Gallstones & Gallbladder removal - worried.

[Moidershewrote]

I posted in AIBU but should have probably posted in here😬

Have had gallstones for well over a decade, they were found on a scan when I was pregnant and monitored on a couple of scans since then, but up until the past year or so I’ve not had too much trouble with them. But now I seem to be having issues and I ~think~ I’m having bouts of biliary colic (although not diagnosed) which leave me in agony for 3-4 hours when it kicks off. I’m then exhausted and feel sick for a few days afterwards.

I know I can probably push for the gallbladder removal surgery with GP and have private insurance via work. But I am really scared of surgery (past traumatic medical experiences) and also worried it will leave me with continued digestive issues (thanks Google!) as I’ve read a lot of that online.

Looking for personal gallstone / surgery stories and anything that might help me get on with it..

Hi, I just had my gallbladder out 2 days ago. I was also expecting to have food issues after googling post op complications but so far so good. I have been taking a digestive enzyme with every meal plus a pro biotic which was recommended for possible IBS which I had convinced myself I would have after surgery. I'm also going to take bile salt replacements which I heard helps alot of issues not having a gallbladder can cause.

Before surgery my attacks became more frequent and lasting most of the day so altho recovering from surgery hurts, each day I know I'll get better and it's nowhere near as bad as the attacks, so for me it was worth it! 😊

I’m a year post removal. I was asked to follow a very low fat (less than 50g day) for 2 weeks post op and the slowly introduce foods again.
Certain foods that I could eat / drinks previously I now cannot have. Coffee.. I can’t have or If I do I can’t go any where as I’ll be visiting the toilet all day. Sometimes there’s no rhyme or reason.. I’ll have a sudden urge to go to to the toilet and have loose stools. I’m told this is the effect of the bile in the stomach now instead of the gallbladder.
a friend had hers out at same time and she regrets having had it removed, still gets the pain. Where as my dfil had his removed and best thing ever with no side affects!

I had mine removed 12 years ago. I have had no side affects and can eat as normal. Prior to having it removed, I had a blocked bile duct and was jaundiced with poor liver function so there was no choice -
it had to come out otherwise I was told I would end up in ICU with pancreatitis. When my gallbladder was removed, my surgeon said it was close to perforating. Absolutely no regrets here!

@Poppiesway1 Wow! I have had no advice on what to expect/ what I should or shouldn't do post op! Had my surgery, ended up spending the night as I had a drain in and then was released. So I have had no aftercare advice from anyone 🫤 First night out I had Chinese takeaway for dinner.

I did get some info online after watching a video about the aftercare you need to know that the Dr never bothers to tell you. That's how I discovered I'll need bile salts. I've gone the opposite way, constipated instead of diarrhea, I think that means too little bile is getting to my bowls rather than too much. I need to look into this more.

@BuffyTheBuffetSlayer you will be constipated due to anaesthetic/painkillers. It took me until the 4th day post op to do a poo. Do yourself a favour and take some fybogel or something, because you want the stool to be fairly soft when it does appear. No fun straining with a sore post-op belly! As for bile salts, you may not need them at all (I don't) or you may find they benefit you if you eat a fatty meal.

@Moidershewrote had mine out by keyhole surgery several months ago. Best thing I ever did. I got attacks on and off for some 10 years but at first they were only once a year, if that, and I thought they were just really bad wind. Eventually the frequency (and pain) ramped up, and then it just accelerated. It was never bad enough for me to go to A&E but painkillers did not touch anything and there were a couple of attacks when if somebody had offered me the chance just to die then and there I would probably have taken it! My consultant said I would probably not get much in the way of digestive issues after removal because my body had likely got used to functioning with a rubbish gallbladder. It would likely notice little difference in its absence. That has turned out to be the case.

I had my gallbladder removed over 15 years ago. I was very ill beforehand. It had progressed to pancreatitis which was repeatedly misdiagnosed (it was a chest infection, it was a hernia, etc). I ended up dialling 999 and being taken to A&E in agony in the middle of the night. Staff still couldn't figure out what was wrong with me and were sending me home at 5am, despite me being pent over double in pain and unable to even keep water down. Luckily a consultant was passing and stepped in when we heard what was happening and admitted me. I was later told that I would have died if I'd been sent home.

I had complications during the surgery so keyhole became open surgery. Despite that, I was home within a few days and have never had any issues/niggles nor have I taken any supplements etc. I eat normally, everything is fine. I have a huge scar but I usually tell people it's from a knife fight. 😂

Gallbladder issues run in my family (DF, DM, GM and me have all had it removed!) and none of us have had any significant issues afterwards.
I sometimes get a mild aching pain where it used to be after eating, but that's about it.

Had mine out by keyhole day surgery a few years ago. One of the best things I've ever done. Recovered quickly and I've had no problems since, can and do eat what I like. Bit of indigestion if I pig out on cream 😊

3 days post op, worth it so far. Started getting gallstone attacks 2 weeks after having first dd in April 2022 which left me breathless and in agony for hours after eating, sometimes in the middle of the night. Been living in fear for the next attack ever since.

Misdiagnosed as acid reflux for months and finally got scan that confirmed gallstones in Dec 2022. Requested gallbladder removal straight away as anything is better than suffering like this! I know 4 people who had it removed and are completely fine.

Also medically traumatised from a difficult birth which needed further op to fix a complication but the way I see it nothing put me off more than the gallstone pain- so it had to go!

In at 7am, out 6pm same day. First 2 days the gas pain was bad all the way to my shoulders, just sleep upright and eat low fat/ lots of fruits/veg to prevent constipation (I didn’t need any laxatives at all) and keep up with the painkillers. Hot water pads for shoulder pain, drink peppermint tea and walk around the house from day 2 to get rid of excess gas.

If you had it for that long and still get biliary colic chances are it’s not ever going to go away completely so should consider removing it- heard some people get upset stomach when eating certain foods just gotta wait and see for that but I do think it’s worth it. Good luck!

Best thing I ever did was have mine whipped out. Wish I'd done it sooner. I eat absolutely everything now! No issues whatsoever.

@Cranarc
you will be constipated due to anaesthetic/painkillers. It took me until the 4th day post op to do a poo. Do yourself a favour and take some fybogel or something, because you want the stool to be fairly soft when it does appear. No fun straining with a sore post-op belly! As for bile salts, you may not need them at all (I don't) or you may find they benefit you if you eat a fatty meal

I'm definitely constipated because my gallbladder has been removed. I've been on tramadol for a long time and have never suffered constipation with them. The dr's agreed I'd use my own post op so it's definitely not the painkillers. The anaesthetic has long worn off and I am still very constipated all the time despite adding a whole range of items into my diet that are supposed to help move things along but just aren't.

On a good note tho, I have only had a few phantom gallstone attack pains (what I was told they were) which have thankfully disappeared and I can also eat anything I want with no issues. Having it removed was still the best decision for me.

Had mine removed 11 years ago. No problems at all. Eat whatever I want.
I'd recommend wearing something like soft leggings after the operation as a hard waistband can be very uncomfortable.

I had mine out 8 years ago but like you OP I was terrified and had put it off for years after reading too many off putting horror stories online (including here!). I finally took the plunge and the operation was done by keyhole surgery as a day case. I had 4 small incisions if I recall which I had to keep dry for several days afterwards. It was all very straightforward, as was the recovery. I was given tramadol in recovery and discharged with it too but I didn’t need it, or want to take it because it’s highly addictive. I don’t remember experiencing much pain afterwards at all.

I ate very cautiously for a week or so, eating small portions and bland food like mashed potato and gravy, bananas, toast, eggs etc and I suffered no digestive issues whatsoever. I made sure I started going out for a walk after about a week of resting to get back into the swing of things and everything was fine. I was signed off work for 10 days and found that was plenty of time to make a good recovery.

My personal experience is that I am able to eat whatever I want without encountering any digestive issues whatsoever. I don’t exclude any foods or take bile salts. However, I am very conscious about healthy eating generally and I don’t drink alcohol so maybe that helps.

I’d say, face your fears and go for it. I’m sure it won’t be anywhere near as bad as you think and all your bouts of pain and sleepless nights will be a thing of the past.

I had mine out 6 years ago and have had no issues at all.

If you're going NHS, get your name on the list now because the wait time is crazy!

My experience is that surgery was amazing. I left my stones a year because I was only getting an attack every couple of months, and they lasted 2/3 hours. Then all of sudden it ramped up hard and I got very poorly, very quickly (and still the NHS wouldn't take the bugger out), even when lying in a ward with pancreatitis the surgeons wouldn't give me a timescale.

I can eat whatever I want, no issues with toileting. I do still get random shoulder pain (that used to precede an attack) but not nailed down a cause yet.

I went private, stayed in overnight because I needed a drain. Home on bed rest for 3/4 days. Then pretty much normal.

Wow, did you get much pain? I'm just suffering bloating and nausea and light headed ness. Apparently my gallbladder is enlarged and bile ducts dilated. But the scan did not pick up stones because of gas. Gallstones are the expected outcome but it could be a tumor.

@Richardbc yes, the pain was excruciating. The worst I have had, far worse than childbirth! I had 28 gallstones.

It's a long time since I had my gallbladder removed. I didn't hesitate because the attacks were ruining my life, with the appalling pain and unpredictability. I was self-employed and it was interfering with my work as well as I never knew when it would happen or how long it would last.

My GP was worse than useless and so in desperation I saw a gastroenterologist privately. He confirmed the diagnosis and shortly afterwards I had the operation. For me recovery was easy and quick, and I can't remember experiencing any significant pain. The attacks went away and I regained my life.

Do it! I had mine out a month ago, I'd had symptoms for about 10 years and was on the waiting list for about 20 months in the end, during that time I felt so poorly. It turned out that I had chronic inflammation/infection from it all and it really did affect all of me. The surgeon said my gallbladder was in a very bad state when they took it out. A month on and I feel like a different person, not only am I pain free and can ready l eat what I like, I also don't feel generally unwell. I'd recommend not getting to the point I was at if you can help it.

That's a horrendous wait. I'm feeling terrible most days flu like head, nausea bloating. I really hope it's not such a long wait.

Yes they were some of my symptoms too. If you can, get some blood done. Several of my liver tests were 10xor more what they should be and raised inflammation markers too. Eventually this is what got me seen. Tbf I was referred in 2021 at peak covid impact time and my local Trust has some of the longest wait times in the country so hopefully you'll be seen a lot sooner than I was.