Gallbladder surgery

[goofy!]

Had mine out a couple of years ago on July 3rd

Surgery at 8:00am, home at 3pm. Doc cleared me to go home before noon but it took forever to get checked out. I had one of the largest stones doc said he had ever removed. They put it in a jar for me and they were passing it around the nurses station oogling it. Doc said I came very close to not being able to have it removed laprascopically as he was having a hard time grabbing it with his tools.

By 5pm I was sitting on the neighbor's patio having drinks (non-alcoholic in my case because of recent anethesia).

Next day I was feeling fine and we went to the town 4th of July party and fireworks that night.

By the next day, I was back in full Mom mode, driving kids to all their sports.

The only discomfort was having to sleep on my back for a couple of days. I hate to sleep on my back.

I have an extremely high pain tolerance, so take that into account. I have not seen any difference in my diet before or after surgery. I tend to eat low carb, but not low fat and have not had a problem.

On the other hand, a good friend of mine ended up in the hospital for 2 weeks with complications. So, it all depends on the situation.

 

[MomRN]

I also had a bad experience, but it wasn't nearly as bad as others had described.

I was six weeks postpartum and during one of those middle of the night feeding sessions I had a severe attack. My dh took me to the ER.

They diagnosed the gallstones, but the surgeon didn't want to admit and do surgery (weekend and all...) so they sent me home. When I asked about pain medication in case it happened again the ER doctor said no, that if it happened again to come right back to the ER. What I didn't know then that I do know now is that my labs were all over the place and he didn't want to send me home, but the surgeon didn't want to come in, so he was basically stuck.

So, the next day, the same thing happens. I go into the ER that night and get scheduled for surgery the next morning. Surgeon says it will take about an hour.

I woke up in recovery 3 hrs later, with a JP drain. There was major infection, and he had a very difficult time getting it out because it wanted to come out in pieces and not whole. So, I spend another night in the hospital getting some high dose antibiotics and get sent home with my drain.

I resume parenting responsibilities, go back to school, get the drain out, and one day a couple of weeks after surgery... the pain is back. This attack was the worse. I call my husband home and am on the bed crying in the fetal position. He asked what he should do, and I said just take of the baby while I lay here and die. (I was serious, I could not move, couldn't imagine getting into a car, or waiting in an ER). He calls an ambulance.

Trip 3 to the ER and they cannot find anything wrong, so they send me home.

The next time it happened (and trip 4 to the ER) I was admitted again with a stone in my bile duct. They did an ERCP (blasted the little sucker to pieces and even gave me pics). Oddly, the recovery from the ERCP was worse than the gallbladder surgery, but that is probably because at that point I was so fatigued. New mom, start of a new semester, 4 hospital trips, 2 admissions...blah. But I recovered completely with no pain since.

I do have the bathroom issues though. If I just drive by McDonalds I better have a bathroom real close....

 

[LJC1861]

I had mine out last Wednesday....pretty much emergency surgery. I woke up the Sunday prior with an awful stomach ache. On Monday I made an appt to see my primary care doctor on Wednesday. By Wednesday morning I could barely stand up. I went for an ultrasound right after my appt and they read the results right then and there...from the ultrasound my doc sent me directly to see a surgeon. The surgeon admitted me to the hospital right from his office and I had my gallbladder out later that evening. It was actually a good thing that I was too nauseous to eat that day as it meant that I was already good and ready for surgery. Due to the fact that I did not get out of recovery until 11 p.m. they kept me overnight and I went home the next day.

I went back to work, part time today. I feel SOOOO much better already! I am still a little sore from the laproscopic incisions, but the awful stomach pain is gone.

Linda

 

[Freyja]

Wow, can´t believe how many of you have experienced this. Thank you so much for sharing your stories. Although not all of you were so lucky to be pain free afterwards and/or have problem free recoveries I can hardly wait to have mine taken out. The pain I experienced 2 days ago was so horrible (and that´s coming from someone who has birthed 9lbs babies without any pain meds).

 

[momrek06]

I have not had my GB out nor have I ever had an issues BUT that being said most of my immediate family members have had their gall bladder out.
My Bro and my Father all had attacks and their MD's took out their GB's but my Mom, and Sister had issues and then it was determined their GB's had to come out and so theirs were scheduled surgeries.

My youngest Sis now has gall stones and her MD said she should probably have her GB out but she is putting it off for now.

2 weeks ago, Bro's wife had her GB out, scheduled surgery.

I am sitting here thinking I must be lucky ... no issues, never have and yet my family is verrrrry confused by this and is sure my GB should come out ... ???? And I am older than all my Sis' and Bro!

I will say my Bro and Dad having had attacks prior to surgery had a longer time getting over the surgery then the family members that had scheduled surgeries.

Good Luck with your surgery, OP!!!

 

[lizbaby007]

Well add me to the list who have had theirs out. I did not have any gallstones but was diagnosed with biliary dyskinesia over a year ago. My gallbladder only functioned at 3.3% and I would have an attack everytime I took my thyroid medicine (random I know!).

Got mine removed on Tues (6/22/10). When they got me into recovery they gave me some pain meds to make me "feel better". Well of course I immediately started vomiting. It literally felt like my insides were ripping apart with every heave. They gave me anti-nausea stuff through the IV but it took some time for it to kick in.

I'm hoping that is why I felt so darn sore when I got home. I read these stories about people being back to work a few days later and I think no way!! I couldn't even bend forward that first day. The gas they pump into you did not start coming out til two days later for me either. I think that is why the incision below my belly button started leaking blood. Too much pressure!! Thankfully it was an easy fix...went in to see the nurse and had more adhesive applied.

I have been taking the pain meds they gave me but have avoided them today. I can really feel how sore my throat is now from the tube that was in it. I also taking it really slowly with the foods I introduce back into my diet. Until the soreness is gone from my stomach (especially under my bellybutton) I dont want to push anything. Hopefully I will be able to sleep on my right side again soon. That seems to be one of the sorest areas. Good luck for those going to have surgery! Its nice reading about the success stories and knowing there is hope for a pain free stomach

 

[Costumesaremylife]

I had mine out after a series of horrible nights, I never knew what would cause it. And I was dumb, always thinking it was my fault and not a medical thing.

I saw a doctor (not mine) in the afternoon and he misdiagnosed me, a few hours later I called my mom at work because I could not get up of the floor in the bathroom. Headed to the ER saw the doctor, got an ultrasound and had the surgery scheduled for the next day. Thank medical science for morphine.

Had it out, no problems. The drain coming was not fun! I had to stay another night because of the antibiotics I still being given.

The recuperating was fine, since the intense pain was over. I do have problems with super greasy foods and I always keep track of where the bathroom is when I'm out, but it's not usually needed.