What to expect from gallbladder surgery

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I have a general idea of what’s going to happen. In surgery though, do they let you wear your gown/bra/underwear and just slide the gown up to fit the drapes or are you fully exposed?
Realistically, how many hours afterwards can you go home if it goes to plan? And what did you eat afterwards/how long did you have to have a modified diet (assume it’s just easy to digest food you would want?). Though I’ve heard for some it can be months and months before you can eat normally.
And for pain relief will it just be paracetamol and ibuprofen? Assuming they’ll want to have you in and out of hospital as quick as they can?
Thanks .

I had mine out 2 years ago. I had paper pants on and a gown. Your under anaesthetic when they actually prepare you but for infection control they minimise what is visible/ accessible.

Are you having keyhole? In which case you'll have 3 instrument entry points, one is for the camera so it's all done via microscopic view on a screen.

You can usually go home the same day if everything seems well and pain relief is effective. I didn't go for surgery till 4 pm so ended up staying overnight and home at 9am the next day.

Eating - they advise to take it easy but everything should be fine. Stick to simple low fat foods for a few days and gradually reintroduce. I had yogurts and plain sandwiches, apples. Your bowel Might be a bit odd for a few days as your body adjusts to the gall bladder being gone.

I had Ora morph for a couple days as well as paracetamol/ ibuprofen. The surgical
Pain was pretty sore for a few days but then it quickly started to heal. 2 weeks recovery so take it easy - no heavy lifting etc.

Good luck 🤞

Thanks.
Yes, keyhole surgery. Hoping it’ll be same day home if done early enough. Paper pants- didn’t think the NHS could splurge on those!

I had mine out by keyhole too, it was meant to be through the belly button but I had mine cut just under the belly button which I requested and you can barely see the scar now. I was operated on in the morning but couldn't leave until late evening as I had to do a wee before I could leave.

Recovery was pretty quick but you may want to get some heat patches in for your back and shoulders, something to do with the gas they use escaping through these body parts after the surgery? I have no idea but I know it was a thing.

Good luck! I have never looked back since!

Paper pants and gown as PP said.

Could eat bland meals soon after - they offered me toast after surgery. Took a few weeks to recover. I have been able to eat a completely normal diet since then.

Make sure that whoever drives you home brings a pillow for you to hold against your stomach. It will help with the pain.

Make sure you have a hot water bottle/heat pads for the trapped gas pain within your torso.

Had mine out years ago when it was an overnight stay, but was in and out in 24hrs
No pain afterwards just felt a bit stiff no special diet either just ate normally. Recovered within a couple of days but still had to be careful as although I felt absolutely fine I had still had surgery

Mine was a bit different as was admitted a few days before and surgery was done as an emergency.

Had to wear the disposable pants which are made of tights like material and a hospital gown and surgical stockings so all out glamour 😂

Go into theatre wide awake and answer a load of questions to make sure you are who they are expecting and you're getting the right surgery.

They put in an Iv port and then give you a mask to breathe in the knock out gas. Takes less than 5 seconds to be fully out, then you wake up, what feels like a few seconds later and it's all over.

I had keyhole so there's an incision at bra line between your boobs, one in your belly button and another on right side middle of ribs.

Mine was an emergency because it was infected so I had a load of nasty goop they had to wash out which meant they fitted me with a drain while I was under too, so I had a bag and tube set up hanging off my side filling regularly with stuff I tried not to look at. I had to stay another couple of days while the drain did its job.

If you've been experiencing pain with the gallstones then honestly the recovery pain from the surgery is a blessed relief in comparison. It's a logical pain, you know it will get better and follow a normal healing route, it's not like gallstone pain where it feels like it will last for ever and may just kill you. It will hurt to bend for a week or so, but once your sat down or stood up and not actively bending your midsection it's fine.

Thanks for the tips. I think I did the pillow thing after my c section, too.
Hopefully it’ll all go well and I won’t feel embarrassed at being exposed as I’ll have been knocked out by that stage.

Hi OP. I'm recovering from gallbladder removal surgery now. I'm on day 4 post-op. Today is the day I'd feel well enough to leave the house and have a small Potter.

I had my surgery at 1pm but ended up staying in as I had sickness due to the general anaesthetic.

Also.. My bladder didn't wake up properly so for 24hrs afterwards I didn't empty my bladder properly and was just tricking out wee. Something to be aware of just in case as it terrified me lol.

I'm still getting a few indegestion/trapped wind discomfort today.

Also... I'm constipated. 5 laxative sachets later and I still haven't pood!!!

Happy to answer any other questions you may have.

When's your op? X

Oh god the constipation. Totally forgot to mention that, but I'm sure mine was caused by hospital food and oramorph/codeine. As I mentioned I was in hospital for 5 days. The meals were massively lacking in any form of fresh fruit or veg.

Breakfast - cereal or toast with coffee, tea or concentrate juice
Lunch - white bread sandwich, no butter just bread and a slice of cheese, or ham or corned beef.
Dinner - microwave meal like curry and rice or pasta in tomato sauce or jacket potato with cheese.

Didn't go for a poo for a week. Everyone on the ward I was in was asking for laxatives daily, not that they actually worked.

I still haven't pood! I'm 5 days post op now. Starting to feel very bloated and uncomfortable.

Did anyone else have similar mild type gallbladder pain after the op? So nowhere near bad, but I occasionally get a mild stabby feeling in my rib and then a mild burning in my back like I did before surgery x

I had mine removed a few years ago and it was wonderful to be free of the worry of the next gallstone attack. I had to eat a restrictive fat free diet while waiting for my op (over a year) and almost skipped into hospital on the day.
I was out the same day and eating normally the next day. I remember a bit of pain from the trapped gas in my shoulder but it was nothing compared to the excruciating pain from my gall bladder. Just make sure you have pain killers in case you need them.
Good luck, it will be fine x

I had mine out a few years ago. It was done under a general anaesthetic . I was allowed to wear my own pants to the theatre but can't remember being given paper pants. I also had to wear compression socks , so sexy. I had problems coming round due to having sleep apnoea. I had no pain after at all and was allowed to eat normally. I now have 3 tiny scars, less than 1cm each

I don’t know when the op will be, on a waiting list but probably not years long. My issues aren’t so acute but I can’t tolerate any dairy food and still get mild pain on occasion.
Hope the previous posters who have their op recover well and don’t have ongoing discomfort, though.