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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Gallstones & gallbladder surgery?

120 replies

Moidershewrote · 26/01/2023 17:58

More of a WWYD than AIBU, but posting for traffic😬

Have had gallstones for well over a decade, they were found on a scan when I was pregnant and monitored on a couple of scans since then, but up until the past year or so I’ve not had too much trouble with them. But now I seem to be having issues and I ~think~ I’m having bouts of biliary colic (although not diagnosed) which leave me in agony for 3-4 hours when it kicks off. I’m then exhausted and feel sick for a few days afterwards.

I know I can probably push for the gallbladder removal surgery with GP and have private insurance via work. But I am really scared of surgery (past traumatic medical experiences) and also worried it will leave me with continued digestive issues (thanks Google!) as I’ve read a lot of that online.

Looking for personal gallstone / surgery stories and anything that might help me get on with it..

OP posts:
HoldingTheDoor · 26/01/2023 18:00

Everyone's experience is different but my Mother had the surgery. She was slightly tender for a few days and that was it. She's had absolutely no problems since and can eat anything without issue. The surgery changed her life for the better.

Original poster
Moidershewrote · 26/01/2023 18:02

Thank you :-)

Do you recall what symptoms / situation led your mum to have the surgery?

OP posts:
Tileuh · 26/01/2023 18:05

Hi,

Bit different as I had mine out during weightloss surgery but recovery was fine.

I had terrible gallbladder pain previously.

I have had zero issues since.

I can't eat alot of sugar but I think that's more to do with the weightloss surgery than the gb removal

HoldingTheDoor · 26/01/2023 18:06

She started having pain after eating fattier foods, mainly pastry, not that she was in the habit of eating them regularly but it was enough. Then it happened sporadically even when she didn't. The pain was extreme, she often vomited and required multiple trips to hospital for pain relief i.e morphine.

AnnaMagnani · 26/01/2023 18:07

I had mine out and never looked back.

Turned out half the women I worked with had also had theirs out - between us we varied from no issues at all, to having to take a Gaviscon if you ate a lot of double cream.

All a lot better than the horror of biliary colic.

CleanBedding · 26/01/2023 18:10

I had my gallbladder out over twenty years ago when I was in my late twenties and I have certainly never regretted it, in fact now I am older and suffering from an unconnected chronic illness I am very very glad I had it removed when I was young and fit!

I have no digestive issues because of having no gall bladder.

I had my op through my private insurance and the whole experience was as pleasant as such a thing can be - comfortable private room, lovely food, kind medical staff who weren't run ragged.

linziere · 26/01/2023 18:11

I was in agony when I had my gallbladder attacks. Had it removed. Zero issues since the op. I've also got some trauma because of previous huge surgeries but I couldn't deal with the pain anymore. So glad I did it.

Original poster
Moidershewrote · 26/01/2023 18:12

Thanks for replying🙏🏻

Do you mind me asking about your pain and symptoms? Did they increase over time and happen after eating or drinking?

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 26/01/2023 18:13

My NHS op was lovely although a few years back - private pod on the Day Surgery Unit, everyone really helpful.

The really bad bit was when they make you go home. My top tip is to load up the laxatives and hug a firm pillow instead of taking painkillers. Being constipated when you have had surgery was awful.

Lansonmaid · 26/01/2023 18:13

I put off surgery for ages because I consulted Dr Google and was worried about being left with chronic diarrhoea....last April a stone got lodged in my pancreatic duct and gave me acute pancreatitis (hideous). I had my gall bladder removed and haven't looked back. I can eat whatever I want, only side effect is that certain foods are (ahem) more likely to produce flatulence than before. Rather wish I'd had the op earlier

Kattya · 26/01/2023 18:14

I had mine out 2 years ago and have been great. My attacks became more frequent and got to the point I didn’t know what would trigger it. A jacket potato one day !

BlessMyCottonSocks · 26/01/2023 18:14

I had awful pain and sickness that would come on suddenly and terrifyingly. Literally bent over with pain. I had to stop driving as I didn’t feel safe because the attacks came on so suddenly and were so debilitating, I was on the point of passing out with the pain. I had keyhole surgery privately and never looked back. Every time I’m examined by a doctor, they always marvel - and I use that word advisedly - at how small and neat the tiny scar is. It was life-changing and I have no issues with eating.

MooseBeTimeForSnow · 26/01/2023 18:14

I had horrendous cost/shoulder pain so I was sent to hospital to rule out a heart attack. A scan revealed gallstones, so out they came that evening. With hindsight, the frequent bouts of indigestion at night should have been a giveaway.

I’m also pleased to report nothing more than a couple of days of tenderness and I’m back to eating spicy/buttery foods without issue.

Original poster
Moidershewrote · 26/01/2023 18:15

Thank you! This sounds very familiar🥴

OP posts:
davegrohll · 26/01/2023 18:15

Can I ask does this surgery cause any weight gain? Not the operation obviously but having the gallbladder removed?

Tinkerbyebye · 26/01/2023 18:16

I had mine out about 4 years ago, keyhole in and out same day ( was private) no issues, but of pain for a couple of days managed via paracetamol to be honest then ok

AnnaMagnani · 26/01/2023 18:16

Symptoms wise I was very similar to @HoldingTheDoor 's mum.

Initially I just had symptoms after a really fatty meal. Then it became every meal. I ended up on a diet of grilled fish and steamed veg to cut out as much fat as possible - and still I'd get symptoms. Work were fed up with me as I had so much time off sick I was on a sickness plan and I couldn't stick to it.

The op just sorted it all and the joy of being back to eating normally was a huge relief.

Original poster
Moidershewrote · 26/01/2023 18:16

Oh god, I actually have a jacket in the oven for dinner tonight!😱

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 26/01/2023 18:18

No the op doesn't cause weight gain.

However the miserable fat free diet I had pre-op did cause a lot of weight loss - and unsurprisingly when I could eat normally I put all that weight back on.

CustardySergeant · 26/01/2023 18:18

Do you make sure to avoid a high percentage of fat in your diet?
I was diagnosed with gallstones last year. I'd phoned 111 because of excruciating pain and they sent an ambulance even though I'd said the pain was under my ribcage on the right, so wouldn't be my heart. I now know that the biliary colic was caused by my trying a Keto bar which is very high in fat. In the hospital they gave me a CT scan which picked up the stones in the gall bladder. The doctor explained that when you eat a high-fat meal, the gall bladder contracts to release the bile to deal with it, and if it's contracting around gallstones it hurts a lot.

They also said many people have gallstones and never know it.
I was told that I may never have another bout of the biliary colic and I've taken care to check labels for fat content now that I know I've got gallstones and haven't had any pain since. I'm 68 and was offered an operation to remove the gall bladder, but decided against it. At my age I don't want to have a general anaesthetic unnecessarily, i.e. if they were right about me never having the biliary colic again. I'm so scared of getting dementia and whether it's logical or not to think there is any link with a general anaesthetic when old, I'm a terrible pessimist (lifelong depression tbh) and always think the worst will happen.
So far ensuring I have a low-fat diet - which I did already apart from once trying the keto bar after reading an article about the keto diet - seems to have worked to keep me pain-free.

ThankGodImAnAtheist · 26/01/2023 18:21

I had surgery following years of what I thought was ‘gastric flu’ … stomach pains and up to 10 days or so of exhaustion, not being able to eat etc. … this would typically happen at least once a year, and may have been triggered by stress. This became more frequent and after a few really bad episodes, I was diagnosed with gallstones, had the Op, and have never looked back (about than 10 yrs ago). Only thing I noticed is I can’t eat a really greasy meal without feeling a bit uncomfortable but I wouldn’t do that normally anyway. It’s just been a few occasions when I’ve been travelling and had e.g had a cooked breakfast in a cafe which I’ve later regretted. In the same situation now, I just avoid things like hash browns, fried bread etc. I also avoid the batter on fish if it looks particularly greasy. Before the Op I had one episode when I became jaundiced, and was worried about this happening again, so the decision to go ahead was easy for me. Good luck and I hope you resolve your problem soon.

Original poster
Moidershewrote · 26/01/2023 18:23

Have any of you had lower to mid back pain alongside the digestive gallstone pain and issues? This pain has been happening alongside and am not sure if it’s connected.

OP posts:
Original poster
Moidershewrote · 26/01/2023 18:24

Thank you everyone for your positive surgery stories 💖🙏🏻

OP posts:
LadyDanburysHat · 26/01/2023 18:25

I had 2 occasions of passing gallstones, hideous pain and had my gallbladder removed last year. My recovery took a little longer than the surgeon said it would before, but they did find my bile duct completely blocked and gallbladder swollen.

It took about two weeks to feel properly comfortable but I didn't take all of the pain relief offered either.

I haven't had any ongoing issues either.

Peccary · 26/01/2023 18:25

DH had his out two weeks ago, he's fine. Was home the same day, spent a week mostly on bed rest as advised but was able to get up and about within 48 hours. They didn't put him on any pre op diet, just no booze for 2 days. He thinks his bowels have actually improved since

We never did pinpoint a cause of the attacks, just seemed to be cumulative "bad living"