Gallbladder Removal Surgery wait times

[BeforeILoseIt]

Hi

I am looking for some advice re gallbladder removal wait times and if pregnancy affected it.

I started having gallbladder flare ups in 2022 during my first pregnancy. Gallstones were confirmed and I was put on the waiting list to have my gallbladder removed in Feb 2023 - I was told at the time probably around 6 month wait (which I knew wasn’t likely - but I was hopeful).
I was sent for pre op assessments every few months but no surgery date

I got pregnant again in 2024 and had a “pre op phonecall” in which I told them I was pregnant. They told me spot on the waiting list would be “paused” and I would get back on postpartum.

I had my baby in April 2025 - I enquired about the waiting list and was advised I had been REMOVED from the waiting list and needed to see the consultant again in order to get back on. I had to keep chasing this up until I got an appointment September 2025.

At that appointment the consultant said he’d try push for my surgery since I was now having very frequent flare ups and had already waited a significant time. I have been put on the urgent priority 2 waiting list.

I have since enquired about how long this waiting list is and I was advised it’s up to 2 years and that I have only been on it for a 8 weeks!

Is this normal practice to be completely removed from the waiting list when pregnant and have to start again? Or do you start at the bottom again if you’re moved from one category to another ?

I’ve been to my GP who sent a letter to expedite it but they’ve done that in the past and nothing happens.

I had an ultrasound during my pregnancy in which the sonographer said I am “absolutely full of stones” and in my pre op bloods we found my bilirubin levels are high which can also indicate blockages.

I know I should probably just arrive in A&E during an attack but I have two young children to look after and I can’t drive myself during an attack which usually happens at night.

I opened a complaint when I was waiting for the consultant appointment and closed it once I was given an appointment. Should I just open another one ?

I am just so disheartened to hear I’m on a waiting list weeks when it’s been years!
I am based in south wales for context.

wondering if anyone is in the same position or has been in the past ?
thanks in advance x

There is a system called something like Choose and Book where a GP can look for any private consultants to refer you to on the NHS. That massively speeds things up. I went from a no end in sight wait to being done within 8 weeks.

Gosh ,how things have changed for the worst
I had my gallbladder out in 1999
,while 22 weeks pregnant
I can't even remember being on a waiting list ,they found the stones and I went in and had it out .
I'm so sorry this is happening to you

My mum had hers removed 8 weeks after being diagnosed in 2024. She was diagnosed after developing sepsis and jaundice due to the gallstones blocking her liver duct. She would have had them removed immediately but she was recovering from a different stomach surgery.

My sister had hers removed in 2011 she was diagnosed after developing sepsis and acute pancreatitis. She had her removed a few months later, it would have been sooner but when she was discharged from the clinic rather than being put on the waiting list once she was classed as recovered from the pancreatitis. She should have had it 6-8 weeks after recovering from pancreatitis. She had been attending a and e regularly for severe abdominal pain for 3 years with several admissions before they identified that the cause was gallstones. It was only when she developed the pancreatitis that they did scans and discovered her gallstones

Can you ask for right to choose? I had mine out a couple of years ago about 8 months after my one and only flare up. Private hospital NHS referral. I could've gone to my local NHS hospital but the wait was 2 years plus and as I had no other complications they said I could choose.

Thanks for the responses.

From googling it doesnt look like wales has the right to choose scheme but I will phone the gp this week and enquire about it.

@Superscientist its terrible that your mom and sister got so unwell before theirs were removed.
I feel like I’m living in fear of this happening to me. Everytime a flare up starts i start to panic thinking this will be the one that doesn’t pass 😩

I'm wondering whether you may be under the same health board as me. I had a similar situation re op and pregnancy but I wasn't removed from the waiting list as I hadn't yet got to the top of it, they just put me down to be seen a year later (rather than the then six month waiting time) however I was actually seen 18 months later. All kinds of waiting list debacles my end including waiting 2 years to see a consultant who promptly referred me on to a different (same speciality consultant) who i am still waiting to see 18 months later 😭massive lack of join up!

With my mum it was the first time she had had recognisable symptoms of gallstones although had back and stomach issues for years needing strong painkillers, unrelated to the gallstones, which will have masked the gallbladder symptoms.

It took so long for my sister to be diagnosed as she was only a teenager so highly unusual for the stomach pains being due to gallstones.