I had my gallbladder removed last June of 2008. 2 years before my operation, I already felt discomfort like backpains, gerd, acidity and severe stomach pains. The pain was too much, that it affects my daily works/activities whenever i had pain attacks. I remember one time when we toured in Thailand with my friends, inatake ako ng sakit sa gitna ng isang tourist spot sa bangkok (where the emerald buddha is), i can't help but shout really loud, lahat ng turista napatingin sa akin at nagpatawag ng ambulance. That was the first time i was brought in an ER (sa bangkok pa). They only give me pain relievers kasi tumanggi ako magpatest, sabi ko pagbalik ko na lang ng pinas. When I get back here, I had my ultrasound and several stones were already seen in my bladder. My doctor advised me to have me stones removed through surgery, kasi malalaki na yung bato at hindi na kaya ng medication. The pain is caused by the bigger stones blocking the bile ducts, kaya namamaga sa loob. It also triggered my other discomforts like GERD and acidity kaya dumaan din talaga ako sa isang gastro. I remember I also underwent endoscopy. and we saw the wounds inside my upper stomach and lower esophagus caused by the acid reflux. My doctor gave me medication for it, and strongly advised operation for my gallbladder, or my condition will worsen. i was kinda busy at that time kaya di pa ako nagpaschedule ng operation, not until I was brought to ERs 3 times (tigas ng ulo ko no?) . Nung last time, I was brought to the UST ER, where my gastro is. She didn't let me go home unless I was operated, kaya nagpaschedule na agad siya ng laparoscopic surgery. 2 days after (kasi they prepared my body first for the operation), I had my surgery. Di ko naman naramdaman yung opera, I rested for 1 week only at home, then I was back to normal. The good thing about this was my other discomforts like GERD/acid reflux didn't bother me anymore. Yung pain caused by gallstones lang daw talaga ang nagtrigger nung mga yun noon, ngayon, after the operation, wal na rin. So I advised na kapag may nakita nang stones, ipaopera na agad or mas dadami ang sakit na mararamdaman nyo. I think stone flushing is only effective kapag sobrang maliliit pa ng stones, pero kapag malalaki na, ipaopera na. my smaller stones are the same size as whole peeper or paminta, ang malalaki naman ay sing laki na ng popcorn (imagine that big blocking my bileducts, kaya sobrang nananakit talaga ang likod ko noon).