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General health

Gallbladder OP on Tuesday - help me prepare!

21 replies

NoDramasPlease · 13/05/2017 12:22

So it's finally coming out on Tuesday, am off to the shops in a bit to stock up and plan to do a bit of batch cooking. Live alone so I'll have no help and won't be able to drive for a week. Am all stocked up on meds and have peppermint capsules/buscopan/pain relief but am reading conflicting advice re post op diet. Have been on a low fat/high fibre diet for ages but apparently shouldn't eat high fibre/gassy foods for a while or fat so not sure what I can eat really . Any other advice for a smooth recovery would be much appreciated. TIA

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Slurrycart · 13/05/2017 12:33

I would make yourself some well blended veg or chicken soups and freeze them in one portion sizes to zap in microwave. (Nothing spicy or too beany.) My dh had this op(keyhole) and I think he ate small ham sandwiches (good quality white bread, no butter, no crusts, no seeded loaves) and small helpings of mashed pots and ham and white fish and rice during his recovery. He was totally fine after a couple of days though. In fact, I was amazed by how speedily he recovered. I was ready the day afterwards to go and collect him from hospital with my sister in the car with sick bucket, towels, pillows etc etc and dh turned up cheerily on the doorstep having come back by taxi and metro by himself, before we had left!! He said he felt a tiny bit sore, but other than that, absolutely fine! Hope goes well for you op

NoDramasPlease · 13/05/2017 12:46

Thanks slurry, that's reassuring to hear. I am adding to my list!

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Rolypoly · 13/05/2017 12:50

Had mine out a few years ago (keyhole, no complications). Some pain from the gas they pump in to the area migrating around, so in unexpected places, and difficulty in getting out of a chair as I couldn't use my stomach muscles. But I was about 60% back to normal in a week and fighting fit in about 4 weeks. I had the usual sort of food you have when you're a bit poorly - soups etc. If you're on your own make yourself a nest with all you might want in easy reach as you won't want to be getting up and down. Good luck - it was one of the best decisions I ever made to get my gallbladder removed.

MirabelleTree · 13/05/2017 12:52

Hope you don't mind me lurking, am having mine week after next.

NoDramasPlease · 13/05/2017 13:07

Not at all Mirabelle, I shall post an update after op. Just cleaned the house top to bottom and sorted all ds's school stuff (he's off to the GP's for a couple of days) so now just need to sort meals. I have cushions and throws aplenty and am secretly looking forward to the rest and netflix.

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NoDramasPlease · 13/05/2017 13:10

Thanks Roly, that's good to know, I've told my work I'll probably be off for 2 weeks but my job can be physical and the consultant said 3 weeks before any heavy lifting. Am hoping to be back within 2 though as I'll go onto ssp after that.

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MirabelleTree · 13/05/2017 13:31

Thank you NoDramas. I shall keep my fingers crossed that it goes smoothly on Tuesday. My friend's tip yesterday was when they say back to normal in two weeks they don't mean you can do an aerobics session, I have taken note not that I was likely to go to a session I'm a keen gardener so going to download all the Chelsea coverage and binge watch that plus am trying to find a good recovery Netflix series.

Very excited at the idea that gallbladder attacks will hopefully be a thing of the past.

Muskey · 13/05/2017 13:41

I had mine removed three weeks ago. Mine was laparoscopic but I did have complications mostly because the previous infection I had returned so it was a case of having to have it removed. The first week I was sore but it was bearable. Food wise I just eat little and often. I stayed away from fatty foods. Be mindful however about recovery. I had two weeks off work but I am still get very sleepy three weeks on. Hope you feel well soon

fuckweasel · 13/05/2017 14:27

I had mine out a few months ago. No signs of complications before surgery but came round from the anaesthetic to find I had to have open surgery. Only about 5% of surgeries are open now but something to be aware of and plan for.

I live alone and had stocked up on 'easy' food. Most of which was off by the time I got out of hospital and I also had zero appetite! A pp mentioned ham sandwiches. I basically lived off them and multivitamins for weeks!

I was extremely bloated for about a week after surgery and thankfully had bought some comfy yoga pants to go home from hospital in. I wasn't advised to follow a particular diet. Everyone who I have spoken to who had keyhole surgery seemed to be back to work in a couple of weeks. I was off for six weeks with a phased return for another few weeks. I didn't drive for about a month. Luckily I have some very kind friends who drove me to appointments and did my shopping.

Hope it all goes well.

NoDramasPlease · 13/05/2017 15:28

Oh gosh that sounds tough, am really hoping I don't end up with open surgery although I know it's a possibility. I have plenty loungewear style pants so all good on that front. Back from shops with a load of bland food, off to make soups and bland Ratatouille! Really hope I can actually enjoy food again at some point in the future, just eating because I have to at the moment, bit dire.

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MirabelleTree · 13/05/2017 16:04

I hope you're feeling much better now Fuckweasel. I have I in my head that there is a good chance mine will end up being open as I have had problems for so long and my gallstone is pretty big. My Consultant sounded confident he will be able to do keyhole but in my head I am sort of prepared for it being open and that will be my first question when I come round.

Since November I've lost a fair amount of weight to prepare for this but have a lot more to go. One of my irrational fears is that the weight loss will stop after surgery but it sounds as if I may well shift some more from not wanting to eat - I live in hope !

fuckweasel · 13/05/2017 16:19

Feeling loads better now but it's been a long haul. My single gallstone was enormous and my gallbladder severely infected. Strangely no symptoms before surgery!

trinity0097 · 13/05/2017 16:27

I found I could tolerate little and often food to start with, I was eating about 6 times a day to start with, things like a few spoonfuls of soup or a bit of bread. I soon went back to my Lchf diet after about 4 weeks. I was hugely constipated to start with, post op, so take a laxative otherwise it hurts to push initially. I never had a problem with fat, but I know some people do. Just gradually increase rather than do it in one hit.

Good luck. It's been about 3 months now and I'm fighting fit and my scars are fading all the time.

MoreProseccoNow · 14/05/2017 21:55

I had mine out about 2 years ago & it was straightforward, both in terms of the actual surgery & recovery.

The only thing I found difficult was wearing a bra afterwards; there was an incision where the underwires normally sit, so I had to go without for a while- not easy at 34FF! I second comfy jogging bottoms.

I ate normally post-op & never had any issues since.

Good luck!

DragonNoodleCake · 14/05/2017 22:30

Had mine out last Feb - keyhole. The air/gas was the most painful part, that was agony when I woke. I also didn't anticipate how emotional I felt (anaesthetist said that a GA can do that to some people).
I felt dreadful for 4 days - sickly and gassy and bad IBS. That was until I realised it was the pain killers making me feel way worse. Switched to paracetamol and could start eating again. Was back at work 2 weeks later.

MirabelleTree · 15/05/2017 17:26

Good luck tomorrow. Mine has kicked off again, can't wait to be rid of it.

NoDramasPlease · 17/05/2017 08:46

Well it's out and I survived! Was first on the list and got home about 8pm last night. No way could I have stayed in hospital, it was hot and noisy and the woman next to me did not shut up all day, she was an 'author' you know, she may have mentioned it eleven billion times . Codeine really does not agree with me so only taking it at night as it made me vomit yesterday. In a fair bit of discomfort with the wounds and gas, the worst is getting in and out of bed, it's impossible to do without using your stomach muscles. Going to see how I go on paracetamol and ibuprofen today. Cannot face food at all yet and only managed a few teaspoons of yogurt. Hoping I start to feel better in the next 24 hours.
Sorry to hear you're having a flare up Mirabelle, hope you get sorted soon.

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Slurrycart · 17/05/2017 08:49

Glad to hear you survived ok NoDramasPlease and that you are safely back at home. Here's to a speedy recovery

NoDramasPlease · 17/05/2017 09:03

Thanks slurry.

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MirabelleTree · 17/05/2017 14:21

Really glad you're home NoDramas I hope the pain wears off very soon

Aquamarine1029 · 17/05/2017 20:45

I had mine out last December and it's a breeze. I was totally fine within 3 days. Two weeks off for this kind of surgery seems very excessive to me, and I've had 13 operations for different reasons over the years. Gallbladder surgery is a piece of cake.

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