Gall Bladder Information Anyone?

Note: I changed the font of the headlines as I realized that no one could see the script that I had. Please let me know if it doesn't look like a script.

What and Where is the Gall Bladder?
The Gall Bladder is a small pear-shaped organ on the underside of the liver that is used to store bile. Bile is made in the liver and is stored in the gall bladder until it is needed to help the digestion of fat. It is about 7-10cm long and is dark green in appearance due to its contents (bile).

Interesting - It's pretty tiny. I found a picture of one taken during surgery - pretty weird looking if you ask me (but it looked white, not dark green).

What is Gall Bladder disease?
Gall Bladder disease is a common condition that affects mainly women, although men can suffer too. The symptoms vary widely from discomfort to severe pain which mainly begins after food. In severe cases the patient can suffer from jaundice, nausea and fever. The most common reason for Gall Bladder disease is gallstones.

Discomfort? What do you think Nickey?

What are gallstones?
Gallstones are solid stones formed in the Gall Bladder from cholesterol, bile salts and calcium. They can vary in size from a few millimeters to a few centimeters.
What causes gallstones?
Gallstones are formed when bile contains too much cholesterol. The excess cholesterol forms crystals from which gallstones are made.

Hmmm...My cholesterol is low. I am lactose intolerant, so I don't get as much calcium as I probably should. Bile salts? I avoid table salt...Don't know about bile salt. Doesn't seem like I'll ever get gallstones!

Who is at risk of developing gallstones?
Gallstones are seen in all age groups but they are rare in the young. The possibility of developing gallstones increases with age. The following groups are considered to be at increased risk:
- People who have relatives with gallstones.
- Obese people.
- People with a high blood cholesterol level.
- Women who take drugs containing estrogen, eg contraceptive pills.
- People with diseases such as chronic intestinal inflammation

I am not oId. I don't have any relatives (that I know of) with gallstones. I am not obese. I do not have high cholesterol. I do not take estrogen. I do not have any chronic intestinal inflammation. Looks like I'm good to go!

Surgery for gallstones
When an operation is required for gallstones in the Gall Bladder it is usual to remove the Gall Bladder and gallstones together - this is called cholecystectomy. If the Gall Bladder is left behind it is quite likely that further gall stones will form in it. There are two ways of removing the Gall Bladder and nowadays more than 90 per cent are removed by laparoscopic or keyhole surgery.This involves making four small cuts less than 1cm long in the abdomen and the use of a tiny camera inserted though one of these cuts to see the Gall Bladder. Other instruments are placed in the abdomen through the other cuts. If the operation is successful most patients are able to go home the day after surgery and return to normal everyday activities within two weeks.In some cases laparoscopic surgery is considered too dangerous or too difficult and it is then necessary to do a traditional or 'open' cholecystectomy. This involves making a cut in the abdomen between 9 and 18cm long. The patient will usually need to stay in hospital for at least five days and will not be able to return to work for six to eight weeks.
Source of Gall Bladder Info

Do I really think you care about Gall Bladders? Nope.
Did I ever care about Gall Bladders? Nope.
So, why am I bringing this up now? Because I am scheduled to have laparoscopic surgery to remove mine in early January.

The web information for those at risk is missing one:
- People who were at one time larger than they should be (needing large amounts of bile to digest the large amounts of Big Macs) and have since adopted a healthy life-style (no more Big Macs) have an increased risk. This is because the liver creates the amount of bile that the body has always needed - but since the fat isn't there, the bile just sits in the Gall Bladder and turns into stones as its shelf life expires (ok, so I added the shelf life part, but the rest is what the surgeon told me).

I guess this is where I qualify - loosing 60lbs in 12 months...Yep, that will do it.

The surgeon has cleared me to restart my gym work-outs (within reason, probably with my pain meds), so I should be back posting regularly after Christmas.

The only other thing that is floating around in my mind right now? Being forced into eating FAT FREE (or as close to it as you can get) SUCKS! But that is my life until about a week after surgery. It's going to make for a wonderful Holiday season.

Namaste.

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one." - Jane Howard