Let's talk about gallbladder surgery

Butter Cookie

Have any of you had it? How was the pain before & after, how long was recovery, do you wish you hadn't had it, etc.

*Barbie*

did they let you keep your gallbladder? (and if so, pics?)

GBCK

don't they do it laproscopically anymore?

Or am I confuzzled?

arbolita

My mom had it a couple months ago.  Her pain was terrible before she had it, and she felt so much better afterwards.  She was out of commission for a couple weeks while she healed.  She had to make some dietary changes changes, but overall things have been good since then.   If no one else here has answers, if you want any other type of info/details I can ask her tonight.

Butter Cookie

It's Mom who is being told to have the surgery. She has gall stones, so they want to go in and I guess remove the whole thing. Going to the doctor was a big deal for her, and she's not so sure about letting someone put her under and cut her open.

6fsn

Me, me, me!  Take my story with a grain of salt.  It was the 3rd abdominal surgery in 10 months.

I had the surgery on a Friday morning.  I was home that afternoon.  They didn't give me any after care so I think that caused some of my problems too.  Nobody said the gas could collect in your shoulder and cause pain.  Once the pain started I tensed and got scared.  That caused more pain and a started a bad cycle.  I was in tears and seconds from calling the squad because I thought I really was dying.  Luckily I started to calm down and we got my brother on the phone.

After a weekish I was feeling somewhat better.  At the two week mark I was ready to go back to work, but needed to see the company doc so was out for another 3 days.  My friend had the exact same surgery and was back to work in 4 days.

The pain before surgery would wake me from a dead sleep.  I took a total of 3 pain pills after my open appi and 4 after my c-section.  I could take 3 pills at a time and it wouldn't touch the gallbladder attack pain.  I would be sore and tired for days after an attack. 

Some people have foods affect them after surgery.  My friend can't eat tomatoes.  I have had no issue.  I don't know anybody that has regretted the surgery.

GBCK

I'll ditto 6 on what happens w/ the gas w/ laproscopic surgery (they tried to my surgery lapro and pumped me full before they decided to do the full surgery and open me up)...the doc warned me but who knew that the shoulder would hurt worse than the 8" incision?

(but I can't comment beyond that because my surger = not normal)

6fsn

There is a way to bust up the stones without surgery.  Most docs don't do this because they can/will come back and the surgery is pretty much just as easy.

Butter Cookie

Ok, this gives me more to talk to Mom about, so that she can address concerns with the doctor. Also: Did you find you needed someone around to help you? If so, I will probably see if I can get her to come have the surgery here, so I can care for her.

6fsn

My MIL stayed Friday and Saturday and my mom Sunday to Monday, but that was mainly because of the kid.  The first day I'd say I needed DH to help me manuever and get food and pills.  The second day I was moving much better, but it was still nice to have the help.

Let me know if you have more questions.

Butter Cookie

Thank you:)

Mom goes for a CT scan (not sure if it's for the gall stones or something else) in a few weeks, so we'll go from there I guess. The good news is her liver is in excellent health. She has a small spot in one kidney they want to check out further, and really they want to do a colonoscopy but she won't let them. It's leaps and bounds from where she's always been, and I'm proud of her for overcoming her fear, and proud of her for incorporating doctors into her belief system, in some capacity. Ya'll know my Mom does NOT like doctors.

KatyRoseM

I had it 2 years ago.  I did it one morning and was out that afternoon (it was laparoscopic).  I was told I didn't have to have it, I could try changing my diet and see if that worked first but they did not recommend it.  Before I had it I would feel sick after eating and ended up in the emergency room because of the pain (I didn't know what it was).  After it hurt for a few days and I couldn't lift things for a week.  Now I have digestive problems if I eat a lot of red meat and havn't had any in a while.  Other than that I'm fine.

My one word of caution, they tell you you can go back to everything after a week, however there will be limits.  I was told I could go hiking in Israel, and tried it, I ended up being sick off the top of Masada and actually being unable to move for a while.  I'm not sure if it was the heat, the food, the surgery or a bit of all of it.  Basically your fine, just don't believe them if they say you can go hiking in 100 f heat the week after, you can't. 

Anyway, I'm glad I did it.  I eat better now and don't feel sick, the scars are tinny (if you wait and have to do it as an emergency when it gets worse they have to have bigger scars and it takes forever to heal, that happened with my appendix) and I don't have to worry about it, which I would have had I waited.  My only regret is that I would have had a better time on my trip if I hadn't had the problem, however it could have been really terrible if I had not had the surgery and needed it as an emergency there, I like not having a translator to talk to my doctor. 

pcraven04

Okay, I suffered (unbeknowingly) with a diseased galbladder for nearly two years. The last few months before the surgery, when I had an attack, I litterally thought I was going to die. One time I nearly drove my car into another car just to go to the ER (I didn't).
Anyways, the pain after the surgery is a little high, but it has less to do with the incisions and more to do with the air they have to pump in your tummy to make room for the tools. And they typically do lapriscopy unless the galbladder is too enlarged to remove. Anyways, I was out and could't dance (I'm a dancer) for about two weeks. Then slowly got back into it. But I was pretty much doing normal things after week one. I even went grocery shopping the next day!
You do have to adjust your diet, watch out for real greasy, fatty foods. Also soda was rough on my tummy at first. But in the long run, life is much better!

bellaxanthe

Looking back on it - it was nothing compared to the pain I had frolm attacks. I went for years sick as a dog out of nowhere and in the emergency room monthly. They wouldn't even fathom that a girl my age (24) could have this problem despite every woman in my family had already been diagnosed.
Anyway, the laproscopic surgery went very smoothly for me.  I was only in the hospital a day and a half.  It was painful, like a truck hit you in the stomach or someone reached in and twisted you around a bit.  But it was muscle soreness not much more than that for me.  I was fine within a week.  It is now about 13 years later, I still have trouble eating red meat or salads on occasion.  You have to still watch your diet because there will be emergency times in which you need to use the restroom (TMI).  Also - drinking is a whole different ballgame.  Hangovers are almost inevitable for me as I just don't seem to process toxins very well anymore.  Good luck to your mom- it really isn't terrible in the scheme of things and I am so glad to not have those attacks anymore.

Butter Cookie

Here's the weird thing: Mom is not experiencing any pain. She's having digestive issues (diarrhea) which might be related to it, but no doctor has actually established that. I think if that were the problem, and all she had to do was get rid of the gallbladder to solve these issues, she'd do it in a heartbeat. But right now she's not in any pain from the gallbladder.

nannewmur

I had mine taken out six years ago.  Before surgery, I had a test to determine if the gallbladder was functioning (I think it was called a hyatel scan?).  Mine was not.  If memory serves me, I believe it is kidney stones that can be blasted, not gallbladder stones.  The gallbladder will produce stones if it is not functioning, so that is why is needs to be taken out.  Mine was done with a scope-it was one where they kept me in the hospital overnight (23 hour observation) but I also had acid reflux surgery with gall bladder removal.

I was sore for several days in the abdominal area.  Was off work three weeks but my friend went back after one and she wished she would have taken off three.  Most people need assistance maybe the first 24-36 hours but it depends on age, etc.

Some people experience weight gain and a problem with diarrhea when they eat some foods, especially if the food has seeds (tomatos, watermelon, etc)  after surgery.

My dad was stat flighted to a hospital when he had a gallbladder attack (symptoms sometimes are like a heart attack.)   I was bent over and sick as a dog.  My friend who was in her 40s at the time did not have hers taken out, and a stone traveled and blocked a duct.  She nearly died. 

If the gallbladder is not functioning or there are stones, get it out!!

Meagan78

I had open gallbladder removal two years ago.  Felt much better after than before!  But have also had a much more sensitive digestive system since.  Still, wasn't really optional.