Gallbladder polyps

[Cariad1]

I have been doing pretty well anxiety wise recently until yesterday that is!

After a few months of nausea/heartburn and right sided pain i was sent for an ultrasound scan, its come back with no actual gallstones seen but multiple polyps with the biggest being 7mm and gallbladder sludge.

Now this has truly triggered me because i lost my mum to gallbladder cancer a few years back so anything that remotely concerns the gallbladder/liver sends me into a tail spin. The Dr has agreed to refer me to a surgeon for a chat but the appointment isnt until next March, before me mentioning my mums situation it was just going to be another scan in 6 months time to check the sizes again.

I have tried not to google to much because i know it will make me worse, especially with my family history but has anyone any experience of gallbladder polyps?

[Scass]

I’m sorry you’re going through this. It’s clear that due to your family history you have been referred. I have one but was told not to worry about it years ago.

[Cariad1]

Thanks Scass, it’s been so hard since I found out. I have no idea how I’m going to make it til my appt in March!

It’s obvious my family history swung it for her referring me but not enough for an urgent referral 😞

[serith]

You're doing all you can already. You have the appointment. Now you just have to wait. So you might as well forget about it. You're in the best state you can be in right now-- approaching a doctor's appointment. So IF by some chance, something IS really wrong (unlikely, but IF...) , you are right now approaching the beginning of medical care that will address the problem and give you the best chance of survival.

Also, remember:
Serious, life-threatening cancer is ALWAYS unlikely. Period.

Even if you have a slightly increased risk because of family history, that still doesn't mean cancer is LIKELY. You're still more likely NOT to get it than to get it.

Even if you have some physical symptom that seems like cancer, it's still more likely to NOT be cancer than to be cancer.

Hell, there are people who work inside the exclusion zone at Chernobyl and don't get cancer.

Think about it this way--
If the chances of getting serious life-threatening cancer were swapped with the chances of winning the lottery, you would just think "no point in hoping, it won't happen." Might as well buy a ticket, just in case, but you're not really expecting it to happen.

So think the same about cancer-- "no point in worrying, it won't happen." Might as well get it checked out, just in case, but you don't really have to worry about it happening.

[Allochka]

Hello,
have just seen your post. My husband has gallbladder polyps (biggest around 5 mm). They were discovered 8 years ago, during investigations of his kidney cancer. His cancer was Stage 1, removed in 2014, so he is fine now. But he has to have ultrasounds regularly as cancer follow-up. So, in 8 years polyps haven’t grown a bit, and no doc was ever concerned about them.
Only me, being hypochondriac, was concerned :-) Well, it turns out the vast majority of polyps are made of cholesterol (so no true polyps) and are compeletely harmless. The fact that you have multiple strongly points into this direction.
also usually polyps smaller than 1 cm are no cause of concern.
Do the follow-up in March, I bet they will be the same!
Hugs,
Alla