Gallbladder Removal 2019 - support thread

[UserThenLotsOfNumbers]

Who is or is likely to have their gallbladder removed this year?

There seem to be a lot of threads on the topic (I've read most of them lol) so thought it would be a good idea to start a support thread for people for people having the op soon?

My story:

I'm 35, married with one daughter. I'm about half a stone overweight but reasonably fit. I work full time, husband is SAHP.

Comfort ate and ate irregularly after having my daughter and I have had issues with overeating, which I've now mostly conquered. I also have ulcerative colitis which is being controlled successfully with medication.
I was diagnosed with gallstones in Feb 2018. At the time, I had 2 large ones, 1 and 1.1cm respectively. Could be more by now!

Had been having symptoms for about 6 months before that. It started some time after my daughter was born. She's now 2.2. 12 years ago I had v similar symptoms which ended in a terrible night of pain then nothing for years until 2017. On reflection I wonder if I passed a small gallstone?

So after a year of dithering and fear, plus waiting to get over a colitis flare up earlier this year, I'm now having the op on 18th Jan.

My symptoms started as a dull ache upper right side, feeling sick and occasional vomiting. Now I get back ache, wake up with sore back, twinges, soreness, some acid indigestion. I don't (frantically touch wood) have the terrible colic. But I have some symptoms most days and I feel overall it's getting worse. I want to be well again.

I sometimes feel my gallbladder is swollen, especially at night. I do panic about it.

I've read all the post op horror stories, and all about the post op conditions, although I know that's comparatively unusual. Of course the op is sold as being easy and problem free - I don't believe that's the case! Most common outcome seems to be people are mostly fine unless they have something very fatty or take codeine. Ok, can live with that (hopefully).

What's your story? What are your concerns?

My fears are having digestive issues and pain after the operation, also am apparently being discharged with paracetamol! That doesn't even cure a headache for me! I was on oromorph for 3 days after having my c section, although I know that's not really comparable.

Thanks User. I only had McD as no food in the house, nobody around to pick me something up, so had it ubered in. DH picked up shopping last night, so I'm all sorted. Lots of fruit and veg from now on.

Getting fed up with not being able to sleep comfortably.

@Prequelle Talk to me about gallbladder symptoms post Cholecystectomy (I'm 21 months post-op and getting 2-3 attacks per week, I need oxycodone to control the pain and hospitalisation a couple of times per month due to excruciating pain levels affecting my blood pressure and heart rate).

Talk to me about Post Cholecystectomy Syndrome too...

Thanks in advance!

@ALemonyPea I was told to adopt a low fat diet following gallbladder removal. With a gallbladder, when you eat the gallbladder is "squeezed" to release bile to break down food as it travels through the small intestine. With no gallbladder, bile continuously drips from the liver, if you eat a particularly fatty meal you may have trouble digesting it. Symptoms include abdominal spasms (Buscopan or Mebeverine help) and diarrhoea being the most common. If you have a lot of bile-caused diarrhoea you can be prescribed a drug to help control it, such as Creon or Cholestyramine.

I realise post cholecystectomy syndrome is rare, a small percentage of those who've had the op. However when you think of how many people have this op each year, even 1% is a lot of people.

My questions would be how is this diagnosed, and what support is offered to those who are diagnosed?

Thanks.

Hi all - thanks for this thread. After some advice as I’ve been suffering since December with no answers.

Had a full feeling next to my belly button, right hand side, for a week. Then had a Chinese one night and woke up in a lot of pain, again next to my belly button, and high temperature and vomited. Had bloods done, revealed high liver enzymes. Since then, the discomfort is either to the right of my belly button or up around my right rib and sometimes into my back. Weirdly, pineapple seems to really set it off. But I’ve had no attacks as such. Seeing a private gastro surgeon and he seems to think it’s my gallbladder, so I’ve had an MRI (awaiting results). I just expected to be in a lot more pain if it was my gallbladder - I’m uncomfortable but never in excruciating pain. Feeling quite worried.

The thing with a syndrome is it is just a collection of symptoms, so if all the tests have been done and nothing acute has been found, yet the symptoms all fit PCS... then some doctors might chose to diagnose with that as it's a diagnosis and it fits right? However in my years I've never seen a patient diagnosed with it. We have had patients come back with pain post op, whether it's weeks or months, but they've nearly always been due to infections (especially those causing collections), adhesions or insufficient dietary changes. I've never seen someone come back numerous times.

Steeve has anyone actually suggested an exploratory lap to figure out if there's something going on that we can't see? I know our surgeons would absolutely be suggesting that especially the one who had done the OP.

Thanks Prequelle!

Chaos - I never had severe pain either, just discomfort. But the discomfort did gradually get worse, so I opted to have my gallbladder removed before it got to the severe pain stage.

My neighbour said she was like me, but left it and left it, then ended up having severe pain, infected gallbladder and having the op done in an emergency. I was scared but didn't want to end up like that so took her advice!

I have been low fat, the McD was a glitch, won't be doing it again any time soon.

user thank you - I feel a bit better after reading that! I just feel so drained with it all.

Thanks Prequelle, am seeing consultant this week and prepared to push.

Hi, I’ve just found this thread as I had my gallbladder removed yesterday and was wondering if how I felt was normal. The op was pretty straightforward and I was home for 3.30pm yesterday, I’m just really struggling to move around, it hurts more than I thought it would if I’m honest. I don’t have much appetite but I’m trying to eat something to keep my strength up (just had some toast). I can’t wait for the pain/swelling to start to go down, does anybody know how long this will take?

Before the op I was reading about people being up and about with no pain by day 3! That’s definitely not going to be me!

10 years for me. I had mine removed privately when I was 42, and had a really good experience. Had been vomiting and rolling around the floor in pain after eating excessive amounts of fat, like a whole box of After Eights . Didn't have any constant symptoms though at all. Turns out I had many small stones in my gallbladder.

Post laproscopic removal, I was cleaning floors on day 3, and driving on day 10. I was very fit and healthy before though. So I had a really good outcome.

I also have had no lasting post operative issues either. In fact, quite the opposite. I always had a lot of acid indigestion, not I have none. I was also always very constipated (TMI), but now I am perfectly regular and normal.

So, for me, best thing ever and no lasting symptoms or changes to my lifestyle.

I'm day 6, and still in pain, but can stand straight at least today. Feeling a lot more myself today though. The area around my bellybutton has been the most painful. I'm still feeling tired,weak and dizzy. Had a little stroll to the local shops today, it's a 3 minute walk so not far. Managing on just paracetamol today.

Everyone's recovery if different, a friend told me she was doing the school run the following day after hers.

I'm back in hospital. Had intense pain that got worse over an hour so DH insisted on A&E. Now on a ward with a morphine drip and waiting for a CT scan. I'm so scared.

Alemony. It will be ok. The morphine will do its job. They may operate soon or wait until things settle down again which they did with my friend.

I am having a colonoscopy on Thursday have to take foul medicine tomorrow am terrified too.

Joint hand hold needed.

Thanks for handhold. Still waiting for scan.

Good luck with colonoscopy. The prep stuff is far worse than the procedure.

Hi everyone, I’ve had ibs for years. Then in Nov I had by first severe gallbladder attack at night. I thought I was having a heart attack except it was on the right not the left!
Vomited profusely. Was fine the next day. I had another a few weeks later and booked a GP appointment.
By the time I saw the GP I’d had a 3rd attack. It was really scary being in that amount of pain at night as a single parent.
GP said A&E if it happens again and referred me for an ultrasound.

On my fourth attack I got admitted through A&E and ended up on IV paracetamol and antibiotics. My gallbladder was infected. I had my scan and I’ve got gallstones (no surprise there). I’m now awaiting a surgery date and eating an extremely low fat diet. I still get the dull ache but fortunately no further attacks since I changed my diet.

Hope you are feeling better soon lemonypea

Get well soon Lemony

Oh Lemony, I'm sorry to hear that. Hope you're feeling better soon, what a nightmare after the week you've had. Hope the morphine is doing it's job x

Morphine was fantastic. 😁I'm out, no operation needed, but keeping an eye on me as have a small amount of fluid. Blood tests show no change over the two days they took them, so not a bile leak.

I've noticed since getting the op that I'm extremely burpy/gassy. Quite embarrassing as it just pops up out of nowhere.

How's everyone doing today?

Hi everyone. I’m day 7 following the op and still in a little bit of pain. I changed my dressings yesterday so saw all 4 wounds, they’re nice and clean but I went all sick and shaky after seeing them - I’m not good with medical things 🤢

We’ve been to a christening today so I had to actually get dressed for the first time instead of living in pyjamas - my bra was so uncomfortable and was pressing right where my staples were. I lasted 4 hours then left dh there and brought the dc home so I could go back to my usual bra-less pyjama’d look! I don’t plan on wearing my bra again for another few days yet...I’ve got another week off work on my sick note though which I definitely need as I can’t sit up straight on a normal chair and my job is office based (gp receptionist). My staples are due to come out on Friday and I have booked an appt with my gp for Friday afternoon in case I feel I need another week’s sick note - I’ll cancel it beforehand if I feel okay by then.

I hope everyone else is doing well.

Day 12 post op here, haven't managed to wear a proper bra yet. I bought some padded wireless bralette type things as I have big boobs and can't go out without support.

Pain is bearable now, haven't had any pain meds all day and feel fine. Went to Tesco today to do some shopping, but felt dizzy half way round. Couldn't bend without discomfort

My GP gave me a 4 week sick note, as I work with children so not great having to move around a lot. I think if you're still uncomfortable, ask for a few more weeks Kim.

I'm just checking in to see how everyone is? Hope everyone is well.

I've had a scan and I have news but I'm falling asleep now so I'll post about it tomorrow.

My scan is Thursday so will know more then. In the meantime Ive been following the blood sugar diet and lost nearly 2 stone