20 years ago i had pain and was told it's gall stones but with a diet change and some weight loss it stopped. 20 years later had some problems with acid reflux and after almost 2 years my doctor now thinks it's Cholelithiasis NOS ? and said do i want my gallbladder removed i said well at the moment i am manging it ok and he thinks i was right to wait.
But did say any problems he will get me in to have it removed.
What i would like to know is do you think i have done the right thing ?
I will say I think it's a good decision not to do if you can avoid it, but the problem is gallbladder stuff usually gets worse with time and you don't want to end up in the situation that a lot of us have which is waiting in pain and vomiting months waiting to get the surgery when it does get bad. Have you had occurrence of stones? Because it also really depends on the cause. I had episodes of acute inflammation. The acalculous causes can be complicated too, but a lot of times taking out the gallbladder is still the best option unfortunately. I had ebv and autoimmune related failure of my gallbladder which of course if you source the cause of inflammation and treat that it will minimize it but a lot of times these causes of inflammation are chronic and not easy to treat so living with it still wasn't an option for me. Most people I've seen who had stone related gallbladder issues and nothing else coinciding did very well after the surgery and had no more issues following. I think the people who still have issues following the surgery are people who had non stone related gallbladder causes. It's a very thin line though when you have gallbladder issues. It can go from manageable to worse very quickly, depending. If you're managing ok right now I would figure out the cause first and go from there. If it's something that's treatable which will stop the issue without taking it out do that first, if it's going to continue to progress like stones etc., get it out while you're strong and healthy instead of when you're sick which will make the recovery extremely difficult. I lost a lot of weight (got down to a scary 97lbs) because I because I waited so long to do the surgery because I felt ok and then I went from manageable to worse very quickly and had to wait months to get scheduled for the surgery.
Yes out it comes. Why suffer all these problems you are telling us. All of my digestive problems are gone. No more nausea and vomiting. In time after op you have to stick to a fat-free diet. Enjoy life again. Good Luck.
It's all shrunk and full of stones and my doctor thinks some are in the duct, but i am manging it ok at the moment so will wait a while. only is because i will have to have loads of lung test and others before they do anything because of all my other problems which i will list below.
Emphysema
acid reflux
liver problems
gallstones
prostate problems
geographic tongue
epididymis
There is more but i will be here all day if i carry on 
i feel sorry for you. how did you manage for 20 years? enough bile may not gone in to your body and you might have run in to other issues. what are the symptoms you had in this 20 years with gallstones?
Better to remove the stones asap as it is in the duct. seems you need an ECRP and gall bladder removal (if you have stones in the gb)
Had pain 20 years ago then managed to get it to stop. No a year and half ago i started getting acid reflux which effected my throat so stopped me eating and lost weightm then the doctors sent me tot he hosptial to see what's wrong after scan and other stuff they said i have all the problems i mentioned above.
But last 3 months i have put weight and symptoms have got loads better that's why i think i should wait to see if it starts again.
My opinion would be and it is just my opinion none of us know your medical background is to have it out while you are relatively stable. Some of your other conditions may also be being made worse by a poorly function system. The recovery is not always easy for everyone but your body is already coping with an disadvantage system so you might find things a lot easier. I think you've done well and managed it for 20 years . But it's probably had a detrimental effect on you in a gradual way. good luck with what you decide to do. My surgeon said to me I can take it out now while you are reasonably well in a controlled planned manner or I'll see you blue lighted through a and e and then we might not be able to it by keyhole. Let us know what you decide.
Thanks for the reply and info. I am thinking about what to do i really hate hospitals and don't trust them at all, I am not lucky at all and if something is going to go wrong it will be me that it goes wrong for lol
I do have alot of health problems but to be honest i feel ok and the other thing that puts me off is i work for myself and work all the time every day of the year even xmas.
I agree with the above. Also, if it's shrunk and full of stones as he says and you have stones in your duct, I honestly am not sure how you would be managing so well. You normally get features of obstruction jaundice when you have stones lodged in the ducts. I don't know if he told you and not to scare you, but if you have that many stones and in your ducts, you could end up perforating which you reeeally do not want to end up with. It's an emergency and then the surgery gets more complicated and you'll have to have drains and be cleaned out. Hospitals are not fun I know. I'm one of the unlucky ones too, but find a good hospital and a doctor who's done this a lot. This is an extremely common surgery
I'm sorry that one sentence meant to say stones in your ducts and gallbladder* you could perforate
Doctor only thinks i might have stones stuck because one part of my liver function test way high this one below use to be 142 but it's bome down over the last few months and my acid is loads better and i have put 10lbs on which is good.
Serum alkaline phosphatase level 133 iu/L [30 - 130]
PS he also said that the duct instead of being 3mm it's 11 or was when i had my last scan about 6 months ago
so after initial diagnosis of gallstones before 20 years and then you followed the diet right , did the gallstones went away? did you took any scan to make sure the stones are gone after some years following diet?
I never follwed any diet just stopped eating chinese curry. the stones are still here my gall bladder is full and shrunk
John I know exactly where you are coming from I am the same always goes wrong terrified of hospital dentist blood test. I cried all the night before my op, on the journey to hospital and down to theatre. Even with all the reassurance I was given , I had never had surgery before and I was convinced I'd die or wake up during it (I didnt) :-) . I was amazed to wake up in recovery and here I am now. You can't live with this for the rest of your life and they won't go away. Accept that you're frightened tell everyone who deals with you , I'm sure you'll be glad you did it. As someone else posted it can be nasty if left to get to an emergency situation. Plus if its in the state you've been told it must be effecting your liver too I would of thought.
Thanks yes i am terrified of hospital / docotrs / and dentists that's why i hardly have any teeth and pull my own out 
But i did go back to the doctors tonight and seen a new one who said she would go if it was her, so i said send me then to see what they say.
Good grief if you can pull your own teeth out you're a brave man ! I just have a lovely dentist who understands the urge to erupt off the chair!!:-)I know what you mean its allowing someone else to do it thats the problem for us and giving them control. Well done for taking the doctors advice . I Think thats a good idea one step at a time you will have time to adjust your thoughts to each stage before the next appointment.
Just got to wait doubt i will hear anything until after xmas. Pulling your teeth out is not that bad to be honest.
When my gallstones first started 20 years ago and had bad pain i still worked witht the pain lol
Pulling your own teeth sounds like a horror movie!! If you are in the uk it will definitely be in the new year. Work will be difficult if you have surgery but the bigger picture hopefully some of your other conditions will improve too. It amazed me as to how many things were effected by an iffy gallbladder. Its amazing you worked through the pain I was passing out and in a right mess on a few occasions before op.
Horror movie lol i have my own business and work everyday of the week even xmas day if i get a support request. And i work from home on computers so should be ok hopefully.