Should I get a taxi to A&E

[Hileni]

I have multiple gallstones and am awaiting gallbladder removal surgery.

Currently experiencing a horrid gallbladder attack. Been in pain since 22;00 but the tramadol is wearing off. Will admit it's not the worse attack I've ever had. Very very uncomfortable though.

Worried if I go in and take some more I won't be in so much pain and am wasting their time or the next load of tramadol will kick in and I'll feel alright again.

It's also my 30th birthday today.and DS dosn't sleep well without me here (bought him into our bed with me and DH earlyer because he's a general terrible sleeper)

YABU - stay home, take more tramadol. Woman up.

YANBU - get a taxi to a+e and pray they decidde to remove gallbladder tonight as a birthday present instead of waiting another 4-6minths on the waiting list.

Is that custard? Oooooooh. Alls well that ends well! Happy birthday !

DID YOU SEE YOUR STONES? Stop eating cake and answer the question!

@Hileni!!!

My fingers are crossed it doesn't go straight through (was it nice?)

Do you have to stay in for a bit longer?

x

Ooo sorry! Haha! I didn't see the stones, I asked this morning but the surgeon said they didn't see any because they removed the whole gallbladder but I did see a picture they took during surgery of what I think was my gallbladder with a clamp around it!

In the car, on the way home. Actually had a really good stay, no PTSD symptoms, the staff were so lovely and took such good care of me and I lve had the biggest cuddle with DS ever!!! Thank you so much for your support and being so kind to me the last couple of days x

I forgot to ask to keep mine but they gave them to me anyway. I saw the pictures at my Post op appointment, they were fascinating!

Glad you're feeling better,

Sorry you had to have surgery on your birthday. Happy birthday anyway.

I work in theatres and you don’t tend to see the stones unless the gallbladder bursts when it’s being taken out. Very rarely they burst inside or they have to pop them to reduce the size and some escape.

Plus we, at my hospital anyway, aren’t allowed to give you stones back. We’d show you a huge one though if it was a weird one lol. They need to either go to be tested by histology (all gallbladders are sent for testing) or we dispose of them as clinical waste. We can’t even give things back to kids that we remove out their ears/nose/whatever other orifice they have shoved something in lol. We can show them but again got to throw it out after. Even teeth. We are mean lol.

@DaveMinion
I had a 50lb ovarian tumour removed back in October and was gutted when the doctor said he wasn’t allowed to take a photo of it, never mind see it!

Yay.what a few days.and bloody thank God u used ur gut and went in.i think mn should learn from threads like this and be a bit slower to judge/attack and be a bit 'kinder'/patient as we talk people through things.this couldve ended differently and I'm so grateful it didn't, and ur ok op.
So so glad ur home.and that hospital was ok.look at u,u did it! How many times did u think and truly believe u couldn't and wouldn't cope.u were so brave, and learn from this how brave u can be and how our fears can sometimes bring the wall up too high and in fact u are capable of great things wen u battle on.
Yay.happy birthday.xx

@DaveMinion they took mine out of the gallbladder, washed them and they were the first thing I saw when I woke up as they were literally rattling them in front of my face to rouse me

@fudgesmummy

That must have been so uncomfortable, not to mention terrifying - I hope you're ok now?

I didn't get to see my gallstones either. As the poster upthread said, the whole gallbladder was whipped away for testing immediately after surgery.

A couple of years ago I had a massive fibroid removed along with the rest of my uterus, the surgeon was very lovely and agreed to take a picture of it after surgery. Quite dramatic it was too. Would have drawn the line at taking it home mind...

@ArgumentativeAardvaark it’s completely individual trust policy lol. But ours won’t let you have anything. It’s deemed as an infection risk and human tissue so has to be destroyed. I’ve never worked at a trust that does allow it tbh (I’ve worked at 4 different trusts).

We are allowed to take photos on trust equipment so we would have to take the picture with the keyhole camera equipment for open things (and have done at patient request). It’s fiddly though as the cameras have a very fine focus. We can then print them off to show patients later. You can’t take pictures on your mobile phone as it’s against the information governance guidelines for confidential patient information. It’s very complicated lol.

If you want to see photos by all means ask. I would ask for the video (as I know we can take videos and I can watch it when I’m at work next 😂). Though when I had gynae surgery I never asked to see photos so I contradict myself.

Good morning Hileni, hope you had a good night's sleep in your own bed, and will have a wonderful belated birthday today with your family

@ArgumentativeAardvaark I’ve just processed that you said 50lb ovarian tumour 😱. Wow that’s a sizeable one. Hope you are doing well. Xx

Happy belated birthday OP! I hated reading your first messages of pain and distress so pleased to see it was an old thread and I could catch up quick to you getting good pain relief, getting your surgery, having a slice of birthday cake and then going home! Phew!

Hope your birthdays are less eventful from now on

@DaveMinion wasn’t me with the 50lb ovarian tumour. Just 9 1cm gallstones. That was @fudgesmummy and I too hope that she is now doing OK- wow!

My gallstone op was private, maybe getting to keep the evidence was a perk of that?
Gallbladder itself was taken away to be tested, never saw that and would not have wanted to.

Hiya everyone, I've had a lovely day resting in bed. I actually made another post a few days ago asking for recommendations for a mattress topper which I ordered and it arrived while I was in hosp so have come back to what I can only describe as sleeping on a cloud! It's glorious.

DH is doing amazing, keeping on top of the housework and looking after DS really well so I'm well looked after and having kits if peppermint tea - thanks to the PP for that tip.

I'm so happy I had such a positive experience at hospital this time. Having MN was by far the biggest help. I'm completely overwhelmed by your kindness. Every single comment, barr a couple - but that's to be expected on AIBU. The posters checking up on me has made be feel really comforted.

‌*@SeaToSki and @kateandme* have got to be the nicest people in the world. All of your posts, your words ment the world to me and I can't tell you how much I clung onto them. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

‌*@LangSpartacus and @Soupdragon* for being so understanding. All the posters checking up on me, wishing me well, crossing their fingers, sending and wishing me a HBD.

Posters like @sprinklemagic and @Ostagazuzulum and all the others who stuck up for me when I was alone and frightened.

All of you who have gone through something similar and sharing your stories calmed me down knowing it would all be alright because it was all right for you. The HCP's who commented on what the procedures were and reassuring me.

Not laughing at me when I had a paddy over lunch.

I wish I could send a personal thank you to each and everyone of you. All of you who took time out if your day to post. I'm overwhelmed by your kindness. I don't want to get into how awful the last time was in hospital after I gave birth. Pretty much the worse thing that could happen to a human happened when I was at my most vunerable and I was honest to god petrified this time.

I had a really good experience, the staff were lovely, it was cool and spacious, I'd be happy to go back - which going off topic here, I hopefully will do soon as I have some terrible birth injuries still that I'm fighting to have surgery for but if it does happen, it won't be such a stressful, emergency, middle of the night panic so I'm feeling really positive.

Anyway, I can't thank you all enough. I'm just a stranger on the internet but you made such a difference to how I handled it and how it could have been. I don't know if I'd have even had the courage to get that taxi in the first place so thank you so much. Even though I was alone, I had you all right there by my side giving me a handhold. Thank you.

Thank you for such a lovely post. I am glad we could all help and that you are being looked after so well at home.

Thank you for your sweet message, so glad you are doing well and if you ever have to do something hard in the future, just remember how you powered through your fear this time and know that you are a strong woman

What a lovely message. I hope you have opened all your b day presents and have a big box of choccys. &

Oh @Hileni how lovely is your update.

So glad you’re being looked after.

You realise this means you are actually 30 next year (or have a second birthday like the queen in the summer)

Rest up

Heal well

So pleased you are ok and home with your glorious mattress topper! 🥂

What a lovely update Hileni. I found those posts from SkitoSki and Kateandme* really helpful so by posting your thread I have benefitted too, and perhaps others. I learned a lot more about gall bladders too!

Hoping you are luxuriating on your lovely new mattress topper and enjoying a belated birthday.

Hope your recovery continues to progress.

@ArgumentativeAardvaark
@Justsaynonow
@DaveMinion
I’m doing well now thank you, I had absolutely no idea about the tumour until 5 weeks before I had the surgery. I had no symptoms at all, I just thought I was fat!