Gall Stones

[lizw]

After being admitted to hospital with excruciating pain I have been diagnosed with gall stones.  My question is - I am 34 and only weigh 8.7 stone with a very low fat diet - does anybody know how I could have developed these stones as I am very worried.

Thank you!

[Philtaz]

There are no real hard and fast rules about gall stones really.  There used to be the old adage of the 3 F's i.e Fair, Fat and Forty.  If you fitted that sriteria there was a tale that you may develope gall stones but that is no longer the case.  I've seen teenagers come to Theatre to have them removed, though it is uncommon at that age.

Try not to worry about them, sometimes they can be controlled to a degree by diet but if you do at some point require surgery it is now a very simple procedure, routinely done laparoscopically(keyhole) and usually takes about 30 minutes.

Your GP will advise you further.

[Philtaz]

Excuse my typing, that should read as criteria!

[lizw]

Thanks Philtaz - that's helped set my mind at rest - was scared that because I didn't fit the criteria it must be something far more sinister causing them!  I am female and fair however so two out of thee...

[kick3m0n]

great advice from Philtaz.  A friend of mine had gallstones removed before she turned 30.  Like you, she was young, average weight and had a healthy diet.  Her specialist said that the reasons for them developing are not clear, and that some people might just have a predisposition to them.  5 years on, no more have appeared.  She is at least comforted by the fact that she will know the signs/symptoms should the stones re-occur, and so will (hopefully) be able to get help before they get to the really severe/excruciating stage (she said it was worse than giving birth!).  Good luck with the op.

[secretspirit]

Don't they say that fizzy drinks make you more likely to get them? If you've been drinking a lot of them maybe that's a contributing factor.