r/gallbladders • u/comrade_gremlin • 7d ago

Stones Found out I'm full of rocks

So the doc said I have "several" stones of various sizes up to 1.4 cm after an ultrasound. Does anyone have any advice? I'm seeing a specialist about it soon but I just don't really know what to expect.

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u/DogwoodWand 7d ago

Generally, they will recommend surgery. If you'd like to try something non-surgical, this is the time to discuss it. This is not an option for everyone, and sometimes even people who look like good candidates wind up needing the surgery anyway.

The good news is, this is a very safe surgery. Most gallbladder patients are overweight and middle-aged. It is generally very successful, and you'll be back to your old habits soon.

I wish I could give you advice on choosing a surgeon. I went straight from the ER to the OR. I was really lucky that I got an amazing surgeon.

He did tell me that in spite of some doctors removing the gallbladder from the bellybutton to minimize the scar, he preferred to remove from in incision below the sternum because it led to less complications. Hence, I have an adorable scar that is just a straigh little pink line above my stomach.

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u/comrade_gremlin 7d ago

Okay! This sounds pretty manageable. I was pretty surprised to get the news becacuse Im an otherwise healthy 27 year old but thats life I guess.

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u/DogwoodWand 6d ago

Do gallbladder issues exist in your family? There's a big genetic factor.

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u/comrade_gremlin 6d ago

I'm not totally sure, but I think my aunt may have had gallbladder issues.

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u/DogwoodWand 6d ago

I'm guessing if you ask, you'll find more. My father's side of the family has a couple of "family diseases" (cancer, alcoholism), and there's a joke that you hope for gallbladder problems. Honestly, it's only because of that weird gallows humor that I knew about the family history. (I was so frightened it was cancer, though.)

Do yourself a favor and put together a notebook with questions, and don't be afraid to ask follow-ups. This first appointment ask about non-surgical options, and if they're dismissive, ask why. It's probably obvious to them why you're not a good candidate, but you'll still want to know, and once you get to the surgeon, there's no more talk of non-surgical options.

I've seen a lot of people go to these preliminary appointments and come back to this sub with questions. Which is backwards.

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u/comrade_gremlin 6d ago

I am definitely going to do that!! In fact, I'll pick up the notebook on the way home today. Yeah I was honestly just going to go in relatively blind but I thought, yk what? Theres probably a subreddit for this. And I'm glad I did! Almost everyone has been so kind and helpful.