Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

General health

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

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

45 replies

Badvoc · 20/11/2013 10:45

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 :(

OP posts:

YesAnastasia · 21/11/2013 20:49

I was fine on NO FAT at all. If you research it, the gallbladder releases more bile when you eat fatty foods (in order to digest it) this causes it to contract/squeeze - or whatever it does - and it is then that the gallstones cause the problems. Sometimes they'll even get trapped in the opening and cause amazing amount of pain & infection.

Don't eat fat & it's likely it won't have to contract & you should be pain free.

Also - Buscopan! Get some now. It stops my pain FAST when I could feel it coming on. You can get in over the counter & it really is brilliant.

Original poster

Badvoc · 21/11/2013 20:56

Yes that's what the dr said Anastasia and sadly I now have 2 stones - both quite large - and one is at the entrance of the gallbladder so that's the one that's causing all the pain.
I really don't want this again!
What is buscpan?

OP posts:

CinnamonPorridge · 22/11/2013 09:31

Badvoc, I hope your pain is manageable.

If you have another attack, if the stone gets stuck etc please go to a&e immediately, you might be able to jump the list.

One of my friends had had 3 quite bad attacks and got her gb out thelast time. She had turned yellow and they had to keep her in anyway.

Original poster

Badvoc · 22/11/2013 11:55

Hi
Have had to go back to gp today and he has given me some oromoroph and a stronger painkiller.
He has also done me a letter for a private referral.
I simply cannot stand this much longer.
Anyone had any experience of a private gallbladder removal?
Thanks for all the help and advice x

OP posts:

Original poster

Badvoc · 23/11/2013 15:11

Had to go back to gp again yesterday :(
He gave me oromorph and nefapam.
Also redoing bloods on Monday.
Still in pain.
Any ideas of how to ease the pain?
In other news, I rang the consultants sec and enquirer about having it done privately in desperation and have been put on the list on dec 8th - 2 weeks away!
Just don't understand why I am still in such pain though :(

OP posts:

thenicknameiwantedisgone · 23/11/2013 15:32

I had mine removed privately two years ago. I had the OP in the afternoon, stayed overnight as I was sick and left lunchtime the next day.

I was sore for 2-3 weeks afterwards but I generally don't recover well from medical things. Since then I have had no attacks or any related gallbladder pain at all.

AnyFuckersfrogslegs35 · 23/11/2013 17:37

I really sympathise with you - it's bloody horrible and there's not a lot you can do to ease an attack when it kicks off.
I found trying to keep moving sometimes helped slightly, when I wasn't keeling over gripping on to furniture that is. Also trying to control my breathing too, it hurt to breathe especially on the right side as it felt that everything was swelling up there but by breathing erratically made it hurt more - focus on regular shallow breaths, I probably looked/sounded as if I was in labour but it gave me a distraction and something to focus on other than the pain. iykwim.
Mine started while I was pregnant so didn't want to take such strong painkillers even though I was prescribed them and I got mine removed 8 months after I'd given birth. I survived on plain potatoes, toast, apples and haribo.
Really hope you get your op asap

Original poster

Badvoc · 23/11/2013 17:45

Thank you.
It's been going on since Tuesday night now...
I have lots of pain killers but tbh none if them are getting rid of it.
Op should be 2 weeks tomorrow...must stop googling complications! :(

OP posts:

AnyFuckersfrogslegs35 · 23/11/2013 22:27

Badvoc there was another thread here before where I spoke about my own complications. (under a different UN though)

Don't get me wrong the gall bladder MUST come out when it's at the point of constant pain and I'm so glad mine is gone but there's many people who still have probs after (and many who don't) and GP's just don't seem to really know what to do.
Firstly, my surgeon damaged my bile duct so I had a second op to repair it and secondly I have long standing stomach probs since having it - I don't digest fat very well and sometimes have pain similar to the gall stones where medical treatment is needed ( morphine and hospital admission until pain is gone) this isn't very often. I'm still on medication and probably will always be.
However, it's been almost 14 years since since I had the op and even though I still have probs I DON'T regret having it done - I couldn't cope any bloody longer with the gall stones - I accept now that some fatty things still cause me problems, it's a risk I take when I eat them :)

I hope you are in the 'no further probs' camp, I really do, but just wanted to let you know the truth about some of the complications.
I was told complications are very rare.

P.S - stock up on anything peppermint, Tea, mints etc... Not sure if you've had a laparoscopy before, they pump you with gas through your tummy button and it can still be pumped up and uncomfortable afterwards, I took my own teabags in and proceeded to fart like a trooper :)

Original poster

Badvoc · 24/11/2013 11:01

For those of you who had it done privately, can I ask how long from consultation to op?
My op is in 2 weeks but the way I feel I simply can't wait that long...

OP posts:

thenicknameiwantedisgone · 24/11/2013 16:44

Privately I was two weeks from consultation to OP but I could have had it done within a week as he happened to have a spare slot. I chose to have a two week wait though as I wasn't in pain at the time.

Original poster

Badvoc · 24/11/2013 18:24

Don't suppose anyone has a surgeon recommendation for the royal derby hospital for this proceedure!??
(Long shot)

OP posts:

Original poster

Badvoc · 27/11/2013 12:51

Soooo...gp sent me to hospital on Monday as she was v concerned.
I was given IV fluids and painkillers and taken to a ward.
Told I would have my op yesterday. Cancelled.
Told I would have today. Cancelled.
I have given up, discharged myself and have an appt with a private dr tonight with a View to getting the op done ASAP.
Even if I wait til 8th they could cancel it couldn't they? :(
Am miserable.

OP posts:

Groovee · 27/11/2013 14:34

I ended up having 2 cancelled days and on the 3rd day they turned up for me. At least in hospital they gave me IV fluids and kept me nil by mouth. Hope it settles soon and you get an op. I had to live with it for 18 months.

Original poster

Badvoc · 27/11/2013 14:58

18 months!?
You poor thing. Were you in pain all that time?

OP posts:

Groovee · 28/11/2013 20:05

On and off. Took over 6 months to get myself into the A&E department, hence not moving until I was operated on.

YesAnastasia · 20/12/2013 14:38

Hi, sorry, buscopan stops the spasm pain or relaxes the muscles in stomach/bowels, I'm not sure but it absolutely worked for me.

How did you get on? Have you had the op? Hope you're ok :)

stickysausages · 20/12/2013 14:45

I followed a fat free diet for two weeks, until I realised that it's really not possible as there's fat in almost everything... and that being 'naughty' made no difference, as I had attacks while being good.

I was very nauseous after the OP, and in quite a lot of pain for a few days, constipated from the codeine & couldn't lift DS for a good week.

However, knowing it was gone & I'd never have another attack made it so worthwhile!!

Also, I waited ages on an appointment to see consultant but one I got there, he looked at his diary & booked me in for the following week!

EthelredOnAGoodDay · 01/01/2014 20:55

Hope you're getting somewhere OP?

In early March was diagnosed with obstetric cholestasis whilst pregnant with DS and as part of the investigation for that I had a liver and gallbladder scan which revealed one large gallstone a lot of 'sludge'. Sonography said if it wasn't troublesome, not to worry. Fast forward to May when DS was 7 weeks old, started with pain under my ribs which got gradually worse over a number of days, GP said gallbladder was inflamed, sent me home with painkillers, ended up with DH having to ring 999 and being admitted to A&E where it turned out I actually had pancreatitis, which is a complication of hall stones. Was kept in for 4 nights, nil by mouth and on a drip for fluids etc in order for inflamed pancreas to be 'stabilised'. Eventually allowed home on advice to keep diet relatively low fat. Put on urgent list for gallbladder removal. It was done by keyhole surgery 3 weeks later and was absolutely fine. Speedy recovery as others have said above. Only pain really was from the gas and as I'd been pre warned about that,I knew to ask the nurses for peppermint oil, which worked a treat. Since having it done, haven't looked back, can eat what I like and feel great. As a plus side, I lost lots of weight on the low fat diet, but have probably put lots of it back on over Christmas.
I would recommend the op without reservation OP and really hope you get sorted soon.

girliefriend · 01/01/2014 21:00

I wouldn't have discharged myself tbh, I went in as an emergency to have my gallbladder out 2 weeks after dd was borm (emcs) having suffered since being 5mo pregnant with dd.

I had the op cancelled twice but was not going to leave the hospital til they took the damn thing out!! 3rd day they took me down, have not looked back since (dd now 7yo)

Flip

1 2