I had my gallbladder removed in 1998 after three years of pain, pain, pain. Over the years I was told I had panic disorder, acid reflux, hepatitis, and was even mis-diagnosed as possibly having had a heart attack. At the time I was only 30 years old!!! Apparently I had a severe accumulation of gall stones (calcium deposits). Interestingly enough, there appears to be a correlation between taking oral birth control and calcium stones. Bummer.

The surgery itself was super-easy, didn't require a stay overnight and I was back to being active in just a few days. I had laproscopic surgery (which is the norm these days) so two tiny little scars, but they did put my belly button back together wrong.

I had a test pre-surgery that was just terrible (it wasn't the HIDA scan). You have to swallow a fiberoptic video camera, and you need to be awake to do it. They give you a drug (sodium pentathol?) so you don't remember the procedure, but I do have vague memories of screaming. Glad you won't have that test. Maybe they don't do it anymore.