Gall bladder surgery - help please !

[traceyinrosso]

Diagnosed with gall stones today after a scan am relieved I know what has been causing pain but am now frightened to death about the surgery that am almost certain to have to have. I know that its not a big op in the scheme of things but at nearly 18 stone its not recovering from the anaesthetic that terrifies me with 3 kids and a husband who just wouldn't have a clue if I wasn't around. Am obviously going to try very hard to lose some weight fast before surgery but with best will in world will not be a normal weight in such a period of time. Am also feeling really stupid that its probably my diet that is largely to blame - as if I don't feel rubbish enough about my weight problem as it is now there is even more people going to pointing the finger. When do you get your head screwed on enough to change things long term when you have been overweight since a child ? Sorry have drifted off the point here but am not having a great day.

Ouch!! I know how you feel! Have they given you a time for your surgery? It really is the only option and it is very straight forward. Mostly done by keyhole althought sometimes they have to do normal surgery.Being overweight is associated with gallstones, however i believe the association is genetic rather than cause and effect so please don't beat yourself up over this.

A change in your diet is definately a good thing, i had to cut out all and i mean ALL fat from my diet - it was a bit of a nightmare, but everytime i ate even the tiniest amount of fat i was in agony. I lost four stone in eight weeks! of course i have put it all back on now!

I was scared shitless about the op too, but honestly, the risks are minimal. I went in the morning, had my op in the afternoon - stayed overnight. Went home next day to a house full of gastro enteriritis - that was worse than the surgery i can tell you. Recovery from the op was quick. I was back to normal within a week, sooner if i didnt get sick.

Before your op they will check things like your blood pressure, do an ecg, take bloods, all the minimise any anaesthetic risks. If they consider the risk too high, they wont do the op, simple as that.

The postive thing about it is, once you have had the op, you have no problems and no pain - beleive me, i was hospitalised three times with the pain and had to take morphine based pain killers, that is quite a relief!!

Try not to worry- easier said than done, but you will be fine xx

Thanks for the words of encouragement - the pain is bad but only comes every now and then but go to bed each night wondering whether will happen again. Last episode was on the verge of ringing out of hours doctor at 2am then thankfully pain stopped. Just feel really silly that done this to myself but really don't see I will ever change long term - not just feeling sorry for myself just being realistic but why do you put food in your mouth which you know you shouldn't ? The thing is when I lose weight I feel great for first few weeks then I just miss baking for the family (and eating it of course !)and kids moan if I try and force my regime on whole family. Oh God almost 40 and feel so un - sorted

You can change what you eat because eventually you will end up in so much pain that the thought of a fatty meal will make you vomit - thats the bottom line! Every time you eat fat, the gall bladder contracts, the pain comes from the chaffing against the stones - but then if it becomes infected or inflammed, then you are into the realms of biliary colic, i can tell you, that pain makes childbirth seem like a stroll in the park. The more fat you eat, the more likely this is to happen.

I don't believe you have done this to yourself, anymore than i have. I know people who shovell inordinate amounts of shit into their faces and they are skinny as rakes. I eat a relatively healthy diet and stil manage to pile on the pounds. Its genetic, some people have a slower metabolism.

Maybe you could look into a healthy eating regieme for the whole family, that way you can still make treats for them, but keep them healthy.

i hate diets, if you are hungry then eat, but just be careful about what it is you are eating - hmmmm, i must remember to take my own advice one of these days!

Maybe it's not been bad enough yet to get me to that point but tonight when really wanted slab of cake have opted for bowl of breakfast cereal so hopefully will get there.

traceyinrosso
I am one of the op failures, they dont all work. I have more pain now everyday rather than intermittently. I used to have an attack every 6 weeks or so and just uncomfortable bloating, now since my op which was 6 weeks ago i am in pain most of the afternoon, eveing and night time as if someone is wringing my abdomen out....absolutely horrible and much worse as its every damn day. Wearing me down and lost 18lbs in 6 weeks as i can only eat really tiny baby sized meals. large meals crease me. alcohol ...darent....curry darent.