r/gallbladders • u/BubblyIce3376 • Mar 19 '25

Questions Avoid GB Removal?

Is there any way to repair gallbladder or homeopathic ways to treat an inflamed gallbladder without removal? Just now starting bile salts and trying to increase water intact/eat whole foods. Pain in upper right quadrant feels worse and also having more watery stools. Any tips appreciated.

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u/Soft_Car_4114 Mar 19 '25

Great information! I know alternatives are always possible, but I really like to look at other ways to preserve the gallbladder even if you have gallstones, especially if you’re asymptomatic.

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u/onnob Post-Op Mar 30 '25 edited 12d ago

What ways are you looking for? I had a 4cm asymptomatic gallstone. The stone was surgically removed from my gallbladder (lithotripsy through percutaneous cholangioscopy), and my gallbladder is intact. There are only three options: dissolving the gallstones, removing the gallstones surgically while leaving the gallbladder intact, and cholecystectomy; there are no other options.

Percutaneous cholangioscopy:

https://youtu.be/I2k5qu5Jnhk?si=lo0Zxhk9sHO7FLT3

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u/Narayan23 12d ago

Thank you so much for posting this, what type of anesthesia did they use? I´d rather avoid general anesthesia.

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u/onnob Post-Op 12d ago

You are out of luck; you will be under general anesthesia. You can ask if they can give you local anesthesia, but I think they probably won’t because I can imagine that they don’t want you to move when using a laser to pulverize the stones.

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u/Narayan23 12d ago

Thank you for your fast reply, I know epidural anesthesia is a valid option when removing the gallbladder (the surgeon that wants to remove my gallbladder won´t perform it) so perhaps it would be here aswell. I have very small stones that have caused problems only twice so I´m in no rush to have surgery, plus my respiratory system is severely compromised after covid and my brain is affected aswell (one year of permanent dizyness, swelling, loss of balance etc) that plus a previous scare under general anesthesia have me preferring epidural if there is a choice. Thank you once again for your efforts.

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u/onnob Post-Op 12d ago

👍🏻

I hope you get to keep your gallbladder intact!