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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

General health

gallbladder removal

35 replies

nona2706 · 03/10/2013 14:07

Hey all just wondering if anyone could give me any advise. IM due to get the gallbladder out next Tues after months of waiting and i was wanting to kno how long the operation takes and what the recovery time is?TIA

OP posts:

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nona2706 · 08/10/2013 23:26

Hey inlove starting to get a wee bit sore now but only because a wee old lady on the same wars as me was going to fall out of bed so i had to go and save her.the nurses completely ignored her. I came up from recovery about 7.30 and was on my feet walking about an hour later. I don't react to the anesthetic do im lucky that way. In the weeks before my op i was in pain constantly.my attack never fully left. Hope your feeling better soon and wishin you lots of luck with your op.

OP posts:

InLoveWithDavidTennant · 08/10/2013 21:51

yay! glad it all went ok op. i cant imagine walking afterwards. i had sugery last december and just breathing hurt. also i am absolutely rubbish with anesthetic and it makes me very sick. will have to remind them that ill need about a weeks worth of sickness pills

it will all be worth it though. my attack started sunday at midnight... and is still affecting me now. at least it was a "mild" one though

nona2706 · 08/10/2013 21:39

Hey all not long out of op. Shew you are correct, im in Northern Ireland. The op went as well as hoped and was done in 1hr 45mins. Im a wee bit tender now but when i woke up i was in agony. My one tip would be to walk around as soon as u feel u can. It eases the pain from the gas and makes u bring up wind.

OP posts:

InLoveWithDavidTennant · 08/10/2013 20:46

or wales!

i have to be at the hospital for 7:30am for mine

shewhowines · 08/10/2013 08:11

You'll be fine. I bet you're not in England. Nobody goes in the day before anymore,

Hope by the time you read this its all over and done with.

nona2706 · 08/10/2013 02:04

Thank you all for sharing your stories.im only 25 and have never really ate a high fat diet it wad any sort of dairy that left me in agony and the fact that i ended up with cholecystitis. So hopefully i wont gain any weight. And my consultant says that in general most people loose up to half a stone in weight after their op and the girl in the bed opposite me confirmed that when she had hers out 4 years ago she lost weight. Nerves have kicked in and now i cant sleep.lol

OP posts:

InLoveWithDavidTennant · 07/10/2013 23:57

good luck op

shewhowines · 07/10/2013 23:39

I don't seem to have too much of a problem compared to you. I'll be on the lookout to see if I have an adverse reaction to the things you mention though...

GoingToBedfordshire · 07/10/2013 23:26

Had mine out via keyhole at the end of June after getting pancreatitis due to gall stones blocking the bile duct in May.

Felt pretty dreadful for the first 5 days after the op, very sore, tired and nauseous. Some of that could have been a result of the general anaesthetic though. However, I was up and about 7 days post op and managing to get stuff done without any extra help (sahm to 3 DC aged 6, 5 and 2). Most difficult part of recovery was not lifting anything (including 2 yr old dd) heavy for 4 weeks so as not to risk getting a hernia. Felt pretty tired for the first few weeks after the op, would say energy levels back to normal after about 6 weeks.

Am amazed at how small the scars are and how after a couple of weeks there was no pain. Also, no problems so far reintroducing fat back into my diet, although I did do that v gradually.

Good luck with your op, do hope all goes well.

IsabellaPasta · 07/10/2013 23:09

Shewhowines It's very random but definite no-gos are green chillies which have me in the same kind of pain as Pre- removal. Fine with red chillies. Must be fresh though, anything processed like the frozen chopped chilli has me back in pain. Coconut milk or coconut based sauces eg. Curry paste are bad. Fresh cream is fine. Anything deep fried is generally bad for me. Bread, or anything wheaty gives me indigestion. Melted cheese is bad, except Parmesan. Baked beans are fine but chick peas, butter beans or kidney beans are not. Butter is not good at all especially if it's cooked in a sauce. I find some meat very difficult to digest but again it is random. Low fat steak, I find difficult, yet higher fat lamb isn't a problem. I tend to follow a diet that consists of mainly fish, potatoes, quinoa, lentils and vegetables / salad. I'm only human and do fall off the wagon but it's through doing so that I have learnt what my body can tolerate. It can be mega dull at times though.

shewhowines · 07/10/2013 21:39

Which foods are a definite no go isabella ?

IsabellaPasta · 07/10/2013 21:12

I had mine taken out over a year ago with the added bonus of a stone stuck in the bile duct, which had to be removed prior to surgery. The op itself was keyhole and over quickly. I woke up feeling quite sickly from the anaesthetic and the pain wasn't as bearable as I'd been led to believe but take the pain relief and you will be fine. Little tip, if you are of larger boob, invest in a non wired cotton bra as normal wire bras tend to sit on where the scar is. Also, try to get up and moving as soon as you can as it helps move any gas left from the op and is good to get the circulation going again. I was also signed off for 2 weeks but only really needed one.

One snag. I was told that I could resume a normal diet which hasn't been the case for me. Certain foods trigger pain where my gallbladder used to be so I have to watch what I eat and now know which foods are a definite no-go. I really pay if I fall off the wagon. Having said that, managing my diet is better than the restricted diet I endured before the op. My consultant said that once a gallbladder starts to show physical symptoms of distress, it is diseased and will need to come out at some point. Good luck.

shewhowines · 07/10/2013 21:06

What is it they say - fat, fair and 40.

In my case all true.

PoppyWearer · 07/10/2013 20:57

Katy the reason for weight gain is because pre-operation you can't eat anything fatty because it sets off a gallstone attack (unbelievably painful pain, worse than labour/birth, hands down).

So you don't eat anything fatty, and lose weight.

After the operation, you can start to eat that stuff again. Hence weight gain.

(Also IIRC it's more common for women in late-30s/40s to have gallstones, which let's face it is when we start piling on weight anyway after childbirth etc, body can't lose weight so easily.)

OP, you'll be fine. I can't add anything, just reassurance. Mine was fine.

DottyDot · 07/10/2013 20:55

Good luck! I'm a total wuss when it comes to pain but I was amazed how quickly I recovered and how well I felt by the next day. I had 2 weeks off work but felt I didn't really need them.

And yes, I've put on weight since (this was last year) because it's so lovely to be able to eat what I want... Was back at Slimming World today though - it'll come off with a bit of effort..!

Hope all goes well

shewhowines · 07/10/2013 20:49

Good luck. I'm sure you will be fine and so relieved you've done it.

KatyPutTheCuttleOn · 07/10/2013 20:42

Well just worth being aware I guess! I mean most people presumably don't put lots of weight on afterwards but it might mean you need to watch your diet afterwards, just trying to help you know.

nona2706 · 07/10/2013 20:05

Gee Kathy really helpful.thanks lol

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KatyPutTheCuttleOn · 07/10/2013 18:50

A friend of mine had hers taken out and she found that she piled on masses of weight afterwards, about 3 stone. Not sure why.

afromom · 07/10/2013 18:46

Good luck!

nona2706 · 07/10/2013 18:22

That's me in hospital and waiting now. IM last on the list for tomorrow.gonna be a long day.lol

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MarjorieAntrobus · 04/10/2013 09:57

I think everyone is a bit different regarding recovery. My lovely BIL was up and about decorating and climbing ladders within days. I, on the other hand, found I was really exhausted for two weeks and went back to work too quickly, after two weeks signed off. Should've asked for another week or two. Play it by ear, OP.

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shewhowines · 04/10/2013 09:41

x posts

Half an hour exactly for things like bacon.

nona2706 · 04/10/2013 09:39

Thank you passafist and afromom for sharing.
Afromom I haven't been able to eat kfc, macdonalds, burger king for years now as it always gave me an upset tummy.literally within minutes of eating it starts.lol.
That's kinda what's happening with me passafist 3 weeks in hospital on morphine they have rushed me forward slightly.

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shewhowines · 04/10/2013 09:39

I always have really really loose stools and occassional labour type pains and diarrhoea. I had that before the op too. Perhaps gall stones were the reason before and after? I have noticed that the only time I had normal stools was when I was on a strict diet so fat is obviously a factor somewhere. ignores the fact that I have constipation now due to recent abdominal surgery

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