Gallstones may cause no signs or symptoms. If a gallstone becomes lodged in a duct and causes a blockage, symptoms hat may result include sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the upper right portion or the center of the abdomen, back pain between the shoulder blades, or pain in the right shoulder. The pain could last several minutes to a few hours.
Many people don't think twice about skipping meals -- then there are the people who will crash diet in order to lose weight quickly to fit into a dress. And there are those people who don't maintain a healthy weight. All these scenarios can set a person up for the risk of developing gallstones -- hardened deposits of digestive fluid that can form in the gallbladder -- that range in size from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a golf ball.
A gallstone that becomes lodged in the neck of the gallbladder can cause inflammation of the gallbladder, and can cause severe pain and fever. Gallstones can block the tubes through which bile flows from the gallbladder or liver to the small intestine, and jaundice and bile duct infection can result. A gallstone can also cause blockage in the pancreatic duct that can lead to inflammation of the pancreas.
Pancreatitis causes intense, constant abdominal pain and usually requires hospitalization. And people with a history of gallstones have an increased risk of gallbladder cancer, which is rare. While gallstones aren't necessarily dangerous, they can lead to discomfort and other health issues depending on how the stones pass through the body.
Simone Smith (name changed), in her 40's, knows all too well the pain that comes with having gallstones. But having gone through a number of medical scares in her life, she didn't think much about the sporadic pain she felt in her stomach over a number of years. It was at one of her many medical check-ups that she had to have a Computer Tomography (CT) scan done that she learned her "little tummy ache" was actually caused by gallstones.
"At the time I didn't even think it was too serious," said Smith who has also battled breast cancer. "It was something I could live with, after all it wasn't bothering me all too much. In fact like any typical Bahamian when it comes to pains in your stomach, I thought that it was just gas. And since I was going through other medical issues, taking care of that problem was the last thing on my mind. It was only within the last two years that the gallstones have gotten significantly worse and the pain became severe that I knew I had to do something."
Gallstones may have no signs or symptoms. If a gallstone lodges in a duct and causes a blockage, symptoms that may result include sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the upper right portion or the center of the abdomen, back pain between the shoulder blades, or pain in the right shoulder. The pain could last several minutes to a few hours.
There are no clear-cut reasons as to why gallstones develop, but many factors are associated with their formation. They tend to occur in people who are over 40 and mostly in pre-menopausal females as opposed to males. Being overweight, genetics and having an irregular exercise habit can also contribute gallstones' development.
Smith was presented with a few options to deal with her problem, such as herbal remedies or surgery to remove the stones. She chose to have her entire gall bladder removed to avoid the problem ever occurring again.
The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ on the right side of the abdomen, just beneath the liver that aids mainly in fat digestion and secretes bile produced by the liver. Humans do not need their gallbladders to live, and gallbladder removal doesn't affect a person's ability to digest food, but it can cause diarrhea, which doctors say is usually temporary. Once the gallbladder is removed, bile flows directly from the liver into the small intestine rather than being stored in the gallbladder.
A mere two weeks after having her gallbladder laparoscopically removed, Smith said she felt the difference and was glad she made the decision to live without it and the pain.
"The only thing that concerned me a little was that I had to change my eating habits. Since I don't have my gallbladder anymore, which makes the gastric fluid that breaks down fats, I can't eat as much of my favorite fatty or spicy foods like peas and rice, macaroni and fried chicken. Although it is a loss, I do think it was for the best because with conditions like this, had I been eating a lot healthier it may not have occurred. Now I have a serious reason to stay on the straight and narrow with my health and it will be a good thing in years to come."
While Smith is relieved, general practitioner Dr. Ian Kelly, told The Nassau Guardian in an earlier interview that although gallstones are often not seen as a dangerous medical condition, if they are not treated properly, they can lead to other health-related issues like infections in the pancreas or the gallbladder, and can lead to jaundice if the bile isn't filtered properly.
Although intense pain is often associated with gallstones, not everyone who develops them will have symptoms. The doctor said some people could go for years without knowing about the stones because the pain is non-existent. For others, the pain is so minor he said they don't opt to have them removed at all.
"The removal of gallstones is one of the most common surgeries done, and for many people it happens when they face complications due to their gallstones," said Dr. Kelly.
"The pain people feel comes from the stones trying to pass through the ducts. These stones tend to be smaller [less than eight millimeters] and can successfully pass out of the system on their own, but the larger ones can get stuck, and if they cause a blockage in the gallbladder, they can cause an intense pain in the upper right side of the abdomen. It can last for a while or pass quickly."
The most pain can occur after a fatty meal. Bloating, gas, indigestion and belching are also common signs of gallstones. It is important to be accurately diagnosed by a physician.
When the pain becomes too much or patients show signs of an infection in the gallbladder or pancreas, alternative medications or surgery may be recommended.
"There are several ways to deal with gallstones. There are medications that can help them pass, and, of course, there are surgeries to remove the gallstones -- or if it's really serious the entire gallbladder may have to be removed. But before you make any serious decisions you will need to speak with your physician or a surgeon," said Dr. Kelly.
Shavaughn Moss, Guardian Lifestyles Editor
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