Gallbladder surgery

[Kja19kent]

Hi everyone

I wondered if I could get some advice and reassurance here as I only know one person that has had there gallbladder remove but that was years ago way before keyhole Surgery and can’t offer me any advice on it.

I’m due to have my gallbladder removed next Monday (4th Nov which is also the day after my 30th birthday what a great present so no birthday cake or wine for me) and to put it lightly I’m bricking it and I don’t know why. I’v had operations before as a child but they were small minor operations. I’m worried about complications and they said it will be keyhole and I will be out the same day but I’m worried it will turn in to open surgery and I’ll have to stay in for a week or they will keep me in which gives me anxiety badly due to having a panic attack while having my first ever stay in hospital when I had a stone stuck back in June I was in for 6 days and I couldn’t cope mentally with that. I really want it to be done and be over with now so I can go back to living a normal life.

If anyone has any stories from there experience be good or bad please share thank you for the help

[Aquamarine1029]

I had mine out 3 years ago, keyhole, same day surgery. I've had 13 major operations and this was a breeze compared to the others. After 2 days rest I was perfectly fine, just didn't do any heavy lifting for 2 weeks. Some people say they were off work for 2 weeks or more after keyhole, which I find very hard to imagine, but everyone is different. I say that after having 4 keyhole operations on my abdominal area so very same in terms of recovery. It's a very basic, common surgery so you really don't have to worry. You'll be just fine!

[GreenTulips]

I felt much better afterwards!

The surgery was quick with 4 small incisions to remove. I could get back to normal after a few days and wasn’t in any pain any more.

[Guiltypleasures001]

Oh god op it's wonderful, I was so pleased to have it done, I was crippled with pain for years. For serious reasons I couldn't have the op, I was desperate by the time they did it.

It's a doddle really to be honest, very quick recovery time, very small scars
You might have some trapped wind after, that's about it good luck

[INeedToGetHealthy]

I had my gallbladder removed via keyhole surgery over 3 years ago. I was a aware of the risk of needing open surgery as I was quite overweight but they didn't need to open me up. I stayed in overnight as I was having surgery later in the day and was discharged the next morning. I remember telling my DH that one thing felt very different and missing. Then I realised that the constant pain that it caused daily had gone.

Good luck with your surgery and look forward to being free from that pain.
Ps. Soda water to drink helps when you get the gallstone pain strike before surgery.

[Ted27]

I had mine out in June. In and out on the same day. The surgery itself was fine.

I was off work for four weeks which some people seem to think is odd but I needed it. It was a strange time as all the pain and nausea associated with the gall stones was gone, so on the one hand I did feel so much better. But my stitches took a week to heal and walking any distance was very difficult for about two weeks. All the medical information I was given by the GP and consultant was not to do any strenuous exercise for 6 weeks because of the risk of hernia.
Every one responds differently to anaesthetic and surgery, but it's a very common operation and most people don't have any longer term complications. You will be fine

[ShippingNews]

they said it will be keyhole and I will be out the same day but I’m worried it will turn in to open surgery and I’ll have to stay in for a week

There is no reason to think this at all. If you've been investigated and they say Keyhole surgery is going to happen, then that is what will happen. You'll be fine - the surgery is quick and you'll be out on the same day. Honestly it isn't a big surgery - you are panicking for no reason . You'll be glad you had it done.

[queenofmycastlex]

I had mine out in april - best thing I ever did.

It was keyhole, got out the same day and although was sore I just took paracetamol for a couple of days. The worst pain was trapped wind from them inflating my abdomen for surgery. This presents as pain in your shoulder but peppermint tea really helped and it only happened on and off for about 36 hours post surgery.

I had been very ill with my gallbladder and remember waking up from surgery feeling instantly 100x better.

[Aquamarine1029]

@queenofmycastlex

I had been very ill with my gallbladder and remember waking up from surgery feeling instantly 100x better.

YES! Me too! It was absolutely amazing. I had been horribly sick for a year, not with stones but with essentially a "dead" gallbladder. I was so ill, everyday, I thought it would never end. The moment I woke up from surgery, no exaggeration, I felt 100% better and I've been wonderful ever since. I'm so glad you had the same experience!

[queenofmycastlex]

@Aquamarine1029 I know it’s amazing isn’t it?!

[Kja19kent]

Thank you all for your reassuring replies. I can’t wait to get the thing removed it’s been a very hard and painful time for me but I can’t help but worry and think the worse that’s just me lol but thank you it has really help

[quincejamplease]

I think if you do a search there's a gallbladder surgery support thread that you might find really helpful too.

[musicposy]

I had mine done just over a year ago. It was pretty easy. I hardly knew I'd had anything done when I came round. Bit of shoulder tip pain the next day and a bit of pain for a few days over one of the scars but nothing unmanageable. I took two weeks off work - if I'd had to I could have managed after a week, really.

I kept showing everyone my scars and I've no idea why! I had four small places with stitches which fascinated me, so keyhole. The worst one was my belly button but even that was tiny. A year on and you can barely see anything was ever done.

The best thing was being rid of the pain. Doctors had dithered for a year and a half before getting it out. All that time with such terrible pain episodes, more than one A and E trip because of the agony (where they debated doing it and sent me home), all finished with.

Look forward to it!