Gallbladder op - FAQs and words of comfort and wisdom

[Piggywaspushed]

Hello

I am aware lots of us are in the gallstone boat , awaiting ops, post op, post diagnosis etc. There have been many threads but I wondered if we could pull them together into one support thread in which folks can tell stories and share inside knowledge?

I have my op 21st September. Pleased (NHS GP found me a fast track appointment at nearby private hospital - a route definitely worth pursuing if anyone else, like me, was pencilled in to wait nearly a year for even a consultation) but bricking it, too. I am on a few Facebook pages but not everyone on there is UK based and there is a lot of negativity. I don't mind realism but scaring people is not on.

Here are my questions!

1.What are attacks like for you? Symptoms, frequency, triggers? (my consultant seemed unconvinced that my symptoms are gb related - would love to share.)

2.What are your gallstones like? I have one 3cm stone.

3.Is the op a magic wand , or are their post op lifestyle changes and consequences I should prepare for?

4.I have read about the post op trapped wind! Do hospitals give you meds for this or do I need to buy in advance? If so , what?

5.Does anyone take regualr anti histamines? If so, do you take with Buscopan? There is very conflicting advice on this!

6.If I can't sleep the night before my op (almost 100% likely!) can I take something to help me? I ask mainly because lack of sleep triggers attacks for me and I don't want to be too sick to operate on.

7.What were people's recoveries like?

8.How soon before I can have a shower? What happens with the wounds and dressings? Is anyone else allergic to glues and plasters? This is a worry of mine.

9.When did you go back to work? What was that like? I cannot WFH , not a possibility and recuing hours also not likely to occur without adding to my workload. I'll have to set two weeks of work while I'm off as well, which is annoyingly time consuming and stressful (teacher).

10.Bras - I keep seeing people saying vest tops or bralettes. Not really an option for me as I am ample of bosom. Anyone know of supportive but suitable non wired bras?

11.What was sleep like afterwards? All the Americans bang on about recliners . I have a reclining chair but it is self powered so hard to get on and off really (requires stomach muscles). Also, I could not sleep in it at night because the room won't be dark or quiet enough!

12.Eating afterwards - what did people manage? I have a terrible relationship with food . DH can't cook , so this has to be basic easy stuff for me. He and DS can learn to fend for themselves! I am reading a few horror stories about food and eating. Low fat is not an issue for me, to be honest but if I can't drink tea, I'll cry. Did anyone gain weight afterwards? I really do not want to as have recently lost a stone. I have become terrified of eating so am hoping having the gb out will solve a lot of my anxiety around travel, lack of sleep, food.

13.How soon before driving/shopping/ lifting anything?

14.Did anyone go on a holiday after the op? How soon after? What were the travel insurance implications?

15..Any things they don't tell you that you wish they had?

16.Out of curiosity, how long did it take you for a GP to take your symptoms seriously? I'm at about the 10 year mark, maybe 6 or 7. This has been complicated by them focusing on trying to find gynae issues , which may or may not also exist, and various red herrings such as recent shingles and kidney infections. These of course were diagnosed and/or treated so the frequency of episodes was dismissed or overlooked. Annoying, it took DH's assertiveness for me to get referred for an abdo scan. I'm all for peri and menopause being taken serioulsy but it now feels like every ailment a woman has is put down to menopause. I may even have a tendency to do that myself. The pill version of HRT definitley did make my symptoms far worse, possibly coincidentally.

Feel free to answer or ask questions and share your stories!

I'm having my gallbladder surgery on Thursday. I first went to the doctor on the 3rd July, so it's just a couple of months plus the month of pain/worry leading up to it.

I had a blood test to rule out ovarian cancer (due to abdominal bloating), meds for IBS, and an abdominal ultrasound. IBS and ovarian cancer were ruled out. The ultrasound found gallstones.

I decided to go private (£8000) due to the year long NHS waiting time. My consultant was of the mind just to whip the gallbladder out as the situation will only get worse and more complicated over time.

I don't get flare-ups - the pain is constant. It's not always the same - sometimes in the back and others in the tummy. I'm on cocodamol for it. This means I sleep all the time and can't drive.

I eat as fat-free and low salt as I can, but this is difficult in a family.

DH has a BMI of 18, so really needs the fat. I try to reassure him that he should not get offended if I don't like his cooking!

10.Bras - I keep seeing people saying vest tops or bralettes. Not really an option for me as I am ample of bosom. Anyone know of supportive but suitable non wired bras?

Used sleep bra for a couple of days, back to normal bra first week. Also smoke if boob.

11.What was sleep like afterwards? All the Americans bang on about recliners . I have a reclining chair but it is self powered so hard to get on and off really (requires stomach muscles). Also, I could not sleep in it at night because the room won't be dark or quiet enough!

Slept like a baby.... Drugs and post op anesthetic make you really sleepy. Americans are weird

12.Eating afterwards - what did people manage? I have a terrible relationship with food . DH can't cook , so this has to be basic easy stuff for me. He and DS can learn to fend for themselves! I am reading a few horror stories about food and eating. Low fat is not an issue for me, to be honest but if I can't drink tea, I'll cry. Did anyone gain weight afterwards? I really do not want to as have recently lost a stone. I have become terrified of eating so am hoping having the gb out will solve a lot of my anxiety around travel, lack of sleep, food.

Normal eating after. Didn't change diet at all. I didn't put on weight, but did gain weight back to my normal weight, having lost a stone, like you, during the low fat phase pre-op.

13.How soon before driving/shopping/ lifting anything? Hand cleaned floors day three (ooops), got bored. Drove week two. Lifting, can't remember. Was careful for a while. Listen to your body. You'll know what you can do.

14.Did anyone go on a holiday after the op? How soon after? What were the travel insurance implications?

Can't remember. But never filled out a medical form for holiday insurance and I've had several operations.....

15..Any things they don't tell you that you wish they had?

Can't think of any......

16.Out of curiosity, how long did it take you for a GP to take your symptoms seriously?

Didn't worry about it tbh, for a long time. Then a friend mentioned gall bladder. I went to GP's and immediately referred. I did have private insurance though, so was very quick from GP referral to operation. About three months back in the day!!

Mine was removed 13 years ago. I haven't changed anything since then, nor noticed any difference (apart from not being in pain, obviously). No dietary changes needed. No special clothes. It was just a blessing to have the op, a fabulous GA which I loved, and then home. I think it was a couple of weeks off work, as I was told not to drive for 2 weeks (ie until I could safely perform an emergency stop).
My stitches did "pop" briefly, but a couple of steri strips sorted that.
Honestly, it was all a piece of cake, and I'm so glad that I pushed to have the lap chole ASAP.

PS Went on holiday a couple of months later - it never occurred to me that there might be "travel insurance implications" tbh. Honestly, OP, it is a totally routine procedure, performed thousands of times a year, and really not worth thinking about - apart from being glad that your manky gallbladder is gone.

This is a great thread. Sorry to jump on. Has anyone decided not to have surgery?

I've had a few smaller bouts which I assumed were indigestion etc. all start around 1am for me and then finish around 3. I had one awful bout about 6 months ago and ended up in A&E. An emergency scan showed a few stones. I got a consultant who was the most dismissive rude bloke I've met. I tried asking if there's any treatment etc besides surgery. He waved his hand at me and told me surgery or nothing. I asked how many stones I had. Again he waved his hand at me and said it was irrelevant as once I have one it can be an emergency. Then admitted he hasn't looked but wasn't relevant.

I can still eat fat, chocolate, booze. Everything really. I don't massively have an obvious trigger. Sometimes it just starts up with no obvious reason but I've not had a flare up in 6 months again. So I've decided to not have it taken out yet. Has anyone done this?

happy to start another thread if that's easier.

The quote I had for having gallstones and on a waiting list was £300!

Hello Piggy. Your name is a blast from the past. You helped me out in the past so glad to answer that I had my gallbladder out 20 years ago and it was such a relief.

1.What are attacks like for you?
Horrendous. Came on after I ate anything with fat in it, was on all fours in pain. Absolute classical symptoms - I told my gp I had gallstones.

2.What are your gallstones like? Several 1cm ones but the dr said my gallbladder was odd and shrivelled.

3.Is the op a magic wand? Yes but poos are not very solid ever since.

4.I have read about the post op trapped wind! It hurts and your abdomen will be bloated as they puff air in to create space to guide the instruments. It gets absorbed and you fart it out. Loudly.

5.Does anyone take regualr anti histamines? Not applicable - but check with the hospital when to come off any medicines before the op as they may not do it if you are on certain meds, hormones because of interactions.

6.If I can't sleep the night before my op (almost 100% likely!) can I take something to help me? I ask mainly because lack of sleep triggers attacks for me and I don't want to be too sick to operate on. Do lots of exercise then warm bath, relaxation tapes, white noise?

7.What were people's recoveries like? Bit sore but fine. Massive relief.

8.How soon before I can have a shower? What happens with the wounds and dressings? Is anyone else allergic to glues and plasters? I have lots of tiny little cuts that were glued shut. I had a c section with staples. The wounds were tiny and nothing compared to a c section. I am allergic to a lot of make-up and plasters but it wasn’t a problem.

9.When did you go back to work? What was that like? I was skiing 6 weeks afterwards. I was ok but not exercising after 2.

10.Bras - I keep seeing people saying vest tops or bralettes. Not really an option for me as I am ample of bosom. Anyone know of supportive but suitable non wired bras? Marks and Spencers. They have loads online and filters for non wired on the App.

11.What was sleep like afterwards? All the Americans bang on about recliners . I have a reclining chair but it is self powered so hard to get on and off really (requires stomach muscles). Also, I could not sleep in it at night because the room won't be dark or quiet enough? You’ll be sleepy because of the GA and meds and the relief. I was fine in bed. If you want to sleep in your recliner get a eye-mask from Amazon/Superdrug.

12.Eating afterwards - what did people manage? I can’t remember so it can’t have been that bad.

13.How soon before driving/shopping/ lifting anything? About a week - I had a small child

14.Did anyone go on a holiday after the op? How soon after? What were the travel insurance implications? I was skiing 6 weeks after - it could not be less than 6 weeks.

15..Any things they don't tell you that you wish they had? That don’t worry if you say embarrassing things on morphine - the nurses are used to it and you’ll never see them again. But tell your family you may say stuff and fart for England.

16.Out of curiosity, how long did it take you for a GP to take your symptoms seriously? Straight away.

Jump on,that's fine! It was my intention !

Your attacksdound like mine. In all honesty, you will probably find they start to get more frequent.

I read they grow 1 -2 mm a year so mine has been there, growing, for about 15 years!

Hi zanda! Waving madly here!

How lovely to hear from you!

Thanks for all that detail. Really helpful.

Honestly, you are such a strong woman. You’ll be absolutely fine.

1.What are attacks like for you? Symptoms, frequency, triggers? (my consultant seemed unconvinced that my symptoms are gb related - would love to share.)

A gnawing pain in my upper abdomen. My doctor thought it was a stomach ulcer due to location and description of symptoms. The pain would radiate to my back. It was central.

2.What are your gallstones like? I have one 3cm stone.

i had one stone too, I don’t know the size.

3.Is the op a magic wand , or are their post op lifestyle changes and consequences I should prepare for?

yes.

4.I have read about the post op trapped wind! Do hospitals give you meds for this or do I need to buy in advance? If so , what?

move around as much as possible. The most they’ll give you is a peppermint drink.

5.Does anyone take regualr anti histamines? If so, do you take with Buscopan? There is very conflicting advice on this!

n/a

6.If I can't sleep the night before my op (almost 100% likely!) can I take something to help me? I ask mainly because lack of sleep triggers attacks for me and I don't want to be too sick to operate on.

I wouldn’t worry about it. If your temperature is fine they’ll operate, but ask at your pre op.

7.What were people's recoveries like?

fine. First week tricky but ok after.

8.How soon before I can have a shower? What happens with the wounds and dressings? Is anyone else allergic to glues and plasters? This is a worry of mine.

I showered the next day. I was glued but have since developed an allergy. They’ll use something else instead.

9.When did you go back to work? What was that like? I cannot WFH , not a possibility and recuing hours also not likely to occur without adding to my workload. I'll have to set two weeks of work while I'm off as well, which is annoyingly time consuming and stressful (teacher).

I was on maternity leave so can’t say. You usually get a 2 week sick note.

10.Bras - I keep seeing people saying vest tops or bralettes. Not really an option for me as I am ample of bosom. Anyone know of supportive but suitable non wired bras?

I don’t remember wearing different bras to normal.

11.What was sleep like afterwards? All the Americans bang on about recliners . I have a reclining chair but it is self powered so hard to get on and off really (requires stomach muscles). Also, I could not sleep in it at night because the room won't be dark or quiet enough!

I don’t remember but after two c sections I don’t remember it being too tough. Definitely not in a recliner! You could prop yourself up with a v pillow and pillow under your knees if needed.

12.Eating afterwards - what did people manage? I have a terrible relationship with food . DH can't cook , so this has to be basic easy stuff for me. He and DS can learn to fend for themselves! I am reading a few horror stories about food and eating. Low fat is not an issue for me, to be honest but if I can't drink tea, I'll cry. Did anyone gain weight afterwards? I really do not want to as have recently lost a stone. I have become terrified of eating so am hoping having the gb out will solve a lot of my anxiety around travel, lack of sleep, food.

I ate completely normally with no issues. I did gain half a stone in the year after but I was underweight due to the gallstones.

13.How soon before driving/shopping/ lifting anything?

a week. I had a 1 year old and had no choice.

14.Did anyone go on a holiday after the op? How soon after? What were the travel insurance implications?

n/a

15..Any things they don't tell you that you wish they had?

no

16.Out of curiosity, how long did it take you for a GP to take your symptoms seriously? I'm at about the 10 year mark, maybe 6 or 7. This has been complicated by them focusing on trying to find gynae issues , which may or may not also exist, and various red herrings such as recent shingles and kidney infections. These of course were diagnosed and/or treated so the frequency of episodes was dismissed or overlooked. Annoying, it took DH's assertiveness for me to get referred for an abdo scan. I'm all for peri and menopause being taken serioulsy but it now feels like every ailment a woman has is put down to menopause. I may even have a tendency to do that myself. The pill version of HRT definitley did make my symptoms far worse, possibly coincidentally.

immediately. I was operated on within a year.

Everything was fine with the op, but i'd had pain for years and it was only after a diagnosis that I started to feel pain. Felt so well that we showed dd a dance we'd made up to Brown sugar and ended up with 2 hernias on the midline.
One thing I wished i'd known was to wear clothes with a soft waistband so leggings rather than jeans.
Was 12 years ago and in France so it's changed a lot - I was admitted to a clinic on the Sunday, op the Monday and went home Thursday morning. Was given something to help me sleep the night before because I was 'stressed'. The surgeon wanted me to have a gastric sleeve and was pushing it. I wanted my thyroid sorting out. Turns out I can't convert T4 to T3 so all the thyroxine I was taking had no effect. The right treatment and I lost 30kg. So no sleeve.

Definitely got me in quicker for the op. I went 3 times ( and once, very jaundiced) because I couldn't tolerate the pain during bad attacks and the hospital had better drugs.
The operation was a magic wand for me. After a week I was eating normally and felt great. Still took the 2 week sick note though!

I never went near a hospital before either OP. I worked out what it was quite early on fortunately. I was told the smaller the stones the more painful the attacks but that might only have been because I had granular stones. I had my operation in 2008

Hi everyone

I have been diagnosed with multiple tiny gallstones from a scan.
Get an attack about once a week. Gp has given me naproxen to try and take the edge off. Has anyone got any other tips to help during an attack. It leaves me feeling rotten for a few days.

I have only been on list since July and that's just to see the consultant.

I would tend to get an attack at about midnight/1am, it would last 2-3hrs then I'd be able to get to sleep, it would feel a bit bruised for a day or so but generally bearable.

During the 2-3 hrs I'd start with paracetamol at the beginning, then 2 hrs later have ibuprofen. I would drink as much warm water with lemon juice in as I could stand, and I moved around a lot as sitting still or trying to find a comfortable position was impossible.

I had a shower almost as soon as I got home as I wet myself at some point in recovery.
I didn’t have any problems getting comfortable in bed. Any pain was easy to manage, I was up walking the dog with DH the next day.
For a few days after I had awful nightmares/a sense of impending doom - I’m sure it was from the anaesthetic, I felt like I had been brought back from the dead.

I've found a hot water bottle held gently against the area helps a lot when mine's played up. I also took ibuprofen to ease it but I rarely have full on attacks. Most days it's just a very slight prodding feeling so I don't take anything for that, just stick to my gallbladder diet and that seems to be helping most.

Mine don't seem to be brought on by any foodstuff so there is really nothing I can do to prevent attacks - just things to help me recover.

They are always at the weekend.

Mine didn't get easier until I was given cocodamol. Sometimes I had to top it up with ibuprofen.

The only real relief I got was from a bath - but the pains came back the moment I stepped out. Hot water bottle in the night.

Looking back, it was awful.

I was 2 months from seeing the GP to having the surgery. I can't imagine waiting much longer.

I'm much the same. I had my first attacks almost 20 years ago, then nothing other than a niggle or two until I had one last year, and another this year. I do have digestive issues, but nothing major. Last year my GP was going to refer me to a surgeon, but as I haven't heard anything I'm guessing my referral got "lost". I wasn't sure I wanted surgery so haven't followed up. I can eat most things, but have cut back on coffee and try not to eat too much chocolate as both give me gastritis. Like you sometimes I feel a bit rubbish after eating nothing obvious, but as I am reasonably well I think I will just wait. My cousin had his out, but he was much worse than me, and still has a few issues now. My gallstones are still only small.

My symptoms were a bit different - I'd had a number of really bad sickness and vomiting attacks for a year that were unexplained by GP - had been treated for IBS etc. One day had ridiculous pain and vomiting, fainting etc. 3 trips to A&E in 4 days (originally diagnosed with gastroenteritis) and finally had a scan. My gallbladder was calcified, full of stones and had adhered to the liver so had an emergent gall bladder removal. Pain management was fine - was on strong painkillers for a few days. Sleeping was OK once I found a comfortable position - could not lie down fully for about a week but slept propped up.
My recovery was slower due to the nature of my presentation but after 3 weeks I was ok.
Eating wise I would say it's a bit of a learning curve. The docs said you'll be able to eat exactly as before but in my experience that isn't quite true. I definitely found that anything with a reasonably high fat content sent me running to the loo with 10 minutes of eating it - and I definitely had to be mindful that my bathroom habits changed, but once I understood that and worked out my body's new way of working it was fine. As an example I went to London with my family a couple of months after my op. I knew not to plan to leave the hotel straight after breakfast as I would need the bathroom about 20 mins after eating!
Life is so much better now I don't have the awful sickness I had prior to the surgery.

Your attacks sound like mine!

I know I've already posted on here but I wonder if anyone else might know the answer to this. I've had recurrent dizzy spells off and on for probably about a year and a half, they seem to come on from nowhere and tend to disappear on their own. Is that something that others have experienced? I've been wondering if it's linked to gallbladder and somehow I've never thought to ask! Wondering if the dizziness will subside once I have the gallbladder removed. Thanks