[Guest]

I went in for a follow up with my GI guy after my colonoscopy (it was normal). I proceeded to describe a new set of symptoms (that until this appt., I had been under the impression was trapped gas). Come to find out, it sounds to to the Dr. like Gall stones!! I thought gall stones only affected people who were overweight and ate a high fat diet. I am neither. I did some reading and it looks like the culprit could be estogen!! A side effect of HRT can be gall bladder trouble. I have an appointment for an abdominal sonagram in two weeks. The attacks ARE horrific. I've had 2 in the last 4 weeks. They are 3 hours of excruiating pain, followed by throwing up. The only thing the Dr. said I can do if an attack comes is to go to the ER. Anyone been/going down this same road? Im newly freaked out again. The "alarmist" in me is off and running. Any thoughts on the estrogen connection?Thanks in advance,Alexilyn

 

[Marier]

Been down that particular road, and it leads straight to the OR. Doctors refer (laughingly) to gall bladder patients as mainly the 3 F's - fat, fair & forty. I was none of those but I do admit to an unhealthy diet. Don't know about the estrogen connection tho. Anyway, the pains can be horrible. I had 3 big episodes months apart and several little ones in between. When I did go to ER my liver and pancreas were already infected & the g/b was about to blow. I was also jaundiced. Your attacks seem to come much closer together than mine did. Like I said the 3 majors were months apart. But I had several smaller ones in the weeks prior to the last big one. So if another attack comes, I would urge you to go to ER. The least they'll do is give you something for the pain; the most, they'll admit you and you'll have your surgery.

 

[Marier]

Been down that particular road, and it leads straight to the OR. Doctors refer (laughingly) to gall bladder patients as mainly the 3 F's - fat, fair & forty. I was none of those but I do admit to an unhealthy diet. Don't know about the estrogen connection tho. Anyway, the pains can be horrible. I had 3 big episodes months apart and several little ones in between. When I did go to ER my liver and pancreas were already infected & the g/b was about to blow. I was also jaundiced. Your attacks seem to come much closer together than mine did. Like I said the 3 majors were months apart. But I had several smaller ones in the weeks prior to the last big one. So if another attack comes, I would urge you to go to ER. The least they'll do is give you something for the pain; the most, they'll admit you and you'll have your surgery.

 

[Kathleen M.]

While they are often common in overweight people (often when they lose weight too fast) they can happen to anyone.For some reason husbands of pregnant woman seem to get them (I know a few guys who had them when their wife was pregnant). I think it's nature's way of making sure then men are sympathetic to their wife's labor pains. K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html

 

[Kathleen M.]

While they are often common in overweight people (often when they lose weight too fast) they can happen to anyone.For some reason husbands of pregnant woman seem to get them (I know a few guys who had them when their wife was pregnant). I think it's nature's way of making sure then men are sympathetic to their wife's labor pains. K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html

 

[LadyM]

Hormone replacement will cause gallbladder disease, it is one of the side effects of the medicine listed. Started taking it in February of 1993 after Hyst, and in December of following year had my very first Gallbladder attack. I don't know what the percentage is of it happening but if I knowed that it would have I would have not took the HRT meds.

 

[LadyM]

Hormone replacement will cause gallbladder disease, it is one of the side effects of the medicine listed. Started taking it in February of 1993 after Hyst, and in December of following year had my very first Gallbladder attack. I don't know what the percentage is of it happening but if I knowed that it would have I would have not took the HRT meds.

 

[larae]

I also took estrogen from 1994 until 1998 and had to have my gallbladder removed. I am not overweight and I think I have a healthy diet. I really believe it was from taking estrogen. One thing doctors do not tell you is when you do have it removed, you will have diarhea.

 

[larae]

I also took estrogen from 1994 until 1998 and had to have my gallbladder removed. I am not overweight and I think I have a healthy diet. I really believe it was from taking estrogen. One thing doctors do not tell you is when you do have it removed, you will have diarhea.

 

[Guest]

Man, I would LOST without this board. Thank you so much to all who have responded.I am going in Monday for a blood test to see what my estrogen level is. I talked to the Dr. who put me on estrogen.He said I could stop the pills. But he maintains that the postives outweigh the negatives when estrogen is prescribed for menopausal symptoms. HAH. He hasn't had the attacks I've had! I seem to have read alot of postsfrom sufferers who regret having their gall bladders removed. That makes me feel bad...Alexilyn

 

[Guest]

Man, I would LOST without this board. Thank you so much to all who have responded.I am going in Monday for a blood test to see what my estrogen level is. I talked to the Dr. who put me on estrogen.He said I could stop the pills. But he maintains that the postives outweigh the negatives when estrogen is prescribed for menopausal symptoms. HAH. He hasn't had the attacks I've had! I seem to have read alot of postsfrom sufferers who regret having their gall bladders removed. That makes me feel bad...Alexilyn

 

[Loraine]

Well I can relate to you. I had my gallbladder out when I was 27, 2 months after the birth of my first child. Doctor said it was from rapid weight gain, I only weighed 100lbs. when I got pregnant and only gained 33 through my pregnancy, but anyway, I know the pain, if you have to have surgery, try to see if you can get lasar, it is painless after, and recovery is fast, some doctors do it as out patient. They say the pain is the closest you feel to a heart attack. My IBS didn't start till I got mine out....good luck!

 

[Loraine]

Well I can relate to you. I had my gallbladder out when I was 27, 2 months after the birth of my first child. Doctor said it was from rapid weight gain, I only weighed 100lbs. when I got pregnant and only gained 33 through my pregnancy, but anyway, I know the pain, if you have to have surgery, try to see if you can get lasar, it is painless after, and recovery is fast, some doctors do it as out patient. They say the pain is the closest you feel to a heart attack. My IBS didn't start till I got mine out....good luck!

 

[Mannie]

I had mine out at 27 also. I did eat some high fat foods, but no more than the average American. I had been on BCPs, and gallstones are a side effect listed in the information they give you, but also I had a family history. Both of my parents had theirs out in their late 20s. And my grandmother died in her 30s from a ruptured gallbladder.I also had a friend who had bad gallbladder disease after rapidly losing weight. Actually, I think I know more people without a gallbladder than people with one!I think there are exceptions to every rule. But just to be on the safe side, get a second opinion before surgery.

 

[Mannie]

I had mine out at 27 also. I did eat some high fat foods, but no more than the average American. I had been on BCPs, and gallstones are a side effect listed in the information they give you, but also I had a family history. Both of my parents had theirs out in their late 20s. And my grandmother died in her 30s from a ruptured gallbladder.I also had a friend who had bad gallbladder disease after rapidly losing weight. Actually, I think I know more people without a gallbladder than people with one!I think there are exceptions to every rule. But just to be on the safe side, get a second opinion before surgery.

 

[LadyM]

My ibs didn't get bad until after my gallbladder surgery, but I do know it had to come out, it would swell up and I could feel it, so keeping it was taking a risk on my life. I regreted it and complained about it for a long time, but now I am realizing although I am sicker without that it had to go. Mannie sorry to hear that about your grandmother, that is what I was talking about in above paragraph, that mine had to go, cause it was swelling up like a balloon. Now I am wondering if I have a stone in the tube can that bust too? Oh and the reason just about everyone you know has had their gallbladder out is that it was the number one surgery in the United States. I found that out last year, don't know if it still is or not.....Oh and this might be an interesting tibit, my dad has his out too, a year before me and he has ibs too and his hasn't gotten as near as bad as mine and my father in law had his gb out too, and he done fine, is it more common in women to have the problems without their gb? My husband thinks so. Interesting to think about, right. [This message has been edited by LadyM (edited 07-20-2001).]

 

[LadyM]

My ibs didn't get bad until after my gallbladder surgery, but I do know it had to come out, it would swell up and I could feel it, so keeping it was taking a risk on my life. I regreted it and complained about it for a long time, but now I am realizing although I am sicker without that it had to go. Mannie sorry to hear that about your grandmother, that is what I was talking about in above paragraph, that mine had to go, cause it was swelling up like a balloon. Now I am wondering if I have a stone in the tube can that bust too? Oh and the reason just about everyone you know has had their gallbladder out is that it was the number one surgery in the United States. I found that out last year, don't know if it still is or not.....Oh and this might be an interesting tibit, my dad has his out too, a year before me and he has ibs too and his hasn't gotten as near as bad as mine and my father in law had his gb out too, and he done fine, is it more common in women to have the problems without their gb? My husband thinks so. Interesting to think about, right. [This message has been edited by LadyM (edited 07-20-2001).]

 

[Guest]

I just found out that my Mother had her gall bladder removed in her 30's. Does that mean the condition can be heritary?I am sorry to read the sad stories; and scared to death to need GB surgery. Maybe I will be lucky and not have to get it.I've been doing an awful lot of reading/research in the past few days; can't help being a self-diagnostician. So I think I have cholescystistis (inflammation of the gall bladder). I'm hoping there won't be any stones present-- sonagram on Aug. 2. I wonder if this condition can reverse itself if it was brought on by excess estrogen levels.. thanks again to everyone.Alexilyn

 

[Guest]

I just found out that my Mother had her gall bladder removed in her 30's. Does that mean the condition can be heritary?I am sorry to read the sad stories; and scared to death to need GB surgery. Maybe I will be lucky and not have to get it.I've been doing an awful lot of reading/research in the past few days; can't help being a self-diagnostician. So I think I have cholescystistis (inflammation of the gall bladder). I'm hoping there won't be any stones present-- sonagram on Aug. 2. I wonder if this condition can reverse itself if it was brought on by excess estrogen levels.. thanks again to everyone.Alexilyn

 

[BQ]

Alex I had my GB removed via an extended laproscopy.(Extended cause it was gangrenous & "about to blow") I came home with a total of a dozen or so staples spread among three different places on my ab. The surgery was a cake walk compared to the "open up half your ab" type surgery of old. It is better to have it out if that is what is called for. Rupture of a GB is serious & potentially life threatening. If you have to have it removed, it can be done with a laproscopy surgery (Usually sans staples, just steri strips) & most folks can go home the same day. If you have D post-op you can always ask the Doc for a script for Questran or the pill form Colestid. They are bile binders that will firm things up for ya. I know how awful attacks can be. I would eat a real low fat diet for right now. Hope they soon get to the bottom of these attacks for ya & you are feeling better soon.

BQ[This message has been edited by BQ (edited 07-21-2001).]