Any experience of Gallbladder removal?

[Mechavivzilla]

I am going in on Tuesday next week for Gallbladder removal surgery, hopefully keyhole. Looking forward to it, as I have been in a lot of pain and not able to eat very much for the last four months. Have also been hospitalised twice with acute pancreatitis so can't wait to see the back of my gallbladder!

While I have read all the booklets and leaflets the surgeon has given me, I am still a bit nervous about it. So, does anyone have any advice on what I can expect afterwards? How quickly should I expect to recover from the Operation itself? Am I likely to have long term effects from not having a Gallbladder? And possibly most important, when can I eat cheese again?!

Thank you.

Hi, I had my gallbladder removed 10 years ago. I stayed in hospital overnight, had keyhole surgery & I had been in so much pain beforehand I was looking forward to getting it done.

The op was pre DC so I didn't have the worry of getting up & about.

From what I remember the most immediate issue was trapped wind! Especially in my shoulder blades & also the most terrible runs (didn't make it to loo a few times). I was off work for 6 weeks (they gave me a sick note) and that was partly because the wound in my tummy button got infected.

I can pretty much eat anything, although I think you are advised to keep to low fat diet. If I do eat too much fat, I will get the runs pretty badly but it doesn't affect my day to day life!

Hope the op goes well

Hello - I had mine taken out on the 16th August just there, so I'm coming up for two weeks post op now.

Today is the first day I have felt up to getting out. I stayed in hospital for 2 nights after the surgery, then came home and pretty much took to my bed.

I'll be honest, after the surgery I felt like death for about four days. The painkillers made me very sick and I felt like I'd been hit by a truck. However, I have slowly come around to feeling quite well again, and have no regrets regarding having my gallbladder out.

Hope it goes well for you x

Oh yes Northumberland is right about the trapped wind. They inflate your stomach during the surgery to push your organs apart, and that can leave you very sore and bloated. It does ease though.

I think it's accurate to say that every person's recovery time is individual. My mate had it done about three years ago and was up and at 'em in three days. I was not so sprightly.

I too think it varies.

I was in a lot of pain before the op and it was relief to have it done.

I could eat cheese etc... Straight away but despite craving like mad before the op I didn't actually want it for 24 hours or so post OP.

Surgery pain was bad at first but within 2 days began to feel better and within 4 days was bored and irritated by husbands cooking and so willing and able to get up and do cooking for myself. Within a week was pretty much fine but walking long distances was hard, back to work after about 10 days and feeling good.

I didn't have any digestion issues, except getting the urgent runs a few (like max. 5 times) over the year or so after the op. (although never failed to make the loo!).

Now I can eat and drink as normal with no ongoing concerns.

I had my gallbladder removed by keyhole surgery in May. Had to stay in overnight as I hadn't passed water and they wouldn't let me out until I had. Two days later I was back in A & E with what I can only describe as similar pains to my gallstone pains. They did sort me out and I have been fine up until about three weeks ago when I had fish and chips one night and was then up half the night with D and V, we put it down to a bug which was going round. However, about ten days ago I had fish and chips again and had horrendous stomach pains and was sick. Unfortunately I then had similar problems whatever I ate for the next three days. Doctor put me on a liquid diet until last Thursday night. I have been just about eating normally since then but small portion sizes. My liver function tests last week were not good and I went on Friday to have another blood test - still awaiting the results of that.

To be honest, I feel rather cheated as I never had to eat a low fat diet before the operation, but I think that's the way I'll be going now.

I recovered very well from the operation itself although I did have issues with the wounds in my navel and had to see the practice nurse several times. Apart from the visit to A & E I would say that I recovered in about four days.

Good luck!

I had mine removed in may. I was back in work two weeks after.
It was,painful but no where near as bad as the pain of having it!
One of the keyhole incisions is just where your bra is (almost between your boobs) so you won't wear a bra for about a week.
I had really bad pain in my right collarbone after, this is where the air fire to escape. I also went between dioreah and constipation due to my flipping co codamols!
It was a really easy op tho. Yes, you feel rough but honestly 2weeks and I felt fabulous!
Good luck. X

Had mine out six years ago home the same day keyhole surgery moderate pain but nothing horrendous although first 24 hours I did get the wind pain, can now eat what I want within reason, I forget I've had it removed to be honest. Good luck!

Oh and had six weeks off work as I'm a health care assistant and it's heavy work so wanted to be completely fit before I returned.

I had keyhole surgery in 2005. Stayed in hospital for two nights, the first was quite bad (I needed a catheter and couldn't stop throwing up from the painkillers), but I did have some complications with bleeding during the op. Stayed in bed at home for about a week after I got home, and lying on one side was quite uncomfortable for a bit. Back to normal after about two weeks though if I remember correctly.

I've not had any lasting effects at all, I still eat and drink the same as I did before!

Thank you all for your experiences. I am on the waiting list for mine. Just want to get it done now.
Good luck to you Mechavivzilla, will you come back and tell us how it went?
Will cross fingers yours goes well and you have key hole. I think that is my fear that I will end up with the big cut.

I think the worst bit for me was the trapped wind. It's severe and feels like another bloody gallstone attack! Nightmare!

I had a drain in (horrible things) and that created even more of a vacuum inside my body. When they removed it and gave me an Omeprazole (which is an antacid I think?) I felt a whole lot better. Still shite like, and out of my head on painkillers, but at least I could sleep.

Once you're over the trapped wind, you're over the worst part.

My overall take on it is that on average, most people find it quite a gruesome experience...but total recovery comes in about two weeks.
I'm still tired and a bit bleurgy from the whole thing, but I'm well on my way to being back to normal.

Had mine done ten days ago and I can only agree with the poster above who said she felt like she'd been hit by a truck! I had NO idea I was going to feel quite so bad and for so long! But - everyone's different! The painkillers of the first few days caused me the most awful constipation problems so do take steps to avoid that however you can. The pain has all but gone now - but the nausea started about 3 days ago and is still bad. I have tablets for it but they do make you very sleepy. I'm also having real trouble with loss of appetite - in the last week I have eaten maybe five bananas and a couple of bits of bread and that under sufferance! So - it's lovely that the gallbladder pain is gone but I am yet to feel anything even close to well and that has really surprised me. DH is a nurse who routinely looks after gallbladder patients and he assures me it's all quite normal. In a way I wish I had known it would be like this and I might have been better prepared. Good luck with your op OP and take care of yourself

Hi, Thank you so much for being honest with me! The leaflets are great but they are all "some people may experience discomfort" and I wondered what that actually MEANT.

At the moment I am living off dry toast and breakfast cereal, anything else causes crippling pain and a trip to A&E for morphine! It's not too bad, I do have weight to lose and this has certainly helped. Not a diet plan I would recommend however! My biggest fear is that I will have to stick to a really low fat diet long term because of side effects.

pierpressure of course I will come back and let you know how it goes. After reading these I am actually quite reassured! I go into hospital on Monday and the offending organ comes out on Tuesday. Which is also my birthday. Best present but worst party ever. If it helps, I was told the rate of open surgeries was 1 in 50. However I have a friend who is a theatre nurse, and she was saying she has assisted on heaps and heaps of these and very very rarely sees them turn into open. Again, the plural of anecdote is not data, but another friend's sister collapsed with her gallbladder totally blocked with stones, everything shutting down. Emergency surgery, and they were STILL able to do keyhole. She has had a tough recovery, but she was really very ill and i didn't want to assume her experience was normal.

Thank you again, I really appreciate all the advice.

Good luck! I had mine out about 7 years ago after months and months of absolute agony - passed out with the pain a couple of times. I had it done keyhole surgery and was home the same day, although, looking back, that was too soon. My recovery was about a week of feeling awful, then rapid recovery . I avoid fatty stuff now as it can go straight through me, but that's probaby good dietary advice anyway. You'll feel so much better for having it done.

Just a quick update, I had the op on the 4th and I feel like a new person. Not too much pain afterwards, more a stiff uncomfortable feeling and I definately wasn't able to move around normally for a few days. Scars are just TINY and I wasn't bothered with trapped gas pain or anything. I guess I am one of the lucky ones in that aspect!

So glad I had this done, wish I could have gotten it out sooner.

That's great for you OP - I wish I could say the same! I'm glad you've been one of the lucky ones - I still feel like I've been run over by a tractor!

I really am lucky, and very thankful! Have started having a little bit of pain in my chest. Similar to gallbladder attacks but not as painful. I'm guessing this is fairly normal though?

Hope you feel better soon.

Oooh don't know about pain in the chest but I was told that post operative pain can manifest itself in all kinds of odd ways. Off for another scan tomorrow - need to get this sorted because I'm boring myself never mind everyone else!

Saw the nurse yesterday for liver function test, and she assured me this pain was totally normal :)

Really hope the scan went well Madge and you are getting to the bottom of whatever is causing this! I can't believe the pain and suffering my stupid gallbladder put me through. It is a ridiculous organ and I am sure my nearest and dearest are fed up of hearing about mine!

sending you get well wishes