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jillinak

Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2014
Messages
26
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
06/2014
Country
US
State
AK
City
Anchorage
A few years back I had a gall bladder attack. I haven't had any since until 1 month ago. I was in the ER because the pain was so bad. An ultrasound showed that I had an inflamed gallbladder and gallstones. It was recommended I have the gallbladder removed in the morning. I have a DPS and Peg tube and the surgeons here locally did not feel comfortable doing the surgery. Since I was released from the hospital I have only had 2 attacks (in 30 days). I was placed on Ursodial to help dissolve the stones. Since the ER visit I went to my ALS clinic and I was told that removing the gallbladder is the best choice because I may not be at the health level I need to be in the future if the attacks were to come back. I was also told it is pretty much guaranteed that I will have ongoing issues with the gallbladder.

I have scheduled surgery for Feb. 10th.

So my questions for you would be:

Have you experienced gallbladder issues?

Have you ever had surgery, been on the ventilator, and were able to come off? They say I am at risk to become dependent on the ventilator.

Thank you.

Jill
 
My sister did not have GB surgery but emergency spine surgery. I do not know where her respiratory numbers were as she has refused to tell me since they were 50% judging by her prior progression I doubt she was even 30% and no DPS. She came off the vent immediately postop and did well with suctioning cough assist and bipap for the first week.
Advocate to have all the relevant people consult beforehand. My sister's surgeon, anesthesiologist and the intensive care doctor all met beforehand and discussed her case together if you have a pulmonologist get them into the discussion too. Plan on having people around you when you go home who will be willing to help if you need extra respiratory care at first
Good luck!
 
I had gallbladder attacks for several years and was afraid the surgery would leave me on a vent. Then I ended up opting for a vent due to lung congestion. Three months later I suddenly spiked a fever of 104. No gallbladder pain or tenderness, just jaw breaking chills. Off to the ER, some testing, and it was determined to be from my gallbladder. The surgery was done and the surgeon said that as he expected, he was unable to remove my gallbladder fiber optically so I have the old fashioned 5 inch scar. The surgeon told me it was gangrenous or necrotic, I don't recall which. Either way I was septic and need major antibiotics to fix things. No one has ever said how close to septicemia and organ failure I was, but it was certainly a risk. I was so glad I was already on the vent before the attack of the Rotting Gallbladder!

I would recommend having it removed. If you go all feverish as I did, your muscles will be weak and possibly beyond the limits of the DPS. I had to have the breathing rate on vent turned up for that reason. I suspect that your local surgeons are too unfamiliar with the DPS to feel at all comfortable doing the surgery. A consult with the doctors who put in the DPS is needed, and perhaps returning to that hospital might be recommended. Getting it done before you are really ill should mean that the DPS can get you through it.
 
I had my gall bladder out 15 years ago but was healthy then, but I too am having surgery that week. I am having my pain pump changed. It was suggested that they insert a peg then but it is being done at an outpatient surgery center. How I am starting to hate our current medical field, go here for this, here for that, there for that text and another place for scans. I have put a ton of miles on my car, at least they are deductible!

Good luck on your surgery,
Doug
 
Thank you. I am planning on having an ultra sound done before hand as I have been taking this drug that is suppose to reduce the stones.
 
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