To ask you : How is life without gallbladder ?

[Soloflight1]

I know boring and completely wrong section but I’m sick and having my gallbladder removed in few weeks - I want to have hope, that life will go back to normal once this is done ! Thank you

Had mine out about 10 years ago and there was an adjustment phase where rich or fatty foods had me running for the loo!
But I pretty much eat what I want now and occasionally still have that maybe twice a year, but so much better than the regular pain and nausea beforehand.
Never felt pain like gall bladder pain before or since. Definitely worth it!

I had mine removed about a month ago, so far it's fine, felt rough for a few days recovering but no gallbladder pain and experienced no issues eating anything I want.

Relief to be out of that awful pain, most foods I can tolerate well, the only food I avoid is pate. Hope you are better soon OP.

I had mine out 15 years ago, and I can eat everything with no ill effect.

I had mine removed 12 years ago and live completely normally.

I ate an entire cheeseboard, a kebab, the chocolate contents of about four selection boxes and generally complete rubbish for a week straight over Christmas and was a bit gassy (probably would have been with gallbladder too) and no other problems. Had mine out in the summer and after two weeks of healing I’ve had absolutely no issues and don’t consider it at all when I pick what to eat. I’ve heard it can be an issue when you don’t eat any fat as you are constantly dripping bile without the bladder to control it but I don’t think that’s something I will ever have to worry about 😂

I’m so glad I have started this thread !

In terms of recovery, get one of those microwaveable heat bags as the worst pain by a long way is the gas pains you’ll get in your shoulders etc when you move. Heat was the only thing that helped, the morphine didn’t even touch it!

Had mine out 12 years ago. Recovery was quick, and have had minimal side effects. If I eat a particularly heavy/fatty meal I'm more likely to get indigestion type symptoms, and occasional diahhrea but nothing that really interferes with ny life

I had mine out in 1993 (I was 20, yes, I'm old) and no issues since. Had a few "ghost pains" for a few years after but resolved. My daughter was about 12 when she started having similar pains and took me a long time to work out what was going on but she had her gallbladder out at 14 and everything immediately was better and she's now 16 and has had no pain or problems. It's a pretty straightforward operation nowadays. Very best of luck to you! x

Had mine removed a few years ago. Recovery was quick and I can eat most things. Occasionally I have to watch fat content

Its brilliant. Had mine out end of autumn last year and had the best Christmas for years. No random pain, no reacting to things that I have eaten fine before. Still learning what triggers me - but it is not much so far. Some meal replacement bars made me do an emergency poop a few weeks ago, and I cant eat a lot of butter. But could not tolerate any before, so that is better.

Just be warned - some people seem to sail through the op and recovery quickly. I had a lot of bruising, the intense shoulder pain and then for about 2 weeks I had sharp pain where the gallbladder would have been. Fortunately I have friends who had done it, and they warned me, so I knew this was not unusual. And it did not take long to feel better. Take plenty of time to recover and you will be fine.

My mum had no choice to have it out so the attacks disappeared but she can't eat anything too fatty now or she has to rush to the toilet.
I had a spate of attacks and her story put me off so I didn't have the op, but luckily I was able to reverse it with healthy diet. I've eaten plenty of crap in the last decade since and they've not come back weirdly. But some gallbladders just have to come out, just avoid really fatty or oily foods if they stop agreeing with you.

No problems, no watching what I eat, no indigestion since the op.

You will still produce bile (which helps to digest fat) but instead of storing it in the gallbladder, so you have plenty when needed, you will have a trickle all day. Probably better to have your fatty foods little and often rather than all in one go. Don’t follow up your all-day breakfast with-a cream cake, save the cream cake for tea.

I had mine removed over a year ago, I am so pleased I did it, it took me a while to settle with the food and only have issues if I eat fatty food. My only concern was the NHS wait as I was told it was a 3 year wait, so I went private as I was sick of the pain and feeling so ill, the surgeon after removal said if I had waited any longer it would have burst! Anyone who is on the NHS waiting list please keep pushing for a surgery date.

I had mine out in 2021. I got admitted in Feb 2021 as I couldn't breathe as the pain was so intense- it felt like someone was tightening a belt around my chest. I ended up having jaundice, pancreatitis and a blocked bile duct as well as an overflowing gall bladder. To top it off I got cellulitis in my hand where the cannula went in. I had an ERCP to remove the ones causing the blockage and surgery to remove my gallbladder was within 3 weeks, at the Nuffield (they were doing surgery for the NHS to clear some waiting lists).

4 years later I can eat mostly what I want - although I suffered at Christmas as I love a cheeseboard!

I had mine out in January last year and I've been fine ever since. I can eat anything now. It's absolutely wonderful not to be worried about the pain of gallbladder attacks.

I hope your op goes well.

I had a ultrasound 3 years ago after suffering a ache on my right side and lower back. It was found that I had a 2cm gallstone. My Dr said that if I could manage with the dull ache(I didn't want my gallbladder out) I needed to change my diet and see how I get on. My diet has barely any fat in it quite boring at times but up to now I'm ok. I'm really scared to have the op but know I will have to at some point. The comments have helped me come to terms with the fact and I'm just glad I'm not on my own. X

Please don’t worry about the ERCP… I’ve had it & it was a breeze!

Had mine out 3 years. No problems at all.
I had a speedy recovery.
I eat no red meat, fried food or processed stuff. I do like cheese though.

For those saying they ‘suffer’ after eating fatty things, do you mean you get immediate diarrhoea? A bit of a loose stool later on? Or indigestion type pain?

I want to be able to eat out like I enjoyed before, but if eating a nice meal causes diarrhoea immediately I’ll have to still avoid it. Just interested to know what I could be looking at.

I had mine out in 2012. I have to be careful with food that is fatty. Doesnt make me ill just gives me the runs.

I had mine removed a few years ago after a nasty infection and honestly I've not really noticed any difference at all. I do also have IBS so my insides are not perfect but the gallbladder removal didn't impact me in any way. That said I don't eat much fatty food which would potentially cause issues.

The pain from Gall stones is incredible. I had all of my kids without pain relief. I was popping temazepam every couple of hours with gall bladder pain. The relief from pain far out weighs the inconvenience from fatty food.

Had mine out I Novmber. I haven't had any adverse reaction to anything, I can eat whatever I like. Cheese, pizza, fried stuff - no issues.

Had a slightly upset stomach for about 5 days after the OP. That was it.