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 for that and sorry you had to suffer for so long before getting a diagnosis. How are things now? Are they able to treat it or alleviate the problem?

Thanks Listofsymptoms. It's a chronic condition so no cure but I take a bile binder medication to help with the symptoms. If I'm having a flare up then nothing works but on the whole the medication helps. Because it's a Malabsorption condition I can't absorb vital nutrients from my diet so I'm currently taking folic acid,vitamin d and have b12 injections every 3 months,they are the ones so far as being deficient in. X

Ooh, I've find my people. - had an horrific attack this weekend and ended up at a and e. Gp referred me for an ultrasound tonight so fingers crossed.

They are 13 (with SN) and 10. I don't have family I can ask to help with school runs, so 15 yr old will have to do it. He will be paid for his time though, so it's a win win for him.

I've had a laparoscopic hysterectomy, so I imagine the recovery for the first week or so is similar with tiredness and pain.

Apologies for barging in, I'm on my break so don't have much time.

It must be the season for it because I'm not feeling well at all. I've got major gallstone pain. Hot and cold, even though it's really hot in the classrooms today. Shivering/shaking and wobbly on my feet. I've just taken codeine but I haven't taken anything until then so it's not a result of drugs.

Bugger, bugger, bugger. What do I do?

Hope it goes well on Tuesday ALemony I'm sure your childcare will be fine, you won't be out of action for long and I hope you have a wait for an appointment livingla.

mummymayhem you can have BAM without any gallbladder symptoms I do know that I'm unclear on why but some Drs/consultants don't believe that BAM is a thing or say that the tests for it are highly unreliable.

Following my earlier post things moved on apace. I'm in A&E with a head full or morphine waiting for the Dr to come round. While I'm here I've called the consultants secretary (the consultant I saw last week) to ask her to call me back, assuming they let me out today then this had made me realise that I do need to seriously consider surgery now, and quickly.

Yes I know you can have the condition without gallbladder issues. That's why I posted the screenshot from an nhs article. I just said that mine was caused from having my gallbladder out. I hope you get sorted and are soon home and pain free x

Sorry you wound up in A&E Nancy, have the doctors made it round to see you yet? I'm terrified about my surgery on Thurs, but I'm trying to focus on the end goal. Just want it over and done with now!

Sorry to hear you're in hospital Nancy, hope you are feeling better soon x

I'm home now but that was one rubbish day. I could have stayed in but there didn't seem to be any need.

As it now looks like serious attacks will become a thing I'm going to look into gallbladder removal asap.
It hasn't been like this until now, I've been able to manage it but today was too much. That can't keep happening.

This evening I've got a morphine hangover and still some pain.

Thank you for your well wishes

It's showtime folks .

See you on the other side!

Good luck!
Let us know how you get on.

Hope you're feeling better today Nancy.

Hope you're op is all done now Living and you're able to have tea and toast.

Hope everyone is feeling ok today.
Hope your op went well Living!

Forgive me for what may turn out to be a long post, but I don't want to drip feed. 7 years ago I was admitted to hospital and a scan showed I had a gallstone 'the size of the boulder', in the words of the doctor. Told me I needed surgery. Speaking to my GP on discharge he said that as I had no previous history of gallstones he would not recommend me having surgery as there were often problems afterwards. No record of this original scan can be found on my notes.

Since Christmas I have been having random pain and finally went to see one of the newer GP's at my surgery and explained what was happening. She asked me what I wanted as an outcome of the consultation and I said a scan to see what was happening now and decent painkillers. I left with a prescription for codeine and understood she would make a referral for the scan. However, I have rung up this week (2 weeks after the consultation) to find out that she has not referred me for a scan and wants to monitor me. I'm annoyed that this wasn't explained to me and have in view of the fact the pain is getting worse and more frequent, have made an appointment to see another doctor, but this is not until next Wednesday. I would just like other opinions on how to move forward. I spent two days in pain earlier this week and now it has started again. I'm currently on a placement year from University (mature student) and am due to return in September for my Final Year. Does anyone think that it may be beneficial to request a private consultation to try and get things moving. The last thing I want is to end up having an emergency operation next year during my final year at uni.

I had the same, one Dr told me I didn't need my gallbladder taken out as 'too many people have it taken out unnecessarily, just be careful what you eat'
Then after I saw another Dr and a consultant both Drs said 'once you start having trouble that's it it never gets better and eventually you will be better off having it out sooner rather than later.'

I'd see another Dr and push for a scan and say you can't manage the pain anymore.
I don't know if this is true but I'm wondering if Drs are not referring as many people for things to cut costs

I can understand why the first doctor thought monitoring may be a good idea as I've had no problems until now and when I saw her last week the pain level was low. But this week it's been every day since Sunday and getting worse. I think I'm going to push for a referral to the hospital.

Thanks for the well wishes. All over and home now. Feeling quite battered and bruised, but not in a lot of pain. Hurts much less than my CS did.
I'm a bit uncomfortable from the gas, but it's not unbearable.

Flowers my GP said that they don't like to routinely take them out now due to cost cutting. It was often a straight referral if you had stones but they do it much less now. I think if you went back to the gp now it is reasonable for him or her to send you to have a ultrasound to see what's going on. My GP could see from my ultrasound that there were complications, but was still reluctant to do the referral. As a compromise he referred me to a surgeon for assessment, and for them to make the decision re surgery. I think most surgeons will agree it's preferable to just get it out to avoid complications.

I had a low fa5 yoghurt last night, won't be having one of those again 😢😢was Googling at 2 am how many tramadol I could have

Thanks Living, that sounds probable. Glad your not in too much pain following your operation. Take things easy for the next few days.

Quick update from me. Finally the nausea has stopped. I went back to work after half term fully on it and have felt fine all week. Hooray!! Hope everyone's doing ok.

That's great news Skunka!

I'm so pleased that you're well again Skunka, keep looking after yourself and thank you for writing about your operation on this thread

How are you now living?

Would it be ok if I wrote a bit of a rant about the events of this past week?
It's a bit of a long story but I could do with some good advice from people in the know, I'll try to be as brief as possible but it's been a crappy time.

nota I meant to say that I know the 'how many tramadol/codeine/what drug combinations can I take?' middle of the night google. Hopefully you got some respite, keep going back to your GP. I'm afraid it's often a case of the squeaky wheel getting the oil.
Wishing you the best.

Yes rant away! That's what we're here for