NCEPR Gallbladder removal

[eclaires]

So lucky me, I’m having my gallbladder removed in the morning.

Mostly just looking for experience with recovery and how you felt after. I’ve felt awful for weeks so I’m hopeful this helps.

[stephm0188]

I felt better immediately after.

Recovery isn't bad. The worst of it is the gas they use, and it's a really uncomfortable feeling afterward. But the incisions were tiny and NBD.

[rubytue]

Had it out Vogue a Friday. Went shopping (lots of walking) on Sunday and back to work on Tuesday. Biggest issue for me was diahrea. breakfast was the worst. If I don’t eat before 9am, whatever I eat goes straight through without a pause. Calcium chews helped with that. I guess this is common bc I had a nurse ask about my err, habits before surgery. I hemmed and hawed for a bit, then said it’s been weird since I had my gall bladder out. She said “well you just should have said that, I get it.”

[gault]

It feels so much better having it out. The post poop after surgery was rough but the rest? Easy for me, personally. For some it is not.

[pugz]

Bring a pillow for the car to hold against your midsection on the way home. Helps with the pain

[RoxMonster]

My mom had hers removed in July. Now, hers was basically dead. It was super infected and had gangrene. She's also in her sixties and her recovery was a bit rough just because she had to have a drain in for almost two weeks due to how infected it was.

BUT even having said that, she said immediately after surgery, all her pain was gone. She was able to go home the next day. And though she was really tired, she felt pretty good after surgery--having that drain just slowed down her recovery and limited what she could do.

[bcv513]

I felt better as soon as I woke up. I was sore from the surgery but it was a different pain and manageable. The gas they pump in gave me shoulder pain but not bad.

My mom has hers out this summer and it turned out to be gangrene. She had a drain for 24 hours and said even that was better than the gallbladder pain.

[statgirl]

Had mine out on a Friday around noon. My mom sent spaghetti and meatballs for my son and husband’s dinner. I ate most of it that night. I felt wonderful. Slept Saturday. Sunday, we had my son’s birthday party. I skipped work Monday and Tuesday because I was told if I had any complications, they would show up day 3 and I had a post-op appointment day 4. I was able to stop my Zofran habit and as long as I watch my food, I’m good. If I feel the urge to poop, I heed the call and go RIGHT THEN as I don't want anything bad to happen. I carry extra underwear just in case but rarely have issues (actually had more pre-removal). I can’t eat fake sugars or high sugar+high fat at the same time.

[snapoutofit]

I had exactly one gallbladder attack, went to er because I thought I was dying lol (but seriously, I hadn’t ever had any symptoms before so I had no idea why was going on), ultrasound showed stones and my doc said best just to get it out. I had surgery the following week. Honestly, nothing changed for me after with regards to what I could eat etc... It was done on a Wednesday and I took the rest of that week plus the full next week off as I have an active job that requires a lot of moving, bending, lifting etc...
I felt well enough to walk around my neighborhood and do light housework etc...

[AJL]

I felt fine. I did have some shoulder pain from the gas they use to inflate your abdomen, but that goes away quickly. I was back to my old self within 3 weeks. I would definitely take it easy the first week. Even though it's usually not an open surgery, your body still does undergo a trauma.

I had no trouble eating normally afterwards. Good luck tomorrow!

[litebright]

No experience, but just wanted to say good luck and that I hope everything goes smoothly!

[alleinesein]

The shoulder pain from the gas was the worst. Everything else was just sore and uncomfortable. Sitting up in bed can be a challenge; it helps to roll onto your side and then push yourself into the sitting position. You can also get a wedge pillow to help with sleeping. I used the giant ice sheets to help with the soreness (it was August and in the upper 90s when I had mine out).

I ate everything right after they discharged me from the hospital. The doctor told me to expect diarrhea for a few weeks after the surgery so I decided to eat whatever I wanted since I was going to be running to the bathroom no matter what.

The swelling/inflation from the gas is not fun. Bring a comfy dress or wear really stretchy pants for your trip home. I could not fit into anything that zipped up for a few weeks.

[pugz]

I felt sooooooo much better after that little MFer was out. Haha.

[auroraloo]

my recovery was harsher than most lapro-done removals, but it was still not bad. it's been over 12 years for me and mostly I remember watching a lot of project runway. It was totally worth it.

[hymen]

The shoulder pain from the gas was the worst for me. I ended up sleeping upright in a chair for about a week after. But I was also 6 weeks post partum and having to nurse a newborn around the clock which probably made recovery worse for me. But no issues after that, incisions are smal,l and 8 years later my scars are basically non-existent.

[kilgrave]

Easy procedure, but I had underestimated how long the recovery would be - I was down for about a week just because they do so much tissue removal that your body has to recover from that.

But being able to drink coffee again without feeling like puking? AHHHHHHHHHH.

Best of luck - you'll do fine!

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

I'm exceptional (lol) in that my gall-bladder removal was part of a bigger picture (pancreatitis with liver and kidney and other organs also affected). But having it out helped so much with the pain/attacks and because I was in the hospital and in bed for a period of time afterward (therefore in an adjustable bed and receiving plenty of personal care and plenty of drugs), I don't have experience on the *actual* get-it-out-and-go-home picture. But the gas and bloat was probably the worst part that I recall, plus the hospital diet they had me on afterward (and before). Never tell me that breaded pork chops smothered in gravy or eggs with cheddar cheese topping are considered part of the "low-fat" diet. I've had no symptoms for ages because I've had no gall bladder for ages, and only two tiny snips for scars that aren't even really visible (one near the chest in the center and one slightly to the right of the navel) plus one actually *in* the navel that is practically non-existent for all intents and purposes.

[underwaterrhymes]

I’ve never had this done but the friends I know who have universally say they felt so much better afterward.

I hope all went well with it and that you’re feeling much better!

[auroraloo]

Hope it went well!

[orangeblossom]

Hope everything went well.

[seeyalater52]

I hope you’re recovering and feeling better!

[eclaires]

Thanks all! I’m feeling all right post surgery. A little sore and such but overall good. I’ll be in the hospital through Tuesday because apparently there’s a rogue gallstone that got out. The GI will get it out tomorrow and hopefully I’ll get to go home Tuesday. I’m ready for that because it’s pretty boring here. I miss my family and dogs. Mostly the dogs. 😂

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

Sept 29, 2019 17:06:18 GMT -5 eclaires said:

Thanks all! I’m feeling all right post surgery. A little sore and such but overall good. I’ll be in the hospital through Tuesday because apparently there’s a rogue gallstone that got out. The GI will get it out tomorrow and hopefully I’ll get to go home Tuesday. I’m ready for that because it’s pretty boring here. I miss my family and dogs. Mostly the dogs. 😂

I totally get that. The dog is sleeping at my feet. The girls are about ten miles apart right now and it's heavenly. (The older is doing some volunteer work with JROTC. The younger is pretending to do homework upstairs. Prior to the separation they spent the morning arguing over who had to clean up what mess in the bathroom.)

[AAM2012]

Sept 29, 2019 17:06:18 GMT -5 eclaires said:

Thanks all! I’m feeling all right post surgery. A little sore and such but overall good. I’ll be in the hospital through Tuesday because apparently there’s a rogue gallstone that got out. The GI will get it out tomorrow and hopefully I’ll get to go home Tuesday. I’m ready for that because it’s pretty boring here. I miss my family and dogs. Mostly the dogs. 😂

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

[mrsukyankee]

Hope you have a good recovery!

[basilosaurus]

It looks like I'm way late to this thread, but the best advice I heard was to take gas x. I've not had this surgery myself, but it's something friends have told me.

[shauni27]

I had this surgery earlier this year and it was the best! I sent the kiddo to daycare and took the week off from work and slept and lounged all week without guilt.

Within 5 days I felt way better and within 10 days I was running again.

Hope they find the rogue gallstone and you get to go home soon!