Advice / experiences with gall bladder removal please.

great to hear Steph. just realised reading your post im 21 days today!!!!

Im the same as you apart from i havent got back to sleeping on side yet. Ive been sleeping on back and got used to it lol. As for the dressings you wont see anything underneath. the stitches are inside beneath the skin and dissolvable. Your probably all healed up under those patches and dont even know it. Get em off and have a good soak, theyll be barely noticeable in another week or so.

I use the shower as im 6ft 3in and struggle in the bath lol. But i did want to soak them so decided to give it a go. someone told me to use to epsom bath salts as they soften and hydrate the skin, supposedly good for healing and to be honest i think they helped.

anyway keep going, your doing brilliantly !!!!

You are making me jealous. I would love a Domino's pizza, but would be like Kryptonite for me currently. You're almost convincing me to have the op. Almost.

Well done Ant, bet its flown past!

Aww no! I couldn't sleep on my back any longer. I bought a mattress protector but it's rubbish lol. I took the patches off 😁 I have steristrips underneath so was told to have a shower and they'll come straight off. They don't want me in a hot bath which could open up the stitches? I don't know how lol. Might just leave It to be safe. I have a walk in shower so it's so cold once I get out 😔 that's the only reason I hate it lol. May try one tomorrow. As for the wine.. I lost track of the week and thought it was Friday. Someone's gotta get the kids to school in the morning so guess ill have to wait another 24hrs. 😩

Well done to you, too!! So glad you're doing great!!

Aww Ruq, I know how you feel. I always used to get so anxious thinking about lasagne which I love but always used to set me off so I avoided it like the plague! Seriously think about it, think about your health and weigh up the pros and cons.

When reading horror stories about the op it made me so nervous to have it. In fact I Called the hospital daily and even asked before I was being put out about side effects. I was told that the only people posting on forums are going to be people that have had issues, if you hadn't you wouldn't look for the post. Ive had 2 friends who have had the op and are fine like me. Tho 2 family members with weight issues but looking back now it's probably because you can eat what you want without fear of pain you just stuff your face with anything you want, hence, weight gain.

I really am sorry your still having the pain. I hope you make a decision that helps your health, and makes you happy whether that's surgery or trying medication. I wouldn't wish the pain on my worst enemy.

Take care and please do keep us updated whatever you decide 😊

Ruq Payne I've just been reading Flushing of stones.... Looks like a surgeon

"Quackwatch". It makes interesting reading and mentions Ursodeoxycholic acid. Incidentally...... regarding blocking of the bile duct. It does caver that item but my professor of hematology says that the gall bladder will pass stones of a small diameter but I did not ask him how big that is??????

I would think that Mr Parsons would know how big a stone will pass down the bile duct . There is another excellent surgeon = Mr N Walsh who is one of Mr P's colleagues. It might be worth asking re the NHS flush that is now accepted in the UK. How many areas do it ?

I have seen it on the internet.

The flush is said on quackwatch to be half a cup of oilive oil which has a lot of the chemical ingredient in it. The half a lemon is emulsified in the very warm oil. The result is what I would term 'explosive.' not many minutes after consuming the potion. Fast a few hours before though..... I drank mine at lunchtime and I must say felt a whole lot less bloated after.

Hi Ant. I'm still getting better as the days go on tho I have a little concern and was wondering if you could add your input before I go to the doctors tomorrow. My guess is its normal but want to get checked out and am wondering if you had something similar as your very good at easing my mind lol. So.. I had to replace my bandages at day 3 and 6. I had a large bruise around my belly button however it was green/yellow. When I removed my bandages on day 12 I had this hematoma looking thing just inside my belly button (not near incision) my guess is its where they pinched my skin when inserting the probes but wanted to ask the docs to be sure. Thought I may as well post here before my appt. Tomorrow.

Hi Steph

looks like your cut was above the belly button whereas mine was inside the belly button. mine was this colour on outside but now you wouldnt even guess anything had happened there. One of the incisions on side is still yellowish with bruising nearly 4 weeks later though.

same colour mine was last week but if your worried no harm in getting doc to check it. you wont rest unless you get peace of mind

Hey!

Sorry guess I should have been a bit clearer. The slit you see is my belly button piercing. I too thought it was the incision when I took off the bandages lol. My incision is under the steristrips still. The cross you can see. I have a doctors appointment for 1020 not just to ask about this but other unrelated problems so will ask them while I'm there. My incisions themselves are healing really well.

aha that makes sense then. Personally id say nothing to worry about just based on what mine looked like. It does look like they pinched the skin somewhat. If i remember correctly the device that goes in at that location is a lot wider than the other 3 incision points. Its here where they insert the device that fills you up with gas. If i remember the videos (i watched a lot lol) they really stretch this incision point to get the device in and keep it there. Maybe they used a small forcep or something to pull it open wide enough!!

As i said i still have yellow bruising on one area and im at 4 weeks this thursday. Let us know how you get on but i reckon your doing ok

As a guy the most irritating part is that they shaved my whole stomach and lower chest first. damn!!!!!!! Its more annoying than waiting for the wounds to heal lol

OK so regarding this the doctor said there is nothing to worry about it's just healing and my other incisions look to be healing perfectly too. You can barley see them! I cut my finger on a knife the other day trying to cut open a roll. I'm such a dipsh I wonder why I'm aloud to adult sometimes, however that cut is so much bigger and worse than my incisions.. And is taking a lot longer to heal, lol.

Aww no!!! I bet 😂 poor you. It'll come back in time!!!

Hey Vicky.

Aw that's good your on the list! While I was waiting for my op my doctor prescribed buscopan which he said should help with the pain whilst i waited, luckily I didn't have to take it so no idea if it works. Something to keep in mind.

I'm not currently back to driving however I feel I could if I wanted to. Actually I may give it a try today, just round the block or something to make sure I'm comfortable enough.😊

Hi Vicky, I was told by hospital to wait 2 weeks and i think that was about right. Gotta be careful for insurance reasons though.

I did try driving after a week and turned around a mile or so down the road lol. You dont realise how much abdomen is used for driving, it certainly made the healings a bit sore.

also what car you drive? mines high up so i can slide in an out easily. My wifes car is almost on the ground in comparison and that was extremely difficult. i needed a hand getting in and out every time

My wifes is similar in height to yours, i just know i really struggled getting in and out of her car, like really. Felt tight and sore and whilst it could be done it was just unnecessary in that first week.

You should be alright in the second week though. I was kinda bouncing around normal in that second week. Like i said i did try driving in that second week but turned back on myself. It was just a bit sore and because id been rigid a whole week the most pain was actually in my back. i didnt need to drive so i didnt.

Women are generally more resilient than us men though. We die of flu whilst you lot power through it lol.

in all honesty though, everyone is different but taking it easy is important and trying to do as little as possible in the following weeks

Thanks Ant.. Guess I'll just have to take it day by day. I don't think not having the operation is an option for me so will just have to sort something out!

Youll be fine. trust me i was practically back to normal after a week. If i "had" to drive and takes kids to school i could have, probably just needed an hour on sofa afterwards.

Its just a bruised sensation and you appreciate not having to do things but your not physically restricted from doing anything once initial swelling has gone down .

I saw my wife power on after C Section twice. No way she was gonna let me sit on my ass and play the poorly patient longer than 10 days or so 😃

No way. I also drive a 1 series. Lol. I found it easier getting in and out if you set the seats up higher. Was slightly painful being a passenger over bumps in the road and just feels so strange inside like your jelly lol. I'm now fine being a passenger and have been for the last fews days. It isn't uncomfy getting in and out or being on a journey. Try and get as much help as you can. Do you know any of the other parents that live near you that you trust to take the children to school? Luckily quite a few of the mums offered for me but my partner was able to do it. Lifting is going to be difficult. Try to not do it as much as you can, I picked up a full big bag the other day and had a twinge I knew I had to put it down, due to fear of me pulling something more than anything tho I completely forgot I had surgery the other day and lifted my 3 year old up to see himself in the mirror and was fine. Take it as easy as you possibly can but we're not super hero's and if you overdo it you may find it takes a lot longer to heal x