Gallbladder attacks advice PART 2, where heybwoss gets ready to celebrate

[dudsville]

In June 23 Heybwoss started the thread titled "gallbladder attacks advice". I don't know how to do links, but that thread helped a number of us through some really dark and scary times. Now heybwoss is finally getting her gallbladder removed this Friday! This thread is to have a space to check in about that, and for anyone suffering the awful physical and psychological pain and suffering while waiting to have theirs removed, for all those missing all the celebratory and holiday meals, missing the ease of simply eating when hungry, and simply missing the ease of enjoying eating without The Fear. Come on heybwoss 🥳🥳🥳

I've tried to link posters names but i can't work out how to do this.

@vinoandbrie - oh, that's awful! I'm so sorry.

Thank you! Feeling a bit sorry for myself. I will push for a new date and for it to be as soon as possible.

@vinoandbrie Oh no, that's awful. Hope you get a date for surgery in the very near future.

Been following with interest. I have gallstines for 18 months now. Still no closer to surgery.

That's a long wait 😔. Are you having gallstone attacks?

I haven't had a really bad attack since last September. I get the odd twinge or I can get tenderness in my abdomen that lasts a few days. Radiating pain to my back etc but it's no where near as bad as biliary colic and is manageable.

@AnxiousEveryday - glad you're not suffering. I recommend you go low-fat/no alcohol if you haven't done so already.

@Anotherdayanothernight - I hope your surgery went ahead and that you're not too sore this evening.

Thank you @Rarewaxwing, I got home about an hour ago, feel quite sore in my stomach and really tired. They said it all went well, the staff were lovely, so hopefully I will get a bit less sore in the next few days, how long did it take for you to get over the worst? The only hick-up was that I was actually meant to be at the hospital for 11am but in my letter it said 07:30am, but I'm happy it's finally done! Have been given Dihydrocodeine so hopefully that should help

Glad to hear it's all over 😊. Take those painkillers! I thought my pain was better until I stopped taking mine (doh).

My abdomen was quite sore straight afterwards and my shoulder hurt for a day (from the gas). But the worst was over by the second day. On the third day, I went for a short walk round the block and I've been doing that every day since.

Watch out for the post-surgery constipation. Opoids make it worse. So make sure you take laxatives, drink lots of fluids and eat fruit! I'm taking Lactulose as well.

I'm on Day 5 now and still feeling really tired. However, I'm not in any pain - just slight discomfort and a feeling of tightness where the sutures are or the glue is.

I still haven't risked eating anything fatty.

Get lots and lots of rest now. You'll still be full of anaesthetic.

Anotherdayanothernight, that's great news. Hope the recovery continues well.

I had a blood test and ultrasound y'day at the hospital I'm having the op as it had been a while since my last ones and the surgeon wanted new ones. I have a pre-op and surgeon follow up in a couple of weeks and then a week after that hopefully the op (all being well). I still feel quite guilty going private but I really can see why people do it if they can. Am just fortunate to have private healthcare through work and slightly kicking myself I held out this long before going to them.

How have people found returning to work? My job is a desk job with no necessary travel and I've told them I'll need a week off but reading other peoples stories I'm worried I've not said long enough.

I think you should say you need more time off. The NHS recommends two weeks off work and my surgeon offered to write me a sick note recommending a fortnight off.

It's a week tomorrow since my op and I wouldn't want to be going back to work yet. I'm not in pain now, but I'm still really tired.

You don't want to jeopardise the healing process in any way.

I know what you mean about feeling guilty about going private. I haven't told many people for that reason. But I think a lot of people have to make this choice with gallbladder issues. A nurse told me that a gallbladder op is listed as an 'elective' operation, so it isn't prioritised unless it becomes an emergency. It seems so unfair considering the impact it can have on your daily life.

That's good about the tests. Are they checking you for gallstones in your bile duct as well? I had an MRI for that.

Just had a phone consultation with my GP, who's prescribed iron tablets for low iron. He said it's been caused by the low-fat diet I've had to follow recently. It would have developed into anaemia had I had to wait much longer for the operation.

This is another good example of why living with gallbladder disease isn't sustainable in the long run.

Thanks Rarewaxwing, that's really helpful. I was speaking to my manager a few minutes ago and did say 'I'm not sure a week will be enough' and she just said 'if you need extra that's fine' and then said 'so it seems like quite a major op, I thought it was just keyhole' which to me is quite telling about peoples ideas about a keyhole surgery.

@Rarewaxwing Thank you, that sounds reassuring! Still have quite bad abdominal pain today, didn't sleep well as I usually sleep on my stomach, or side, and was in pain, my shoulder is ok though so today I will take it very easy... I'm tired but can't get comfortable to nap which is annoying.

I have taken lactulose so let's hope there's no constipation!

My understanding is that it's definitely major surgery! Your manager doesn't get it at all. I suppose that it's routine and keyhole, so people assume it's easy. But you're still having an organ removed 😬. And sometimes surgery is converted to open during the operation, so that's always a small possibility.

Could your consultant or surgeon write a note for you? That would take the onus off you, then.

Sorry you're in pain. The first day after the op was the worst for me. I took all the painkillers and stayed in bed all day.

Lactulose was effective in the end, but my body basically went into stop mode for several days. I think it's the anaesthesia as well as the painkillers.

You won't be able to sleep on your stomach for a while, but you should be able to sleep on your side soon. I started out on my left side, but last night rolled onto my right (where the wounds are) without noticing any pain.

Find something good to watch on Netflix and settle down to a day in bed 😊.

Thank you and don't feel guilty of going private, if you can you should definitely do it! I went through NHS and guessing I was fairly lucky as I had the surgery 4 months after my initial gallbladder infection. I would have had it in December if it wasn't for the doctors strike, but glad it's done now.

I've also said I'll be off for a week but also thinking now it might not be long enough as I do a fair bit of walking in my job, will see how the next few days go.

My friend said she's gone all yellow again and bad fever with high temperature she's going to the hospital but can anyone recommend food that she can eat?

Sorry to hear that. She may not feel like eating much right now, but needs to keep drinking to stay hydrated (water, herbal teas).

To reduce stress on the liver, she should avoid fatty foods and stick to low-fat options like chicken, fish or pulses. Fruit and veg are good. I snacked on corn cakes a lot to ward off hunger pangs when I had my gallbladder. In the hospital, I chose things like chicken and spinach sandwiches or omelettes. I think some people with gallbladder issues find eggs hard to digest, but I never had any issues with them.

I hope she gets the care she needs and is feeling better soon.

@Rarewaxwing thank you very much for the reply

Just an update, if anyone is interested, since my gallbladder removal on Monday I have been on Hydrocodeine and Paracetamol as prescribed plus taking the Lacotoluse. I was in a lot of pain where the incisions are but also where the gallbladder used to be, to a point where I found it difficult to take deep breaths. Have been very tired and have had naps during the day, maybe all the painkillers contributed to that...

Got a bit worried on Wednesday night as I was almost throwing up and the stomach pain, Thursday and Friday in particular, was really bad, was worried there might be some complications. Food wise I've been eating a lot of soups, chicken breast and rice, fruits and vegetables, and had fat free yogurt smoothies.

Yesterday I turned a corner, the pain where the gallbladder used to be went down a lot, today it's more or less gone, and the swelling has reduced as well. Still a bit swollen and still in a bit of pain where the incisions are. I'm going to try to stay off the painkillers today.

It's taken a bit longer to recover than I thought but it was worth it, can't wait to go back to a more interesting diet!

Taking another 2 days off work, at least, just to make sure I'm ok to go back, hoping work will be ok with that but they should be.

Sorry you've been in so much discomfort and also suffering from sickness and stomach pain. That sounds awful and especially unfair considering your low-fat diet.

Don't come off the painkillers too early. I had a couple of false tries. I realised I'd stopped when I forgot to take them for a whole day because the pain had gone.

There's no question that you should take more time off work. Your body is still healing and it sounds like you've had a rough time post-op.

Update from me, in case it's helpful for anyone later:

It's Day 11 post-op for me. I'm not taking any painkillers now. The central incision - where the gallbladder was taken out and also where I had a hernia repaired - is still uncomfortable at times, but not painful. It just feels a bit tight and weird. It's also still spectacularly bruised, so not a pretty sight.

I think I've felt the psychological impact more than the physical this week. The experience of biliary colic, gallbladder pain and gallbladder infection has made me feel very vulnerable and I've been a bit teary at times. I'm grateful for the operation, but I also feel odd about having lost an organ and concerned about how my body will adjust. Yesterday, for the first time, I risked a fattier meal (beef and roast potatoes) and the loud gurgling from my stomach was extraordinary, but I didn't have any other ill effects. Then I ate a homemade chocolate cookie (full of butter) and, again, no bad reaction. So this is promising.

I do find my appetite is small and I get a slight feeling of nausea when I'm eating sometimes. Nothing bad - just different from before. But I know it's still early days.

One of my gallbladder attacks was triggered by three Lindt chocolate balls, so I think I might have to test myself on those 😋. I've been missing chocolate.

I'm still feeling really weary, which is frustrating, but I have just started iron pills for low iron, so I'm hoping that will improve my energy levels.

It would just be nice to feel energised and able to do things again. I'm the sort of person who always has a to-do list and I feel a bit pathetic at the moment because I keep putting all my to-dos off till another day.

Thanks for your update and your recovery progress! I am 7 days post surgery now, took my last dihydrocodeine last night, have had 2 paracetamol today. Still feel a bit bruised, especially around my belly button but apart from that I feel ok but a bit tired and lacking energy.

I know what you mean with the psychological impact, it feels weird to have had an organ removed and if I eat something more fatty will I feel it? The gurgling from my stomach stopped on Saturday, but gosh, it was very loud until then, my partner asked where the sound came from the other night!

I hope my energy levels will get back to normal very soon as I'm normally a very active person, now I feel a bit meh to everything. I will probably go back to work on Thursday or Friday this week