Hello, Beauties 🌸 Today’s post, Stay On Top Of Your Health – Schedule Your Routine Exams.
After my recent surgery, I feel compelled to remind you what healthcare professionals recommend for staying on top of your health. More specifically, the simple detection procedure is the Colonoscopy. This noninvasive routine exam is highly suggested at the age of 50 and then every ten years unless there is a family history of polyps.
My May 2016 routine Colonoscopy included an abdominal ultrasound performed because of my long-term acid reflux. The results of that colonoscopy were H. pylori infection and gallstones.
The H. pylori stomach bug was eradicated with triple therapy of antibiotics. I wasn’t reminded of the gallstones until December 2017, when I experienced the most excruciating abdominal pain accompanied by nausea and vomiting. I had a follow-up appointment with my Gastroenterologist, who shared the evidence of stone detection in 2016.
♠ My ongoing symptoms:
♦ Occasional Severe Upper Right Abdominal Pain
◊ Mostly Heartburn (GERD). I took Nexium for years
♠ Abdominal Bloating
Let’s start with the basics: the function of the gall bladder. Its primary purpose is to store and concentrate bile; it sits alongside the liver. The gallbladder is not essential to living.
Common Causes of Gallstones:
1. Genetics ( My Mom and first cousin)
2. Excessive cholesterol
3. Gallbladder structural problems
4. Excessive bilirubin (occurs when a problem with liver)
5. Sex (Mostly women) and Age Factors
6. Obesity
7. Rapid Weight Loss
8. Diet (High-calorie diets that consist of refined carbohydrates with low fiber content)
9. Pregnancy (Hormones sometimes release more bile during pregnancy)
10. Related Health Conditions (Crohn’s Disease. Irritable Bowel Disease, and Cirrhosis of the liver)
When I learned of having gallstones, I continued to limit certain foods like dairy, fried foods, and sweets so that I would not aggravate the gallstones. The second gallstone, in December 2018, propelled me to schedule elective surgery for gallbladder removal. On March 29, I willingly gave up the referee for my bile. Nearly three weeks later, a wise decision, I feel much better.
Sorry to gross you out with the photo of my diseased and inflamed gallbladder; it’s my reminder to eat right and exercise. I’m thankful for the laparoscopic removal of my organ without any complications. Thank you for your kind messages of concern.
Have you had your Colonoscopy? Yeah, the prep is wretched, but early detection is critical.
As always, thank you for reading. Have a fabulous week.
