Gallbladder Removal Operation

[UserThenLotsOfNumbers]

Hi Everyone

Please could I have some advice and hear people's experiences about recovering from a gallbladder removal operation?

My specific concerns are:

Pain - how bad is it afterwards and do you get given adequate pain relief?

Lifting things - specifically my 16 month old daughter, and also lugging her pram about. I am very lucky to have my husband and parents who can help care for her whilst I recover. I am wondering for those who had the op done who have small children, how soon were you regularly able to pick them up/carry them after the op?

Long term effects - I am hearing horror stories about chronic diarrhoea and continuing pain after the op. I realise this isn't common but…

At the moment, I don't have the colic attacks. I have a constant but waxing and waning dull ache in my upper right-hand side, and sporadic indigestion and vomiting. It's not great, but it's not awful either. Frankly I am worried about swapping one set of problems for a worse set of problems based on what I've read.

I realise it's a really common surgery and most are successful. I'm a wuss. Absolutely terrified of having the surgery.

I have two small gallstones which are causing me symptoms, and my GP has recommended I have the surgery to remove my gallbladder. I had the ultrasound scan done Thursday morning, which found the gallstones, and two hours later my GP was on the phone asking if I wanted a referral for surgery! I was impressed at the efficiency but also a bit taken aback as hadn't had time to process things yet. I discussed it with him and I said I'd give it some thought and let him know what I want to do.

Since then I've researched the operation and alternatives (there don't seem to be any effective alternatives from what I could find) and have decided (reluctantly) that surgery is best before it gets worse or I get complications. I'm absolutely terrified of the surgery. My two surgical experiences involve a c-section where the spinal injection anaesthetic didn't work (ended up having general, will spare you the details…) and a colonoscopy where I woke up in the middle of it… 9 so yeah. I realise this is totally different though and a very common operation.

Any advice gratefully received!

Please, please have it out.
By the time they got to mine it was necrotic and fused to my liver and I ended up with bile duct leakage, sepsis, Jaundice, and spent 3 months in hospital, 6 operations and intensive care. I nearly died and my 18 month old at the time would have been left without his mummy.

If done routinely it’s a fairly safe op. But get it out while it’s still routine.

Gallstones can't be "dissolved" - the gallbladder is just a pouch to store bile made by the liver, nothing else passes through it. Unless apple juice is cleverly broken down into a magical compound in the liver and dispatched with a mighty acidic strength - i.e stronger than concentrated bile - to your gallbladder, I can't see how it could help. Once you have stones, you have stones until the gallbladder is removed as far as I know!

OP I had my keyhole surgery in November, I was very frightened of the anaesthetic mainly.

The pain immediately on waking is bearable, because they'll give you a shitload of pain relief while you're under. You'll have one small incision just under your breastbone, another at the top of navel, and 2 little ones in your right side. The sensation is really just pressure at the gallbladder site, nothing awful, and your abdomen will ache like you've done 1000 sit ups as it has been pulled around a lot.

You can get sharp "shoulder tip" pain caused by the air they use to inflate your abdomen - they suck it all out but some might get left behind, and it causes shoulder pain! Paracetamol and moving around is the way to relieve it (peppermint tea is psychosomatic but some people swear it helps), but I didn't get ANY pain there at all mercifully.

At home I personally only took paracetamol for a few days, the pain was certainly there but unremarkable! I might have been lucky (and I'm fairly stoic). Turning over in bed is a bit uncomfortable for 4 or 5 nights - it tugs a bit - and you'll feel achy. I wouldn't lift anything for a few days.

In terms of feeling unwell and feeble...yeah, I felt sort of queasy, weak and dizzy for a day a two after the anaesthetic, and a bit tearful. But I soon picked up. I had bile diarrhoea on day 6 and was petrified that I was going to be one of the 10% of people that end up with permanent diarrhoea too! But I didn't - it happened just that once and that was it, I've been totally normal ever since. I've had "ghost" gallbladder pain once or twice, which was shortlived and nowhere near as bad as the real thing.

The turning point for me, from feeling weak and a bit pathetic after the op, came on about day 10 when I suddenly felt like my old self. I went back to work on day 14.

Honestly, I'm terrified by such things but it was all much, much better than I ever imagined. And my digestion is great now, it's lovely to get rid of the constant knawing pain! I'm not even that careful what I eat, I've been fine. Its not as big an op as it used to be, as long as you sort it out early. Do it!

Good luck

I had this done. Was home from hospital the next morning. I had very little pain- think I took paracetamol the second day but only because I thought I should rather than because I needed them.
The worst problem I had was the tiredness from the GA, which wiped me out for about a week.
I didn’t have to lift a child but was lifting a frozen turkey and a 10kg bag of potatoes within a week (I had it prior to Xmas!)

Had no issues with constipation, diarrhea or difficulty eating fatty foods afterwards.

Thanks so much for all your replies, lots of useful information and advice thank you x
Don't worry I will definitely have it out, and as soon as possible.
Thanks again!

I hate hospitals and needles and am a massive wuss, but it was honestly fine. Recovered pretty quickly. Pain totally manageable (I didn't even bother with the painkillers they sent me home with, just took a few paracetamol). No further digestive problems since. Have put on weight though, as I can eat what I like again!

I had mine removed a few years ago. Went in around 8 o'clock and was home by 5. The main pain was from the gas they use to inflate the area so they can see what they're doing. This perculates around the body and can give pain in unexpected areas - I had sharp pains in my shoulders. It exits the body in the usual way over a couple of days. You can't use your stomach muscles initially which makes getting in and out of a chair difficult. I got myself installed in a comfy chair with everything to hand to minimise disruption and stayed there for two days while dh did everything. However after that I could manage most things carefully (dc were older so not requiring picking up). I was about 80% back to normal in 2 weeks and ran a 10k 4 weeks after the op!

Thank you
Just a quick question, did you have to inject yourself with clexane after?

Nope, I got it while I’m hospital but that was it

I do lots of these operations. If you’re otherwise fit and well it’s likely to be done as a day case, the op takes about an hour and you’ll be kept for about 4 hours afterwards. No need for clexane at home unless you’re very overweight or have risk factors for blood clots. If you have uncomplicated gallstone disease and you’ve not had previous operations in your abdomen the risk of needing an open operation (big cut) is far less than one percent. Apple juice will not help I’m afraid!

My patients get paracetamol and ibuprofen afterwards, get told not to drive for a week and I give a sick note for 2 weeks. Most people are fine to go back by then. No restrictions on lifting so long as it’s not painful. You’d probably need help with childcare for the first week.

Comparing it to the pain I was in before my op I would say the recovery/pain from my keyhole surgery was a piece of cake in comparison.
I would also just like to mention that gallbladder issues are very closely linked to breast cancer so please be extra vigilant ladies. I had my gallbladder removed about 10 years ago and then 18 month later I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
I don’t want to worry anyone, but as I said they tend to go hand in hand.

Mulberry, do you have a link to evidence that shows that's the case?

I had mine taken out six months ago. I started having severe pain attacks early last year, then developed complications due to a stone stuck in the common bile duct which made me very ill (liver function was impaired). I was admitted to A&E and had the stone removed by endoscopy. My gallbladder was infected (cholecystitis) and later scans showed that it was full of stones and not functioning well at all. So surgery was definitely the best option for me.

Surgery was fine - I had 4 incisions (one in the belly button, 3 others - 2 small, one larger). One of the incision sites was very painful (the largest one) afterwards - I didn't really notice the others because that one was very uncomfortable and swollen.

I was given tramadol and paracetamol when discharged the day after the op. I had it done privately so stayed one night - I think the NHS do it as day surgery?

I took it very easy for the next day, lying down most of the time, then by about day 2 was able to walk around slowly, but being careful as it was still painful. Days 3 - 7 were ok, but you will need to take it very easy so as not to damage the stitches, and it was still sore. Definitely no heavy lifting or straining. My abdomen was swollen and very bruised for a while afterwards.

By week 2 I was pretty mobile and comfortable, but still conscious of having stitches. The incisions are deep, so even though they are not large, you still have to watch out and give the wounds time to heal.

All in all I was told I had recovered quickly, but I would say I had underestimated the surgery. I had a D&C for miscarriage under general and was discharged the same day, I had somehow convinced myself that keyhole gallbladder removal would be similar in terms of recovery but it is still fairly invasive surgery, and you will definitely not feel great for a few days afterwards if not more.

It was totally worth it though and I have had no issues since removal.

Good luck!!

Thanks WelshWeasel, that's v v helpful and reassuring.
I'm not overweight, no extra risk factors for dvt (as far as I know) and no previous upper GI surgery. The only other surgery Ive had was my c section 16 months ago. I asked about the clexane because I had to inject myself for a couple of weeks after the c section. But I imagine after a gallbladder op you're a more mobile more quickly.
Thank you!

Thank you Trumptown, and I'm glad you're feeling much better now!

Welsh Weasley if you google breast cancer and gallbladder problems, the two are definitely linked... I just wish I knew when I had problems with my GB a decade ago... my BC might not have grown so big or spread to my lymph nodes.
I’m not saying it is linked but just to be aware that there maybe a connection and to be vigilant.

Mulberry, there’s no link as far as I can see other than the fact that breast cancer and gallstones are both relatively common and tend to affect the same demographic.

I haven't ever heard of gallbladdervremoval being linked to breast cancer!
OP if you advance search me, I have posted a few times about my gallbladder.
I have been left with some toilet issues and am waiting for a referral back to the hospital.