Gallbladder knackered

[Bouffalant]

I've felt short of breath, dodgy stomach and like I've broken a rib quite a lot recently.

Just had a doctors appointment and apparently it's a dicky gallbladder. Awaiting a hospital letter for scan and blood tests. But doctor says the usual best course is to remove the gallbladder.

Anyone been there? Is it horrible?

Oh and was on the waiting list for 3 months.

I wouldn't say no to being out of action over Christmas, any reason to get out of the endless family road trips.

I'm severely fed up today, this one has been going on for about 30 hours, so I'm pretty much lying in bed whingeing and doing a lot of swearing every half hour or so

I sympathise with everyone who has had GB attacks. So painful.

Best thing I ever did, having it removed. Horrible episodes towards the end, like the most intense childbirth, liver was malfunctioning and had glandular fever, I was pretty grotty.
Took about 4 weeks to recover but that was 12 years ago and love a normal, active life.

I had my gallbladder out in April this year. I had suffered for many years with it and was in quite a bad way by the time of the op. Mine needed to be converted to open surgery which I understand is quite unusual. I have one large scar from the open surgery and then little ones where they attempted keyhole. I was in hospital for 5 nights and off work for 8 weeks. 4 months on I have no issues at all - I can lift and no pain! I hadn’t realised how unwell I felt until it was out.

It's a fucking nightmare, isn't it? I was lucky and got surgery about 8 weeks after the gallbladder attack. In the meantime, I had to radically change my diet and eliminate as much fat as possible to keep my gallbladder in check - even things the NHS regarded as safe like skinless boiled chicken breast.

Four weeks off work? Bloody hell that's ridiculous. I was fine 2 days after mine was removed, a bit sore but able to do anything aside from heavy lifting. It's a very easy procedure.

Had mine out.
Feel like that woman on the Bodyform advert now.
Was in hospital for two days as my liver had wrapped itself around my gallbladder.
Couldn't lift anything for a few days, couldn't lift anything heavy for a few weeks.
Poo was interesting for a few days.
Had a strange vacant pain for a few weeks after, as I stopped bracing for the pain.
Back to work after 6 weeks, but people do return quicker.
Keyhole is best, but they don't know until they start whether keyhole or not. If not recovery will take longer.

I was still feeling sorry for myself after two days but up and running within a week.

Four weeks off work? Bloody hell that's ridiculous. I was fine 2 days after mine was removed, a bit sore but able to do anything aside from heavy lifting. It's a very easy procedure.

Its is not ridiculous, everyone is different and recovers differently. Some people will be up and about almost immediately, some people will need several weeks to get back to normal, others will fall somewhere between the two.

I had caesareans with some of my DC, the norm is to be up and about within a few weeks and fully recovered by around 6wks. Well with DC2 I followed the typical, with DC3 I felt great and was tootling around the local shopping centre by day five, then with DC4 I was really ill and it took me several months to fully recover. You never know how recovery will go until the time comes and I think its cruel to mock people who took longer to recover than you did.

Consultant has assured me however that the standard recovery path is a piece of cake compared to a caesarean.

I had mine out a few months ago. Manual job so was supposed to take 4 weeks off but went after 3. Should have taken 4. Blood thinners at home for 5 days and no bloody way could I have went back after a week tbh I still get pain after eating fats (although not on that scale) and go through 7 boxes of immodium a week. Apparently it can happen but does hopefully settle down.

Use a cushion pressed into your middle when getting up/down/walking about.

Please take people's timings as a guide.
Listen to your body.

Oh god, does GB removal case the shits too? I already have IBS.

I'd take pissing out of my arse over the current pain though.

There is a 1 in 50 chance of diarrhoea, increased frequency of pooing, or looser stools following the operation. In most cases it settles down once your body adjusts to not having a gallbladder and in the meantime can be managed with diet and OTC medications like immodium, in a very small number of cases it can be long term but again managed by diet and OTC medications.

I had mine out a couple of years ago. Was admitted to hospital with cholecystitis (no previous symptoms) in October and had it out the following January. I was one of the unlucky ones and had to have keyhole surgery convert to open surgery. I had six weeks off then a phased return for two weeks. Realisticallly, I probably should had taken longer off. Just something to be aware of (around 5% of surgeries are open).

Bouffalant check out my gallbladder support thread - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/3465213-gallbladder-removal-2019-support-thread - lots of helpful advice and support from posters who have had or having the op

My partner's IBS improved following the removal of his gallbladder.

@aqaumarine1029, lucky you having a quick recovery. I could barely walk for 4 days, I was violently vomiting on day 8 , I'm sure my office would have appreciated that, I nearly passed out ironing my son's school shirt on day 9.

I'm quite sure that the lady opposite me on the ward, who was still on oxygen and a drip when I was discharged was running around two days later.

Wasnt running around after two days

Hi, undoubtedly get the thing out. I had mine out about 6 years ago. I woke up one night at 12.45am feeling very nauseous and had 6 episodes of projectile vomiting plus bad pain, doubled over pain. I called an ambulance at 6.30am and was taken to A&E. They diagnosed an infected gall bladder full of stones. Unfortunately they couldn't operate because of the infection and also because I was on blood thinning medication following a heart attack 8 months earlier. I was kept in hospital for 7 days and put on intravenous antibiotics plus pain killers. That was in April and they removed it via keyhole surgery in early December. Those 8 months in between were hell. I felt nauseous and had to eat low fat diet. The operation went well. In at 7.30am and discharged at 6.00pm. I took artichoke supplements because having no gb you don't store and release bile like a normal person. I felt crap for easily a year. I thing maybe it was the artichoke supplements were the cause. I came across an article in the Daily Mail in which a doctor advised taking Lecithin granules after meals. I spoke to an advisor in Natures Best and she said artichoke was wrong and also advised taking Lecithin. So I switched to Lecithin and it did the trick. Don't take the capsules you need the granules for it to work. Just a heaped dessertspoon mixed in milk after a main or big meal. Thankfully I can eat anything now and don't even need the Lecithin but it's in my cupboard in case. Oh and you will have 2 small scars and a not too pretty belly button after the surgery but it's a small price to pay.

I had mine out a few years ago and have had no ill effects at all. I was in so much pain before.

Thank you for all posting, and for the link to the previous thread.

I'm so fucking hungry right now but I don't dare eat anything.

I took 4 weeks to recover, I should have really taken another 2 weeks off but I was been pressured to return to work.
Physically I'm ok post OP but do struggle eating large meals or fatty foods without getting the runs

I had mine out in March. I was referred and it was out within a couple of weeks of that.
I’ve never experienced pain so bad in my life. Way worse than labour in my opinion!
The surgery was fine. In and out of the hospital within half a day. My recovery took about 3 weeks but this was in part to me trying to do too much the first week!
My body does not react well at all to fatty foods now though! It’s definitely made a difference not having a gallbladder!
I’m glad it’s gone though!

Same as @LellyM, I had mine out 6 years ago. Mine was due to a bout of acute pancreatitis. Had the op about 3 weeks after my hospital admission and haven't looked back. Was actually on mat leave at the time, but had proper help for about a week post op, to remove need for lifting etc.