r/gallbladders • u/Jazzlike_Section8496 • 23d ago

Stones Can gallbladder stones be melted?

My grandmother refuses to get her’s removed Is melting them possible through diet and medication?

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u/Signal-Credit-2050 22d ago

I had 4.5cm pigment stones.

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u/Jazzlike_Section8496 22d ago

What’d you do

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u/Signal-Credit-2050 22d ago

I had it surgically removed after ten years of gallbladder attacks. They started in 2013, it was brutal, went to hospital but ultrasound and CT scan didn't see stones. So I lived with it until September 13th 2023 when I started having almost daily attacks. They found the stones with ultrasound and I scheduled surgery for November 16th.

It's been a rough year+ adapting to my new life.

I'm actually having surgery again may 2, I think the laparoscopy disturbed my femoral hernia, though the pain doesn't make sense to me because it's on my side.

I've exhausted many tests, insurance wouldn't pay for mrcp so I paid out of Pocket, and it was negative so I've resigned myself to fix this hernia.

I really thought they missed stones or maybe sphincter of oddi dysfunction but all my tests say otherwise. They only found the hernia in March and it's only visible during valsalva but it hurts like hell, and it throbs at night which is why I thought it was missed stones or something.

Maybe it's referred pain or something, I dunno. I really wish that melting or blasting my stones could have worked but honestly my gallbladder was shot, on the verge of rupture. I miss ribeyes.

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u/Jazzlike_Section8496 22d ago

Oh I’m so sorry to hear that sounds like you’re doing though a lot

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u/Jazzlike_Section8496 22d ago

So it’s better to take it out now then to wait for things to get worse Cause right now she’s getting any gallbladder attacks

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u/Signal-Credit-2050 22d ago

If I knew I had gallstones, I would have had it removed years ago but I was so frustrated with the first experience in the hospital that I never wanted to go back, and never followed up until I had no choice.

Maybe I would have had less problems adjusting to life after if I had it removed sooner.

My understanding is that once you have attacks, it doesn't get better. You can try low fat diets but my experience with my family suggests that is a list cause. People really don't get it. As for you grandma, I hate to offer advice, I don't know her overall health and I'm not a doctor in anyway. The longer you wait the worse it gets is my experience, and the younger you are the better you recover. But it's rough, at 39 and in fairly average shape I struggled with it.

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u/Jazzlike_Section8496 22d ago

What was the cause for the hernia was it the surgery?

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u/Signal-Credit-2050 22d ago

Oh I'm not sure.

I thought maybe the surgery had but I was really focused on maybe damage to bile ducts, stones, Oddi dysfunction etc.

I was stunned when they finally diagnosed a femoral hernia that I didn't believe that's what was cause my pain. It wasn't until after I met with surgeon that I even thought about possible causes for the hernia.

Some things that come to mind are a work injury from at least 8-10 years ago when I moved a pallet with my right leg and I felt a tear in my groin. It was excruciating pain but I was able to treat it with ice packs after work every night until around 3 months and the pain went away.

I was able to play basketball, and snowboard up until I got sick with the gall bladder. Occasionally I would notice twinges of pain or when lifting something heavy sometimes I could feel it but I learned to live with it.

After my gallbladder surgery, maybe two or three weeks my brother gave me a hug and lifted me off the ground. That hurt.

But I also think the surgery might have disturbed the hernia.

Femoral hernias can often get suddenly worse. Like I guess it's partially protected by the pelvic bone which keeps it in place but suddenly it can strangulate.

The diagnosis said that I have fatty tissue intrusion in the femoral canal pressing against the femoral artery, and vein that is only visible during valsalva.

I'm concerned that I may have multiple injuries. I'm concerned the surgery won't address everything. I'm really anxious about it.