Some advice please (long post, please be patient)

I am thinking of doing a flush but am hesitant because I was diagnosed with a single gallstone with a diameter of 1.8 cm (it really looked HUGE on the screen at the hospital!).
My problems started about 9 months ago when I stopped smoking. I developed such severe reflux that I could not eat anything other than fruit for about 3 months. Fat simply melted off me and I must say I was feeling quite pleased with life. After a while the reflux became more manageable and I resumed eating other foods (mainly vegetables). Around that time an odd tugging sensation started to develop in my right upper abdomen. My doctor looked puzzled when I told her but told me to keep up with the fat-free diet. So, I did. The feeling became stronger and about two months ago I started feeling really horrible. Very tired, the tugging changed into a burning sensation, my 'fibrositis' was playing up horribly and I was suddenly retaining water (my legs became two stumps and I gained 6 kg almost overnight... this went on for about a week and then that completely cleared up). I really dont know why that happened and neither did my doc so she sent me off for an echo. That is where they found the gallstone. The pain intensified, I was running a lowgrade fever and I was feeling quite sick (my doc simply referred me to a surgeon)so I went to a Chinese doctor and she relieved the pain somewhat with acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Those herbs took the edge off but did not clear the problem. During all this I also drank litres of apple juice, with no clear effect. After each meal I was feeling very bloated, burping... really no fun. This last month I cut out almost all carbohydrates which took care of the bloating (I still look pregnant but now I dont look like 9 months carrying twins...)

I bought the Healthy liver and bowel book by dr. Sandra Cabot and am reading through it. The diet makes sense but I did eat close to that diet till I stopped smoking and the world turned upside down!! So, no really big change for me there.

oh, by the way, I am still quit smoking!
I am a 44 year old female, one child, never really fat, always fairly healthy eating habits but for the past 5 years about 5 - 10 kg overweight (right now, my weight rockets up and down due to the digestive problems, I'm having to find out again what I can eat and what not)

Right now I am only really uncomfortable when driving my car. The rest of the time I am aware of a sensation in my right upper abdomen but it's not really hurting, just on the edge...
I of course want to clear this problem up, this is no way to go on. I already have a spastic colon and some food intolerance problems, that's quite enough to deal with.

Still, I am hesitant. Are there others out there with exactly the same symptoms as me? I dont have those terrible colic attacks as described here, it was sore but nowhere near the pain of childbirth... which makes me think... were my problems related to the gallstone or is something else going on (my doc says: have the gallbladder removed first, if after that you still have troubles we will go looking further. I dont think that is a path I want to take).

The second part of my question is this: are there any others out there who had a gallstone of this size and did they manage to pass it? Did it hurt? How exactly did they manage to pass it?


Please, I need the benefit of your experience and knowledge before I can commit myself to doing this flush (if I dare)

dutchie

Tweet