Abdominal distension after gallbladder removal surgery
Posted , 4 users are following.
On the 2nd of November 2019 l had my gallbladder removed via keyhole surgery.
When I awoke my abdomen was very distended.
I was initially told this was due to the CO2 gas pumped into my abdominal cavity to facilitate the surgery, and that it would dissipate in 24 to 48 hours. When that did not happen I was told over the coming days, then weeks, that it was various other things, such as gas or urine build ups (l actually had a catheter for a month) but all reasons given proved to be equally incorrect, and my abdomen remained hugely bloated.
The last was bruising & swelling due trauma from the surgery, three or four months for all to be well.
It was not well and by the time the four months d passed Covid had hit and things became even harder to get done.
it is now now over 18 months later, and numerous visits to hospitals, doctors, and tests, and my abdomen is even more distended.
The doctors seem at a loss to explain it.
l finally saw yesterday (25 May 2021), so nearly 19 months after the surgery, and several cancelled appointments later, the surgeon who performed the operation. He was very sympathetic, listened to me, and after nearly an hour pronounced that he had no idea what it was or where to go from here?
I am therefore wondering if anybody else out there has suffered from this and has had it diagnosed and successfully treated.
I can say that this has, and continues, to ruin my life. My stomach is so large and pulls me down so badly that l can barely get out of a chair or in /out of bed.
l have suffered loss of mobility, manouverability, balance.
It pushes up onto my diaphram and makes me breathless., tired, weak, and leaves me with a general lack of energy and stamina
l cannot even reach down over my belly to put my own socks on most days.
It also exacerbates a pre existing problem with my spine, in that by pulling me forwards all the time, it exerts additional pressure on the spine in the neck, which has led to me now having a lack of feeling and numbness in my arms & legs.
It now virtually controls my life.
So if anybody out there thinks they know what the cause of this post surgical abdominal distension is from experience, either personal, or just medical knowledge acquired, and can share and advise so l can put it to my doctors, I would be very grateful.
Thanking you for taking the time to read this.
0 likes, 2 replies
george08663 AndyF17
Posted
exactly the same here..Feb 9th surgery and my abdomen keeps getting worse and worse...nauseated every day I wake up plus distention is unreal..no one knows what to do....I feel just as bad after my surgery than before...
I am so bloated...
sue95722 AndyF17
Posted
Hi AndyF17. I know it's been 2 years since you posted this but I came across your post as I've been scouring the internet looking for answers to my chronic distention after my gallbladder removal. It was removed as part of a major liver surgery, so I don't know what exactly is causing it, but my surgeon says there is nothing (per imaging) that he can identify and my gastro can't find anything either. It started 6 most post-op, which was about a month after "recovery" since I had a lot of complications. I am chronically uncomfortable, half my clothes no longer fit because of the distention, my hunger signals are all messed up, and I don't feel physically comfortable enough to do things I used to. I, too, sometimes feel like the distention and bloat makes my breathing uncomfortable. It's been a little over a year and affects my quality of life. You are not alone in this. Have you had an improvement or any answers ? I hope you are well.