Porcelain gallbladder

[Tatty10]

Hi all haven't posted for awhile have been poorly again just been diagnosed with porcelain gallbladder and waiting for Mri scan and then will be given a date for surgery, I believe that there is a connection between under active thyroid and gallstones and having my parathyroids removed and prescribed calcium but my doctor says not can anybody else shed some light on this or am I just looking to blame my thyroid problems on everything else that's going wrong with my body?

[shaws Administrator]

Hi Tatty10, I'm sorry you have yet another complication. I'm not sure if your GP is correct and this is an excerpt and itis way above my knoweldge but thought it might be helpful. This is an excerpt - maybe some knowledgeable person can give some input:-

The formation of LB in the gallbladder is not well understood, although it has been suggested that some form of obstruction in the cystic duct or gall bladder neck and the resultant bile stasis are necessary [6, 7]. Under these circumstances, precipitation of calcium carbonate, which is normally present in bile, is the end result of local changes in the gallbladder, but the exact mechanism and the time required for these biochemical changes have not been fully elucidated [7]. Chronic inflammatory changes of the gall bladder, which are often observed, seem to be nonspecific and probably secondary.

Therefore, the present case was extremely rare to be associated with primary hyperparathyroidism, because serum calcium and PTH levels were high. However, cholelithiasis and inflammation of the gallbladder wall seemed to exist in this case, and it was thought that if serum calcium levels were high for hyperparathyroidism, calcium would be easily deposited and would consist of LB [8]. LB occurred due to primary hyperparathyroidism in the current patient. Histopathological evaluation was reported as chronic cholecystitis and parathyroid adenoma.

The clinical aspect of the syndrome is similar to that of biliary lithiasis. The presence of LB in the gallbladder can be an incidental finding on plain abdominal X-rays of patients with no symptoms at all. Biliary symptoms are, however, present in most patients with LB syndrome.

hindawi.com/journals/cris/2...

[Tatty10 in reply to shaws]

Hi shaws thanks for the reply everything is so complicated I feel sure that's it's thyroid, and parathyroid connected but as usual my gp and consultants don't give me answers maybe they don't know themselves, has anyone else had these problems and thyroid problems?

[shaws Administrator in reply to Tatty10]

Tarry 10 let's hope someone will respond later. It might be quite rare, who knows.

You will be worried of course as we do like to be kept informed about what is causing/has caused a problem.

I trust all goes smoothly for you.

[Rick68]

I "believe" there is a connection - low thyroid makes everything slow down, and this probably also includes Gall Bladder function & Bile flow. Also, the 40-year push of low fat diet causes sluggish Gallbladder, since the GB contracts and squeezes out the Bile to help digest / emulsify the fat for proper digestion and nutrient absorption. Low fat diets reduce / eliminate the action of the GB, so stones build up and it becomes clogged and inflamed. Sadly, mine is now in a bin somewhere in the hospital ;-( If I knew then what I know now, I'd never have gone ahead with the Cholecystectomy. However, I did resist the Nissen Fundoplication they were also pushing me into.......but that's another story.

Upshot is, do your homework and ONLY go for surgery when you're happy this is the best option. Often there are alternatives.

ps, only speaking from personal knowledge & experience, I'm not medical.

[Tatty10]

Hi Rick thanks for the reply I am convinced that the gallstones are because of my under active thyroid, I had a thyroidectomy 2 years ago, I am trying to find out if taking calcium has also caused my calcified gall bladder, I am prescribed calcium because I have had my parathyroids removed, I don't think I have any choice but to go ahead with the surgery! Am having an mri scan this week to see if the calcification has spread to any of my other organs really not looking forward to another op!