Please tell me what to expect from Gallbladder removal surgery.

[Helini]

I have gallstones and have been referred for surgery to remove the gallbladder.
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Unfortunately, after a really abusive and traumatic hospital stay after giving birth a few years ago, I've been diagnosed with PTSD.

I'm absolutely terrified. I'm having CBT so hopefully by the time my surgery comes around, I'll have some coping strategies but in the meantime, I was hoping that anyone who's had the procedure could tell me, in very precise detail, exactly what happens.

I don't mean for the actual surgery itself, but the while before and after care. When can you get home?. Is there a chance I'll stay overnight? What kind of ward was it? Mixed sex? do you sit in a waiting room or do you have a bed? can you nap afterwards? Do they give you a meal? Can I have a private room?

I'm not worried at all about the actual procedure. It's just being inside a hospital that's terrifying me. The whole environment.

I'd really appreciate if you could describe the whole stay from the.moment you enter to the moment you leave. I'm being referred to MKUH if that helps, I've heard it's a long discharge wait at that hospital which is making me nervous.

I was admitted as an emergency and had the operation after a few days on antibiotics.

I was in a side room and they'd put inflatable leggings on my calves that expanded and contacted which was quite comfortable. I asked them to take them off as the noise was irritating!

I ate after the operation and went home the next day.

I had mine out as an emergency after I’d developed jaundice the previous week.

I arrived in the morning and was kept in a side waiting room on my own so I could read and plug my phone in, due to the surgeon being diverted to an emergency op I didn’t go down to theatre till about 3pm but the lovely surgeon did come round to apologise for the delay.

I think I was in theatre for about an hour but I’m not sure, the first thing I remember as I cane round was being sick and a lovely nurse helping me in the recovery bay, I was pretty groggy from the anaesthetic so details are sketchy but I’m pretty sure there were other patients around me in curtained cubicles who were also coming around from theatre, the nurse didn’t leave my side as I cane round and spoke to the anaesthetist about giving me some more anti sickness meds, I was then moved to a ward which had 4 beds in so there was three other ladies with me. I was kept in overnight because I’d been sick as I came round plus it was early evening by this time, had I gone down earlier in the day I would have probably been allowed home the same day.

My husband came to visit but I was still quite groggy so he just made sure I was comfortable then left. I was more uncomfortable than in pain, sitting up in bed was quite sore but once I was moving I was fine, I had a week off work but was hoovering about three days after and I managed pain by keeping on top of by alternating paracetamol and ibuprofen every three hours for the first couple of days.

It was so worth it and I’ve not had any issues since and can eat a totally normal diet.

I would definitely speak to the team and mention your anxieties at your pre op

I'm having mine out this afternoon. Got to be at the hospital for 12.30 pm and expecting to be out this evening.

I will update afterwards.

OP, I have bad anxiety after having DC4 and pretty much everything about my care going wrong. My hospital has a policy of no visitors on the ward except at staff discretion and even then only in side rooms where there are no other patients sharing your room. I rang my surgeon's secretary and the ward to explain my anxiety and they agreed that I can have a side room on my own and DH can stay with me, he has to leave the ward while I'm down in theatre but can come back when I do. Definitely ring and speak to them, they'll be very used to it and will try accommodate you to help you feel as comfortable as you can under the circumstances.

Good luck @Yscartmannew

I had mine put a few years ago and it was very simple and virtually pain free after. I wouldn't advocate this but I went dancing on day 5 post op.

Try not to worry. I'm sure it'll all be fine. All the best

OP I had it done key hole last summer and it was a massive relief to have the useless thing gone!
I now follow a low carb high fat diet, have lost 1.5 stone and feel better all round.
DH took 2 weeks off work to do the heavy bits of childcare and I was very tired for 3-5 weeks while my body was healing but I was fine. Good luck!

@notapizzaeater we are a rare breed! There was another poster on here who had theirs converted to open just before me but that’s the only other one I know of. Did you recover well?

I'd hope to be dancing five days later!

Had gall bladder surgery about 10 years ago, I was also very nervous but surgery was ok,
Nothing to eat after 10pm and clear liquids only to 6am, check in hospital at 7.30am and out in a mixed ward with about 6 bays, DH could stay with me. visited by anaesthetist and surgeon , had blood pressure taken by nurse. I was last in the list so didn't get taken down until mid afternoon by which time I was getting increasing nervous and hungry! Was taken down theatre in trolley bed which I hated but they wouldn't let me walk , you are wheeled into room just in front of the theatre where they give you anesthesic, staff are very kind and reassuring ask you to confirm details etc, count from 10 backwards and by 7 you can feel yourself going! operation I think took around an hour, come round in recovery area before being wheeled back to the ward , felt woozy coming round, discharged early evening, probably a bit early as I hadn't eaten or gone to loo but they were keen to discharge me and I was keen to go home. In retrospect I think I should have told them I wasn't ready to go home as still felt a bit light headed from anaesthetic. Recovery from operation was ok but annoyingly I had an adverse reaction to anesthesic and was sick ( vomiting) 24 -48 hours after operation which was a bit frightening because I didn't know what had caused it so had to go back to hospital to be checked but didn't need to stay. If I hadn't had adverse reaction to anaesthetic recovery from op would have been brilliant, slight soreness and tenderness on wound site, a few days resting in bed then taking it easy for about a week before completely back to normal. Try and get someone to help out/ look after DC for the week after operation to ensure you can rest and recover, also you won't be able to drive for about a week. It was definitely worth having the op as it stopped my incredibly painful gall bladder attacks and I've been pain free since, if I overdo the cheese board at Xmas I will know about it but day to day I can eat anything in moderation. Good luck, you will be fine .

Things seem to have changed since I had mine out 22 years ago. It was done keyhole but my gall bladder was very enlarged and it was touch and go as to whether they would need to cut me open. They didn't, but I was in surgery for over 3 hours. It was never day surgery then. I had drains in all the wounds, a drip and was given morphine for pain. I was in hospital for 2 nights and had 3 weeks off work. I was told not to lift heavy things for at least a month.
The pain was quite intense after surgery. The last thing on my mind was having something to eat! I am amazed that you can walk out almost straight after such an operation. The technique is no different surely, and the amount of invasiveness is just the same. I wonder if this is more to do with saving money rather than improved drugs/methods/ what have you.

I was taken in as an emergency and only supposed to be in over night. Unfortunately one of the stones escaped and gave me pancreatitis so I stayed for a week. Care while I was there was great though. I was 21 and on a ward with three older ladies who were all lovely. I didn't get that much sleep but only because of the pain from the pancreatitis.

There were a few student nurses who wanted to help with things, which I was happy about (they always ask) and everyone was lovely. I had a male nurse who was so lovely and came to say goodbye to me when I left. He gave me lots of morphine! Haha. That was one thing though. I was in a fair bit of pain (not from the op) so it's important to ask for stronger painkillers if you need them and anything else you need too.

I couldn't eat for a couple of days but when I did I had a crazy craving for weetabix. One thing I do remember though is I couldn't deal with strong smells for a couple of days. My mum kindly brought me strawberries and the smell turned my stomach!

But you'll be fine OP :) If you are worried, it's worth phoning ahead of time and asking to speak to the team about any concerns.

@Yecartmannew ooo good luck! I hope you're back home now resting!!

Sorry I didn't update earlier. 3 hours in waiting room just to be bumped until tomorrow morning. Then not long got home and got a call to say entire list cancelled for tomorrow and new appointment on 13th Feb.

Bloody hell @Yecartmannew how frustrating. At least you won't have another day being messed about tomorrow.

I had a growth in mine and was kept in for two days. No food for 24 hours after. I was starving. Diet back normal within a few days. I get the odd episode of the runs but I eat anything I want to do probably to be expected!

I've just been discharged after having mine out this morning, will update when I'm less foggy.

Hope you get a good rest HalfBiscuit and a speedy recovery

Thank you. I was at Hinchingbrooke hospital in Huntingdon and I've heard some horror stories about it there, but I'm amazed at how kind and professional they all were.

I got there at 7.30, gowned up and in theatre at 9, woke up by 11, and got 2 cups of tea and a sandwich. My incisions are all glued up. The nurses were absolutely lovely, popping in every 20 mins to see if I needed anything.

I'm a bit surprised by the pain though! It's really sore. I've got a really sore throat too from the tube and hadn't realised that would happen. Sent home with a box of lovely codeine.

Over all I'm really pleased and grateful. Big high five to the NHS.

How are you doing @HalfBiscuit?

My cousin had it done a few years back & it was day surgery. She did get an infection though & had to back for an overnight stay after that. So worst case scenario, maybe 1 night, but that's very unlikely.

I'm doing good thanks! Painful for the first 5-6 days and I mostly stayed in bed. Felt like I couldn't use my stomach muscles at all without my stitches hurting.

I'm still off work until Monday but I'm up and about at home now, just can't do too much lifting, carrying or bending.

Also I highly recommend getting some laxitee herbal tea for the recover period. Codeine + lying in bed for days on end = hella constipated, lactulose and senakot did nowt whatsoever .

Glad to hear you're doing so well

I'll get some of the tea for sure but I'm not having codeine because it knocks me out and makes me sick, I'm hoping they're got some good alternatives available.

I had mine done at St Mary's Paddington as day surgery (keyhole). Arrived early and was in a day ward with no beds just partitions with easy chairs. They did me first about 8.30am as I was freaking out and my BP shot up.

Changed into gown and got taken to operating room. Lay down and anaesthetist told me what was going to happen.

Woke up with nurses asking me to drink something. Then after a while go back to the day ward. Got dressed. Made to eat a sandwich and then left. I felt a bit woozy but was allowed home with a bag of painkillers and spare dressings. This was about 12.30pm.

I didn't feel that great for a couple of days and had to take the painkillers but fine and back to work in 10 days or so.

Stitches came out after a few days via a nurse at a local clinic (no nurse available in local GP).

I had mine out 14 months ago. I was actually pretty poorlyby then with what everyone thought was IBS but, when they got in there, my gallbladder was very infected so basically poisoning my system!

I went in at 7am and was sat in in a curtained cubicle until I went down. I took my kindle to keep me occupied as I have anxiety and this was my first ever operation.

Despite the above complications my brilliant surgeon managed to stick with keyhole surgery. Thank goodness! But my op was over 2 hours long.

After recovery I was moved to a small day ward with two other women. The nurses were brilliant, and really helped me to get up and about so that I could go home that evening. I think it was around 8pm, 3 hours later than planned.

I had steri strips instead of stitches, so that was easy. Days two and three afterwards were the worst pain-wise and unfortunately we hadn't realised how sore I was going to be so dh couldn't take any time off. So make sure you arrange some help.

Thought I'd update you all. I wasn't sure whether to or not because I wouldn't want to panic anyone but I suppose it is a worst case scenario.

Came in on Thursday 13th for an afternoon surgery. Got put in a cubicle , gowned up, saw the anesthetist and surgeon. Surgery was booked for 2.30 but I was late so didn't go until 3. Walked to anaesthetic room, hopped onto the trolley was hooked up to all the machines, then face mask on and..............

4.5 hours later woke In recovery in what I can only describe as the worst pain I have ever been In. It felt like I was inside the pain if that makes sense. I have a vague memory of the surgeon saying I'm sorry it was a tough op and somebody else telling me to try and stay still so they could get the pain meds in..................

Hour later I came round ish, still in considerable pain and unable to move at all but nothing like before. Husband and daughter were by the bedside but I couldn't really focus or stay awake so they went.

Had a terrible night pain and sleepwise but have improved steadily since. I'm still in hospital, hopefully going home tomorrow.

The gall bladder was completely fused to my liver, bile ducts and everything else. It took the surgeon 1.5 hours just to free the liver, 4 hour operation in total. Brilliant surgeon managed to keep it keyhole though, not sure how! Unfortunately because of the fusion to the liver I have a bile leak so have a drain in. I had an MRI on Friday which was clear, otherwise I would have needed a stent put in.

Current status is see how the drain is going tomorrow as it was only 15ml today, check bloods again tomorrow and then either remove drain or send me home with it in (could remain in situ for up to 2 weeks)

Pain wise I am on IV paracetamol and tramadol as previously on oramorph which was causing breakthrough pain before next dose but pain is Improving. wound sites including the drain site are not really painful at all. It is the gall bladder/liver area which is giving me trouble but not surprising really.

At least it's out though so eventually I will be better off.

I will update again once I'm all better.