Gallbladder Removal

[NancyPickford]

I'm due to have my gallbladder removed early next month. I was in hospital last month after a gallbladder attack and had a scan which revealed several gallstones, including one an inch big. Since then I've been watching what I eat and taking (prescribed) co-codamol to keep the pain at bay.

My question is to those who have had this op - what should I expect? Were you in pain afterwards, and if so, how long did that continue? The hospital says I'll be discharged the same day in the afternoon (op is first thing in the morning). Is this really do-able? I have a bit of a car journey home (husband will be driving) afterwards and just wondered if the wound etc will be ok in a car. I was told it will be keyhole surgery, and the incisions will be just glued together, no stitches. Now that the operation has become real, I'm suddenly frightened!

There is absolutely nothing to this procedure. I had three little cuts, all glued together, and went home the same day (and I’m not young). I had no pain after the operation. You really don’t have to be scared and you will feel so much better after its done.

Mine was a bit different because I was admitted with a severe gallbladder infection and had the surgery after 3 days on IV antibiotics did nothing.

Surgery was easy peasy, I discovered I like General Anaesthesia, felt so well rested.

I had 4 incisions because I ended up needing a drain inserted due to the infection and I had to stay in hospital for a couple more days for more IV antibiotics but you in all likelihood wont need a drain so you'll be out the same day.

I was wandering around with the drain fitted same day so you'll be fine to travel home.

There is some pain when you're sitting/standing/twisting anything that involves the abdominal muscles cruching/flexing. I found it helpful to hold my abdomen while doing those manoeuvres for the first few days. After about a week it's only really sore when you do a more extreme move like living something or bending to the floor and that's gone by end of week 2.

I had this done in 2015. Same as you, I'd spent 5 days in hospital prior due to my gallbladder been inflamed. After the op, I had to stay in as I didn't do too well with the anaesthetic, it made me sick and they thought it best to keep me in over night. I was in a bit of pain (mainly due to the gas) in my shoulders and chest in the days after and I went back to work after around 3 weeks. You have my sympathy, as the gallbladder pain is awful.

Thanks everyone. I was in for five days as there was a very high infection which took i/v antibiotics to tame. It does seem to be a very common operation, and any pain afterwards will hopefully be nothing like what I went through for a couple of days before I was admitted to hospital. I'm so glad that stitches aren't involved!

Hi OP, I had mine out via keyhole in January, Honestly, compared to other surgeries this was a walk in the park!

I went in at 7am, waited around and went in about 11, and I was in recovery by 1.30 (I also had a liver cyst which was drained). My husband picked me up at 5 to go home.

You will be given decent pain relief (I was on a large dose of codeine!), heat packs for my back as your back muscles will overcompensate for not being able to use your core muscles, and ice packs over my stomach. I think I had a day or two in bed (get up on the regular even if its to just patter about). Ask for something to keep your bowels moving with the pain relief.
I think 10 days post surgery I was walking absolutely fine, but its really important to take it easy, and absolutely do not lift anything heavy, I lifted my toddler and hurt myself quite alot.

I had mine out. Keyhole surgery is a modern miracle!!

I was in quite a bit of pain for the first 2 days, and then virtually fine after that. Home from hospital the same day too.

My op was 12:30 and I was discharged by 6pm. It was sore for 2 days, the 'gas' pain is quite uncomfortable, but nothing compared to a gallbladder attack! I took it very easy for 4 days and you need to not overdo things for a while. I think I was 'signed off' for a week.

I did buy some large waterproof dressings to stick over the incisions (mine were glued too), just for piece of mind in the shower, etc.

Yup, gall bladder surgery is one of those areas where modern medicine really has nailed it. I was kept overnight - can't remember why - but it was all round totally painless and easy. Mine was about 20 years ago and I had stitches not glue, but it was still key hole.

I had a week off work to let the wounds heal and because I was generally a bit sore and uncomfortable and wiped out from the anaesthetic. Then I went back but my boss and I agreed that I'd take it easy and work paid for me to cab to work to avoid rush hour on the tube.

I also had to buy all new make up as my skin tone changed. Turned out I'd been slightly yellow for years!

I was advised that I would need 2 weeks off work. In reality, a week was more than enough!

I'm very glad I asked, reassuring replies, even those who reported pain afterwards.

Had mine out a few years back. I remember the nurse coming round with the meds trolly and I said I didn’t need anything - I had a bit of discomfort but no more than that. Didn’t even feel sick from the anaesthetic. I still have my stones in a little jar!

I was in hospital NBM for a couple of weeks before mine was removed. I’d lost so much weight and had zero energy.
The consultant appeared one morning at 8am and said “we’re taking you down now” and off I went…
I woke up after and felt like I’d been hit by a bus. I have a very high pain threshold so I think this was more to do with my body being so exhausted from the previous 2 weeks. I went home that afternoon and although I felt sore it wasn’t horrendous.

Remember to take very baggy clothes to wear for the way home!!

"Remember to take very baggy clothes to wear for the way home!!"

This is good advice - are any of you on the bustier side? I'm finding my underwired bras uncomfortable as the day goes on, it's as if the underwire is pressing into my gallbladder, so I wonder if it's best to go braless on the way home?

I had mine out last year. One incision did end up needing stitches as it turned out my gallbladder was inflamed, so they had to make the hole bigger to get it out.

I was pretty uncomfortable for about 2 weeks. I was told 10 days off work but actually needed 2 weeks. I think that must vary from person to person.

As well as baggy clothes I recommend slip on shoes as you will struggle to bend right after the op.

I am very large busted. I wore a bralette for going home and for the next couple of days.

Having my wisdom teeth removed was worse than having my gallbladder removed. I was up and pottering about the next day with nothing more than a bit of shoulder ache, which is apparently quite common. I pretended to be suffering more than I was so my kids would bring me tea and biscuits on demand.

Getting lots of good tips - bralette, baggy clothes, slip on shoes!

I was a day case. The worst bit was the incision right under my bra strap location! Can't say I took many painkillers after first 24h but to warn you, after it's out you may be intolerant to cocodamol. I now have had more codeine-linked attacks, feeling like I have biliary colic, post surgery than I did before when I still had the gallstones! (Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, or SOD. It is...)

I wouldn't mind never taking codeine pills again but I have to take them for migraines.

Good luck!

Very easy op to recover from.
Just don't do what I did and go the the stables and ride your horse on day 3. You WILL get an infection in one of the cuts. Other than that, plain sailing.

Another who found removal a breeze. i was in as a day case. My stitches were dissolvable. I was signed off for a fortnight but felt better after 3 or 4 days.

I’m 60 now and had mine removed in my very early 30s. I was one of first cohorts of key hole surgery.

as people have said, a few (rather randomly located) small incisions. No pain from wounds. Healed fast . I was back at work 3 days later- I took 48 hours off to get anaesthetist out of my system and Not because of pain or the op. I really didn’t feel need to stay off work longer. I did know to have peppermint and ginger stuff around to help with gas relief- they inflate your abdomen to give room to work in key hole, so this is common to most key hole surgery and can be a bit uncomfortable (oddly causes some folks shoulder pain) till the gas has passed out in normal way 🙄🤣🤣. Ok, I was much younger then, but i bounced back quickly, but honestly I’ve had around 12 surgical procedures in my life and this was up there as easiest (teeth and bones being worst😱)

I would say though it does impact your digestive system longer term . You do have to be careful how and what you eat for rest of your life. Post menopausally I have developed the most appalling “dumping” syndrome due to bile malabsorption and that has been a massive impact on my life. Up till then though, I rarely had problems if I was sensible. And I’m not 100% sure if gallbladder removal is 100% of cause of my horrible bowel problems now. Maybe a significant contributor.

@Appleofmyeye2023 could you tell me more about the post-op digestive issues? I already have some, so this has leapt out at me. Please PM if you don't want to post on here.

Re bras - was it difficult to put your bra/bralette back on after the op when you were getting dressed to go home?

It's a piece of cake. Same day discharge is normal. You'll be fine in a car if someone else driving. Hardly any pain, but take the painkillers they give you and use them as directed - if you wait for pain to happen, then you're too late.
A wound may pop open - one of mine did, and there was a tiny amount of blood - but just use one of the steristrips provided and you'll be fine.
I was knackered, but only because I had other diagnoses too, so had been in hospital for a week prior to surgery. But the op itself is fantastic, in that the gallbladder pain just disappears, and so straightforward. Absolutely zero to be scared of - in your shoes, I'd just be excited to have it done, with the bonus of a lovely GA (the best!).

I stayed in overnight but purely because my op was delayed due to an emergency and they won't discharge until x hours after aneasthetic (I have no idea how to spell it).

I think my next question may only be able to be answered by the doctor. I'm due to have my flu jab and a covid booster five days before my op. Does anyone know if this is likely to be a problem?