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After months (and possible years of gallbladder pain) I finally had my GB removed 7 days ago

Posted , 7 users are following.

Islandnewbie
Islandnewbie

After years of having on and off stomach issues things finally very rapidly took a turn for the worse when I decided to up and move to a Greek island with my fiancee. (We have only been here for 6 months) I noticed along with a bunch of other health things that after eating fatty foods I had non stop diarrhea, bloating, nausea, chest and abdominal pain, numbness and burning in my limbs, fevers, vomitting, and pretty much the lot of the kinds of things. It took the doctors about 4 months to finally realize I had many and large gallstones in my GB. The amount of time, effort, anxiety, depression, and general cruminess I had to go through while waiting was what I thought was the worst of it. But I was very very wrong. I was told recovering would be easy but take a few weeks for things to be fully healed and that most people feel at least a bit better after a few days after their GB has been removed. In my personal experience this has been very very untrue. My first two nights were okay and I figured things were going well until I started to get nauaeated to the point of barely even being able to drink, this lasted two days before I put my foot down and called the surgeon who had taken my gb out. Even examined my wounds, pressed, even though it hurt and told me that nothing felt off. Yet I've been having all this pain, nausea, limb pain, dizziness, etc. Something still felt amiss so I called him up last night and he suggested I go to the ER (which I did right away). They did bloodwork and a CT scan without the fluid and found nothing out of the ordinary, and yet all this pain has been happening. So much pain that in the last 3 nights I've gotten about 4 hours tops. They keep giving me pain meds, benzos, and other things that seem to continue to upset my stomach. Another thing that really got to me is that I felt much safer staying the night at the ER last night but both the surgeon and the ER DR said no, there was nothing wrong with me, nothing they could alleviate (then said it was probably because I have gad, depression, as well as some other disorders) which was very untrue. They had me on a good IV drip, gave me some meds for my stomach, and some paracetamol for my unyielding pain. Yet they both told me I needed to go home. Sorry for the long rant...I am just wondering if anyone else has had any similar experiences with surgeons or doctors? I felt betrayed, belittled, and scared our of my mind. My pain is very real, my crying is real, and my suffering is valid. It's all vaild.

Thank you so much for your time,

Island newbie

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • zoe1991
    zoe1991 Islandnewbie

    Posted

    Hi Islandnewbie

    Sorry to hear that..

    Does it hurt more and more? Or is it getting weaker?

    I had my gallbladder removed 2months ago.

    For the past month of the operation, I had the pre-operative symptoms. Before the operation, I had nausea, pain in my stomach, and a fever. So I had an operation and it kept on hurting after the operation. Three days after the operation, I went to the emergency room, did a CT scan, and had my blood tested.

    But they said I was normal! They sent me home without a medicine. They said it was okay, so I had to endure the pain. They asked me to come back if I have a fever or a stomachache ever worse. even though I was really sick, I was a little less sick than before the operation. So I put up with as they said. And I went to the hospital on the day I made a reservation. Two weeks had passed since the operation. The doctor who operated on me said nothing was wrong with me. he said that Since the gallbladder is missing, I could be a little sick until my body adjusts.

    So I had to endure the pain again. but after a month, I suddenly got better and better.

    From the day of 7 weeks, it's totally okay as long as I don't overeat.

    If your symptoms get worse, do not go to the emergency room and

    Go see the surgeon who operated on you.

    If you don't mind, I want you to tell me how it goes. I'm sorry that I'm not good at English. Please understand me if I may have said something strange.

  • Mrsoscared
    Mrsoscared Islandnewbie

    Posted

    Hi

    i feel the same as you do, have done for a long while now.

    im 5 months post opp and still in pain under right ribs bad ide say on and off 70 percent of each day.

    it worries me a lot as I don’t know if I’m going to be alright or not like you I guess.

    still after 5 months the s****y nhs still have not even done so much as an ultrasound on me post opp

    i m still waiting for it and just got an appointment for may 21st that’ will be exactly 8 months and one week since I had my gangrenous infected rotten puss filled gallbladder removed , and sent home next day as I had to pay and do it privately, and still not as much as an ultrasound until 8 months and one week it will be to the day when I get an ultrasound,even though I’m still in extreme pain each day and my white blood cell count is still elavated.

    i feel exactly the same as you do about the docs etc and so sorry yr being treated worse than a dog.

    me I’m just praying I’m alive long enough to sue them and my god I can’t wait to do that.

    i wish you well.

    allthough I cannot offer you a solution as I’m as perplexed as you are.

  • Scottie13
    Scottie13 Islandnewbie

    Posted

    I think it’s normal to feel rough the first couple of weeks post-op. Certainly the first week I didn’t feel myself at all. Takes a while for the gas used to inflate your stomach to disperse and your body to get used to living without a gallbladder. Try to keep on top of the pain and not let it get to an extreme level. Then eat small amounts little and often of healthy things. Each person is different but the fact your blood tests and scans came back ok is a good thing. 

    The docs are also right you’re better off at home instead of in hospital. The longer you’re in hospital the more chance you have of picking up a hospital acquired infection. Not trying to belittle you in any way by saying this. It’s a proven fact. And told my grandma the same thing when she thought she should be kept in a lot longer after hip replacement. 

    I really do hope you begin to feel better soon! Obviously if you get a fever or jaundice or anything like that then you need to be seen asap. Good luck in your recovery xx

  • wendy37281
    wendy37281 Islandnewbie

    Posted

    They tell you to try a low fat diet so anything under 3g's of fat my dr told me take omoprazole every morning after I had my gallbladder & stones touch wood been ok but see what food your eating agrivates it then stear clear if your not happy go back to hosp or drs

  • jill_38536
    jill_38536 Islandnewbie

    Posted

    Only a suggestion but it's a bit early to eat fatty food after only 7 days. I was doubled up with pain a month after the gb removal mainly because people said you can eat what you want. I called an ambulance as i found it very hard to breathe with the pain. Went to A&E and they found nothing wrong! Now i only eat low fat and eat little and often. No more attacks so far but it's a year ago. Hope you feel better soon. It is scary but it's a major op and your body takes time to adjust. Just watch what you are eating. Jill

    • Scottie13
      Scottie13 jill_38536

      Posted

      Someone I worked with told me I could eat whatever I want after the surgery. I know I’m not fortunate enough for that to be true after having episodes of

      severe pain, nausea and diarrhoea after eating something with a bit too much fat in it. 

      My doctor on the other hand said I’d totally have to change my diet and eat low fat forever now. I didn’t eat a lot of fat before anyway so haven’t had to change anything really. Obviously there are some people who can eat all the fatty junk under the sun and get away with it. But I’m not one of these xx

  • judy13495
    judy13495 Islandnewbie

    Posted

    I had my gallbladder removed 15 years ago and have battled diarrhea and pain in my right side, where my gallbladder used to be for years.    Long story short:   Have your doctor prescribe Cholestyramine, which is a powder you mix with water or juice and drink 30 minutes before you eat anything.   Additionally, take Pepcid 20 mg at least twice a day and if that doesn't give you some relief, take it four times a day.   If you find it helps, you can then get a prescription for Omerapozole 40 mg and only take two a day.   I have thought forever that they MUST have left some of the gallbladder or a tube or SOMETHING to be having this much pain in exactly the same place as the gallbladder but two weeks ago, the gastro doctor did a scope and removed 50 cc's of bile from my stomach!   I am still surprised that my issue is completely stomach related but seeing the pictures of all that bile proved to me it is real....your body makes too much bile after the gallbladder is gone and man can it cause pain.   I didn't find anything to relieve the pain except Tylenol...even my mom's narcotics (she gets for back pain) didn't touch the pain.   I wish you luck.    

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