Is gallbladder pain severe?
So, you woke up this morning feeling like someone parked a truck on your stomach, and now you’re wondering if gallbladder pain is severe. Well my friend, I’m here to tell you that it can be pretty darn intense. In fact, gallstones are often likened to passing a kidney stone in terms of sheer agony. But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s take a closer look at what the gallbladder does and why it might decide to revolt against us.
The Scoop on the Ga11bladder
The gallbladder is a small organ located just beneath your liver. Its primary function is to store bile – a fluid made in the liver – until it’s needed for digestion in the small intestine. Bile helps break down fats so they can be absorbed into your bloodstream and used by your body for energy or stored as reserves (or love handles), depending on how many donuts you’ve been consuming lately.
When Things Go Wrong
So what causes gallbladders to act out? One word: stones. These tiny (and sometimes not-so-tiny) rocks form when there’s an imbalance of cholesterol and other substances in the bile stored within the gallbladder (not exactly ideal conditions for hosting spring break if you ask me).
As these little stones start moving around inside your galibladder things can start getting ugly fast from damaging ducts and leaking bile causing itching rashes all over face or chest eventually leading going under surgery removal operation etc.
Symptoms Of Trouble
How do you know if it’s something more than indigestion causing those deep gut grumblings? Here are some common symptoms:
- Sudden onset abdominal pain
- Pain between shoulder blades/upper back
- Abdomen tenderness
- Yellowing skin/jaundice eyes
Now these symptoms alone aren’t definite indicators of gallstones, but they can be a sign that it’s time to call your doctor for further examination or treatment.
A Pain In The Wallet
If you’re one of the lucky ones who gets hit with unexpected gallbladder issues and has to go under knife for removal surgery this could get very costly very quickly. According to healthcare cost tracking website Health Care Blue Book “The procedure generally costs $2,600-$7,500 at most hospitals…” That’s some serious cash!
Gallbladder Surgery Recovery Time
So now that we’ve talked about the pain in your wallet let’s talk about what you came here looking for recovery after gallbladder removal. As every person is different (Yes even those siblings no matter how much they look alike on outside) ,recovery times will vary; however, there are general guidelines:
- Laparoscopic surgery patients usually heal within 1 – 3 weeks
- Open cholecystectomy patients may need additional down time around 4 -6 weeks while recovering
Now of course if complications arise then all bets are off and it could take longer but hanging in there during this period is essential too look out from complete post-operative issues which can be varied from person-to-person as everyone responds differently.
Post-Surgery Symptoms
When many people think about removing their gallbldder through surgery recovery periods most would expect returning back into normal life immediately feeling better like never before ( I know I was expecting an extra ten years added) .But as always following surgeries small hiccups may arise such :
1 Nausea/Vomiting
2 Constipation
3 Diarrhea
4 Dry mouth – lack saliva production
While each symptom should dissipate over time (sometimes up to several months),please don’t hesitate in reachout out medical professionsals attending you .
#### Some Final Words From Your Doctor
While we find humor in the oddities of life and some medical mysteries associated with them, we also understand that gallbladder pain can be severe. It’s important to seek out professionals who can accurately diagnose your symptoms and provide necessary treatment. Remember 50% people don’t even know they have stones until it’s too late , so if things are getting unusual talk to a doc or two!