I'm finally having my bastard gallbladder out!

[BeachWishin]

Wohoo!

I am finally having my gallbladder removed next week 🙌 After 3 years of constant attacks (at least twice a week), it's been a long time coming.

I've need hard surgery before or been under GA. What should I expect?

I'm also hoping that I can travel and visit some family after a few days. AIBU to think this? It's keyhole surgery and I will be in and out the same day.

What is the pain like after the surgery? Do the incisions hurt afterwards? Are they sore?

Any stories welcome! Please share your experiences. I'm so so so excited!

I had mine out by keyhole Beach - when I came round I felt pressure rather than serious pain, it was pretty uncomfortable around that area but not unbearable. My incisions were completely painless, I had no shoulder tip pain or bloated sensation, and I didn't even take paracetamol beyond the morning of the day after. Surprised myself really! It's a bit painful turning over in bed for a week or so. Nobody warned me about the bile diarrhoea you get a few days after either - it's your system getting used to the new way of working and it burns like hell! But I only had one episode then I was fine.

I am frightened of nausea and vomiting and begged the anaesthetist for maximum anti-emetics (they give them to you routinely anyway) and to avoid giving me anything that would cause sickness, including morphine - unfortunately they gave me fentanyl instead, which drained every ounce of strength out of me so I was still miserably flopping around in hospital 8 hours after the op and they were desperate to get rid of me! It made me feel nauseated too, but off my tits on fentanyl I didn't care much.

At a different op a couple of years later the anaesthetist suggested IV-only anaesthetic, as it's the gases that make you feel sick. So I had that, with a different variety of fentanyl (forgotten the name, started with an A like antefentanyl or something), and woke up like I'd had the best sleep ever. Was toddling off home after a couple of hours.

Good luck!

I always ask for propofol, it’s the wonder iv drug that replaced halothane about 25 years ago, since 1999 I’ve been very lucky with my GAs.

Sorry I don’t have any personal experience but just wanted to say I’m glad you got there!

I'd recommend asking for open surgery as opposed to laparoscopic, yes you'll have more post-operative pain but there are less chances of complications and damage to the bile ducts.

Good luck either way and welcome to the gallbladder-less club!

Mine took a few weeks to heal but not only did I get a two for one deal as they fixed my umbilical hernia at the same time, but I got diagnosed with MS a few months later.

Was told not to lift anything and would have struggled to sit in a car for longer than a short while.

Good luck, it has been a relief for 5 years to not get that pain! I hope that continues to be the end of it!

Is it true that you shouldn't eat fatty foods once it's been removed?

My waistline confirms you can eat fatty food afterwards with no issue. I understand some people do struggle (my mum occasionally has adverse affects but its difficult to tell if her lack of gall bladder or the diverticulitis she has)

Just to say good luck, I’m also waiting for the op and hope I don’t have to wait as long as you have.

Congrats OP. I’m jealous. I’ve been on the waiting list for 6 months and have been told it’ll probably be a year before op. I’ve realised that I am a real lightweight in comparison.

Congratulations, OP! I was in agony before mine was removed and yes, it's uncomfortable afterwards with the bloating and incision soreness. I wouldn't plan on doing anything other than resting afterwards if I were you.

It's best to steer clear of fatty foods for a few months after. You'll probably find that you don't fancy them anyway.

@BeachWishin

Is it true that you shouldn't eat fatty foods once it's been removed?

You can, if you have issues ask your gp to prescribe Creon 25000, it contains enzymes to help break down food, including fats and lipids.

Keyhole surgery here, was sore for a couple of days and from memory was not allowed to drive for 10 days or so. No issues with the ga, you just fall asleep. Take any pain medication offered

Hi OP! Another member of gallbladder-free club here. I had mine removed as an emergency, so didn’t have any time to think or get worried about the op. It was my first time under GA which was lovely, the best sleep of my life!
I healed up really quickly but I was only 21 so that was probably why. Was in hospital overnight in minimal pain (will never forget that first rush of morphine after being admitted in severe pain with my gallbladder close to rupturing - it was incredible). Found it hard to sit up for 3 or 4 days as my stomach area was v sore but all in all took about a week to feel completely back to normal. Although weirdly I was off tea for about 2 months when I had loved it before! But I heard anaesthetic can mess with your tastebuds.
Good luck with it all, it will be fine and life will be so much better without your gallbladder!

Had mine removed by keyhole surgery nearly 5 months ago (I'm not in the UK). GA was wonderful - anaesthetist told me I'd start feeling a bit lightheaded, so I closed my eyes - next thing I know I'm being woken up!

I was concerned about the breathing tube, but didn't know anything about it at all!

I was home the same day - had a bit of shoulder pain while I was still in the hospital (referred pain from the gas they pump you full of), but that was it. The incisions didn't hurt at all, but my stomach muscles really ached for a few days.

Had surgery on a Wednesday morning, on the Saturday we went out for a short walk - felt like I'd run a marathon! I went out every day after that, though, and it got easier quite quickly!

My only recommendation would be to buy prune juice in! The pain killers you're given in the hospital make you a bit constipated - the prune juice helps to get things moving again!

I honestly have never been better since having the surgery - I can now go out for a meal and not worry about getting home before the cramps start!

Good luck!