Gallbladder surgery yesturday/leave in 3 weeks

[Mousemom]

After not feeling good for quite a while and having an attack after eating pizza I had my gallbladder removed yesturday. We leave for WDW in three weeks and wondered if anyone knows if I will be feeling better and able to eat what I want when we go? My doctor seems to think everything will be fine. I really want to go and eat what I want and not get sick especially being on the meal plan. Any tips would be appreciated.

 

[WantToGoNow]

You should be feeling ok by the time of your trip. However, my gallbladder was removed 20 years ago - I can eat what I want but not without consequences. Anything spicy or greasy causes an intestinal upset if you get my meaning.

 

[Aryn]

I had my gallbladder out 5 weeks ago. I also got pancreatitis that put me back in the hospital for 10 days. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy! I still have problems with fried foods and food with alot of fat. I had hoped to be back to normal by now, but no such luck. I am going to food and wine in 25 days so I hope that I can enjoy everything with no problems, but it seems like the food issue will be one that lasts for the rest of my life. I wish you luck, just take it easy on portion size and watch how much fat you are eating and you should be OK. By the time you leave you should have some idea what your body can and can not handle, listen to it! Otherwise you could end up miserable!

Good luck and have fun, it looks like you will be there when we are!

 

[1stvisit0909]

After not feeling good for quite a while and having an attack after eating pizza I had my gallbladder removed yesturday. We leave for WDW in three weeks and wondered if anyone knows if I will be feeling better and able to eat what I want when we go? My doctor seems to think everything will be fine. I really want to go and eat what I want and not get sick especially being on the meal plan. Any tips would be appreciated.

I had my g/b surg August 4th. I am totally over it. I can eat what I want again....THANK GOODNESS!! I was 100% in 3 wks, easy.

I leave next Thurs, and for the for the first time in a long time, I'm not worried about the attacks!

I did have it done outpatient/lap if that makes a difference.

 

[3BoysRDisneyFreaks]

I think you will be back to normal. Just be aware that even if you haven't had and gall bladder pooping attacks (some of you already know about this), just be prepared. Mine didn't start until months after my surgery. Certian foods (greasy) still set me off 7 years later. It is all hit and miss. Good luck and enjoy your trip!


Sarah

 

[cassiez76]

you should be fine. i had mine out 2 years ago and was stir crazy after 2 days home. i still have problems like others mentioned with the greasy stuff.

at least you didn't get an attack at WDW! i had breakfast at chef mickey's and felt awful, was the same color green as the napkins. to make it worse, it was (a day later) b-day celebration for me. i just wanted to go to the bathroom and die and the waitress came out with a cupcake and said i couldn't go anywhere until after the song! she stood right there. i can laugh now, but i sure wanted to kill her!

 

[momtolots]

I had mine out when my oldest was 5wks old, and she was born C-section Within 1wk, I was fine, and can eat anything, no problems. I even nursed her for over a yr! As a pp said, I think it just depends on the person. I'm sure your trip will be great.

 

[Stitch76]

I had mine out 12 years ago. I went on a trip to GA (about 300 miles from my home 2 days later). You'll be a little sore for a few days, then it will get better. As far as the eating, like someone else said, by three weeks you should be 100% . You should be able to eat pretty much what you want. I would just watch the greasy stuff like bacon, pizza, fried foods, ect. I'm not saying I would stay away from them all together, but maybe blot out the excess grease with napkins, and make sure that is not all you eat. A good tip would be to eat a meal loaded with grease, spices, anything you may be concerned with consuming, before you leave on your trip. So that you can see how your body is going to react in the comfort (or possibly discomfort ) of your own home. Everyone is a bit different. Spicy stuff never bothered me, only very greasy foods, and that was only for a few weeks afterward. I can eat anything I want now.
One other thing, I do not want to scare you, but something happened to me about a week after surgery that no one on here has mentioned. Before my surgery I would have very painful attacks (I did not have kids at the time, but after going through labor I would say these were right up there, if not worse!). It took 3 of the attacks and 3 trips to the local ER for them to find out what was wrong with me. After my surgery I thanked God that I would not have to go through that again. A week later I was visiting a friend when I started having another attack. All kinds of things ran through my head. Like, my gb wasn't what was wrong! They took out the wrong thing! I'm dying!
My DH rushed me back to the same ER, and they gave me a (GI Cocktail), not sure what is in that green slime, but this being my 4th trip, I knew it had stopped the pain on the previous trips, so I was ordering one when I came in the door like it was my favorite drink at the local bar. The Dr. examined me and told me it was one of 2 things, either there was a stone in the little tube that had been missed and was finally passing, or a phantom pain.
Yes I said it, a phantom pain. I have always heard of someone losing an arm or a leg, and sometimes even though it is really no longer there it will ache or itch, but I never really believed it. I believe it now. So just a heads up, BEWARE of the phantom gb! Apparently this is rare, I know several people who have had the procedure done, and I am the only one I know that has had this problem. (If it can happen, it will usually happen to me.)

Anyway, good luck with your surgery, and I hope you have a magical trip.

 

[JeMarie6]

Had my surgery over 3 years ago. I felt fine several days after my surgery, but I do still have to be more careful what I eat. Certain foods, like the aforementioned greasy foods, I need to be close to bathroom to eat. I'd be very aware of any foods that seem to give you problems before you go and try to avoid them if you can while you are there.

 

[Aryn]

Phantom Pain!! Thank you!! I have been having sharp pains where my gallbladder used to be and I could not figure out what was wrong with me!
That explains alot, I thought I was having another attack or appendicitis or something.

 

[sharonW]

my dh has his out aug 18, he missed only four days of work,
had absolutely no problems, ate whatever he wanted a few
days later with no issues at all. his doc said he should be his
poster child thats how fantastic he did. oh and by the way
he is not a youngster by any means!!

 

[LadyBeBop]

Three weeks is enough time for you to enjoy your Disney trip.

However the eating part...I don't know. I had my gall bladder removed about 20 years ago, and I could eat anything within a week. My DD had her gall bladder removed about 4 months ago, and she still has trouble keeping most foods down. I guess everyone is different.

Good luck.

 

[Debbie-TN]

Three weeks is enough time for you to enjoy your Disney trip.

However the eating part...I don't know. I had my gall bladder removed about 20 years ago, and I could eat anything within a week. My DD had her gall bladder removed about 4 months ago, and she still has trouble keeping most foods down. I guess everyone is different.

Good luck.

I hope she has been checked out for this. That doesn't sound normal. I was fine from the surgery a few days afterwards also. The pain before the surgery so much worse than the surgery itself. I had terrible pain for months, if only I had known. I do know that some people have complications, though. I still have to keep the Imodium and Tums handy for spicy foods. Be sure and take some with you.

 

[mickeysaver]

I had my gallbladder out last summer. I had been miserable off and on for years, but it finally became intolerable after a prolonged infection took it's toll. I was to the point on only being able to eat white rice and boiled chicken by the time I gave into the idea of surgery. The pain was really bad too.

After the surgery, I felt so much better about 3 days later, it was amazing. The pain pill side effects were worse than the pain as far as my post surgical after effects were concerned. I was slowly able to work my diet back up to a more normal intake.

The one thing that I can think of that might be your biggest issue in travelling is the inability to lift more than 20 lbs for 6 weeks. If you overdo it, you could end up with a hernia. Please take it easy!

As for post surgical diet, it's so varied depending on who you speak with. I am ok with everything now except for super greasy stuff and leafy green veggies that are raw. I can't do a normal salad anymore due to the lack of greens and most dressings bother me too.

I am super happy to be as well as I am at this point, however, I have a coworker who is still pretty miserable even after her surgery. She has the "dumping" still no matter what she eats. I have another younger coworker that we call "psychcondriac" who blames her problems on her "botched" emergency gallbladder and spleen removal about 5 years ago. She's so whiny, I have no idea how much of her problems are real vs. imagined.

Anyway, I hope that you have a quick recovery and wish you lots of pixie dust! Maggie

 

[cindyd1@optonline.ne]

I also had my gallbladder removed. You should do fine! I felt great two weeks after. Was eating o.k. and no pain! Enjoy your trip!

 

[QueenGoblin]

Bring along some antacids...I know most people talk about having issues with the other end, but for me the big problem was heartburn and indigestion. I never had those issues until my gallbladder was removed, not even during pregnancy.

 

[judy21049]

My 84 year old mom had her Gall Bladder out in March of this year. Because of her age and them giving her too much fluid she had to stay in the hospital for a few days. On the day I went to take her home, they discharged her around dinner time. As we were leaving the hospital she said "I want to eat at Red Lobster" Mom are you sure? She woofed down the Shrimp Lovers Dinner. Thought she would get sick but she didn't. I think you will be fine. Enjoy, have a GREAT TIME!!!!!!º0º

 

[Mousemom]

Thanks for the feed back. I have a feeling gallbladder surgery is more common than I thought. I feel much better today, 3 days after surgery, so I'm sure in a few more days I will be 100%.

 

[cindyd1@optonline.ne]

Have a great time!

 

[samefay]

I actually had to change my reservation one year because of the same thing. I ended up moving our vacation about a month out because of unexpected gallbladder surgery. Everything went fine. No probs eating - the hurricanes were another story. We came in just behind one and left before the next one came in. They actually closed down the airport a few hours after we left.
Just don't lift anything as someone else mentioned. Have an awesome time on your trip.