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Original poster

To ask if this amount of pain is normal for gallbladder surgery

36 replies

Tofeelupset · 30/06/2022 20:33

I had two surgeries to remove my large intestine and reconnect my small intestine to my rectum 7 years ago due to inflammatory bowel disease. Today I had keyhole to remove my gallbladder and they had to cut into quite a lot of scar tissue.

I woke up on the recovery ward in so, so much pain I was crying my eyes out and for six hours was on lots of pain relief and pretty much out of it. I was still hurting really badly but they sent me home at 5pm. I know it’s normal for it to be a day surgery but I am in so much pain, almost as much as when I had my bowel out.

I’ve got cocodamol but it isn’t touching the sides. I haven’t opened my bowels yet either so I’m full of gas.

I was just wondering if this is normal? I’ve read conflicting posts and many said it is very minor but this doesn’t feel like I’ve just had a minor surgery, and I usually have quite a good pain threshold.

Any personal experiences welcome to help me stop feeling sorry for myself!

OP posts:
CharlotteRose90 · 30/06/2022 20:37

Aww that’s awful, I personally have IBD and when I had my gallbladder out it was bloody horrific. I was on anti sickness medication and morphine for the pain which didn’t touch it. I ended with a stronger medication in the form of a patch . No idea what it was called but it worked. You need something stronger. Mine was caused by scar tissue also.

try and get peppermint tea. That’s the only thing that helped me with the bloating, uncomfortable feeling and being able to go to the toilet after also . It took me 3 days after surgery to go.

Darbs76 · 30/06/2022 20:40

Did they take blood? I woke up similar and was told that day my pancreas was inflamed and it was the beginning of my chronic pancreatitis diagnosis. Obviously that’s rare, but you can have a bit of an angry pancreas which can be excruciating, so if it gets worse go to A&E

ChiaraRimini · 30/06/2022 20:41

No doesn't sound normal at all OP. Is there a phone number to call on your discharge letter. Sounds like you need at the absolute least more pain relief.

Darbs76 · 30/06/2022 20:41

But yes it’s generally a minor surgery

Queenoftheashes · 30/06/2022 20:42

Yes for me it was horrendous pain, vomiting all day and begging my mother to kill me. They kept me in overnight and in the morning I was fine. Good luck!

CandidaAlbicans78 · 30/06/2022 20:44

I was in 2 days after for pain, but I did have pancreatitis so they were watching my bloods too. I think the worst pain was actually the gas they inflate you with. I remember being woken in recovery and wa

CandidaAlbicans78 · 30/06/2022 20:45

...waking up hearing myself groaning in pain so they knocked me out again!

ChocolateCakeYum · 30/06/2022 20:48

I was bad for about 6 weeks after my surgery and I still get a few twinges nearly a year later. My go kept telling my it was normal. 🙄 Thankfully it did settle but it did feel like someone had booted me in the ribs and side.

ChocolateCakeYum · 30/06/2022 20:48

*GP no go

Jott · 30/06/2022 20:51

Ring them, OP. You need help in getting on top of your pain and you need to be examined to check that there is nothing amiss, both of those things can only be achieved at the hospital.

I was really sore when I had mine out, especially the following day, but it wasn't too bad when I was sitting still and mainly hurt when I was standing and walking (especially the topmost incision). The pain you've described doesn't sound right.

ManateeFair · 30/06/2022 20:54

I was in quite a bit of pain for about 48 hours due to complications and I had some horrible dull aches in my upper back where the air had got in during the op and took a few hours to dissipate. But nothing as bad as what you’re describing. Full disclosure: I’ve got a really high pain threshold (I didn’t take any of the codeine they prescribed for me). But even so, what you’re experiencing sounds unusual, especially as you have your previous op to compare it to.

Honeyroar · 30/06/2022 20:56

My husband has had bowel reconstruction, like you. He found the gall bladder operation incredibly painful. The hospital was 20 miles away from home and the journey was agony for him. I think it’s wrong that the operation is day surgery.

UpendedPineapple · 30/06/2022 20:57

I had keyhole 20 odd years ago and was out the next day with paracetamol. It was sore and bruised but that was it.

You need to call someone.

LittleRedYoshi · 30/06/2022 21:00

I was in a lot of pain after my gallbladder surgery too - my operation was one of 16 that I've had in total and it was amongst the worst in terms of recovery. It annoys me when people are dismissive of it just because it's keyhole - do a quick Google for gallbladder surgery versus c-section and you'll see that the majority of people who've had both found the gallbladder recovery harder.

BettyOBarley · 30/06/2022 21:00

I had mine out and was let out of hospital the same day. I was back in the next morning in excruciating pain. They didn't seem overly concerned and didn't find anything wrong but I would still get it checked out just to be on the safe side.

Katrinawaves · 30/06/2022 21:02

I had this surgery 30 years ago and the day after the surgery was brutal but recovery after that was quite quick. Hope he feels better soon.

Raow · 30/06/2022 21:15

I was in a lot of pain for 2 days after. Had to stay in hospital when usually a day case. It eased after that.

FabFitFifties · 30/06/2022 21:18

Not normal, If my experience was normal. But my previous a do surgery was no where near the new incision sites. Fingers crossed you feel better after a sleep OP.

millytint44 · 30/06/2022 21:18

I felt like I'd been kicked in the abdomen by a horse after my keyhole gallbladder op... I hope you feel better soon OP!

Kittyshopping · 30/06/2022 21:23

We’re you given a number to call in case of difficulty after the op?

If not, call out of hours now and they will most likely fast track you back to the hospital that did the surgery. They will have a surgical assessment unit for exactly this scenario. I’ve just been through a similar event after so called day case surgery. You need to get back into the system.

Whatapickle21 · 30/06/2022 23:22

I hope that things are settling down for you op. I had mine out 2 weeks ago and the recovery has been horrendous right from the moment I woke up in recovery, so you are not alone. It was certainly far worse than I was expecting. However, today for the first time, I’ve been able to move around without so much discomfort, so I think that I am now on the mend, but I’m still getting lots of pain when I try to sleep on my side, walk more than a very short distance or if I make some unwise movements. I feel completely unsure whether things are okay or not but have so little faith in the hospital/gp that it doesn’t even seem worth trying to find out.
My tips would be: sleep propped up, take lots of painkillers and laxatives (and peppermint tea if you have it) and phone hospital tomorrow if no better - or obviously during the night if things worsen. Sending very best wishes and hope things get better very soon 💐

Maverickess · 30/06/2022 23:37

The first 24-48 hours were really uncomfortable and painful after mine, but I am pretty sure it was air, plus I vomited a fair amount during recovery and that obviously was quite painful at the time and afterwards, after the bloating eased then I started to feel much better and the pain dropped a lot, but it sounds like your pain is different and with you having previous surgeries and scar tissue I'd ring the number on the discharge letter - you need at least a check over and some stronger pain relief.
Hoping all is well though and your pain starts to ease soon.

Roundtoedshoes · 01/07/2022 00:29

I recall similar. I was in pain as soon as I came round and was confused as to why they woke me up to it! I stayed overnight in hospital, was sent home in the afternoon the next day, but was in a lot of pain - I think from all the air? My stomach was like a full term pregnancy. My shoulder was in agony - I believe this is called referred pain. I remember crying. This was quite a long time ago, but your post has reminded me. The intense pain did not last that long (though it felt like it), but you must tell the doctor if it persists as it’s awful to suffer. I also think the cut off from morphine to paracetamol didn’t help.

Original poster
Tofeelupset · 01/07/2022 14:21

Hi everyone, I called the GP today because I can’t even walk properly due to the pain. I know some of this will be normal but it’s like having my bowel surgery all over again. They’ve prescribed me some tremadol instead of the cocodamol so hopefully that kicks in soon!

OP posts:
MiniPiccolo · 01/07/2022 14:29

Any opiate will be making the pain worse as it causes the billary tract to contract.

Also if it's phrenic nerve pain from the gas irritation from the inflation of your abdomen, I'm sorry but painkillers don't touch it. You have to wait for it to be absorbed by the body and that can take up to a few weeks in total. The neck/shoulder pain will start to lessen after around day 3 to 5.

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