GALLSTONES...Yipee!!!! I've had them removed!

[ClutterJunkie]

9 days ago i had my gallbladder removed by keyhole surgery and today had the stitches out....and just wanted to post this message to give hope to those of you still suffering and waiting for surgery.

In myself i feel better than i have for 3 years...which is when i believe my gallstones started to bother me- though not diagnosed untill last year...as i kept thinking i had a tummy bug etc

the worst part was the after effects of the laparoscopy- they inflated my abdomen with carbon dioxide - which caused unbearable pain in my right shoulder for 12 hours- then it eased off and was gone in 3 days. it felt like my shoulder was dislocated...i couln't even lift my arm!

But....none of this was as bad as the gallstone pain i had pre-surgery!

So...any questions you have....ask away!

apparently the stones were large- 2 like large grapes- 1.5" long x 1" wide! and numerous like peas.

Glad it went well - I had mine done about 5 years ago, and it's made such a difference. I was lucky, and didn't suffer the shoulder pain, though I was warned I might.

Just looking at my gallstones (they gave them to me in a jar to take away, and for some reason they're in the drawer of the desk with the computer on), and mine are pretty tiny - like little seeds, and about 30 of them, I reckon. Am very impressed with your grape-sized ones.

can't decide what to do with mine...would make a nice pair of earrings....!!!!!!!!

my mum said they look like 'little brains'!!!!

Wow CJ. Good for you. I'm glad you're feeling invigourated.

Glad it has made such a difference

Think I will forward this thread to my friend who is in hospital atm being stabilised as she has obstructive jaundice that they have just diagnosed as being caused by gallstones. She's been throwing up on and off for months but no-one could figure out what was wrong with her.

Congratulations on your surgery ClutterJunkie. Glad you are feeling much better. May I ask a quesiton please? Did you have to have lots of endoscopes prior to surgery and if so, what were they like? Asking on behalf of my sister who's terrified at the prospect! Thanks for any feedback.

I'm not clutterjunkie (obviously), but all I had was a scan, like you have when you're pregnant, and no endoscopy - not sure if that's likely to be different for different people.

Hi....yes - all i had was an ultrasound scan....'jelly on the belly'....and very much like when pregnant...however....the radiographer had me rolling over several times to move the gallbladder into better view....and at the time i was suffering dizzyness everytime i turned over in bed....and i really struggled turning around!!!!
the radiographer said at the end when i asked her if i had any gallstones...she said YES. (i expected her to say...'i'm not allowed to tell you' etc!!!)

then i had to wait 2 wks and see my GP to discuss the next step. My gp said the report noted 'multiple small stones'....and the 'choice' was mine whether to go for surgery. being that many people have gallstones...and have no pain...and no idea they have them.....and there are those that have a severe attack once and never again....and then theres those that go one to have attacks .
she asked me how often i had attacks...i felt guilty to admit i'd had them every 5 days for 2 months...then nothing for the past month......expecting her to advise i wait etc to see...she said...'you can't carry on like that....lets get it removed!'

truth was from mid jan to march last year i had kept a 'diary' of what symptoms i had- and that helped alot when i was refferd to the hospital- as i had noted when my urine was darker..poo colours...pain..vomiting etc...and the specialist was able to agree straight away without any further examination/scans to book me in for day surgery. I then waited 4 months...then got a letter asking me to book a date for my operation...2 weeks later it was done!

so...for me just 1 scan...nothing invasive...no tubes or probes stuck in any awful places!!!

I just wish i'd gone to my GP sooner...tell your friend to not worry!

on the day of my OP...the nurses commented on how calm i was...i just said that cos i new i was having a general anaesthetic ....& that i'd know nothing about the actual OP...that ALL i was thinking about that moring was all the things i was going to be able to do that i'd not felt well enough to do for a year or 2.....i actually felt excited! The surgeon summed it up well - he said..."I will remove what has been causing you so much pain...and as a result....STOP it EVER happening again!!!!"

congratulations cj on your removal.
i had my gs out 2 yrs ago after waiting 3 yrs for diagnosis( my gp was useless)finally i told him what was wrong after looking on the internet.was sent for an laparocopy to see if i had hiatus hernia?!? imho waste of nhs time and money,wasn't bad tho sedative was fab.then had a scan which straight away confirmed gs the lady said had 3 the size of maltesers.6 weeks later had surgery now all fine and dandy even tho took 3 yrs from start to finish.
then a friend of mine said she was being sick,stomach cramps etc and was going to docs i told her about gs and she was sent for scan straight away and had her surgery 4 wks later.
sadly i never got to see mine as they had sent them down to lab for examining before i asked,could of had earings and matching necklace lol
good luck to all waiting for surgery.

Thanks for the info everyone!

... and meant to say ... glad you are all feeling better now !