Gallbladder surgery recovery

[tw1nsmom]

For those who have had laproscopic gallbladder surgery, how long did it take you to feel completely normal again?

I had surgery almost two weeks ago, and I still feel tired, sore and achy. I know I'll be fine and that I'm healing well. I just saw the surgeon for my follow up visit yesterday and he said everything looked good. When I asked if it was normal to still have pain at the incisions he just said to take ibuprofen and that I was healing fine.

So...while I know I'll be fine, I'm just sick of feeling sick and would like to know when this will end. Anyone want to share their experiences?

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

I had my surgery about a year and 1/2 ago........I remember it taking about 3 weeks before I felt back to myself again. I vividly remember at 4 weeks all of a sudden a place where one of my incisions were turned red and rashy. I freaked out thinking it was infected......the next morning it was gone and I'm still alive today.

Now the bathroom visits still aren't back to normal. (TMI I'm sure). They might be for you, some people aren't effected by the surgery. Some people like lucky me, are. Stay away from fatty fried food........like I'm sure we are supposed to anyway, and you'll be fine.

 

[tw1nsmom]

I had my surgery about a year and 1/2 ago........I remember it taking about 3 weeks before I felt back to myself again. I vividly remember at 4 weeks all of a sudden a place where one of my incisions were turned red and rashy. I freaked out thinking it was infected......the next morning it was gone and I'm still alive today.

Now the bathroom visits still aren't back to normal. (TMI I'm sure). They might be for you, some people aren't effected by the surgery. Some people like lucky me, are. Stay away from fatty fried food........like I'm sure we are supposed to anyway, and you'll be fine.

Thank you for replying. It's nice to hear from someone else who took a little longer to feel "normal" (of course, I'm not sure I was normal before, but that's a different matter ). I expected the bathroom difficulties that I'm experiencing and I'm eating almost no fat. I also have fairly bad fatty liver that I'm trying to control. I just didn't expect to feel so blucky (isn't that a scientific term?) for so long.

 

[Trish Bessette]

Did you check back in with your doctor about how your feeling?

I had my gallbladder out and remember being up the next morning doing laundry, etc...

I was feeling normal within a day or two.

Everyone heals differently so to be safe just run it by your doctor.

Hope your back feeling great soon!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

It's been two years since my surgery. While I was able to go back to work after a week, I wasn't feeling like my self until after two weeks post op and it might have been closer to three. Hang in there, it will get better.

Luckily I haven't had any food issues. Heck I went out for Mexican food four days post op.

 

[escape]

Did you check back in with your doctor about how your feeling?

I had my gallbladder out and remember being up the next morning doing laundry, etc...

I was feeling normal within a day or two.

Everyone heals differently so to be safe just run it by your doctor.

Hope your back feeling great soon!

I was out shopping the next day. Afterall, I had to travel to a larger city to have the surgery so I wasn't about to miss the opportunity to get some things that I needed. (I was really sore, though.)

After two weeks, I was still sore and felt like I had been used as a punching bag. Surgeon said it was normal. Gradually, I started feeling better - maybe after three weeks. I'd say it took me a good month to get back to "normal". However, after a week of the surgery I did just about anything I wanted to do - within reason, of course (no heavy lifting, no heavy exercising, etc.)

Don't worry. You'll start feeling better soon. Sending some to help speed things up.

 

[luvtogo12]

I had my surgery this past April. It took me at least 2 weeks before I felt like myself again. I honestly think I recovered much more quickly when I had my c-sections.
Sounds like you are on the road to recovery. Listen to your body and rest when you need to, don't rush it.

My Dr. told me that just because it was laproscopic, don't think it is a miracle operation and that you should be up and about the same day. Laproscopic just means less (smaller) incisions. Sounds about right, they are removing an organ for goodness sake.

Good luck!! Feel better.

 

[Virgo10]

I had mine removed last December. I felt well enough 5 days post op to go shopping and ended up walking around the store for about 45 minutes. That was a mistake. I developed a hematoma at the largest of the incision sites and it set me back a bit. Because of that, I really didn't feel 100% for about a month. I'm 58 by the way and I do think your age may be a player in how fast you recuperate.

Now, some 8 months later, the only lingering effects are finding out there are some foods that will probably never be easy for my system to digest. Think donuts

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I have had my out and became allergic to pain meds. Broke out in hives.

As far as feeling normal, I felt way better. I was walking around feeling sick everyday for a few years with that dang gallbladder.

My 16yodd is scheduled to get her's out on the 17th....

 

[RitaZ.]

I had mine removed last August. It was quite unexpected, as I never had any problems prior to "the one attack". Anyway, to feel like my old self again, it took about 3 to 4 weeks and I'm in decent shape. I was overly tired, had little energy. The only food that gives me "problems" is milk. I've tried lowfat, lactose free milk, but it still gives me a "problem". I never had this problem before having the surgery.

Feel better soon. We all heal at different rates.

 

[tw1nsmom]

Thanks all! I spent the last year or so being told that the pain was in my head and that you don't have pain with fatty liver. Nobody checked my gallbladder function once they determined I didn't have stones.

Since I couldn't completely associate it with eating at the time I didn't know that it might be the problem. Of course, looking back, I can see that the pain came every evening which would of course coincide with having eaten a large dinner. I didn't have as much pain during the day because I tended to graze/have small meals on the run.

It wasn't until July 11th that I had an attack right after a small meal and the pain didn't subside that my GP ordered a function test and found out it basically wasn't functioning much at all. I ended up having an extended attack that lasted for the two weeks I had to wait for surgery. My gallbladder was covered with adhesions and the surgeon thinks I was in so much pain because of them. He said the adhesions were caused by having recurring, untreated gallbladder attacks.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I've been ignored so long when it comes to pain and discomfort I don't even know if what I'm feeling is real anymore. So many people talk about recovering in a couple days that it's reassuring to hear that there are others that took longer.

 

[Virgo10]

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I've been ignored so long when it comes to pain and discomfort I don't even know if what I'm feeling is real anymore. So many people talk about recovering in a couple days that it's reassuring to hear that there are others that took longer.

ACK! That's awful. Like another poster, I had no warning. Had beef stew one night last October and BANG! we were calling 911 about 8:30 that night. I have never ever had pain like that.

The test showed numerous stones so there was no question it had to go. I had to wait 10 weeks before they could do it though and I was on a no fat diet the entire time. Lost 17 pounds which was a good thing. Not that I haven't gained most of it back since.

I agree with everyone else though. 2 weeks isn't enough time for most people to feel 100%. It will happen though. Just give it a bit more time.