Over the past year I've had several excruciating pains coming from what felt like the center of my abdomen under my rib cage. I could never really pinpoint the pain and assumed it was most likely back pains since the kids like to jump on my back all the time. Two days back I had another attack and this time I could tell the pain was not coming from the back but radiating to the back.
Eventually, I bit my lip and headed to the ER and got an ultrasound. They claimed I had 4 gallstones ranging from 0.65cm to 0.97cm in size. The tube is 0.39cm in size and they claim I will not be able to pass the stones and the gall bladder must be removed. I was quoted P90,000 - P100,000 if done at AUF.
When I got home and researched I came across some form of medication called ursodeoxycholic acid which typically only has a 10% chance of eliminating the gallstones and that it was very costly to use the medicine as you must take it for 1 - 2 years. Searching for prices on the medicine I came across a PDF bid sheet for a children's hospital in makati that placed the bid at around 50 something peso per 250mg pill. I suspect retail probably will be 100 peso or so.
These pills only work if the gallstone is mainly composed of cholesterol which implies why their effectiveness is so low since a majority of gallstones are not only cholesterol but bile as well as calcium.
Any one here ever had there gall bladder removed in the PI? 90k - 100K a good deal? Would you risk having your gall bladder removed in the PI from a hospital such as AUF?
Or should I just put it off and routinely get ultrasounds to make sure the stones do not get stuck in the duct? The doctor warned me of this but since my tube is supposedly only 0.39cm I don't see how it would be possible for 1cm stones to get stuck in the tube.
Also for you herbal guys - is there anything I can do to try and break these stones apart? I also realize I need to stay away from high fatty foots and eat 3 times a day and all that lovely shit to try and avoid future attacks.
So if anyone has any FIRST HAND knowledge on eating / drinking certain things that broke apart their gallstones - let me know and or first hand knowledge on having a gall bladder removed in the Philippines along with its costs.