Pain after gallbladder removal

[Spotthedog91]

So my surgery to remove my gallbladder was a week ago now.

Since then I've been getting a mild bruised/achey feeling in my back, right side and right rib cage. I'm hoping this is just bruising from the surgery, but I've got a horrible feeling my problems haven't gone away. The pain doesn't seem to be food related, so hoping it's not yet more digestive problems.

Has anyone else experienced this after gallbladder surgery?

I ended up in hospital with mine when pregnant for 10 days due to cholecystitis that was 2years ago and not heard anything since. I probably need to go to the gp to check, I’ve had grumbling on and off and a couple of attacks but what really worries me is the camera they do before the op, is that still a thing? I’m going off what happened to my mum 17 years ago. I could cope with the op but the thought of the camera down scares me and I’ve been sticking my head in the sand but it’s not going to go away is it :-(

@sugarcube84 I'm not sure what you mean by camera. They diagnosed my gallstones by ultrasound but I haven't had any camera inside me. Well apart from during the op which is one of my small scars.

I had surgery in 2017 for a cyst on my ovary and I can say this procedure was a lot easier to heal from than that one x

My mum had a camera down her throat and then she said they performed a procedure to snip a hole in the gallbladder, this all happened months prior to the op which was booked in not an emergency one.

I’ve had an ultrasound and a CT to diagnose when pregnant

@sugarcube84 I've never heard of that, so I don't think you'll be needing that x

I’ve been putting off chasing it for 2years now because I was scared of the camera down my throat ….might ring the doctors next week. Thankyou

Hi 👋 I had my gallbladder out 4 months ago. I think I was still using codeine for the pain 2 weeks after. If your urine is dark you might want to get checked out. I had a new severe pain about a week after surgery that the painkillers weren’t touching and was back in hospital for a day having a contrast ct scan, ultrasound and blood tests. Turned out I had a post op infection which cleared up with antibiotics. Not saying this is what yours is but speak to your dr.

Also re the camera down the throat - I had an endoscopy a month after my gallbladder removal and was really worried about it - but I was sedated and it was absolutely fine, don’t remember a thing and would do it again happily if I had to. Hope you get sorted 💐

@Sugarcube84 when I was discussing the operation with my consultant he said that while he was in there he would do an X-ray to see if there were any stones lodged in the bile duct.

If there are then I have a choice (which I obviously have to make in advance as I will be under GA at the time). Option 1 - he can remove the bile duct stones at the same time. That makes the surgery slightly longer and requires a definite overnight stay to monitor a drain they need to put in. Option 2 - go to hospital at a later date to have the camera down the throat under sedation and have the bile duct stones removed that way.

Update - the pain has completely gone away . I've enjoyed a nice meal out Starter, main, dessert and a couple of wines. No pain . The achey pain in my back, side and ribs has gone x

@spotthedog91 I'm so pleased to hear you're recovering really well! Thanks so much for your previous reply, it put my mind at rest. My op is next week yikes. I'm nervous but trying to seek out positive stories to offset all the horrors that crop up whenever you google anything gallbladder-related!

@singsing aww good luck. You'll be fine. After 2 weeks all my pain has gone, stitches had fallen off and my scars are really neat and tidy. Good luck xx

Hi - @Spotthedog91 I know this is an old post but I’m having the same problem - 5 days post op and the pain I had in my back is still there - If not worse! Your last post said it Wes better - is it still better? I’m really worried

@ohhollyfred how are you getting on?

I’m two weeks post surgery and for the last week I’ve had right upper quadrant discomfort and a sore back which is preventing me from sleeping well.

Really hoping this is temporary.

@Pepperpot86 it's only just gone! I had it for 8 weeks - ended up having an X-ray and bloods done as I was so worried but it has now gone so I'm certain it was just my body being slow to heal

Thanks for your reply @ohhollyfred. Gosh that must have been distressing but glad it’s gone now! Hopefully mine will go soon too!

@Pepperpot86 yes I’m sure yours will too. I think but not totally sure they my back pain was acid as the pain going away coincided with the doctor giving me omeprezole. I didn’t have any traditional heartburn symptoms but the doctor explained that where I was getting the back pain was quite often referred pain from the diaphragm

Weirdly since my gallbladder removal, I can no longer take Co-codamol. I get the same pain as the gallbladder pain. Look up sphincter of odie (I think). I just ensure never to co-codamol and it hasn't recurred.