# Nonfunctioning gallbladder- help- I need advice



## LynnD (May 3, 2003)

Hi Everyone. I've been reading this board for quite a while, trying to learn and research, but I just joined. I've been having IBS related problems for years. However, the past 3 months I have had moderate to severe RUQ pain, mostly under my right ribcage. I've had a battery of tests: upper and lower GI, blood work (normal 3 months ago), Ultrasound (no stones), and now finally a hida scan. They put me on Levbid, then Bentyl, then Belladonna, all did nothing for the pain.Well I got my hida scan results yesterday. Completely nonfunctioning gallbladder. My ejection fraction was -18%. Yes, negative! How is that even possible?? The dr. said my gallbladder is completely dead in there. I am so scared. They want me to have surgery ASAP, but of course I can't even talk to the surgeon until Monday. Has anybody else ever had a negative ejection fraction? Also, is it possible that this diseased gallbladder is effecting my other organs? The stress of this is making the pain even worse. And the thought of what is actually happening in my body is driving me crazy. Is it risky to keep waiting for surgery?? (the doctor told me I could go the emergency room and get it out yesterday, but I don't like the idea of just anybody performing surgery in an ER setting). I am so scared. Everyone on this board seems so knowledgable and supportive. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Lynn


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

Mine was also not functioning when I found I had the problem with the gall bladder. It may not be something you can just put off because it can become abcessed and cause you very serious problems besides what you are putting up with now. Around 10% of the people who have it removed may have diarrhea problems afterwards but you may not and you can live without it. I hope you make the right decision for you.Linda


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## LynnD (May 3, 2003)

Should I go to the emergency room for surgery or wait until Monday to see the surgeon (which will then schedule the surgery for sometime after that). I'm so nervous.... I don't know if it can wait a week or if its urgent????


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## hunter3000 (Apr 30, 2002)

if it was me i would wait and talk to the surgeon,if he thinks it needs taken care of right away he should do it asap.if your gallbladder is non functioning,its basically the same as people like me who have had them removed.when they remove it,more than likely they will do a laproscopy,3 small insicions with a fairly short recovery time,i personally had a scar from a previous near death accident,so they couldnt cut through it{but they did try,leaving me with another cut to heal}so they had to take it out with a 9 inch cut under my right ribcage,making my recovery long a very painful. as Lnape said,some have diarrehea problems after,i didnt have any trouble till they removed my gall bladder,then the "d" started.im guessing your doc said for you to go in to the E.R. basically if the pain becomes too much to handle.i know with mine i was kept in the hospital until monday then the surgeon came to see me.mine wasnt dead though,so i suffered 3 months until my operation.anyway,these are just my experiances and not exactly like yours, so good luck with your descion.if you do go to the e.r. you would at least be in less pain,and getting it removed may be done a bit quicker.good luck


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

If you are not having a lot of pain or have a fever I would wait to see the surgeon and let him schedule the operation. It is much easier operation today then when I had it done in 1976. You will do fine.Linda


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## EYEBSER2 (Apr 27, 2003)

Please air on the side of caution and if you can stand the pain wait to get opinions from the experts, not just one mind you. Of course a surgeon CUTS, that's what they do, that's what they like to do, and that's what they get paid for. Please remember that. If that is what put the bacon on your table wouldn't YOU recommend surgery to almost anyone that seemed to need it? I'm surely not saying you don't I just want you to look at all the options. Start asking if there is any medication or thing, maybe diet wise, you can do to jump start that gall bladder. When ever you remove something from your body that was originally intended to be there you set yourself up for other problems. I say that because 10 years ago I had mine removed. Oh yes, I had to...a stone the size of a golf ball blocked the duct, but I had it taken out the easier route of laproscopically...About 2 years later had adhesion pain, but those went away. Now IBS after 10 years, and if you read the posts here you will see there seems to be a connection between having the gall bladder out and developing IBS. I truely believe there is, not for everyone, but an awful lot of us. Don't be afraid of the surgery, it is relatively risk free............but remember for every surgical action, there is a reaction.Glad you are here looking for support and answers..........there are some very kind and smart folks on this board. You came to the right place!


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## bw100 (May 6, 2003)

Don't put off seeing the doctor for too long. I had the same symptoms as you and put off seeing anyone until the pain was so bad I went to the ER. I found out I had pancreatitis (no gallstones, normal liver), but the HIDA scan said my ejection fraction was 2% (not good). The point is, gallbladder problems can lead to pancreatitis which could be a very serious problem. I ended up having a laprascopic cholecystectomy and could have gone home the same day if I wanted to. I was back at work 10 days post op. The recovery period wasn't too bad. The trouble is, it doesn't help with IBS, but I felt better after the surgery anyways. Also, the surgery would be done in an operating room, not in the ER.


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## Lori B. (Jan 19, 2003)

I had all those symptoms and all those tests and my hida scan results were negative 5, totally non-functioning gallbladder. I had it removed within a week and I felt SOOOO much better and my IBS went away completely from Dec 98-Oct 02, when it came back for some unknown reason, possibly food poisoning. So, I highly recommend getting it removed right away. Please don't be scared, it is not a difficult sugery and you will feel so much better. Best wishes.....


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## RitaLucy (May 3, 2000)

Well I guess I am a ticking time bomb also. I have a 15% ejection fraction rate. I saw a surgeon but I didn't like the hospital that he does surgery at so I put it off. I have been able to maintain my spasms and symptoms in my RUQ with not doing too much exercise, eating small healthy meals, and taking my meds prn.I know I need to have mine out as well and the surgeon told me that it is best while this is still an elective type situation. He told me that when the gallbladder is functioning so poorly other things can come, like stones which I don't currently have according to the ultrasound and CT scan that I had. Now another gastro Dr. in the same group as mine tells me that if I can manage it then there is no rush to have it out. I have been dealing with the symptoms for a very long time but mine have always come and gone for periods of time. I don't think it is an emergency situation and I would definitely take some time to feel comfortable with the surgeon, the hospital etc. Even though it is considered a minor surgery with the key hole type procedure they are still cutting off a duct and a major vessel. I had the surgeon go over every step with me so I would understand exactly what they will be doing in the procedure.The biggest risk and I guess with any surgery is when they cut off the major vessel -- they have to be sure that the bleeding has stopped. They do this either by cauterization or laser and then they wait to be sure that the blood supply has been stopped to the cut vessel.It is still a surgery and you need to cover your bases. I do agree that it is much better to have the surgery before it becomes an emergency situation and it is always better not to have to operate when there is a major infection present. I guess the name for it is Biliary Dyskinesia.Good luck...please let me know how things for you.


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## LynnD (May 3, 2003)

Thank you ALL so much for all your replies. I ended up going to the ER, I couldnt take the pain. They admitted me, and I had my GB out last Monday. The surgery went fine. But I'm having severe D, the doctor says it should go away. Also severe heartburn like nausea. Anybody else experience this after getting their gallbladder out?Again, thanks.


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## Homebound (Jan 27, 2000)

LOL Well nevermind all that, I see you had the surgery!! That's what I get for not reading the whole thread!







I'm so glad you had it out though, it's nothing to fool around with!Yes being a bit nauseated and heartburn is completely normal. Try to eat a low fat, not too rich diet for a while. I still get heartburn actually, and I do believe it's thanks to the missing gallbladder now. But it's still NOTHING compared to those gallbladder attacks!Hope you are 100% soon!


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