Anyone with longer term issues after Gallbladder removal? - back to gp next week

[dahliaaa]

I'm just over 5 weeks post op. All ok from op itself. Incisions seem to have healed fine etc.

But I've been left with two things:

• Significant digestive issues. Sorry for TMI ! Started as awful constipation. Increased water/ started prune juice etc but needed various laxatives and settled on movicol for 3 weeks. Trying to manage without it now but alternating between constipation/ upset stomach etc. Feel uncomfortable most of the time and making things tricky at work. Stomach feel very 'sore' and burning.

• Dull ache under right ribs (in area where gallbladder was.) Most days. Feels very similar to the discomfort I had before the op.

Ive booked an appointment to see GP next week when I'll be 6 weeks post op but just wondered if anyone else had similar issues after getting over the initial op. Did things settle or did you need to deal with it longer term? Thanks

Not smug at all - just good that things have been ok 😊

Try a glass of prune juice each morning (with a drop of orange juice to make it taste nicer) plus 8 glasses of water through day.

Hi all - I was diagnosed with gallstones and an inflamed gallbladder a couple of months ago and scheduled for surgery in February. A little bit freaked out, hearing about your experiences! Slightly reassured by the PP who said they don't regret having it done, in spite of the after effects though.

Just wanted to ask a question about the initial recovery, if you don't mind... I've had a few operations before, so have some idea of what to expect. On that basis, I'm a bit surprised to hear that it takes around 2 weeks for people to return to work after this procedure! I know it will take some weeks for my digestive system to settle down, but what is it about the recovery that takes so long for you to be fit to work?

In my case, I'm on maternity leave with my 3 month old DD, so won't be going back to work until the summer anyway, but just trying to figure out what degree of support I need to arrange to help me take care of DD during my recovery.

Hi Duck
You'll need someone with you for a couple of days afterwards as it would v difficult for you to look after your dc on your own.
After that you'll need to take things easy for a few more days and you won't be able to drive so have food etc all in the house.
The biggest issue is that you won't be able to lift your dc so will need to have work arounds for that.

Had mine out on Tuesday along with a rogue escaped stone that had got stuck.
Glad I found this thread as just had the loose movement and was worr. Very gurgly tummy today

Hi Hippy you are still very early days. Peppermint tea can be good for settling the gurgling etc.

All gurgling seems to have stopped but feel like my stomach muscles have been trampled on. Really pulls getting up and down. Is that normal? I had both gallblsdder out and an escaped stone removed.

Yes - very normal. Even though its keyhole surgery there's still been quite a lot done internally. It will improve over next few weeks.

Hi dahliaaa - thanks for the information, much appreciated! I think I'll need to know what day of the week the operation is on before making support plans - if it's towards the end of the week, DH will be around for first few days.

Currently awake due to an attack . They seem to be getting more frequent and less predictable - until recently, they were once per week but this is my third one since Wednesday. I thought I'd be ok waiting til February for the op - now I'm not so sure

Duck, have you had recent bloodtests? My attacks became more frequent because of the stuck stone. The blood tests showed liver levels 10 times higher than they should be which prompted the emergency admission. It might be worth speaking to your gp.

Hi all, just wonder what your thoughts would be on this (appreciate we may not be clinicians but it's a "feeling" question).

Mum in hospital since mid last week with acute pancreatitis. Seems to also have an infection so now on IV antibiotics. Plan is to remove gallbladder but she has this (as yet unidentified) infection and pancreas still too swollen for them to want to proceed. Today the doc has intimated her op "will not happen on this admission" and I read into that that they plan to discharge her and then give her a date for the op.

So my question is - how safe really to discharge when she has acute pancreatitis? She was in absolute agony and needs pain meds to cope. We're concerned about a relapse at home. She also has stage 4 breast cancer.

Your thoughts...? Thanks.

Jill ....a bit late but I had pancreatitis and was admitted to hospital. Once it had calmed down and the pain was gone I was discharged with a view to returning a few weeks later to have the gallbladder removed. They won't do it whilst the pancreas is inflamed. I had a couple of flare ups and admissions whilst waiting for the operation. Eventually everything calmed down and my gallbladder was removed.

Thanks Hippy - never thought of that! I last had bloods done a couple of weeks ago and they were fine, but it was after that that the attacks started getting more frequent. They're back to being once a week or so now, so hopefully if it was a stick stone, it's now passed.

Still waiting for the specific date of the op - will need to chase it up in the new year if I've not had my letter by then

Just had my gallbladder removed, 4 days ago and was just beginning to feel fine when I experienced the dreaded bile diarrhea. Is this likely to improve or is this the way it is now. I was told to eat more or less whatever I wanted, havent had a big appetitie and have been reasonably careful. Any hope!

I’m 3 years post-op and while I’ve never had the kind of terrible pain I was in with gallstones (thanks god!), I still have what I think of as a ‘sticky’ rib - on my right hand side - kind of feels sticky somehow - a bit painful but not sharp, so I just ignore it!

I have terrible heartburn - am awake now and have been all night with it... but it’s got worse since I’ve put a load of weight on this year - so that’s something to sort out in 2018..! I can only sleep on my left hand side now - much better for heartburn than the right hand side - and Nexium tablets are a godsend but I’ve run out, hence no sleep tonight .

Poos are not what they used to be! I can and do eat fatty things, but it definitely affects my poos - again, have got used to it but need to lose weight anyway so will be reducing my fat significantly from now on..!

Hi there, sorry for not coming back sooner. Mum is having her gallbladder removed today, hurrah. Another road to recovery but hopefully she can then take the rest of the year off, relatively speaking! Thanks for this thread, the words of wisdom and experience; it's been really helpful, as has the NHS with clear guidance around food / drink, and their care of Mum.

How is everyone doing?

I'm over a year post op now. I had mine out last year on 1st Feb.

Since I posted on here a few months ago I've been suffering with terrible pain, and squeezing sensations under my left rib. Pain on my left side and more worryingly blood in bowel movement.
Had an occult test done which surprisingly shows within normal range as do all blood tests.

I've come to the conclusion that I have IBS which has been introduced by having my gallbladder removed.
Buscopan is doing wonderfully at stopping the aching and cramping.

The first four months post op, I was right as rain, so really here's a warning to all that problems can occur months and months later too.

Mine was taken out last March. I start to feel a pain in the drain site (had a drain in for 6 weeks prior to the op) once I get to about 7500steps in a day! But otherwise all good. I quickly went back to my low carb high fat diet.

Hi.I am 8 days post surgery..I was fine with loose stools and eating fairly normal until day 7 when I suddenly had the bile diarreah..It was horrible and I had it again this morning..i ate very little today apart from toast , bananas and crackers and so far nothing since although im very wary of introducing normal foods again.Did any one else have this and will it clear up?Im very worried

I'm 3 days post lap-chole and I still feel like I've been run over by a bus! Very constipated (6 days) now, and the belly-button wound is horribly painful. Getting up and down from the chair or bed is a major pain and I haven't been able to sleep on my side yet. I have had a couple of small meals since I came home, but I really don't have an appetite yet.

I had mine out 20 years ago when pregnant...never regretted it ..but I do have what I thought was ibs.....it was only recently I put 2 and 2 together and realised it was due to the gallbladder,or lack of....im always constipated every morning ,then I have a diorrea episode usually at 11 a,m.stomach cramps ,wind ,bloating ...the after 11 im fine ...the ibs medicine didn't work so it must be the gallbladder,I've been this this forever ,so I'm used to it now

Hi, I had my GB removed 3 months ago, recovery has been slow,wounds are healing fine and no pain except for some slight twinges, I don't suffer from loose stools that much (had the dreaded bile diarrhoea though after 6 days) but I break a lot of wind if I eat anything with too much fats, been watching my diet fairly well though, what's worrying me is I feel my hair is very dry and can also feel some dry patches on my skin, backs of legs and arms, been reading online that the body can't absorb essential oils like omega 3 and 6 as well without the gallbladder, I can't take cod liver oil supplements like I used to because of the effects of taking anything oily or fatty, so now I'm worried that my body isn't able to absorb the essential nutrients it needs, reading up online doesn't really help, just adds to the worry, GP is pretty clueless on this. any advice? thanks.
I have lost weight since the op through diet change I presume, which is a good thing I suppose, but my body feels so much different now, even my eyes seem dry and sore.

Hi snow I’m the original OP.
I’m 14 months on from operation now and still having problems with right sided pain.

3 months is still quite early. At that stage I was still having a few probs with some foods but that seems to be ok now.

Hi dahliaaa, thanks and sorry to hear that you are still having some pain, I hope that clears up for you in time, yes I suppose 3 months is still early days, I have started taking sea buckthorn which is really helping with the dry eyes and also the dry skin I think, but I noticed it within 24 hours having a positive effect on the eyes,so that's encouraging, of course the time of year, lots of central heatig etc could be contributing to the dry eyes/skin but I'm just anatural born worrier and dr.google does not help people like me at all!!

I'll keep you updated on my progress, take care and hoping all goes well for you.

Just bought some ox bile supplements to see if they'll help with bloating and fat digestion, I'll update on the outcome.

Would be interested to see the effect snowfire