Gall bladder op on 16th dec

[mummynumnum]

I was booked in for a gallbladder op on 16th dec. In good health and 35 and recovered really quickly after c section. Do you think I will be up and able to do stuff for Xmas the week after?

I'd take it easy. Even though it's keyhole surgery, you'll feel like you've been run over by truck.

I did feel pretty tender and sore afterwards, think for about 2 and half weeks I couldn't really lift my dc. But pottering around doing stuff by Christmas, probably reasonable if not too much bending and no lifting.

Haven't had c-section but definitely found recovery harder than after 2 vaginal births.

Yes, based on my experience. I had laparascopic (sp?) surgery and a complication that meant the op took three hours instead of the short time they had told me (they moved a stone through my bile duct when they found it stuck there).

I took a transatlantic flight alone with DD1 who was 2 at the time, just under 4 weeks later. I took her to her gym and swim group a week later -- I was a bit tender and didn't carry her or do much to help her dress, but I was changing her nappies from the day I got home from the hosp (thanks to exMIL's aversion to this job). But every day brought a big improvement once I was out of the hospital.

I'd say you'll be up, but take it easy as you'll basically be only home a week. If you can, do all the Christmas prep now, and plan on not joining in the last minute shopping -- you don't want to be jostled or poked and you don't want to tire yourself out or catch a cold, cough, sneeze, with your scars still healing. Plan on staying home and having a little walk every day and some undemanding fun with your LO.

I had mine removed when my DS1 was 3 months old (gallstones in late pregnancy was no joke). I walked, albeit carefully) out of hospital the next day, and was caring for DS by myself 5 days later. It took about 2 weeks to feel "right as rain" again.

If they do need to 'open you up' recovery is a lot longer. I am told this is rare!

Good luck for a swift recovery.

I had my gallbladder removed a month ago and recovered after 3 weeks.

I must admit recovery was much slower than I expected.

After two weeks I could cook a meal, but not lift a full pan or kettle with my right hand.

I think you will be up and about but don't expect too much - it took far longer for me to recover than I expected. And I was knackered for ages afterwards.

See now I am fretting thinking I should have booked in after xmas. Oh what to do, what to do????

Noooooo. You might have a flare up over Christmas (more than likely given the heavy Christmas fare) and there's nothing worse than an emergency admission over a major holiday, except maybe having the holiday ruined by gallstone pain.

I second Mathanxiety - don't put the op off. I found that after the first week after my gallbladder removal I was able to eat most things and I could cope with minor housework/cooking. Just make sure that you have lots of help xx

I could eat anything from the day after the op, walked right out of hosp, all no problem. Coughing was sore, right enough

Just lifting or lots of bending/stretching would be hard but surely that's just an excuse to get lots of help with Christmas prep?

Great thanks for the advice. I will have it done on the 16th and not worry.

Good luck with the op -- I felt great afterwards without episodes of pain to look forward to, and I've never looked back. It was a huge relief to have it all over with.

I agree with mathanxiety, I was so relieved to get it done and not live in fear of the horrible attacks of pain that left me scared to take my v young dc out in case I was left unable to drive or look after them properly while having an attack.

I have never ever regretted the op

I felt hideous for about 4 days, but was running on the treadmill 2 weeks later, albeit slowly. Have never regretted op either, had it in Nov last year and had a MUCH better Xmas than the previous one!