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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask about gallbladder surgery recovery

28 replies

gkite2020 · 13/02/2019 12:35

Posting here as we are getting desperate. My mum had larcopsy surgery to remove gallbladder in November.
It now transpires she has lots of dry skin which the nurses are coming every 2-3 days to pick it off.
Is this normal? I do have a photo of her wound, incase it would help to see it. It's also still getting covered with a bandage. Can we have tips on how to get this to heal please?

OP posts:
Original poster
gkite2020 · 13/02/2019 12:39

She's still in a lot of pain, struggles bending down, is in no fit state to go back to work just now.
She did get an infection as well that was at 7 days post surgery, she got a vac pack thing put in but that's all taken out now

OP posts:
Jackshouse · 13/02/2019 12:41

Was it key hole?

I think she needs to ask the dr or nurses for more information.

Original poster
gkite2020 · 13/02/2019 12:42

No larcopsy, for some reason she wasn't given key hole.
She's begged the nurses to stop removing the dry skin as it's do painful but they don't say anything, just that it needs to come off

OP posts:
OrcinusOrca · 13/02/2019 12:43

This wasn't my DM's experience. She had hers removed laparoscopically also and her stitches came undone a few days after so she had to be restitched, she also had a little infection. I think she was hoping to be back to work after two weeks but it did take more like four in the end. She struggled to wear any clothing that wasn't loose fitting during that time but improved quite quickly into the fourth week.

Hope your DM isn't struggling too much, sounds like this has been going on a very long time since the op Sad

Bluelady · 13/02/2019 12:44

She needs a referral to a dermatologist and another back to the surgeon who did the procedure.

Nat6999 · 13/02/2019 12:47

If your mother doesn't want any more skin removing from her wound, she is within her rights to refuse permission to keep on clearing this skin. Has she thought of trying bio oil to aid healing?

OrcinusOrca · 13/02/2019 12:48

Ah I thought you meant laparoscopically. It still seems like a very long time since the original op though for her to not be more healed.

Original poster
gkite2020 · 13/02/2019 12:51

Sorry yes it was laparoscopically, I forget the name of it!
I know she can refuse it but I think she feels like they know best

OP posts:
Original poster
gkite2020 · 13/02/2019 12:54

I think we are just wondering if the dry skin actually needs to be taken off? I'm not finding much on Google but she's needing morphine every time they pick it off

OP posts:
Bluelady · 13/02/2019 13:23

Don't consult Dr Google and please ask your mum to go to her GP and get referrals for specialist care. They fucked mine up but it was a walk in the park compared with hers. This really isn't normal and she shouldn't put up with it.

PetuliaBlavatsky · 13/02/2019 13:27

That sounds horrendous! Laparoscopically is keyhole so it shouldn't take this long for those tiny incisions to heal. My DH had it done about 2 years ago and I think his was only dressed for 10-14 days. He had pain in the deeper parts of the incision for 6-8 weeks or so as it knit back together.
Your mum should definitely go and see the doctor and/or the surgeon to check what's going on.

Original poster
gkite2020 · 13/02/2019 13:34

Oh no it wasn't keyhole surgery, says on her notes laroscopy I just don't know how to spell it.
She's been to the Dr and they said it's fine

OP posts:
FiveRedBricks · 13/02/2019 13:35

Laparoscopy is keyhole OP so not sure if something is being confused here?

Cholosystectomy (however you spell it) is the surgery of removing the gallbladder.

Bluelady · 13/02/2019 13:36

But it isn't fine! She needs to make a nuisance of herself until she's re-referred. It needs to be sorted out.

Jackshouse · 13/02/2019 13:41

Does she have four small cuts, one being in her tummy button or one big long cut?

Studentnurse1981 · 13/02/2019 13:42

No laparoscopy is a huge incision. I had a emergency laparoscopy 3 weeks ago for burst duodenum. I was in intensivecare for a week

Studentnurse1981 · 13/02/2019 13:43

Laprascopic is keyhole. Laparotomy is big vertical incision down abdomen

Studentnurse1981 · 13/02/2019 13:44

Here is my laparotomy incision .

To ask about gallbladder surgery recovery
steff13 · 13/02/2019 13:47

Laparoscopy is keyhole surgery, where they make several small incisions. As opposed to open surgery, where they make a large incision. When I had mine, I was better in about a week.

Dinsey70 · 13/02/2019 13:50

Laparoscopic is keyhole. Laparotomy is big vertical incision down abdomen

This.
Either way, it is unusual for the wounds to take this long to heal. Is it the District Nurses doing her dressings?

Nothininmenoggin · 13/02/2019 14:08

As above laparoscopic is keyhole using scopes to view inside abdomen and laparotomy is open surgery to view inside the abdomen. If she is still having problems since Nov then this is not normal and the cuts are so small they heal (usually) quickly. Don't understand the dry skin bit but Bio-oil is good for this and scarring. I'm on waiting list to have a laparoscopic cholecystectomy hoping it goes ok. Sorry to hear of you mum's problems hope it gets cleared up soon.

FudgeBrownie2019 · 13/02/2019 14:11

If it was laparoscopic it really should have healed well before now. I'd get her referred back via her GP to look more closely at the wound.

Original poster
gkite2020 · 13/02/2019 15:56

Okay, for some reason all her paperwork and her discharge notes say laparoscopic surgery for gallbladder removal, but in actual fact it must have been open surgery?
Not sure what's gone on there.
I hope the picture works.
She does have the Drs tomorrow, I will tell her to make more of a fuss. But what exactly is she being referred back to the consultant for?
Erm it's just the nurses from our local hospital, who for the last two weeks have picked off the dry skin, I don't think that sounds normal! And I think they should get the bandage off to let it air out, but I don't know anything about it

To ask about gallbladder surgery recovery
OP posts:
FiveRedBricks · 13/02/2019 16:46

Is that the only wound op? Could it have been lap surgery then they've had to open her up on the table? My lap scar is about there and two on my side one on my belly button. All about the size of a 10p in width.

Original poster
gkite2020 · 13/02/2019 16:47

Yes that is the only one she's got, not sure what happened with her paper work

OP posts: