Gall Bladder Surgery Questions

[hockeymom7691]

Has anyone had Gall Bladder surgery?

I'm having mine removed tomorrow. I don't know what to expect at all. The procedure is being done as outpatient surgery - laser surgery.

They say recovery time is a week. Is that true?

Has anyone ever went in like this and ended up getting cut open instead?

I'm a little nervous and not sure how I'm going to feel afterwards. I can't believe they send you home the same day. I made arrangements for my son to stay at his Grandma's as I'm sure I won't feel up to taking care of him.

 

[Kristi1357]

I had mine out last summer, 5 weeks after the birth of our son. The surgery was fine and I was so happy to have it out after having two extremely painful gallbladder attacks!

I do admit I was pretty sore for a week or so after the surgery - more sore than I would have thought since the incisions are so small. But they are removing an organ afterall! I was given Percocet, and that helped alot.

Just take it easy for that week after and you'll be fine!

Good luck tomorrow!

 

[dturner]

Hi, I had mine out about 7 years ago. I had the small incisions in four places and went home the next morning only because my surgery was late at night, sort of an emergency. It does take about a week to recover. You'll be just fine, don't worry.

 

[AZKathy]

There are sometimes that you can experience very bad shoulder pain postoperatively. This is NORMAL and nothing is wrong. It a referred pain from the CO2 gas that is put into your abdomen for the operation; if there is some left in your abdomen (which is okay), you could experience this pain. I had a different laparoscopy surgery and experienced this pain (ouch!) and my SIL had her gallbladder out in December and she had the same pain but was not told that this could happen and she did not know it was normal.

I work in the OR and I don't see very many laparoscopic gallbladder surgeries convert to a full open big incision surgeries. I would not worry too much about that. Good luck and I hope everything goes great!<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/3/3_2_1.gif' border=0></a>

 

[caitycaity]

yep dh was up and about in about a week, but still sore for another week after that. good luck.

 

[hockeymom7691]

Thanks to all of you! I feel much better now knowing that it probably won't turn into the big incision type of surgery! I can handle the soreness, it has to better than those awful awful attacks!

 

[SeaSpray]

I had my gall bladder taken out in the afternoon on a Monday so they had me stay in the hospital overnight, and I went home Tuesday after lunch time.

On Thursday of that same week, I had to go in to Boston because my DS (almost 13 now, but was 9 at the time) had an appointment at Children's Hospital for a bone scan and I did not want him to have to miss it. We were quite the sight; DS on crutches and DH pushing me in a child-sized wheelchair at Children's Hospital. LOL It wasn't all that much fun, but I made it. We even had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe (we took a taxi from the hospital to the Cafe, no way could I have walked all that distance!)

All in all the surgery went very well, and if you can rest at home for a week, then you will be fine. I was back in the surgeon's office a week later, having the staples removed, and once they were out, the incisions healed very quickly.

I was nervous beforehand too, but it all worked out, and I'm sure yours will too

 

[mckryan]

Originally posted by hockeymom7691
Has anyone ever went in like this and ended up getting cut open instead?

My husband had an acute attack in December and was admitted to the hospital. They had hoped to take it out laproscopically, but ended up having to do the traditional surgery. He was in the hospital another couple of days and then was sent home. His recovery was longer, obviously, but he was back at work in 3 weeks. He was still sore for another 3 or so weeks, but not enough to stay home. I hope your surgery goes well and they don't have to do the traditional one - the scar is ugly!

 

[ckmommy]

I had mine out 10 weeks after I had my twins. I had been in severe back pain for about two weeks. The pain was as bad or very near as bad as being in labor with back pain--for 2 weeks on and off. I was actually having my then 2 and 4 year olds jump on my back to try and crack it. I had made an appointment to see a Chiropractor for Wed. but Tuesday night I after using the bathroom, there was a major color change in my urine. My DH told me to go to the ER. I checked in and saw a Dr. and he could not believe that I had not come in MUCH sooner. I had a gall stone blocking my liver. My eyes were yellow and that explained the back (side) pain. I had the stone removed the next day and Surgury the following day. Went home on Friday with 4 small inscicions.

My DH was going a bit insane. First I did not tell him which hospital I was going to go to (2 to choose from) and second the twins were being brestfed, and he had to deal with them tring to use a bottle. Thank goodness my mom was able to come to TX while I was in the hospital to help out. She had to go home on Friday, so I needed to be back on my feet and ready to do all my mommy responsiblities on Friday afternoon.

My other poor choice was bringing jeans to leave the hospital in. Your stomach will be a little bloated when you go home, and having to put something tight around your waist will be a bit uncomfortable!

Good Luck!

 

[elgerber]

I had mine out on a Thursday morning, and went home that afternoon. Monday I had my daycare kids back at my house. I remember feeling more run down than sore after the first day or two. Nothing too terrible though.

Erika

 

[SugarBear]

You guys are sooo lucky! I had mine out nearly 20 years ago. They cut me wide open, I was in the hospital for a week and home for 6 more weeks. And it was so painful!!!

 

[Mom2Madi]

One more... I had mine out 5 months after the birth of my DD - (said too much calcium during the pregnancy - must have been that daily dose of Chocolate Milk!!) Anyway... had the lapro surgery - I remember that they wouldn't let me leave the hospital's outpatient dept. until I actually went to the bathroom - at that point all I wanted to do was sleep! I remember saying that I felt as if I had been hit by a truck - my chest area was really sore - and was told it was due to the air that is pumped into the cavity to allow the Dr. room to manuver - so that soreness was muscles stretching from the inside out. I remember being hunched over - but I had the 5 mo. old to contend with and she was too new for me to let go of those new mommy duties! The Dr. will put a restriction on driving - because of delayed reaction time (at least that's what mine said). Overall - it was not a bad experience - and I knew that I wouldn't go through the hellish pain of the stones! Good luck!! You'll do fine!

 

[Alice28]

Had mine out a year and a half ago; symptoms were like ckmommys- back pain, couldn't catch my breath without laying dow and my urine turned yellow..went to ER and they found the stones blocking a liver duct. I had to have to procedures- one where they removed the stone blocking the duct (they didn't put me totally under, but I don't remember it---they stuck a tube down my throat to remove it) and then the out-patient surgery the next day. It wasn't too bad. I came home around 2 or 3 (surgery was at 10) and slept all day and night, and most of the next day. I was sore, but within 2-3 days I ventured out to Target just to walk around a bit. I was sore for 2-3 weeks, but was back at work after two weeks. Just take it very easy and watch what you eat- most people don't have a problem, but I'm one that just has a real hard time with greasy food now. Which is good I guess!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I had mine out around 4yrs ago. I had the 4 incision thing. I was able to stay overnight.

I did have a strange thing happen however, I suddenly became allergic to pain meds. Nothing severe, I just developed hives, but I no longer can any vicodine or hydrocodone products.

So needless to say I could only take regular tylenol and I was fine with recovering.

Good Luck!

 

[hockeymom7691]

Well, I had my surgery yesterday and everything went fine. I was lucky and had the laparescopy(I'm sure that's not the right spelling) so I only have the 4 small incisions.

I had surgery around 8 am and was home by 5pm. I'm still very tender and sleepy but other than that I'm okay!

 

[meeshi]

Glad to hear everything went well.

 

[SeaSpray]

I'm glad all went well!