Gallbladder removal

[outofmydepth31]

Hi, I'm due to have my gallbladder removed next week it's been over a year waiting due to repeated postponed admissions (them not me)

I've had cholecystitis twice and pancreatitis caused by gallstones although these were all well over a year ago during my last pregnancy. Since my baby was born I've had no complications of the gallbladder aside from obviously the usual discomfort with a few more painful attacks occasionally. No jaundice or signs of illness.

So here's my dilemma, I have a situation at home which is taking everything I've got in me to manage day to day (severely SEN child with worsening needs and extreme challenging behaviour, currently unable to attend school and completely reliant on me) and some huge long awaited appointments have come up in the few days after this planned surgery. One hugely important one the day after!
The situation with my child has caused me to start having panic attacks and high levels of anxiety on top which isn't helping
I'm also concerned about the anaesthetic as I have gained a lot of weight recently

If I was to cancel my op I've been told I will have to start the referral process again which is understandable. My question is has anyone left the gallbladder in and it been ok? Not sure what to do!

Thanks for reading sorry for the essay

You will begin to feel better in a day or two, I'm sure. I'm day 5 post op and still being careful but much more like my usual self...AND...no more worries about every morsel I put in my mouth.

Thank you, I'm contemplating another shower now.i haven't eaten anything yet since the surgery but am drinking a lot

Could you manage some soup? If you've not eaten you will be severely lacking energy. Some bread with a little honey?....

I really don't want anything at all I know I need to have something tho it's 4 days now.what about a diet shake? Is that a bad idea?

Are you still in pain? Have you checked your temperature - are you shivery? If so call 111, in case there is a chance of infection.

If you really can't face food just keep drinking, that's more important. A diet shake probably wouldnt hurt, assuming you mean a meal replacement? At least it has some calories in it. Personally I'd go for dry toast or bagel.

Chin up, you're bound to feel like shite - it's a reasonably major op and your body has been through some trauma. Nausea is standard but if you feel shivery, with a blinding headache and your temp is raised, call 111.

Wish you better.

Incidentally - I wasn't as poorly as you but I didn't start to feel remotely "normal" again until day 8. Many people told me that day 10 is the turning point.

Even my surgeon said I'd feel shit for at least a week!

Now I'm up with a horrendously upset stomach still at least the gas is clearing! I'll be so glad when this is over I feel really sick too is this from the GA do we think or could this be my lack of gallbladder kicking in?

Probably just from your stomach being woken up by that diet shake - or from not eating, if you didn't do it :( Virtual hugs, you've really drawn all the short straws with this one!

No I didn't try to shake I just feel too sick all the time. Now I'm coughing up masses of gunk off my chest. This has been a nightmare from start to finish. Sorry to be so negative and sorry for myself. I'm hoping I'll look back on this is a few weeks and think it was all worth it!

Get someone to fetch you some windeze tablets from a 24 hour chemists if you can & some peppermint tea, drink the tea as hot as you can, add sugar if you want. This should help disperse the wind in your system which should help the pain, the sugar in the tea will help your body absorb the fluid, drinking plain water often makes things feel worse as your stomach will reject it. Once the wind has moved, drink weak squash or slightly flat lemonade, take some painkillers, you might be better off with soluble ones, add a bit of squash to help them stay down. Don't worry if you get a bit of the runs, it's just until your body gets used to living without your gallbladder. When you feel ready to eat, just try small amounts at first like tiny yoghurts, a small piece of toast & gradually build up to normal amounts, you might want to carry on with the low fat diet until your digestion settles down. It will pass but if you are worried ring 111 for advice.

Hope you are feeling better OP.
Dh is due to have his gallbladder out soon. We found out this week.

Helpful to read about the wind pain: Will stock up on peppermint oil and Windeze and painkillers.

I too have read about the post diarrhoea, and as Dh already has diverticulitis and bowel problems, this is a concern.

That's good advice thank you I hadn't thought of putting sugar in the peppermint tea will try that.

I'm hoping this stomach isn't going to be a thing now, it's not nice I've had to run to the toilet about 10 times tonight and I can't run! I think this is all just normal processes I'm dealing with it's just making me miserable.

Thanks for the support everyone

I had my gallbladder out about 18 months ago. It all went a bit horribly wrong for me (unexpected open surgery and some complications). The post-surgery diarrhoea is perfectly normal (once the painkiller induced constipation wears off) and only lasted a few days for me. I had no appetite and basically lived of ham sandwiches and multivitamins for weeks. It will get better!

Can I just ask did any of you people experience high liver functions or jaundice? Or can relate to Acute cholecystitis?

Yes I am definitely in the diarrhoea stage everything is going straight thru me!

Yes I had acute cholocystitis twice along with acute pancreatitis the second time. That wasn't my finest few weeks!

I had liver function problems, I was itching all over & I had a light sun tan (jaundice) My Gallbladder problems came from nowhere, I knew I'd got gallstones but I hadn't any symptoms until one night after having a late night sandwich, the pain came on & I was in agony on my hands & knees on the stairs, then I started throwing up. My partner rang 111 & they recommended we went to A & E, I was kept in overnight but then released as I already knew what I'd got after a previous ultrasound, I went straight to my GP & got a referral to see a surgeon through NHS Choose & book within a week. I had to wait to have an MRI & then I got a date for my op. I had at least one attack a week while I waited for my surgery & had the itching & jaundice, my liver scores were quite high & my surgeon accused me of being an alcoholic, I hadn't had a drink for months. I went in for my op & when I came round my surgeon told me he had nearly had to do open surgery as my Gallbladder was so inflamed it had stuck to my liver. I came out of theatre around 3.00pm & was home by 7.00pm, I was sore but didn't feel too bad.

This diarrhoea isn't going to last long is it? I've lost count of the amount of times I've had to run to the loo since last night, even if I drink water within 5 mins I'm on the loo. And now I keep having to run from bed again and every single time the baby wakes up! She is then proceeding to scream until I can get off the toilet again. I want to scream too can I take something to settle it?

You can take immodium or the equivalent unbranded stuff, you haven't got infection it's your digestive system learning how to manage without a gallbladder to process fat from foods. Some people stick to the low fat diet after surgery, I just ate as normal but only had runs for a couple of weeks

Are you on antibiotics? They can really mess your stomach up especially if you arent eating anything.

No, no antibiotics, I've stopped the painkillers too so nothing going in that could be triggering it. I've eaten a slice of plain bread this morning which hasn't caused any incidents and am now trying a couple of plain baby potatoes. Hopefully it will sort itself out over the next day or so if I stay completely bland and plain and small portions.

How are you doing now OP?

I'm ok thank you, definitely turned a corner! The diarrhoea has settled,however it's gone the other way now and I can't go which has caused more pain and trapped wind but I think this is just going to take a while to get some digestive normality

I'm eating very little still, mainly just toast and apples really and have lost nearly a stone so that's a positive!

Glad to hear it. I was very constipated post op but lactulose helped. Hope you get your appetite back soon.

Me again

I've been feeling better generally since Monday, no pain from the incisions etc but over the last couple of days I can be getting on with my life happily and In a split second the most unimaginable pain hits.
I mean curled up in a ball, can't breathe, can't talk, can't move pain that lasts from 2-4 hours so far.
It's happened 4 times in 2 days, the rest of the time I'm fine.

It actually feels like a gallbladder attack times about a thousand.
It starts in the upper right, spreads across the middle then up into the chest, shoulder and back. Sometimes into the left shoulder too and down into the right hip. I don't know what to do now, I'm completely unable to look after the kids when it happens!

Has this happened to anyone else?

Have you spoken to a doctor about the pain? If I was you I would ring 111 to ask for advice. I have heard of people getting similar pain after the surgery but no real advice.