Gallstones, oh my.

[Tinijocaro]

The Bathroom thing afer gallbladder surgery actually has a name:

Postcholecystectomy syndrome

http://www.questdiagnostics.com/kbase/frame/aa998/aa99893/frame.htm

Postcholecystectomy syndrome sometimes occurs when abdominal symptoms develop after surgery to remove the gallbladder (cholecystectomy). Between 5% and 40% of people who have the gallbladder removed may experience this syndrome.1

Symptoms of postcholecystectomy syndrome may include:

* Upset stomach, nausea, and vomiting.
* Gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
* Persistent pain in the upper right abdomen Click here to see an illustration..

You can ease diarrhea by taking the medicine cholestyramine.

If pain continues, you may have a problem caused by something other than the gallbladder or a gallstone. Other possible causes of abdominal pain include irritable bowel syndrome, stomach (peptic) ulcers, pancreatitis, or abdominal pain from an unknown cause.

 

[ohiominnie]

I had abdominal problems for years and years....I know they started at least in about 1987 b/c I had problems in college. I was treated for reflux, and constipation, and ulcers, but I always had underlying abdominal problems.

Nothing docs did ever seemed to make it better. After a battery of tests, I was pronounced "healthy" but that didn't get rid of my symptoms. I finally decided to live with it.

FF to 2001. I started having episodes with INTENSE pain. I have a high pain tolerance and these knocked me off my feet and put me in fetal position for hours....including crying and moaning. I had 3 of those in about 5 days. Horrible. The 3rd one put me in the ER. The next day I had a f/u appointment w/ my doctor. The next day I had an Ultrasound. The next day I had an appointment with a surgeon. The next day I had surgery.

They removed HUGE gallstones (btw, they did it laproscopically) One of them was so big it had to be crushed b/c it was too big to come through the incision. Surgeon thinks that ALL of my problems from 1987 on were probably the beginnings of this disease, just misdiagnosed b/c I didn't fit the standard profile for gallbladder disease.

Since surgery I've been 100% fine! I do not have any trouble with fatty foods (8 cruises with nothing but pure fat is a testament to that) The doc thinks that b/c my gallbladder was probably not functioning well for YEARS, that my body compenstated in other ways, so I don't have problems (thankfully) I've only had stomach problems a couple of times since then and they could be attributed to either food poisoning or pure gluttony (reflux) It's so nice to go through a day now without THINKING about my stomach!

As for the surgery, it wasn't bad. Again, I have a high pain tolerance, so I took the pain meds in the hospital and the next day or so, but then switched to Motrin. My mom was here to cook/clean/do childcare for a week, so I just laid around. I'm a SAHM, so I went back to "work" when my mom left, although I still wasn't able to lift laundry, etc.

I went to Disney 4 weeks after surgery and the only restrictions I had were no picking up kids or luggage (although the doc DID say I didn't have any official restrictions, we self imposed that restriction so my kids didn't hang on me the whole time---they were 4 1/2 and almost 7 at the time so they didn't need carrying around!)

The worst part post surgery was b/c of the lack of food and lack of activity I became very constipated and bloated. A big ol' dose of Milk of Magnesia got that problem taken care of.

HTH, Good luck!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

ohiominnie, your experience is nearly the same as mine. Thank goodness it was all finally figured our and done away with. Life is so much more pleasant now!

 

[wdw4life]

I had my lap choly October of last year. I am so glad it is gone! I had horrible attacks for about 4 years prior but never knew what was causing it. I finally went to the doctor after a particularly bad one sent me to the ER.

My recovery was quick. I honestly could have gone to work the next day. I didn't, of course. Took a week off. I did have some shoulder pain but that was it.

As far as the bathroom issues. I've been having intestinal problems for a long time now. I think it has gotten worse. If I'm not near a bathroom after I eat I'm in trouble. That's next on my list to see the doctor about.

 

[Desnik]

Well, I'm one who is worse after the surgery then before it. I had pain for about a year. It would come and go, then one night it was so bad and it even caused me to start vomiting! Sure enough I had a bunch of stones and had my gallbladder removed. Well I have those run to the potty moments everyday for the past 2 years! At first it happened no matter what I ate. Now I have to make sure I watch what I eat and when I eat it. Even then it still happens most of the time! I have had a complete work up by a Gastro Dr. and everything showed up OK. This is just a side effect of the surgery. It doesn't happen to everyone. Unlucky for me that it happened to me. It really is a PITA because I have to plan my days around it!

As for the surgery itself, it took me a good week to be able to walk without being hunched over. Then about a month to feel back to normal as far as the surgery site. I had a couple small incisions that are hardly noticable now.

You should be fine and I wish you well. Just be prepared that you might have the side effects like I do.
Good luck!

Oh, I wanted to add that everyone is different and handles surgery different too. My uncle had the same operation and that night was on a plane to Fl. to got to the Yankees springf training! He never misses it! He had to take some pain meds but was almost normal 2 days later. He has had no problems since his surgery!

 

[deelam]

I had my gallbladder out about 6 years ago. At the time we were planning a big Disney trip and I didn't want to take too much time off of work. I had the surgery on Thursday and was back to work Tuesday. I really felt good. My biggest symptom was pain and spasms. It felt like someone was twisting my insides like ringing out a washcloth. Once I had the surgery the pain went away.
Now I have no real problems eating high fat food. The only problems I have is while doing the Atkins diet. Most people get constipaded on Atkins. I had the opposite reaction.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Wow. I didn't realize that many do not have their gallbladders. I have to admit, when the DR. told me I needed to get it out, I was upset. I think I like to keep what I have. But, if I don't need it, then goodbye gallbladder.

I have those "bathroom episodes" now. Will it get better or worse?

Between 20 and 40 minutes after eating - I am running to the bathroom.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I have those "bathroom episodes" now. Will it get better or worse?

Between 20 and 40 minutes after eating - I am running to the bathroom.

Mine got worse. But you must remember your "bathroom running" maybe due to something else other than your gallbladder.

I do recommend you get a colonoscopy after this. I had one done a few months ago, just to see....since I was always running to the bathroom and I knew I had reflux.
Confirmed yes on the reflux, as far as intestines, I had a pre-cancerous polyp removed.
So, your body might be telling you something. Get it checked out!!!!
You could have IBS, gluten allergies, who knows...

 

[jbthi]

I had my gall bladder out about 9 years ago. I had no problems at all. I took 4 days off work but I could have gone back sooner.

 

[saucymb]

I had my gall bladder out last month after 8 horrific attacks in 6 weeks, and after two days I was out and about, though not completely healed until about 10 days later.

I was worried about the typical side effects...pain in the shoulder after surgery from the gas they pump in you, bathroom problems, etc. But fortunately for me, those problems never appeared and I feel so much better.

Good luck! You'll be glad you had it removed!

 

[taximomfor4]

I had mine out at age 22. Dr nicked an artery during the laparoscopic procedure, had to cut me open to fix it in time. Have the big, diagonal scar that the open -gallbladder-removal-people get. Mine has all kinds of problems now, 12 years later...in fact, just 2 days ago, I bent over to pick something up and SWEAR it feels like something popped through the muscle wall below the skin surface. It has been exceedingly tender ever since. Also, for about 3 inches all the way around the 8 inch scar, the skin feels like it is asleep when I touch it. I guess I lost some nerves when the surgery was done.

My surgery took 8 weeks off of work to recover. And it was PAINFUL. Sometimes laparoscopic surgeries end up being open surgeries, just be aware so you can plan accordingly!

 

[Ready to go in Ok]

Good luck with the gall bladder thing. It will be so much better once it was over. The pain I had with my gall stones was second only to child birth. I was only minimally sore a week after the surgery, and I don't remember being sore at all after that. It does get kind of frustrating with the foods thing. It seems like I can eat a food with no after effects for months, and then one day I will eat it, and will make me sick. Even so, definitely definitely worth it.

 

[Laurajean1014]

My stone is the size of a small Que ball (from the table top sets). Or as big as a $.25 cent bubble gum ball. Ouch - that sounds big.

I'm set to go under the laproscopic knife on August 7.

 

[golfgirl3613]

I had mine out 2 years ago this November. I didn't suffer from the "Got to go to the bathroom now" problem, just terrible pain which I thought was a constant tummy ache from stress.

The surgery was fine, the recovery was okay, I went back to work the following week. I had to hold a pillow to my tummy to walk, for some reason it made me feel better. The only problem I had was the pain meds made me sick, so I couldn't take them, Tylenol was enough for me.

Hope your surgery goes well!

 

[Laurajean1014]

Thank you. The dr. says I'll be out one week from work. Oh well, not too bad.

I told the dr. that this was a unique way of losing weight...... by taking out all of my unnecessary organs one at a time.

 

[escape]

I had mine out a few years back. You'll probably still be really sore the 2nd week - just take it easy.

Good luck!

 

[pammypooh]

My dh just had an ultrasound today that confirmed what we suspected. He has a gallstone. Doc wants to do an MRI...not sure why. I need to be with DH when he talks to doc or I don't get all my answers. Not sure what will happen as far as treatment. He has had two attacks in two weeks. First one I took him to ER. Second one we went to doc within 8 hours of attack. Anyway to prevent attacks till gallstone is treated?

 

[Laurajean1014]

No. Just drink lots of water and stay away from fatty foods. Fatty foods tells the body to produce more bile and that's what moves the gall stone in the gallbladder.

I go for my op on August 7th. I hope you DH has no pain until his operation.

 

[goofyforlife]

Anyway to prevent attacks till gallstone is treated?

While i waited to see my surgeon (my PCP knew it was a gallbladder problem but it's the surgeon's opinion that counts) i tried the low/no fat thing.

I found the only thing i could eat that wouldn't go right through was chicken (skinless,baked), peas, and baked potatoes (no butter) so that was my diet for around a week.

My PCP almost made sure i had pain killers but it still hurt even with them.

 

[pammypooh]

DH's doc office called this morning at 8:15 to schedule his MRI. Got that scheduled for 6:30 am tomorrow. They are moving on this. Guess that is a good thing. Thank you for the advice & support from fellow Disers!