Removal

Well, it's official ~ I am to be parted with my pet gallstone which I posted about here as well.

After much testing, gastroscopies, biopsies, ultrasounds, blood tests ~ my internist and surgeon have through the process of elimination determined that due to the size of my gallstone ~ my gall bladder is non-functioning with a slightly thickened outer wall and irritated lining.

It amazes me though that the surgery is done via laparoscopic surgery (five little puncture wounds) and I will be in and out on the same day. When my grandmother had hers out many, many years ago, she was in the hospital for a week and very ill for over three weeks.

There are pros and cons for this surgery. There is a 60% chance that I will still experience symptoms after the cholecystectomy. So do I proceed with this procedure (which is booked) or do I carry on with the nausea, pain, bloating, diarrhea, heartburn, gnawing, etc...

If I can live with these symptoms indefinately, I can carry on with no further problems other than the ones I mentioned above, as the stone is very large, there is virtually no chance that it will ever move into and lodge in a duct.

Then the question ~ will dietary changes help?

Here is alist of foods I should try to avoid:

Eggs, pork, onion, fowl, milk, coffee, oranges, grapefruit, corn, beans, nuts, in that order.

Trans fats, hydrogenated, partially-hydrogenated oils, margarine, fried foods, saturated fats including coconut oil, red meats, dairy products, eggs (Research shows that eggs caused symptoms in up to 95% of patients).

Coffee, regular or decaf, chocolate, ice cream, black tea, alcohol (what no bloody caesar), beer, wine, liqueur, fruit juice, carbonated water, tap water, radishes and turnips, cabbage, cauliflower, colas and all sodas, oats (for some people), wheat, barley, rye (although the sour German rye's seem to be less troublesome). all legumes (beans) as they tend to increase the cholesterol in the bile.

Artificial sweeteners, sugar, preservatives, refined and bleached foods (like white flour)

Certainly doesn't leave me much of a choice to eat now does it????

So far, I have not been able to find any food that doesn't seem to cause problems except for Oatmeal. Very small meals also are much easier on the tummy, but it is a matter of changing the way I think.

So to this end, I think after giving this some thought, I am going to do three things.

One ~ Have the gall bladder removed.
Two ~ Change my way of thinking about the way I eat. Try to move towards a more vegetarian type of diet. And just as a little extra, I am going to do my utmost to lose 10 pounds before the surgery.
Three ~ Ask the surgeon to save my pet. I want to personally meet this little beggar who has caused me all this grief.