Gall Stone Discovered...What To Do!

[maaka]

no hospital where I am, but my old mate's brother had gall stones..he drank half a litre of olive oil, then half a litre of lemon juice, then another half litre of olive oil, and then another half litre of lemon juice ( to kill the taste of the oil) then went to the toilet and sh.t out something like 60 gall stones of different sizes...THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE..

[thighlander]

I'VE HEARD SOME OF THOSE COLON CLEANSING THINGS WILL MAKE YOU nonsense GRAVEL. My pingpong ball, was most definitley a gall stone. I wish that I had sold it on Ebay. The chinese go intot he cowfields looking for them.

[pienmash]

Today I went for the SILVER Health Check-Up at Panyavejinter Hospital Udon Thani (formerly Paulo), and after having performed an ultra-sound on the upper abdomen area, a gall stone 1.5 cm. in size was discovered. The doctor who reviewed my diagnostics gave me one opinion which made it sound not too serious, but sent me on to a specialist who does a LAPAROSCOPIC surgery with only two small incisions to remove the gall bladder. Anticipated cost at Paulo is 55-60,000 baht. I don't know much about this type of surgery, but will begin now to scan the internet for all the details and options. Has anyone out there had this surgery in Thailand, more particularly Udon, who might be able to coach me along as I decide what steps to take next. I got what I considered mixed advice from both doctors. The surgeon says the stone could block the exit bile duct and cause an inflammation and ultimate rupture, but I could go 2-3 years and nothing could happen...so it's "up to me"! Any further advice from someone that's "been there and done that" would be greatly appreciated.

Been thru the same adventure a year ago , mutilple gall stones ,, gall bladder out using camera and 3 pronged atack ,, DO NOT GO CONVENTIONAL BIG SLICE.

Massive difference in cost ,, Military hospital the best , pay doc under the table at his clinic near mcdonalds and he does the op at the MH ....... in my case .

Nowt to worry about , he told me people go all thru life with stnes only dangerous if blocks a tube , then real pain and an emergency op .

Mash

[siddiq]

Did you have a general anaesthetic?

[pienmash]

Did you have a general anaesthetic?

Yes of course i had GA .......... i suggested 20 pints of Magners cider but they declined , gave me a small ***** and i was away with the fairies while they did the op .

[jackspratt]

............. but they declined , gave me a small ***** and ............

Did they charge extra for that, and what did the Mrs say?

[Stantheman]

I know old thread but thought, for comparison I would post he cost to Medicare for my Gall Bladder removal surgery here in the U.S. The Hospital bill was a little over $19,600 and Doctor, Anesthesia cost and tests was another $6,000. This is of course the billed cost to insurance so actual insurance payment will be less once everything processed. My cost still to be determined but right now, before secondary insurance pays their portion, about $450.

[Airportwo]

I have long been very wary of the medical proffesion! - say no more.............

20 years ago I was told I needed to have gall bladder removed, I opted to "cleanse and flush out stones, have had no problems since & I still have my gall bladder! http://www.curezone.org/cleanse/liver/ There are many variants and recipes, something that has been around for hundreds of years.

Consequences of Gallbladder Surgery: Overview

Alternative Names: Postcholecystectomy Syndrome

Quote.
One of the biggest crimes in modern American medicine is the amount of unnecessary surgery preformed. Gallbladder surgery is the most common operation in North America. Every year, more than half a million people in the United States and more than 50,000 people in Canada undergo surgery to remove their gallbladders (cholecystectomy) because of gallstones. Many of these surgeries are unnecessary.

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Incidence; Causes and Development

Some 7% of Americans harbor gallstones, and as we get older these stones become even more common – half of all women in the US over the age of 70 have gallstones. The huge prevalence of this disease has the potential for big medical business. Consider that at the turn of the century there were 800,000 hospitalizations, and $2 billion spent annually on gallbladder disease. With more honest consumer information all of these figures could be cut to a fraction of the present figures.

If it were true that doctors actually help people by removing symptomatic gallstones, then the medical business would be actively trying to eradicate the "gallstone plague" upon our society by setting up X-ray booths and surgical units on every street corner across the country. This action would cause well-deserved criticism, because the scientific research clearly and consistently shows that your risk of death and disability is much greater if you take a course of immediate surgery upon discovery of gallstones, rather than "watchful waiting", until some symptoms develop.

Patient surveys taken 2 to 24 months after both open and laparoscopic cholecystectomy indicate that 40-50% of patients have one or two symptoms that continue, such as abdominal discomfort from excess bowel gas or dull pain, although 80-90% regard the operation as highly successful. One of the most serious complications of gallbladder surgery is injury to the common bile duct. Because of limited visibility, this injury is more common with laparoscopy surgery than open surgery. (Major bile duct injuries occur in about 0.33-0.5% of laparoscopic operations, compared with about 0.06% in open procedures.)

Gallbladder patients just need to thin out their bile, clean up their diet and eliminate food allergens. Once a gallbladder has been removed, there are things you can do to reduce the consequences.
Complications

Reasons to Keep Your Gallbladder. Long-term consequences of removal of your gallbladder are related to the lack of a storage sack for bile acids. Bile is continuously synthesized by the liver. The purpose of the gallbladder is to store this greenish fluid between meals. When you eat, the gallbladder contracts, emptying its contents into the small intestine, where the bile mixes with the food. If there is no storage sack (gallbladder), then the bile constantly drips into the intestine, even when no food is present. In this concentrated form, the bile acids are very irritating to the linings of the intestine. In the short term, irritation of the large intestine by bile acids often causes diarrhea – and long-term the irritation can cause colon cancer. This is the reason why cancer of the right side of the colon is more common in people who have had their gallbladders removed.

[JMT42]

I had it done ,four small holes. One for the camera, one for an air line to blow you up and a couple of tools to do the job.I had a few attacks before they did the job ,pain is so bad your blood pressure goes up gives you the symtoms of a heart attack, very nasty.

[Happybird77]

Maybe you don't like what I did, but it may help you in a jam. About 6 years ago at my wifes Mom's home in Bandune, I got severe pain, severe pain. It put me on the floor. Wanted to pee, could not. Back and forth from the toilet to the floor, for the next 4 hours! What can you do in bandune? Clean your schedule for the next few hours, push, lay down, push. When it passed (or broke) the gall stone came out like brown water. Then it was all done. Why gall stones? I am thinking too much calcium or other mineral. I think gall stones are like a chicken egg, it needs mineral to form a shell or stone. FYI.

[rjj04]

"According to the American Medical Association, 80 percent of gallstones are made of hardened cholesterol that develops when there is too much cholesterol in the gallbladder. Other causes include high levels of bilirubin and a concentration of bile in the gallbladder." http://www.top10homeremedies.com/home-r ... tones.html

[panmotor]

I mentioned on a separate thread that my 4 year old granddaughter had come down with Henoch Schonlein Pupura. After more than a month in hospital, she is out and, apparently recovered although, there are potential long term effects to the kidneys which may crop up later.

However, we were told a few weeks back that she had gallstones as a result of HSP and she probably needs her gall bladder removing. She is presently taking medication and returns for a consultation later this month when they may or may not operate.

Maybe I am overly suspicious from reading this thread but wonder whether this is just another case of finding something to make money on! I would hate her to endure more suffering if it's unnecessary but, apart from getting a 2nd opinion, which we would do, we can only trust what the doctors say and assume they are acting correctly.

[semperfiguy]

I mentioned on a separate thread that my 4 year old granddaughter had come down with Henoch Schonlein Pupura. After more than a month in hospital, she is out and, apparently recovered although, there are potential long term effects to the kidneys which may crop up later.

However, we were told a few weeks back that she had gallstones as a result of HSP and she probably needs her gall bladder removing. She is presently taking medication and returns for a consultation later this month when they may or may not operate.

Maybe I am overly suspicious from reading this thread but wonder whether this is just another case of finding something to make money on! I would hate her to endure more suffering if it's unnecessary but, apart from getting a 2nd opinion, which we would do, we can only trust what the doctors say and assume they are acting correctly.

Panmotor, don't you dare trust what the doctors say and assume they are acting correctly. You are living in a country where lying for profit is a way of life. You must be prudent and seek a second opinion. When my gallstone was diagnosed nearly 5 years ago, this piranha doctor jumped on me and even called in one of his buddies to try to double-close me into letting them take out my gallbladder. I went home and did my research online and discovered that I had what's called an inactive gallstone. I've probably had it most of my life and it may never flare up. From what I've read, these types of surgeries are performed regularly all over the world without true necessity because they are a "cash cow" procedure. Don't take my word for it, but please don't make any hasty uninformed decisions.

[Jello]

Maybe I am overly suspicious from reading this thread but wonder whether this is just another case of finding something to make money on! I would hate her to endure more suffering if it's unnecessary but, apart from getting a 2nd opinion, which we would do, we can only trust what the doctors say and assume they are acting correctly.

Read up and get yourself informed before you go to the appointment. If your uncomfortable with what the Doctor is telling you, get a 2nd opinion.

Plenty of info on the internet, here's some websites to get you started:
http://www.healthline.com/health/gallbl ... val-open#2
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and- ... reatment#2
http://www.healthline.com/health/gallstones#Causes2

Hope your granddaughter is feeling better.

[Lone Star]

Second opinions are always good. Sometimes more than two opinions are good. =D>

When something doesn't seem right, we have gut feelings for a reason. :-"

[samster]

Just for info. My granddaughter went back to hospital today for a follow up and we were told that the gallstones have gone and, for this at least, she has the all clear. Seems all my suspicions were unfounded and my faith in Thai doctors is restored until the next time......!!

Thanks for your comments guys and, whilst at it, thanks to those who responded on the separate thread when she was diagnosed with HSP. The PMs, including those from individuals who had been through similar, helped considerably and, for me at least, illustrated what the forum should be about. It would be great to have an ex pat community out here who support and help each other (as happens in other parts of the world) but, then again, I have always been something of an idealist!!

Thanks again

[panmotor]

Oh and panmotor =samster in case anyone picks up on it. One is generally for personal comments and the other to act as a mouthpiece for my wifes business!!

[jackson]

Hi semperfiguy, I had severe pain in my gut while living in Au. It slowly subsided , went to my exellent doctor and he diagnosed it was a gall stone. Called a gall stone attack for the want of a better description. He told me the norm in au. at the time was if you get a second attack have the gall blader removed. Abour 6 mths later I did have the same fairly accute pain so off to have it out. I had private insuranc so don't know the cost.
I asked the surgeon to save it for me to take a look at it. Turned out to about the size of a garden pea and looked like a small mine . Roundish and spiky. It was dark brown and very hard , so I understand when they say shatter it. In my case I would not like the thought of having to pee out the pieces.
It was done laproscpically with out any issues to be concerned about. From memory out and about the garden next day. So minus a gall blader made me wonder how one gets on without a resivor of bile. Apparently there is sufficient remaining in the tubing ( or something like that) however 10 years later still everything good as. No furthe issues

Personally I cannot imagine it being disolved with diet or anything else, just my opinion though. To me it seems if one gets an "attack" the pain is tolerable , doubtfull if life threatening and time to get to a doc. Again my oppinion only, just from personal experience

[jackson]

Just noticed my reply to superfiguy was an old query, sorry about that. Mabe it is good general advice anyway

[semperfiguy]

Just noticed my reply to superfiguy was an old query, sorry about that. Mabe it is good general advice anyway

The reply is very much appreciated Jackson. Actually, it's been nearly 6 years since my gallstone was first discovered. I'm glad I made the decision not to have surgery because it has never given me the least bit of a problem. If one does his homework he will discover that the majority of stones are inactive ones that may have been there for decades and may never give one a problem his entire life. Others may experience an "attack" and that can be serious and surgery may be recommended. I'm thankful that I didn't listen to the two different surgeons that were ushered into the room for their sales pitch once the stone showed up on an ultrasound. They pounced on me like a cheetah on a small deer and were "smelling the money", but I didn't bite and opted to go home and research for myself on the internet. Forewarned is forearmed....good advice for anyone visiting a doctor in a private hospital in Thailand. If one doesn't believe that they must meet a certain dollar quota of revenue for the hospital in order to keep their jobs, then that person needs to take off his rose-colored glasses and see the light!