Having gall bladder removed experiences please

[nomadwantshome]

I'm booked in for keyhole surgery next month to remove my gall bladder. I have gall stones and have been feeling nauseaous on and off for a while now, loss of appetite etc. I've also been very lethargic for ages, I wonder if his is connected?

Can I have some experiences of the procedure itself and how you felt afterwards? Also what's it like a few months or years down the line? Thanks

I had my gall bladder out by keyhole surgery 7 years ago. I suffered from acute symptoms in bursts, ending up in A&E twice, the first time I thought I was having a heart attack!

The op itself was a doddle, I don't remember much, I was in overnight and only had 3 tiny plasters. I was a bit uncomfortable for a week, peppermint tea is good for the trapped wind, but was back on my feet quickly. I had 3 weeks off work, mainly because I overdid it cleaning the kitchen floor before hosting a pancake party (don't ask!!) and happened to be seeing my GP the next day to make sure I was well enough to go back to work (I wasn't!) so ended up having a 3rd week off.

I can honestly say I haven't given it a second thought since. I don't follow a special diet or avoid any types of food and haven't done since my operation.

Good luck - I'm sure you will be fine.

My mum had it done about 12 years ago and after a few days of feeling groggy afterwards (she always reacts bad to general anaesthetic) she has been fine. She has mentioned that she can't eat really fatty food or it gives her heartburn, but that is all.

The keyhole operation is easy. In and out in one day but it still is quite a major operation.

Recovery took several weeks and had a lot of acid problems with my stomach afterwards. Not everyone has that problem though.

Good thing is I lost 2 stone after and felt a heck of a lot better.

I had mine out in 2005. The first time I had an episode I thought I was in labour - I was 38 weeks pg with ds1. The operation is really straightforward, or was for me. I had it done on the Thursday evening and went back to work Tuesday, this was because I didn't get sick pay and I had already had a week off waiting in hospital for an operation space. I haven't struggled with fatty food since it was only before they removed my gall bladder that I couldn't eat certain foods. Good luck

My story is much the same, I had my diseased gall bladder removed about 10 years ago. Bearing in mind the agony I was in before the operation, I had keyhole surgery and stayed in the hospital overnight and it was a doddle in comparrison with the pain beforehand! I can eat whatever I like now, the consultant told me after the operation to eat little and often rather than a huge meal and thats the only slight restriction I face, if I eat a large meal I'd feel uncomfortable for some hours afterwards. Good luck, you will be fine and feel like a new person after your op!x

I had mine out by keyhole surgery in 2008, after a year of intense pain! I was in overnight, had 4 small insicions and felt fine.
I had 2 weeks off work. Take things slowly when you come out, it takes a while for things to settle. You aren't meant to do much at all for the first few days, including driving [ for the first few weeks ]!

It is a major operation, so just be careful not to overdo it! It is the best thing that happened to me. I haven't had to change my diet at all since I had the operation.

Ha and there is me thinking I'd go back to work the day after I come out of hozzie! I haven't had any info from the hozzie about recovery times and stuff. I'll have to have a re think!

Thanks for all the info, I'll try the peppermint tea (I really don't like the stuff) I like camomile.

Hi Nomad,

try peppermint capsules instead, I always have them in my bag, and they're so much nicer than the tea, only the occassional minty burp!
Im on a waiting list to have my gall bladder out, all I can say is the pain at the moment has to far outweigh the pain of the op! I cannot wait to wake up to the pot of the little blighters the next day, they really are a royal pain!

Good luck with your op, I'm sure you will be fine!

I had mine out nearly a year ago. Hated the uncertainty and the pain of the gallstone attacks prior to the op. Very glad I had the surgery. No after effects a year down the line.

I was signed off for two weeks, and went back to work then. Should've asked for an extra week as I felt very tired indeed, and completely underestimated how much the surgery and anaesthetic would wipe me out (see mildmanneredjanitor above).

That's exactly how I felt too.To be honest it was six weeks to full recovery.

Also they didn't tell me until the day of surgery I should not drive for a month.

Luckly, I dont drive and work from home but I DID rather tersely suggest it might be sensible to tell people that well before they have surgery.

i had mine out on thursday
after being admitted through a+e, my very large single gallstone got stuck on its travels down a billery duct (nice eh!)

i was on a morphine iv drip for the pain the gallstone caused
since the op ive been soooo tired and drained
im sure this is partly down to the morphine and no sleep
so 4 days after the op the wounds are very sore but managed with painkillers
my hubby is being a fantastic "me" at the mo and the 4 kids are behaving like angels lol
i have been told that my recovery may take longer due to the inflamation around my liver and billery glands ect
i took a walk down to the post box to send back my love film recovery dvds lol and im pooped i should have stayed on the sofa thats for sure

I had mine out a year and a half ago. I did unfortunately get an infection in hospital which took months to heal. But even with that, well my dad died suddenly not long after and so 3 weeks after the op I was dealing with stuff, sleeping on a blow up bed at my mum's and clearing out his house. Not bad really in hindsight. But also means I can't differentiate feeling crappy from that with feeling crappy with grief.

As for eating, if I eat something with loads of fat, like fish and chips, then I have stomach discomfort and while there's no urgency to go to the loo it can be a bit runny after a lot of fat. But compared to the agony of attacks and the 5% fat diet I was on by the end to avoid attacks it's wonderful!

thanks everyone. I've spoken to my boss and we've discussed me working from home for the first week and maybe the second. Luckily there's a fair amount I can do from home.

I'm not particularly looking forward to it but it will be nice to get away from the constant, low level nausea

nomad - you will not be able to work for the first week and very little the second week. The hospital will give you a doctors note signing you off work.

You need to tell your work you are sick. This is a major operation. Do not promise work something you cannot deliver. They have to respect a medical opinion you cannot work and pay you sick pay.

Had mine out in 2004 - one of the best things I ever did. I felt SO much bett and have had no problems since. Take it easy afterwards. People say, oh it's only keyhole surgery so you should recover quickly, but it does still hurt! Yes, the incisions are much smaller, but they go all the way in, as it were! Make sure you take your pain relief regularly. And I always find that a general anaesthetic makes me feel like I've been hit by a truck. So take it easy and make sure someone looks after you. Only other thing is make sure you do not end up becoming constipated. Drink loads of water, eat lots of dried fruit, etc. And if need be go to the pharmacist to get a laxative. Beware of lactulose, though. You may be given this in hospital to try and get things moving. Whilst it works well for some people, for a significant minority (about 20%) all it does is make you fart loads. And that's just going to dry things out and make it worse. Good luck!

Working?!? You will have just had surgery! It is not reasonable for anyone to expect you to work, even assuming everything goes to plan you will need to rest and heal.

Sorry maybe I didn't read it properly, i was thinking of doing a little in the first week and a bit more in the second. My boss is not expecting me to work if I'm not up to it. He knows I could be signed off for between 2-3 weeks. His wife is a gp and he called her to see what the score was. Maybe I'm in denial as I just don't want to be sick or off sick! I just can't bear the thought of sitting around for all that time feeling useless.

I do apologize if you think I'm ignoring what you've said. In fact, now that I think about it perhaps I'm expecting way too much of myself.

I'm also pretty depressed at the thought of age related Ill health, not that I'm old 40's but Ive had a few health niggles and it kind of hits you that you're not infallible.

nomad - you really need to go easy on yourself. You will make yourself very ill and delay your recovery. Make sure you get everyone organised to childcare and every scrap of housework for at least the first two weeks.

No standing about ironing, hoovering, etc.