine.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

64. Thank you so much, my dear harmonicon!

I appreciate your perspective on this. I just had my first, and so far only, gall bladder attack on Tuesday...

I never suspected it would act up!

[WCGreen]

68. I forgot to tell you that Justine, Elliot's older sister, had her gal bladder removed

while she was in the undergrad up at Allegheny college...

[HeiressofBickworth]

66. Continued good vibes to you!

I'm another one who had gall bladder surgery. I agree with another poster, you'll never miss it. Best wishes.

[pinboy3niner]

67. Hang in there, Dear Peg. At our age, we don't need this shit, do we?

I hope your test says, "Hey this lady is FINE--leave her alone, will you?"

A nice thought, but we know it doesn't always work that way. I hope you get a favorable result. But, even if you don't, I hope it will turn out to be only a minor inconvenience.

Lots of people have to face things like this. But I know that if I trust anyone to be able to deal with it, it's CaliforniaPeggy.

I suspect you're gonna come out of this OK, Peg.

I, on the other hand, may be reduced to a blubbering mess.

[Callalily]

71. ((((Peggy))))

[6000eliot]

72. I hope you feel better soon, Peggy!

Sorry you're not feeling well, though.

[LibertyLover]

74. My gall bladder story

First off, let me say that I am so very sorry that you're feeling under the weather. It's amazing how bad you can feel during an attack of gall stone colic. Years ago, when I went for a job at The World Bank Group, you had to pass a physical before being hired. I passed but the doctor told me that I had some elevated liver enzymes which could possibly indicate gall bladder problems. It wasn't long before I had my first attack. I tried to ignore the problem, but eventually my doctor sent me to a gastroenterologist. He was an idiot. The first thing he wanted to do was a liver biopsy. I told him no, that biopsies hurt and I wasn't thrilled about pain. He was mortally offended. My response was the classic medical koan: If you hear hoof beats, think horse, not zebra. He finally agreed to send me for an ultrasound and then said snidely that it didn't hurt. Imagine his chagrin when the ultrasound turned up gall stones and no other obvious signs of liver disease. I had it out a few months later via laproscopic surgery. Of course the hospital experience was amusing too, but that's a story for another day. Seriously, if your doctor decides your gall bladder needs to come out, most likely it can be done laproscopically. The only down side is that the CO2 gas leaving your body after the surgery is a bit painful because the CO2 molecules are larger than some of the small blood vessels they need to travel through to get either to your lungs to be exhaled or your gut to be, well, I'm sure you can figure it out. . . But it's worth it for no more colic attacks. You'll need to watch your fats intake somewhat afterwards too.

[DebJ]

81. Yep you are right about the gas....

the surgeon who took mine out (and thank GOODNESS it is gone) told me I'd be back to
'normal' in 3 days. I decided to wait until Christmas vacation as I had a long-term sub
teaching job, my first, that year. Good thing I did; I needed those ten days and more...
but didn't get more. The gas kept me in pain off and on for a month. My regular doc said with
laparoscopic surgery, it can take up to 6 weeks to get rid of the gas, and that the surgeons
seem to prefer to think they are gods with magic cures rather than giving people all the
possible outcomes (my regular doc had laparascopic surgery herself and she had the same
experience that I did.) I just wish I had know that ahead of time, because going back to
work when I did was very difficult and likely increased my total healing time.

[cordelia]

75. Vibes and more vibes! nt

[lunatica]

76. My best wishes to you Dear CaliforniaPeggy!

[GoCubsGo]

77. Darn.

I was hoping is was going to be just the lesser of the two evils. Hopefully, they can fix things without doing anything invasive. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

78. I should know sometime next week...

If anything changes, you know I'll let you know!

Thanks, sweetie...

[denbot]

79. Big Vibes Miss CP

My doctors wanted me to remove my gallbladder, but I'm hanging on to it..

[CaliforniaPeggy]

80. Thanks, my dear denbot...

I'm feeling OK right now, and we'll see what the future holds...

[Mojorabbit]

82. I had mine out a week ago today

I had the lap done and I am still a bit puny. All is going well though and I am better every day. I had them keep my stones for me and there are some whoppers. Best of luck to you. I will be holding you in my thoughts.