Hi everybody! This is my first post on this sub but I’ve been following it for a while now.
I wanted to share my story with others because I feel as though it could be helpful for some who experience the same symptoms I do.
About three weeks ago, I got super sick from hanging out with my aunt and her kids, at first I thought nothing of it, I was just nauseous and generally unwell. It later developed into a full blown gallbladder attack that put me in the hospital for over a week.
During my stay, they did my first ever HIDA scan. That absolutely sucked. I had to sit still for over 4 hours straight while incredibly nauseous and in pain. However, they finally (after around 6 years of experiencing symptoms that I will get to later) found that I have a hyperkinetic gallbladder. My EF is 96%!
I am currently waiting for my surgery to have my gallbladder removed which was a hard process due to me being so young and doctors not wanting to remove it.
In terms of symptoms, every couple weeks I would go through flares of intense overwhelming nausea, vomiting straight bile, and fatigue. Each flare would end me back in the hospital due to dehydration and malnutrition. This last attack made me lose 15 pounds! (For reference, I am only 5’1 and weigh 110 on a good day) I also developed pneumonia during my stay which delayed things but that’s all cleared up because we caught it super early.
I have been dealing with symptoms for over 6 years, been to countless different doctors around the country trying to figure out what this was, and yet no one could find the answer. The only answer I got is that it’s all in my head and it’s from anxiety and to pretty much get over it. I don’t know about you guys, but it is absolute hell to deal with nausea all the time. I really thought this is how my life would be forever and that really took a toll on my mental health.
So when they told me they found the issue, I cried like a baby and so did my family. All it took was one doctor to think outside the box and do a test that no one thought of doing.
As of right now, I’m still experiencing some symptoms. But I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and for once in years I finally feel hopeful! I am a very young guy, 23M, and I feel like all of my adult life I’ve been in a living nightmare. I couldn’t go out with my friends, went home from countless vacations early, lost several jobs, almost didn’t finish culinary school, you name it.
I know surgery is a really big step but I feel like it’s necessary, at this point I am desperate for relief and I want my life to finally start. My question for you guys is: what kind of symptoms if any do you still experience after surgery. I know my symptoms are a little unorthodox, as I don’t get a lot of pain it’s mostly nausea and vomiting. And how long is the recovery time?
Thank you so much for reading, I’m so excited for my life to finally start!