Post - Surgery update

I forgot to post about this last week (gee, I wonder why it slipped my mind?!) so I will just do ao quick update on what is going on with me, health wise.

I saw the surgeon for a follow up and complained that I was still experiencing quite a bit of pain to which he relplied that it couldn't be my gallbladder because I don't have one anymore. Uh, duh!

He said that often gall bladder is the first assumption when patients complain of pain in that area but that there are two other main issues that can mimic the same symptoms - acid reflux and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). I have had problems with reflux in the past and this feels different but Dr. M explained that the way it presents itself can change.

I also have some symptoms of IBS as well. To make a diagnosis, it is basically just a process of elimination, starting with the gallbladder. Which, by the way, was a problem as an ultrasound did show a stone and the pathology did show irritation of the gall bladder, BUT it was likely not the primary cause of the pain. It would have caused me grief at some point, and I would have had it removed in the future anyway so the surgery was not completely pointless.

So, I am on a course of Losec for 6 weeks to see if it helps with the pain. If it does, then we can assume that the issue was acid reflux. If not, then IBS will be the culprit.

IBS is treated through lifestyle and diet but the dietary triggers are different for everyone so determining what foods to avoid has to be done on an individual basis. Oh ya, and stress is a contributor. Cuz I have none of that right now......