Gall bladder op' queries. Please come and talk to me!

[cariadambyth]

Hello, this is the first thread I've ever started on here and what a glamorous topic to begin with

Basically, I'm booked in to have my gall bladder removed on the 23rd of this month and was hoping some of you could share your wisdom with me.

How long will I be out of action for? I have two dcs under 5.

I am due to stay in hospital over night, what should i pack?

Will I have to make any significant changes to my life style afterwards? My attacks don't appear to be diet related, more hormonal.

Finally, a very trivial question I know but I am going to a wedding about 6 weeks post op and I just wandered whether anyone had experience of putting on/ shedding weight after the op. What I'm really asking is, can I buy an outfit noe while there are sales on or would it be wiser to wait until afterwards?!

Sorry this has turned into such a ramble

Looking forward to hearing from you

how come you have had stitches, did you have the large incision or keyhole.
I had keyhole and had no visible stitches at all. They just criss crossed the steri strips and all my stitches were really fine disolvable ones hidden under the skin.

I'm still waiting for my op, i saw a sugeon a few months ago, had my height and weight done and was told it should be some time before sept. I've lost quite a bit of weight since then so i hope i'm weighed again or i'll be well knocked out!

Interesting to see that others have been given minimal info too, i wasn't even told how long i'll be in for or a rough estimate of recovery time.

Now i am feeling a bit better i am thinking about what i need to do before we go away in august to Halkidiki.Maybe I need to feel better for a few more days on the trot as i do feel as if i am on a bit of a roller coaster. I do tend to run b4 i can walk.The holiday has been hanging in the balance and i dont really want to cancel it, as we have been looking forward to it. Booked it when my boss told me last year that,i couldnt have a holiday as i new then that i was going to resign.I am a stubborn old thing. Just want to feel ok for then as there is so much to do when we get there. We booked it cos the food is amazing and the sport is brilliant too, but all this was prior to my op. Not dared to try any alcohol yet,dont want to trigger anything off but a nice campari and lemonade wouldnt go amiss. We are meeting some friends out there so it wud be a real shame to miss it

Tamarto
you are only in overnight for keyhole and approx 3 days with open surgery unless there are complications.Take something soft like a dress or soft waisted joggy bottoms and a wireless bra as it it is a bit sore with a wired bra on to come home.
There are so many different recovery rates.
My friend at the caravan park where we go to in Staffs took 7 weeks to feel ok and she had 3 months off work. Some people are ok after 3 weeks and can go back to light work. It just depends on lots of things really.
I am in my 5th week and after feeling really cra* most of that time i think the worm has finally turned

Alypaly - I had keyhole. Three "entry points". I think they've got normal stitches - I've been given a letter to give to the nurse that says I need the stitches out anyway!

I haven't dared look into the surgery links. Not normally squeemish.

Tamarto - hope yours goes OK. I had mine done last Thurs evening. Felt rough for a few days. Not helped by having not eaten much the days before (was on nil by mouth for ages too) so felt quite weak & light headed. I'm getting back to rights now, eating more but still V tired. Have needed someone to do school runs for me this week but hoping to be able to walk the 15mins next week.

The main surprise was that was my neck was agony for days. Apparently this is to do with the surgery - glad they sent me home with so many painkillers!

Tamarto - I was in for 8 hours - kicked me out the same day. You need someone to look after you and go home with from the hospital who can be with a few days while you get back on your feet and then you will be quite tired and not completely back to normal for several weeks. If you have DCs make sure you or your DH/DP clean the house and prepare as much as possible before you go in.

Get plenty of stuff in the freezer for DCs meals so you do not have to lump shopping around. Better stil get online shopping set up so you can get it delivered.

You will not be able to drive fOr up to 4 weeks I was told. They did not tell me that until the day of the op though.

You need to ask them to tell you now so you can plan what to do after the op.

Yeah ive got three entry points plus the bigger one at my belly button, but my consultant has hidden so cleverly so far inside my belly button that you cant even see it. Order some Octenisan from your local chemist and when they take your dressing off your belly button use this antibacterial cleanser like a shower gel, but put more round your bb, it stops any bugs from getting in the incisions and keep your belly button really dry after you have showered. I was told that your bb is the most likely place to get an infection if it not kept clean and dry( as it is probably not the cleanest place in the world), get some sterile swabs from chemist to dry it properly. I had no probs with infections. Use it til they have properly healed.

Hey SAHD you are on MN more than me, and I feel like a right lazy so and so at the mo.Wish I had never found this site, not gettin any housework done, but hey its nice to make new friends

just joking,
really glad i have found this site, I am sure it has healing properties that you cant get from anywhere else and alot of personal experiences which are in general alot more helpful than the gps or consultants who have never been thro it themselves and have no emotions

hi there can i ask what r the symptoms for gallblader /stones please .

what symptoms hav you got

ate dinner really fast the other day then got bad chest pains lower sternam area sort of under bra sits but mostly, in the middle lower breast bone ... was bad most of day went to bed , today still there a bit better than was but still there and a pain under right ribs, but gone now , googled and now scared out of my witts could be all sorts .... gall bladder came up as a poss ...

if it stays under the right ribs I would go and have a blood test cos they test for amylase and inflammatory markers in your blood (CRP- c reactive protein) so if you do have a gall bladder problem i.e stones, it will show up in the blood tests. Also if they do an ultrasound most stones show up. If amylase is up it is to do with pancreas ,if CRP raised it is an inflammatory process going on in stomach, gut or gall bladder/liver.
If its normally just after eating it sounds like reflux but that is normally down the centre where your oesophagus is.
Hope this helps

thanks kind of ....its not under my ribmre at he bottom of sternam /oesofocus , pain like stitch behind right ribs at times today for 1st time , had FBC done last month all normal , LIver /kidney/tyroid /
but have had another lot done this week along with iron ,at get that some times ,and also i have HA so worried sick

HA is that hep A

no sorry HA is health anxiety ..

no pain this morning so far ...

Hello everybody.

Hope you are recovering well institches.Hope you have progressed off the biscuits.I felt ok to drive afetr 2 weeks so give it a few more days.

Good news obling and abetadad, i think I am at last on the road to feeling better. Not had so much pain this last 3 days and been able to eat a bit more quantity and a bit more variety.Not much in the evening yet but at least I have stopped loosing weight. Lost 17lbs in 5 weeks..yikes. Reckon they must have put a gastric band on aswell.

Actually put a badminton racket in my hand on tuesday and I have started to feel alot more positive. Eating isnt creasing me up anymore and I reckon some of the healing has come from the replies from all of you guys, so thankyou for being there for a chat. It really has helped cos you feel as if you are the only one whose op has failed initially.

Alypaly - glad to hear you are making progress. I think once you're eating better you feel better mentally as well. It's easy to feel hopeless when you're flaked out.

I'm feeling almost 100% again, all of a sudden. Just a bit bruised in places. Had the stitches out Thursday which has been a relief, although I've had a reaction to the plasters & I'm now really itchy! Eating normally too. Even risked a small fish & chips last night with no reprocussions so far!!

Hope everything carries on improving for you.

Iworryalot - I think gallstones are supposed to feel worse if you eat fatty foods so you could see if there's any link with what you've been eating.

Hi Institches ( out of stitches)
so did your consultant actually put visible stitches in. Dont they differ so much. Mine were all under the skin, dissolvable ones and none on the surface. The little incisions are only about 1/3 inch long now and they have healed brilliantly. Wouldnt you think they would all sew you up in the same way? Its the same keyhole op.

You have recovered really well ,feeling almost 100% after 1 week, well done you.You were brave having fish and chips,mind you i actually managed one and a half spring rolls last night but they gave me a bit of gyp in the night. Think my stomach is still overreacting, but def better.

Yes, proper black thread ones. I think it was two stitches for the top hole, one for the one on my RHS and 3/4 round my belly button. Bit difficult to tell as its a bit of a wobbly join - good job I don't look at too often!

I've been amazed how quickly it all heals. Once the stitch scabs come off, I don't think I'll be able to see where the scars were!

was tempted to have some choc cake at lunch time, wish i hadnt as it has made me feel really rubbish, just want to curl up and sleep.Wish i was recovering at your rate. I wonder if it is to do wth age as i am 53,but a really fit sporty 53 year old. Think i am goin to go back to my tiny meals again as i feel as if i am goin backwards again today.
Just wonder why if all the blood tests,ultrasounds have come back normal,why am I takin so long to feel 100%.
Am i expecting miracles or do i just have to accept that peolpe are so very different. Feel a touch wobbly and unsure again today. fed up!Ive got 4 holes so i wonder if anything went wrong although the internet videos all show 4 holes. OMG i feel as if i am turning into a moaning hypochondriac which is not me

alypaly - you are definitely going through what I went through right down to the actual food items that make you feel bad. I used to like chocolate fudge cake with ice cream. Used to make me feel dire though even a year later. Add a glass of red wine on top and I was out of action for 24 hours.

Maybe you should think about trying GF/LF diet if this does not settle in a few months time. Not because I think you are coeliac but just to see if it makes you feel better. It is a fairly desperate response but then you cannot just keep eating tiny meals for the rest of your life. All my tests were normal too.

Morning ABetaDad, thx for replying

Had a reaaly rough night last night,stomach growling all nightjust below my ribs as if ive been kicked right in the middle,and bloated ( beached whale syndrome)Waist increases by 2-3 inches ..yuk
Do you reckon after having your gall bladder out that it affects digestion of gluten and wheat aswell,cos bile is definitely for fats. Do you reckon it upsets that Gluten and wheat tolerance aswell. Why didnt you break that mould of yours..think they put me in it ( sorry I might be insulting you as you are probably younger)
Have been really realy good for 6 weeks but i was really craving something tasty like the spring rolls, funnily enough i dont normaly eat choc cake but it looked equally as tempting. Its funny you should mention GF/LF , i might go on to wheat free aswell as i had half a small baguette with some homemade roast gammon on aswell yesterday,and couldnt finsh it.You might be right. OMG am i paying the price.How long ago did you say you had your op. Are you able to tolerate alot more now.
Sorry so many questions.
What tests did you have?
Today i dont even know if i feel like badminton again. What a roller coaster this is.I dont do feeling unwell...lifes too short.
Why oh why dont they warn you that you could feel like this for a long time after. I really hope this improves as i am a frustrated Gordon Ramsay and i absolutely adore cooking. Dont want to loose interst in that as i have bookcases full of cookery books and there isnt room for a WF/WF/LF one. I loooove cream sauces,curries, and really rich food ad i havent dared to have a teaspoon of wine yet.
Am just making myself a homemade leek and celery soup so that i know there is no rubbish in it.
Good to talk!

When this link becomes too big what do you do to create another one as i wud hate to loose contact with everyone on here.

I had my op about 18 months ago.

About 3 - 6 months ago I had all sorts of lactose intolerance and coeliac blood tests, plus ultrasound to check if I had any residual stones stuck anywhere and then an endoscopy (camera down my throat) and a colonoscopy (up the bottom)with biopsies of the gut wall. Nothing positive came back. All normal.

I went gluten free and lactose free (GF/LF) out of desperation straight afterwards. If you did that you would be cutting out wheat, barley, oats and all dairy anyway. There are lots of things that are naturally GF/LF anyway such as meats, fish, nuts, pulses, fruits, maize and rice.

I do definitley think the gall bladder op affected the whole of the digestve process in me.

I love cooking too, I do it all in our house and going back to ground zero and thinking about everything I eat is a process I am going through right now. It is an interestng challenge and I bought a bread maker so I can make GF/LF bread, cakes, biscuits. For the time being, I buy in GF/LF cakes, bread and biscuits from Sainsbury and notice if I 'fall off the wagon' even a tiny bit I immediately get symptoms again. In that sense I am not any more tolerant of things than I was immediatley after the op.

If you went GF/LF it does not need to be for ever - you can just try for say a month and see if you feel better and then go back to normal and see what happens. With me, the reaction is bad if I eat any gluten or dairy containing foods. Grumbling stomach, up all night, pain, feeling rough, bloating, also put on 2 Kg in a day.

Spring rolls or a curry would definitley kill me. However, 2 glasses of white wine does not so it is not all bad.