Oh my Gally!

When gallstones become life-threatening

It’s been exactly a year since I experienced the most excruciating pain ever. I felt like an elephant was weighing down on me. The pain radiated from my abdomen all the way to my spine and upper back. It intensified whenever I breathed! So I endured the pain as I took breaths of precious air.

My pain threshold is high. I was in denial for three months all the while getting severe abdominal pain attacks. One was after I had a slice of pizza, then another after I attended a dinner party, and another one when I had half a cup of soda! I told myself perhaps my digestive system is more sensitive since I am no long used to eating high fat foods and drinking cabonated beverages for a decade now.

At the back of my mind, however, I knew that there was something wrong. I suspected gallstones but as I said I was in denial until that fateful day when I excreted clay-colored stools and tea-colored urine. Ominous signs that told me I had an obstruction in my common bile duct and that I was terribly sick. I broke down, accepted my fate, and prayed for healing. So off I went to have my blood exam and urinalysis done further confirming that my liver enzymes were deranged and I had infection. To make matters worse, I was starting to turn yellowish!

A team of seven doctors (endocrinologist, hepatologist, gastroenterologist, laparoscopic surgeon, urologist, and anesthesiologists) was formed, thus diagnosing me with ascending cholangitis. A medical emergency brought about by infection of the common bile duct due to an obstruction by gallstones and in my case also biliary sludge—particulates that precipitated from bile, a fluid produced by the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and released into the small intestine to digest lipids including fat, cholesterol, and fat soluble vitamins A,D,E, and K.

What causes gallstones to form? Well one of the things you don’t wish to inherit is this. Unfortunately for me, I did! A gallbladder that does not empty properly, obesity, type of diet, liver disease, medical conditions such as diabetes and hypothyroidism that could affect your lipids (triglycerides and cholesterol levels), and drastic weight loss can all lead to gallstone formation. There are two types of stones: cholesterol and pigment stones. Stones inside the gallbladder may not lead to an emergency situation but when the stones fall off and get into the common bile duct, then you’re in deep trouble just like I was.

What to expect during the recovery phase

After undergoing two procedures, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to put a stent in my common bile duct and laparoscopic cholecystectomy to remove my non-functioning gallbladder, not to mention a blood transfusion post surgery, I thought I was fine. Little did I know that I would experience more abdominal pain so severe that I was afraid I would have to undergo surgery again.

If you have gallstones and have opted to have your gallbladder removed, expect the following symptoms characteristic of postcholecystectomy syndrome during your recovery phase:

Abdominal pain

Uncontrollable and frequent flatulence

Bloating, indigestion

Diarrhea, especially after eating food that contains fat

What to do when you experience postcholecystectomy syndrome?

Consult your doctor for proper management and prescription

Eat small, frequent meals instead of few large ones

Chew your food properly, avoid hard to digest foods like meats

Eat fruits like banana and apple to help form stool

Hydrate throughout the day

Eat soup dishes with vegetables and lean protein like fish or chicken to boost immune system and enhance wound healing process

Avoid saturated fats from processed foods, pastries, and fastfood