Gallbladder surgery

[Poohbear123]

I have had mine out 7yrs ago? My dd had hers out at 16, 3 yrs ago.

Give yourself a couple of weeks of recovery time. Need to be by a bathroom at first.

I ended up getting acid reflux with the removal. Not fun.

Anyway, you still have to watch what you eat.

However some people have no issues and some do.

My Surgery was AWFUL..they put a Drain in due to the fact the Liver was close to the Gallbladder and it was "cut by mistake" so I had to have the drain and stay overnight....took me 4 weeks to recover, the drain was removed 10 days later, and boy was I better after that! However, the little 'witch' that yanked the drain out, got an earful from me!

 

[Nik's Mom]

I had mine out a few years back. I spent the night in the hospital. I spent that day sleeping off the anesthetic. I had only mild pain from the surgical incisions. What really hurt was my throat from the intibation tube that went down my throat. And my ribs were sore for a few days. I was back at work after a few days. I had to wear elastic waist pants for a couple of weeks though.

There are certain things that tend to mess with my digestive system since the surgery. I cannot eat onions, for example. No biggy, I hated them anyways.

 

[lovepurple]

I had mine out in November. I had one stone that was bigger than a golf ball. My throat hurt for a couple of days after. My biggest problem was the incision at the belly button hurt really bad and took a long time to heal because they also had to repair a hernia that I didn't even know I had. You can't even really see the other scars anymore, but the one at the belly button is pretty ugly. I felt better in a little over a week but made the mistake of then trying to lift a basket of laundry and that hurt really bad. The only eating issue that I've had since then is any type of pork no longer agrees with me. I don't mind giving up sausage, but I really like bacon. It is so nice to no longer be afraid of a gallbaldder attack hitting me in the middle of the night.

 

[joviroxx]

Had mine taken out Oct '08. I was 42. After a few awful awgul gallbladder attacks, they finally found the issue and had mine taken out. In on a Thursday morning, at home by late that afternoon and was at work on Monday.

I was a bit more weak than usual for another week, but was fine. Scars are barely barely noticeable and never had another issue. Id do it again 10fold to avoid those awful attacks.

I know others had issues with the "bathroom" but I never did. Good luck!

 

[Crystal0608]

I had mine removed the first week in May. My appendix ruptured in Feb and that's when they saw a stone in my gallbladder the size of a golfball as well. I was on the low-fat gallbladder diet until my surgery. I went into the hospital around 6am, home by 11:30am and part of that was surgery prep and the recovery room. The dr tested my gallbladder and it was bad, so it would have had to come out soon. I was cut vertically above my belly button, horizontally across the upper part of my tummy, and a few smaller cuts on my right side totaling 19 staples. When I woke up from surgery, I felt sick and was in pain, but I was given an extra IV for pain, one for naseua (sp?) and a pain pill. I had to eat saltines, drink sprite, and pee before I could go home. It was hard swallowing the saltines. Once I got home, I went to sleep and woke up that day only to drink and take my meds. They inflate your stomach, so it helps to walk to move the carbon dioxide from settling in your chest. The next morning, I was able to walk around Walmart, I just didn't try lifting for a while. My stomach was pain, but it was more of a sore pain, mostly when sitting. Laying down or standing didn't have as much pain. I have a few pairs of stretchy capris where the elastic didn't touch my staples. My surgery was on a Tuesday and I was back to work that Monday (sit down office job). I've heard scary stories about side effects after surgery but I have zero issues eating anything.

 

[Dax]

I. It was hard swallowing the saltines. Once I got home, I went to sleep and woke up that day only to drink and take my meds. They inflate your stomach, so it helps to walk to move the carbon dioxide from settling in your chest.

Yeah expelling that gas was a nightmare in onto itself...I was gassy for 2 days..LOL

 

[bamagirl@hrt]

I had mine removed laproscopically last September. It was a semi-emergency operation. I had a major attack on a Thursday and was misdiagnosed on Friday. I talked with a friend at church who is a surgical assistant. He said it sounded like classic gallbladder; he helped me get in to see a surgeon quickly. I saw the surgeon on Tuesday and learned that I would have surgery on Wednesday. The kicker was that I was scheduled to go to WDW on Thursday.

The surgery was a bit more complicated, as my gallbladder was extremely inflamed. The surgeon had to make another small incision to drain the gallbladder before he could remove it. He also cut into my liver a bit. I had to have a liver function test two weeks post op.

I did go to WDW less than 24 hours after surgery. I tried to move my flights, but got nowhere with Delta. My doctor was very supportive - he's young and has children as well. My husband called the airlines/airports and arranged for me to have a wheelchair. I was also first boarded.

Upon arrival at WDW, I rested in the room for the first two days for the most part. I did go out for dinner. For the rest of the trip, I was able to do most things. I obviously didn't ride rollercoasters or Dinosaur. I would rest in the shade while my husband took the kids to do the rides I couldn't. I tired more easily, so we had earlier nights than we usually do at WDW as well.

I'm fortunate that I didn't have any complications during or after my surgery. I was very sensitive to greasy foods for awhile after surgery, but I'm not now. I don't have any bathroom issues after eating any certain foods.

Good luck!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Yeah expelling that gas was a nightmare in onto itself

And your right shoulder will hurt for the first day due to the gas. Which is a little weird.

 

[JaneBanks]

I had my gallbladder taken out about 10 years ago. They sucked it out right through my bellybutton! lol Unfortunately, my surgery wasn't the typical surgery. My warning to you is to get it done as soon as possible or you'll end up like me!

I had issues with my gall bladder for two years and kept putting off taking it out. Well, one day, it had had enough and I was done for! I was admitted to the hospital and went in for surgery. My gallbladder was badly infected, I was told it was black, shriveled and full of stones and sludge. I was kept in the hospital for a week and I was really sick! I also found out that I'm a terrible patient! I had a drain the whole time I was there up until about an hour before I left. I have to say that the pain from the drain being pulled out is the only pain I remember so it left a scar on my little brain. lol It took about another week for me to recover at home and everything is a-okay now!

The best thing I ever did is have that surgery! Just don't push it off like I did!

 

[C.Ann]

had mine out laproscopically in march, 1996. surgery was a friday morning, i went home from the hospital that evening..

DD had hers done this way as well.. The only problems she has had since then (I think it was done in 2007) is that she occasionally suffers from "dumping syndrome".. My Dstepdaughter does as well.. Other than that, they're both glad they had it done..

Best of luck to you!

 

[a*dis*mom]

I had my gallbladder removed YESTERDAY around 12:30 and came home a few hours later. I have 4 small incisions; no stitches or staples....just the glue. After the surgery I was moved to a room and was able to go home as soon as I ate something, could walk down the hall, control pain with oral meds, and use the restroom. I did all that within a couple of hours. I took one percocet last night and haven't taken anything today for pain. I am tired and sore today though. I'll probably take some Tylenol for the soreness as soon as I finish this bowl of cereal. I hope you have a quick and easy recovery.


I was told not to lift anything over 15 lbs and to take it easy for a couple of weeks.
I REALLY HOPE that I don't have the bathroom issues now. For those of you that do, does Imodium or any other med help with this?

 

[C.Ann]

I REALLY HOPE that I don't have the bathroom issues now. For those of you that do, does Imodium or any other med help with this?

If you are referring to the "dumping syndrome", yes - it does.. And for the first time ever, I would strongly suggest that you use only the name brand anti-diarrheal - Advanced Immodium.. I would also suggest that you start off only using one at a time and see how that works for you before upping it to two at a time..

However, you may get lucky and not have that problem at all! Hope your recovery continues to go smoothly..

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

DD had hers done this way as well.. The only problems she has had since then (I think it was done in 2007) is that she occasionally suffers from "dumping syndrome".. My Dstepdaughter does as well.. Other than that, they're both glad they had it done..

Best of luck to you!

I'm going to call mine this from now on! I had mine out about 4 years ago, still have the "dumping syndrome" a few times a week. Surgery was simple, ongoing eating/disposing issues---irritating!

 

[danalee]

its nice to see, (well I guess nice isnt the right word ) that some do have other issues with gallbladder surgery as well as myself~

First up let me say I was the 4th person in my family to have gallbladder surgery and they were all in and out, no problems and very little recovery time
Myself on the other hand....not so much

I kept putting it off for one reason or another, not a good idea. When I finally went in, I had it done laproscopically but also they found, while in there, I had a belly button hernia(never knew there was such a thing) and I had stones in the bile duct, which they had to go in the next day and remove. The reason they went in the next day was I was having an issue with my liver and the gallbladder itself did not want to come out, and from what the doc said i wasthisclose to being cut open
I was in surgery the first day almost 4 hours and the second day about an hour. I stayed in the hospital 5 days.

Other than all of that I did recover rather quickly, other than the cut where the gallbladder came out was sore for awhile, doc said due to all the problems they had "getting the little devil out" was why. and havent had any problems since. Oh and I had this done in April of this year

Good Luck to you!

 

[a*dis*mom]

Thanks, C.Ann. I have to make a pharmacy run this afternoon so I'll be picking up the Advanced Imodium. Until I am convinced that I don't have the dreaded "dumping syndrome," I'm not leaving home without it.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Thanks, C.Ann. I have to make a pharmacy run this afternoon so I'll be picking up the Advanced Imodium. Until I am convinced that I don't have the dreaded "dumping syndrome," I'm not leaving home without it.

FYI--one thing I've found that really helps, is not to hold off on eating. For example, if I wait and eat breakfast late....like 10ish, or don't eat breakfast at all and just eat lunch.............lets just say I better be at home.

My doctor said something to the effect of my body storing up all that bile and when I finally eat it's so happy to get rid of it, my body goes into overdrive and pushes out a lot of bile. Anyway, small meals throughout the day helps.

 

[MagicalMawMaw]

I got my gallbadder out about 4 years ago. I'd had lots of horrible attacks but kept putting it off. Was the best thing I ever did as those attacks were so painful.
I'm one of those "lucky folks" with after affects.
I have found if you watch the fatty stuff especially fried foods, hamburgers & stuff like that you do better. Beef has such a higher fat content so I usually stick with chicken!
Good luck!

 

[Myothername]

I had mine out laproscopically a few years ago and did fine. I did not have any symptoms before but the doctor found a polyp on mine while undergoing tests for something else. I have had any diet problems after either. I think I had it on a Thursday and was back at work on Monday. The only bad part was the gas they pump in you settles upward and was very painful. Also, the surgeon found where I had had a ruptured appendix some time in the last 15 years or so. I must have a very high pain tolerance. Never knew it. I do remember having a bad stomach ache one night that was gone in the morning. That was probably it. He said it just scarred over and he was not touching it. I guess I am lucky to be alive.

I was surprised that you were put on a waiting list. I guess your medical care is different in Iceland. My doctor simply looked at his calendar and asked me when I wanted to do it.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

I had mine out last week. I left my house at 8:00 am, and I was back home in my recliner at 2:30 pm. I had a bad first night (I'm pretty sure I barfed out my pain meds, leaving me unmedicated for a few hours), but I've been pretty good since then. Like others, I slept in the recliner for a few nights -- far more comfortable. Try to stay on top of medications and take it easy as best you can. Listen to your body, and do what it tells you to do. A week out, I'm taking a little naproxen and going about my business.

 

[Praying Colonel]

Had mine out laparoscopically in 1997. I had had problems with it off and on for 6 months, with no doc able to diagnose the problem. A new primary care doc diagnosed me in 2 minutes and I had surgery the next week. The surgeon said it was gnarly and they almost had to convert to an open procedure, but he was able to get it with the less invasive method. I was back at work about 10 days later, but felt like I was only about 70% recovered. It was probably 30 days or so before I felt 100%.