Getting my gallbladder out

[mistyt]

I've been experiencing pain for the last several years and have been told it was everything from endometriosis to kidney stones. After being bounced around from doctor to doctor, they have finally decided that it is in fact my gallbladder and that it needs to be removed.

At 24 I've never had surgery, never broken a bone, or even needed stitches. I know this is a fairly simple procedure, but I'm still very nervous!

Has anyone else had this done and if so how was it?

Thanks in advance for sharing your stories!

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Don't sweat it! I had mine out 6 years ago, it was easy as a wink. Mine was done laparoscopically and recovery wasn't bad at all. I'd say I was back to normal within a week and really only uncomfortable for about a 1 or 2 after the surgery. I know it sounds scary but they do these types of surgeries all the time and it really is amazing how the gallbladder pain disappears! Try not to stress to much over it, easier said than done I know (since mine was an emergency). Just approach it like an everyday procedure, like having your teeth cleaned or something! I'm sure you'll do great and that pesky gallbladder will be history! Good luck!

 

[kwelch10377]

I was in the same boat as you a year ago. I had never had any surgery, stitches or anything. I think the thing I was most nervous about was being put under.

Everything went great. I checked in at 7am, had the surgery at 10am and was home by 4pm. I was eating some soup, crackers, toast by the next day and was back to work in a week, although I am sure I could have gone back in a few days less than that and been ok since I have a desk job. The only thing I will say is that you will have some pain in your shoulder from the gas they use to inflate you, make sure that you get up and walk around help ease that pain. You will be sore, but the pain isn't that bad. I didn't even end up taking what they gave me for pain.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

The only thing I will say is that you will have some pain in your shoulder from the gas they use to inflate you, make sure that you get up and walk around help ease that pain. You will be sore, but the pain isn't that bad. I didn't even end up taking what they gave me for pain.

I totally forgot about that! This is great advice because I had the same problem with pain in my shoulder. It feels much better if you can move around and I found that hot tea with sugar helped it to pass (so to speak!). They sent me home with Percocet but I never filled the prescription because I wasn't in that much pain.

 

[krcit]

I'll echo the pp's. It was easy peasy for me. They kept me overnight but I could've gone home. I made sure to get up and walk walk walk the halls asap to get rid of the gas and it worked. I had pain meds the day of surgery and the next day but didn't need anything other than Tyenol after that. Good luck.

 

[hellokitty86]

I'm 24 also and just had my gallbladder out November 19. The pain after surgery is NOTHING compared to the pain I was having from before the surgery! I had stones blocking my bile ducts so that made things worse. I felt relief immediately after the surgery was over since those stones were gone.

Anyway- I'd never had a bone broken or anything either and I was petrified. But really, everything was fine! I felt some nausea after the surgery and was throwing up but that was over with quickly (like, within 10 minutes). I took pain meds as needed and asked for help when sitting up because that was the most painful thing. I put a pillow on my tummy to support it a little when I was gettting ready to sit up, that helped alot too.

I was out on Black Friday shopping (exactly 1 week later) and my family thought I was crazy, but I felt fine! I have 4 tiny scars on my stomach now. I'm sure they will fade with time.

Get some Chloraseptic Lozenges for after the surgery. My throat was a little bit sore from the tube they use for anesthesia and they worked wonderfully. I used ice packs for the soreness on my stomach too.

Good luck with your surgery, I'm positive you will do fine and you will feel much better afterwards!

 

[mistyt]

This has already helped me to feel better! I agree that the part I am most scared about it being put under!

 

[hellokitty86]

This has already helped me to feel better! I agree that the part I am most scared about it being put under!

That part was very scary but I had a very nice team working with me (and I'm sure you will, too). When I got into the operating room they gave me something to relax and I fell asleep even before the surgeon was in the room. Next thing I knew I was being woken up on the way to the recovery room!

 

[kwelch10377]

That part was very scary but I had a very nice team working with me (and I'm sure you will, too). When I got into the operating room they gave me something to relax and I fell asleep even before the surgeon was in the room. Next thing I knew I was being woken up on the way to the recovery room!

Same here...

In the recovery room the nurses were making fun of me because for whatever reason the socks they had on me were half way off and really bothering me and once they took the mask off me the first thing I told them was to fix my socks followed by I need my glasses.

 

[hellokitty86]

Same here...

In the recovery room the nurses were making fun of me because for whatever reason the socks they had on me were half way off and really bothering me and once they took the mask off me the first thing I told them was to fix my socks followed by I need my glasses.

I was asking for my glasses too.

 

[dani0622]

Everyone is different with their pain tolerance. I had mine out in October. I was experiencing pain for a few months and a few days before I was supposed to get an endoscopy I ended up in the ER. Turned out it was my gallbladder which needed to be removed immediately. I also had an endoscopy the same day so I was pumped full of air two times in one day.

The first few days I really was in a lot of pain and was on hydrocodeine. It's really amazing how you don't realize how much you use your abdomen daily. I wanted nothing more than to lie down. It hurt to stand up, sit down, anything. On top of that, the soreness from the extra air. I was back at work in about a week and a half but still sore. I would say the pain completely went away for me after a month.

the only issue I have now is watching what I eat. For the first several weeks I ate bland and was fine. When I started eating some stuff I found out what was bad - nothing greasy, fatty, or fried.

I had a friend who had a hysterectomy, gallbladder surgery, and three children. She said her worst pain was from the gallbladder surgery.

 

[lrichardson]

I had a similiar problem. I was sick for 9 months and they couldn't find what was wrong. I didn't have the normal symptoms that are associated with the gall bladder and I had stones blocking the pancrea so I was so sick I went to the hospital and it was there that they discovered my problem was my gall bladder. The surgery was easy but I was very sick from the infection that I had so my recovery was slower as far as getting back to normal routines. I just had gastric bypass surgery at the end of March 2010 and believe it or not my recovery was very quick. Just remember you will feel so much better once you get it out. I did.

 

[mistyt]

Isn't that crazy how something so little can cause so much pain!

I've been in the ER 4 times in the last month for the pain and each time they just keep sending me home because it is not "severe enough" to do emergency surgery.

 

[kwelch10377]

Oh I want to add when they tell you don't do any lifting for several weeks (I think they told me 4) DON'T. About a week and a half after I picked up a laundry basket and the next thing I know I had some bad pain in my abdomen which lasted for about a week. I think that pain was worse that the few days after surgery. I felt like I pulled a muscle. I took some Aleve which helped.

 

[tink1969]

I've been experiencing pain for the last several years and have been told it was everything from endometriosis to kidney stones. After being bounced around from doctor to doctor, they have finally decided that it is in fact my gallbladder and that it needs to be removed.

At 24 I've never had surgery, never broken a bone, or even needed stitches. I know this is a fairly simple procedure, but I'm still very nervous!

Has anyone else had this done and if so how was it?

Thanks in advance for sharing your stories!

What exactly are your symptoms? I've been experiencing pain in my lower right side for months, my lower right back as well. The pain seems to get worse after I have eaten and when I get the urge to pee.....look out! because it seems I can't get to the bathroom quick enough!
Are these symptoms of gallbladder problems?

 

[mistyt]

Oh I want to add when they tell you don't do any lifting for several weeks (I think they told me 4) DON'T. About a week and a half after I picked up a laundry basket and the next thing I know I had some bad pain in my abdomen which lasted for about a week. I think that pain was worse that the few days after surgery. I felt like I pulled a muscle. I took some Aleve which helped.

Just what I need, an excuse to get out of chores around the house for a month

Thank you so much to everyone for sharing their experiences with me! Hearing how you all have gotten through this has helped me with my fears already.

 

[mistyt]

What exactly are your symptoms? I've been experiencing pain in my lower right side for months, my lower right back as well. The pain seems to get worse after I have eaten and when I get the urge to pee.....look out! because it seems I can't get to the bathroom quick enough!
Are these symptoms of gallbladder problems?

That is exactly the symptoms I've had. I have most of my pain in the back, not so much in the stomach. My bowel movements were really bad too (sorry to put that in there)! Also, if I eat fatty or fried foods I get really sick to my stomach. I've been living on a bland food diet for the last several weeks (hey, but at least I've lost 6 pounds)!

 

[ols386]

It took me about 2 weeks to recover from my lapriscopic gall bladder removal. But I had a bit of a complication after surgery, otherwise I don't think my recovery period would have been quite that long.

I imagine that you will get along just fine, op. Best wishes to you.

 

[tink1969]

That is exactly the symptoms I've had. I have most of my pain in the back, not so much in the stomach. My bowel movements were really bad too (sorry to put that in there)! Also, if I eat fatty or fried foods I get really sick to my stomach. I've been living on a bland food diet for the last several weeks (hey, but at least I've lost 6 pounds)!

Yes....fatty foods bother me as well and the bowel movements are bad too.
I have a doctor's appt booked for next week so I will see how it goes.
Thanks for the info and good luck with your surgery!

 

[hellokitty86]

I've been living on a bland food diet for the last several weeks (hey, but at least I've lost 6 pounds)!

The week before my surgery I was so sick and nauseous I barely ate. I saw the Dr. on Monday and by the following Monday I had lost 7 pds. I was admitted to the hospital the next day and wasn't allowed to eat until Friday after surgery(I was on an all liquid diet while I was hospitalized). I've never been so hungry but I actually felt better because my gallbladder wasn't under stress, trying to digest food. Unfortunately I gained all the weight back once I was on solid food.