Can a gallbladder burst like an appendix?

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Hello, I have a brother, 24 years old who lives in Southern California. My other brother and I are trying to help him out. He has been taken by ambulance numerous times to different hospitals that send him straight to a county hospital. (He has no insurance). The county Doctor told him he needs his gallbladder out. He has no kidney stones, but has a lot of pain, throws up everything, including blood and has blood coming out the other end. He also throws up lots of clear and yellow stuff. He has had this for awhile. My question is can a gallbladder burst like an appendix? Also, the past three times he has been to the county hospital, they give him morphine, keep him in for a few days, then tell him to go home and they will take his gallbladder out next time. This has happened three times. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

Yes, a gallbladder can rupture like an appendix. A gallbladder attack is painful and the morphine will control the pain. The pain starts at the bottom of the breastbone like a heart attack and may radiate around to the back, unlike a heart attack. Gallstones can get stuck in the opening of the duct to the intestines or cause pain as they are passing through. Sometimes doctors don’t like to take out a gallbladder when it is inflamed as the risk of complications or infection could be greater. I would suggest your brother make an appointment to see a county doctor ASAP and schedule to have his gallbladder removed.

Most states have medical coverage for persons who can’t afford it or have a pre-existing illness not covered by insurance. You can advocate for him as he may not feel well enough to get adequate help until the pain is excessive. Be persistent with your advocacy for your brother!

If the blood he is throwing up looks like coffee grounds, he may also have an ulcer in his stomach. If it is bright red blood, then it is coming from somewhere higher than the stomach, possibly the esophagus or lungs. The cause of bleeding should be determined.

Bright red blood in the stool can come from hemorrhoids or a fissure at the end of the large colon. Blood loss higher in the intestines or iron supplements usually colors the stool black rather than bright red. The cause of blood in the stool should be determined.

Don’t know what the yellow vomit is. Though bile is yellow, it is secreted into the intestines, not the stomach.

Until he gets his gallbladder out, I would suggest he avoid any fat, fatty meats, fried foods, whole grains, seeds and skins as these foods need bile to be digested. Bile is produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder until needed to break down these foods. One can live without a gallbladder because the liver produces bile and can be secreted directly into the intestines.