Gall Bladder Surgery

[PoohHappens]

Thank you all so much for your responses. I am so glad I posted about this. Your encouragement makes me feel even better. I am doing better today. They had me start colace yesterday and things are definately moving better. I also have some medication for the nausea. Still don't have a great appetite. But the bloating is better today and I feel some better. I think I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to get back to work. I am not going tomorrow, but think i may try Friday. Thanks for all the input on the food/bowel issues. I will try to keep tabs on how I feel in response to what I eat. I can't thank you all enough.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

PoohHappens, so glad you are feeling a bit better. I was stopped up for a few days after surgery but MOM helped me through. That was definetly uncomfortable and made me feel so terrible. Hopefully you are now on the road to recovery.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

what a wonderful thread for me to find!!! I've been having gall bladder attacks every 4 or 5 months for the past two years. I would have an attack, realize that I needed to take the darn thing out, then the pain would go away and I'd talk myself back out of surgery. I have 2 little boys (5 & 2) and have used them as an excuse..........."they'd need me too much, I can't afford to be in bed for a week, the baby likes to be picked up". Not to mention I'm terrified of surgery (the whole "dying in surgery" thing scares the !?@?! out of me). Well I had an attack today at a friends childs birthday party, had to leave early, and scared my 5 year old with us having to leave so abruptly and me crying with pain!!
I know I should have mine out, but after the pain stops the old "well maybe I'll put it off a little longer" starts back up. Especially since I don't have "attacks" that often.
When any of you had attacks, did your back hurt?? My side never hurts with attacks, it's my back and tightening in my chest, then nausea.........don't worry, it's not a heart attack, I had the ER check it with 2 of my last attacks. Then as fast as it comes on, it's gone. This last attack lasted about an hour, I've had them last up to 4 hours............

sorry to hijack the thread, it was just great to find so many other people with my same problem!!

 

[Pixiedust34]

When any of you had attacks, did your back hurt??

Yes! I had SEVERE backaches with my gall bladder attacks. The back pain was nearly unbearable.

If your attacks are as serious/severe as you say they are, and you have back pain, you should consider getting that surgery soon. You do not want complications from an attack. Please see a doctor soon to talk about your attacks.

 

[winniedapooh]

Had mine removed about 1 1/2 years ago and it took about 2 weeks for me to feel back to kind of normal again...I went back to work after a week and a half and what a mistake. I never told anyone how sick and how much pain I was in...don't do it! Take the time you need to heal.

 

[loisg1]

Had mine removed in '97. Remember how miserable I felt before the surgery but not after. But as a nurse, I'm sure you've told your patients to listen to their body. You'll know when it's appropriate to resume your normal schedule and not a minute before.

 

[ohiomom28]

I had mine taken out when my son was 2 months old. Went in on a Thursday and was back to work on Monday. I had a desk job, so I was able to go back so soon. Otherwise, I would have had to wait awhile. It has been almost 6 years and I am still dealing with the problems from not having a gallbladder. It doesn't happen at every meal, but seems to happen in cycles. Nothing for a few weeks, then at every meal for a few weeks. I hope you are feeling better soon!

 

[klmall]

I had mine out laparascopically late last June and was whitewater rafting in Idaho about four weeks later. I was very nervous about being able to get back on my feet and be well enough to paddle on the river for five days but I did fine! My surgeon limited my lifting for two weeks only and allowed me to exercise my legs almost immediately.

I did not have any back pain only some some stomach pain when I moved too quickly. Luckily I was in training at work most of the summer but I was also conditioning to go camping and rafting with the Scouts.

While I recuperated exceptionally quickly and felt immediate relief from years of nausea before and after meals (and some painful attacks) the nausea has returned just this winter. I seem to feel full very quickly too!

My gastro specialist said that if my problems returned after surgery they could be treated so I will probably go back to him eventually.

Meanwhile I chew Tums with calcium and it helps.

 

[arminnie]

I had major complications from my gall bladder surgery over 7 years ago. I was in and out of the hospital for about a month and had 3 surgeries to rid of all of the stones. Give your body time to recoop. .....

If you have never been told about "ghost attacks or ghost symptoms"- be warned. You may have some gall stone attacks without having a gall bladder. I have had a couple- not as strong as the original ones, but some pain nonetheless.

That sounds like my experience. I was in the hospital for 2 weeks with a lap gall bladder removal, but the day before they went in through my liver to remove the stones. That meant they had to leave a tube in for about 6 weeks. My body treated that tube like a gall stone. I was in agony.

I'd forgotten about the nausea - how could I? Lots of phenergan plus I would drink real ginger ale. The ginger helped. Basically I didn't eat for about 4 months. Only time in my life I've ever had skinny legs.

I was out of work - really barely even able to lift my head up for months. But I had horrible doctors (I was away from home) and was at a bad hospital that was terribly understaffed so I rarely got my meds. When I finally got back home my doctors told me that they hadn't heard of anyone doing that go in through the liver thing in 20 years.

After this experience can you understand how I freaked out when I had to have an emergency appendectomy while at WDW? They had to do open surgery, but it was a piece of cake. I was out of the hospital 12 hours after surgery and went to Epcot less than 48 hours after surgery.

The diarrhea thing after gallbladder removal really varies from person to person, but most people do say that it gets better (or else they learn to control it). My minister's wife said she had it for two years, and she had an infant. She laughed (years later) about trying to race to a restroom while trying to deal with a baby.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I had mine out in 1999.

Now I have to get a scope for reflux. I NEVER EVER had heartburn until after I had my gallbladder out. It has gotten pretty bad and I hope I am OK. Getting a colonoscopy too. Oh the joy of my digestive system.

I hope you feel better soon!!! Just watch that diet and go easy on yourself.

 

[PhotobearSam]

I was just about to post a question on this and here is this great post...

I think I am having gall bladder attacks.

It seems to happen late at night and if I had pasta during the day. I never thought you could be in that much pain and not die from it...

My attacks last about 3 hours each and some are much more severe than others...

What kind of foods brought yours on? Mine seem to be homemade breads and pasta...

 

[Dan Murphy]

Just wanted to stop a moment, PH, and wish you my best.

 

[jbthi]

I had my gall bladder out about 10 years ago (I was in my 50's). They were going to let me come home the same day but because I was a diabetic they kept me overnight. For me it was a breeze. I missed 4 days work.

Then my daughter had hers out. She was so nauseous for a week that she carried a pan everywhere she went. She was very uncomfortable for a few weeks.

I had gall bladder attacks for about 20 years before I had it out. I am such a big baby when it comes to having anything done to me. I was having them more and more often, every two weeks or so, and they were lasting longer and longer. I think it hurt worse in my upper back then anywhere else.

 

[DisnyMama]

I had my gallbladder out 12 years ago. Went to my ex's aunts house for a party and ate some spicy food that must have set it off. Later that night I was in agony with back pain and my ex husband thought I was over exagerating. The next day went to the Dr. and they did an ultrasound and sure enough it was my gallbladder so they said they would set up surgery for in about a month but if I started having intense pain, fever, chills and vomiting to come back to the ER immediately. 24 hours later I was having all these symptoms so I took my 2 year old DS to the babysitter and went to the ER and they admitted me to the hospital for emergency surgery. I called my then hubby and told him and he was speechless and immediatley left work (lots of apologies). The surgeon said they were going to try to do a Lap but were not sure because I had an infection and they may need to cut me open. When I woke up I had all the Lap incisions and a huge incision across my abdomin and a drain. Fun stuff. I spent 5 days in the hospital and out of work for 6 weeks. Turns out my gallbladder was infected and had a huge stone. No problems with GI after surgery, just pain from the incision.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Thank you so much for all your posts...........it helps so much to know there are others out there that were in my same position. I'll call tomorrow to make the appt...........from the sound of some of the posts, I guess I'll need to stock up on some Imodium AD for after surgery!!

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

I was just about to post a question on this and here is this great post...

I think I am having gall bladder attacks.

It seems to happen late at night and if I had pasta during the day. I never thought you could be in that much pain and not die from it...

My attacks last about 3 hours each and some are much more severe than others...

What kind of foods brought yours on? Mine seem to be homemade breads and pasta...

My attacks seemed to be more beef/meat oriented. The two major attacks I had both came from cheeseburgers........to "self-medicate" I haven't had a cheeseburger in almost a year. But I had an attack yesterday after one slice of pizza, and my doctor always said any food could trigger an attack.

 

[arminnie]

I was in agony with back pain and my ex husband thought I was over exagerating.

I got that from the doctors! I went to ER thinking I was having a heart attack. They sent me home with nitroclycerine. The next day I was back at ER, they send me home with phenergan for nausea.

The third day I went to hairdresser - who diagnosed it as gallbadder. I didn't know what it was.

The fourth day I went back to ER in AGONY!!!!!

The doctor at the ER told me that nothing was wrong with me and that I was a hypochondriac. He asked my father and sister if I had a history of mental illness as I was obviously faking this pain.

I begged him to check for gallbladder. Finally after about 5 hours of the worst pain ever I got one.

I ended up not having my gallbladder out for 6 days after the attack started which is why I had so many complications. That and the fact they cut an artery in surgery and sent me back to my room covered in blood. The doctor refused to come back to the hospital, and I almost died.

Sounds like a malpractice suit doesn't it? No because I didn't die, I was considered to have had no damages.

I got the last laugh though. I moved back to Arkansas where all of this happened. One of my close friends is on the Medical Board that takes complaints against doctors. I have dinner with the board once a quarter when they meet. The worst doctor who treated me no longer practices medicine in Arkansas, and I have ruined the reputations (deservedly) of some others. Getting that black mark by their names was worth more to me than money for the pain and suffering that I went through.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Interesting thread. I've been dealing with what we think is probably gall bladder pain for quite a while now. I've had every test imaginable and everything looks fine, but since it follows a classic gall bladder pattern the plan is to go ahead and take it out next time I get it (which is now, actually). But after reading all this I'm not so sure I want to, LOL.

Can those of you who did NOT have stones tell me how you were finally diagnosed? Did anyone have it out electively (as opposed to emergently)? Any info will be helpful.

To the OP, as a fellow nurse, I know how hard you work and how physical your job is likely to be. I also understand wanting to be there for your patients and your coworkers. But I think you need to take some more time off to take care of yourself and really heal. You don't want to have a setback because you did too much, too soon. I recently took care of someone who had their galllbadder out and about a week later developed an enormous hematoma at the site requiring transfusions and bedrest. So take it easy. Hope you feel better soon.

 

[PoohHappens]

I am so happy to see the thread has continued. My sympathies to those of you out there with pain and considering having the surgery. I am feeling significantly better. I returned to work on Friday and also worked today. I was having really no pain until I went back to work, but after the shift was feeling a little sore. I am sore now as weel. I would not call it pain, just kind of like when you do too many abdominal exercises. I think I am probably just lifting a little too much. Thank you all so much for your info and encouragement.
By the way for those of you considering the surgery, in retrospect now that I am feeling better, it does not seem so bad and I am glad I did it and got it over with. Good luck.

 

[THE HAT]

Interesting thread. I've been dealing with what we think is probably gall bladder pain for quite a while now. I've had every test imaginable and everything looks fine, but since it follows a classic gall bladder pattern the plan is to go ahead and take it out next time I get it (which is now, actually). But after reading all this I'm not so sure I want to, LOL.

Can those of you who did NOT have stones tell me how you were finally diagnosed? Did anyone have it out electively (as opposed to emergently)? Any info will be helpful.

2001 i went in for my yearly physical, dr. asks all the usual questions, etc etc...nothing jogs with me until she is ready for the more "personal" part of it, and i go oh yeah i have this sharp pain right here (point to right side just under rib cage) that shoots through my back, and up to my shoulder now and then. she just looks at me and says (remember i have been her patient since i was 13, she has delivered my son, and is the whole family dr, she knows me well) don't you think that falls into the "pain in abdomen question", lol. so she feels around etc. and says well i am sending you for an ultrasound, and you prob should be thinking about a surgeon, i am pretty sure this is gallbladder. (this was all said in a very good bed side manner tone, honest)
following week have the ultrasound, comes back not with stones but with thick sludge that is blocking the duct. from here i go the following week to see a GI dr who says yep you need to get that out, it is pretty bad and you could become jaundice. from there go to the surgeon, who says yep we should take that out asap!! make the appt. on the way out!
sooo two days after christmas (cause there was no way i was doing it b4) had it out. took two weeks to feel good, and three to be 100%.
i still have the (sorry) bathroom issues and have become friends with immodium a/d .
every now and then i do have pain in that same area, and i refer to it as my phantom gallbladder pain. nothing like it was, and my dr's are not concerned as it is once in a blue moon issue, and prob caused by something "bad" i ate.(meaning fried, lol)

even with the phantom pain and the (again sorry) bathroom issues i am very pleased with having the surgery.
there never seemed to be a certain food that triggered it, but it was always around 7pm at night and would last until about 10pm.