Against my heartfelt wishes, it looks like I'll be going under the knife.
After proving myself a miserable failure at a HIDA exam this Thursday (despite THREE attempts at getting radioactive dye into my gallbladder), my doctor decreed that there's a blockage in the duct between my liver and gallbladder.
A sonogram shows nothing, but the HIDA test was conclusive: the gallbladder is not getting any bile from the liver (meaning it's backing up and slowly giving me jaundice, which makes me feel like I'm a W. Somerset Maugham short story).
The docs want to rip my poor, inoffensive, and otherwise un-inflamed gallbladder out because this one nasty duct has gone rogue. I don't quite see the point, but also realize it would be unwise to continue to irritate my liver.
I'm very unhappy at having this situation imposed upon me; I'll admit to being vain over my general heartiness and good health. This makes me feel like I've failed in some way.
It would be nice to ignore the doctors and symptoms and pretend this is nothing, but I'm in near-constant pain on my right side. Not bad, but .... ever-present. It will only get worse, I know.
There's nothing for it but to grit my teeth, get a second-opinion out of general common sense, and then submit to the obvious. I am feeling rundown in a way I've never felt before, tired and draggy. My skin is dull, my hair kind of flat. In short, I'm far from my normal self.
I hate the idea of surgery, even laproscopic, and really hate that I'm still so big and having to deal with doctors. ( I feel like they are all judging me and blaming me for my health problem because I'm overweight, even if they don't say anything directly to me).
Eating is all kinds of weird b/c of the gallbladder situation, but I'd say it's .... well, it's ok. I probably am eating a bit more than I should (the ache increases when I get hungry, to very painful levels), but am making good choices. Still, it's calories at the end of the day that count.
I've been warned by my docs about a low-fat diet, which I bristled at because really, how do they know I don't already follow a low-fat diet? I get quite paranoid and touchy around doctors, don't I?
How can this be possible
3 years ago
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Oh no! I hope that you can get this resolved soon. Best wishes to you.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear of the surgery, but it sounds like it's necessary. My best to you for a speedy recovery!
ReplyDeleteYuck! Hopefull you can get it done and over with fast!
ReplyDeleteI suspect you'll feel so much better after the surgery that you'll be very glad you had it. Ask your doctor if he can use the Da Vinci procedure to remove the gallbladder. Our surgeons use it with great success.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to read this, but at least you now seem to know what it is. I am right with you on the second opinion though. Hopefully you will be past this soon.
ReplyDeleteThat sucks, but near constant pain is not a good thing for you. I'm sure you'll feel so good after it's done that you'll wish it had happened earlier. Best of luck for a speedy recovery.
ReplyDeleteHi Ish, on DAMN!!! Sorry to hear this. If it helps, a good friend of ours had her gallbladder out just last week, and she's already SOOOO much better as a result. Take care of yourself.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear this:( And, while my surgery was probably a lot less invasive, I can feel your pain.
ReplyDeleteMan, Ish, I hope you get better! If surgery is your only choice, then I say take it! And really, there could be some other reason for the problem other than your presumed poor diet.
ReplyDeleteHang in there, Ish! I'm praying for your recovery.