I have to have it removed because I have gall stones. About a month ago, I had an "attack" where I had bad pain in my right shoulder. Aft er a few hours my back and stomach muscles hurt so bad I couldn't catch my breath. I had Ralph take me to the ER about 1 am, and after diagnosing the problem they gave me pain killers by IV until the next am, when they used an unltrasound to confirm the gall stones.

Bascially what happena in an attack is that as the gallbladder tries to release bile to the stomach to aid inthe digetion of fatty food, the stones get "stuck" the gall bladder continues to contract to try and remove the blockage.

The stones an be caused by a number of things, but the old rule was fat, fair and 40, or having kids. Well, I may be overweight, but not so much so that it shouldbe a cuase, I'm not 40 and I'm not fiar (as in blond), and I don't have kids. Mine is probally more of a hereditray condition, as my mom had her galled bladder removed at 26, my grandma had hers out, as did my uncle.

I have a friend that had ger gall bladder removed at 23, but hers was not stones, it just wasn't working.

The gall bladder itself is really a small storage sack for bile, so not having one, the bile will go directly from the liver, to the stomach. It really shouldn't affect my diet what I eat or anything, I just won't have the storage bin.

I hope I have screwed up the explaination too bad...if I did maybe Sandra or another nurse can help straighten me out!