Gallbladder symptoms in adults usually include:
- Nausea
- Constant fatigue
- Mild fever
- Vomiting
- Heartburn
- Abdominal discomfort
- Dizziness
- Abdominal pain
- Chest pain
- Chills
Gallbladder Symptoms in Adults Abdominal pain can start right after a meal and can last from several minutes to several hours. It usually occurs at night. The pain can start under your ribs, but it can easily spread to your right shoulder. It is important to visit your doctor if you have any of the symptoms mentioned above.
The symptoms of gallbladder disease are non-specific and many other diseases can have the same symptoms (for example, peptic ulcer symptoms are nearly the same as gallbladder symptoms). If diagnosed early, gallbladder disorders can be successfully treated. On the other hand, if left untreated, gallbladder problems can result in serious complications, some of which can be life-threatening (gallbladder cancer).
The Risk Factors
- Gender (women are more prone to gallbladder diseases than men are)
- The risk increases as people grow older
- Alcohol intake
- Sensitivity to some types of food
- The use of antacids
- Hypothyroidism
- Obesity
- Hashimoto’s Disease
- High triglycerides
- Cholesterol-lowering medications
- Chronic heartburn
- Antidepressants (they may decrease gallbladder contractions)
- Low stomach acid
- Decreased HDL cholesterol
- Food allergies
- Excessive consumption of refined foods
- Excessive consumption of sugary foods
- High LDL cholesterol
- Low-calorie diets
- Rapid weight loss
- Heredity
- Chronic inflammatory bowel disease
- Constipation
- Non-fat diets
- Diabetes
- Ethnicity
- Immunosuppressive medications
- Excessive consumption of foods that contain saturated fats
Gallbladder Disease Treatment
- Gallbladder disorders can be treated without surgery if diagnosed early. Sometimes, people do not even know they have gallstones, because these stones are small and they don’t show any symptoms. That makes them hard to detect. However, once the stones get larger, they will probably start causing problems. Gallbladder disorders can be treated in several ways, depending on the causes (and severity) of one’s condition.
- Small stones usually don’t require any surgical treatment; natural remedies can be effective in eliminating these stones.
- Larger stones can cause complications, and in some cases, they may require gallbladder surgery.
Gallbladder Surgery
There are two types of gallbladder surgery: laparoscopic cholecystectomy and open cholecystectomy.
Open surgery is an old, traditional method, and it is not very popular these days – the risk of post-operative problems is higher and recovery usually takes more time, than in laparoscopic surgery.
Gallbladder surgery is considered safe, and the risk of postoperative complications is very low. However, after the surgery, certain changes will have to be made to your diet.
Foods to Avoid after Gallbladder Surgery
During the first couple of days after the surgery, you won’t be allowed to eat solid foods. During this time, your digestive tract won’t be able to work quite normally. Your digestive system will be working without the gallbladder, so it will take some time to get used to this new regime.
People who have had gallbladder surgery must avoid fatty foods (junk foods, fried foods, fatty meat, fatty dairy products, egg yolk, mayonnaise, foods that contain hydrogenated oils, sugary foods, and artificial sweeteners must be avoided). If you follow your doctor’s instructions, you will recover in a short time; however, some people can experience gallbladder symptoms even after gallbladder removal. In that case, it is very important to contact the doctor right away.
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