Can someone talk to me about having your gallbladder out please? :(

[Badvoc]

So.
I was dx with a Large gallstone about 2/3 years ago.
I had a nasty attack prior to dx (complete with black vomit, bad one sided pain and having to go to the loo every 20 mins for 12 hours)
I am having the same again :(
Was up all last night and feel utterly dreadful.
The pain isn't going though.
I have asked the gp to come out and see me as I feel so awful.
I have heard mixed results from the op and wondered if any of you could help me girl my lions and make me brave :(

...oh, am sipping dioralyte to help with the constant pooing!

Wish I did it much earlier. I suffered for 3 years before finally agreeing to surgery. It took ages to come through - was on the waiting list for 7 months and then it was scheduled and cancelled a few times. Palaver.

But it was completely straightforward. Day surgery, keyhole surgery so only a few tiny incisions made, Recovered quickly (had three days off work, felt completely normal within two weeks), never suffered a symptom since (18 months ago).

Putting an end to all the pain was brilliant and well worth the upheaval and discomfort of the op.
I would say go for it.
Hope you can get it sorted soon as gallbladder pain really is awful.

Piece of cake, no problems since.

You really have my sympathies, gallbladder pain awful.

I had my op about 8-9 years ago now. It was pretty straight forward, I was out within a day of having the op, felt a bit shitty for a couple of days, I had it at the start of the week and was on a night out by the weekend.

I still get a very small amount of pain if I indulge too much in fatty foods, but nothing at all like it was with gallstones.

I would recommend getting the op, if you get it you will wonder why you waited so long.

Go for it! Had mine out 10 yrs ago via keyhole surgery. Was in hospital for 2 nights and back in work 10 days after that. Never had any problems since and don't have to watch what I eat. So glad I bit the bullet and had it out

Two years ago (on bonfire night which made coming out of GA very interesting!) and it's fabulous.

Get it done!

Just had mine out a month ago. Day procedure, op in morning, eating by mid afternoon, home by teatime. Took nothing stronger than a paracetamol for pain following surgery - only pain was actually trapped wind, not surgery wounds (peppermint tea is good for this!).

Felt fine that evening, fully back to normal within a few days and needed no pain killers after 2 days.

Honestly, the operation was completely fine and I have had no gallbladder/ stone pain at all since. The minor discomfort from the op is so much better than the horrible gallstone attack pains, vomitting, sweats, watching what I eat, etc.

I got mine out 3 years ago. So glad to have it gone.

I'm a complete wuss and tend not to recover very well or quickly from operations (tonsils out, ceasarean, shoulder op) but... having my gallbladder out was easy peasy and I couldn't believe how well I felt afterwards

I had been signed off work for 2 weeks but felt ready to go back after one - was up and around without any problems by the day after the op and wasn't in pain or sore at all. It was weird - just felt like me!

Since the op I've been fine eating-wise - no problems at all except putting on weight now I can have butter again

Good luck - try and get an op date soon as it's so much better than having to suffer gallstones attacks which are the most painful thing I've ever felt

Really!?
I feel like such a wuss but I'm so scared of something going wrong :(
I have 2 young dc and it's been a rough year :(

Well..gp sending me off to hospital...wish me luck!

Nothing will go wrong, you'll be rid of the pain for good!

Had my gb out and have 2 friends who had theirs out too in the last few years, all fine.

Had mine out a year ago, 3 weeks of recovery and been absolutely fine ever since. Can eat what I like without any consequences.

Laparoscopic surgery is a doddle.
Ask them where your little scars will be.
Take a photo of your belly button, as it will have a little scar in it afterwards.

Take paracetamol before you go back to get the stitches out.

It's a doddle and you'll be so much better without it as it is diseased and causinfpg your liver to inflame.

The only regret I have about my surgery is that I didn't insist on having it sooner!

Good luck. I found the thirst before the op then the trapped wind after the worst parts. I can't believe you've put up with it so long - it's the most horrendous pain! My GP kept telling me it was wind pains from my c section - week after week while I was at home (usually at night) slamming myself against door frames to try to dislodge it! No more pain and even better, no more fear of pain... you can live your life again.

I put on quite a lot of weight though - you can start eating bad stuff (full of fat) again and it's easy to get carried away!

Good luck! I'm such a wuss I had a pre-med before the op to calm me down - I get very, very anxious about having anaesthetic - but as long as you tell them they give you lovely drugs just before to make it all alright..!

Badvoc, have you woken up gallbladderless yet?

Hi
I am home with painkillers.
My gallbladder is not infected so I have gone on the list to get it taken out.
Still in pain, hospital was a nightmare...no beds, short staffed, ended up getting my friend to take me in as I was still waiting for the ambulance 1.5 hours later...
Things I have learnt...call an ambulance if the pain is bad.
Don't go home and go back next morning - you will just be sat in hard uncomfy chairs for hours on end.
Have just taken some tramadol so hoping for some relief soon...
Have been told I need to eat zero fat til op...except the nurses didn't give me a leaflet/advice sheet, nothing.
So, wise ladies, what on earthy can I eat? :(

Dotty...they may have to do that to me too!

The only things I could eat was plain chicken, simple soup, salad and baked potatoes.

I had to wait over 6 months before I was rushed in as an emergency and had the surgery. Then 16 days after my op the waiting list phoned me to ask if I could come in the next day.

Baked potatoes and beans were my saviour.

Plain salad and homemade soup also good.

No cheese, dairy or anything like that.

Ah yes. I had about 6 months of plain chicken and boiled rice for food - couldn't even manage red meat. Cereal and milk was OK for breakfast. No butter at all in or on anything. The worst was Christmas Day - I cooked the dinner for 12 people and could only have a bit of turkey with boiled rice instead of roasties!

Blimey. No Xmas dinner for me then :(
Got no advice from the hospital at all!

Do the turkey, plain veg & potatoes - but no trimmings.