Posted , 4 users are following.
Hospital have just rang and arranged for me to have the gallbladder operation in a weeks time. Eeek I'm so scared as I suffer
with debilitating pain that's caused by another problem and having
my gallbladder removed won't help that.
How do I cope with the after effects of an operation and severe pain
from something else ? I'm scared stiff !!
0 likes, 13 replies
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terry50104 linda282930
Posted
linda282930 terry50104
Posted
Just going to rest up.
Beenthruit linda282930
Posted
They will give you analgesia in hospital- morphine if necessary. Try not to worry. Tell the hospital your concerns.
Take it easy after discharge. Don't lift or move suddenly. Drink plenty water. Eat light meals of plain food. Try to walk around a bit as this disperses anaesthetic and gas. Take pain meds as instructed.
linda282930 Beenthruit
Posted
Hi Thanks for your reply.
I think I'm going to the same hospital where you had your surgery ,( The General hospital ) I think surgery is harder the older you get , I'm not far off 70 .
I am scared, I think it's a case of the unknown. Praying for a easy op .
Just hoping everything is straightforward and I get some benefit from it.
Beenthruit linda282930
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I forgot you were in Leicester. Linda- I try to answer many of the posts on this forum. There are too many suffering from this illness.
Are you having the laparoscopic surgery? A friend went to the Glenfield for her lap chol. Do you know who your surgeon is? Because I used to work for the trust eight years ago, I do know a few of the surgeons by reputation.
If it is the General, and you are having the laparoscopic procedure, you'll only be in there a day probably. I had a week in there last October, a week there for my open surgery in February, four days in February, then a week in March and found it's a miserable place, so just shut your eyes to the chipped paint and horrible workhouse atmosphere. I'm no spring chick- 68 next week. I just gritted my teeth, tried to stay positive and do everything to get better quickly in order to get discharged asap. A lot depends on the other patients. The first week I was there, they were a good bunch but the rest of the time I was in, I was with people who were struggling with their own diagnoses and issues. I spent two days outlying on a gynae Ward and the atmosphere there was totally different. Don't let it get you down- I may just have been unlucky.
Just make sure you get your pain meds promptly and check what you're being given before you swallow or they inject.
I won't lie, it was rough for the first three or four days and it took me a couple of months to get back on my feet but I did have two open surgeries close together:
Keep in touch and let us know how you're doing. You ate in my thoughts. X
linda282930 Beenthruit
Posted
Hi
I was hoping to go to Glenfield but I can't choose the hospital.
It should be a Lap hopefully, I don't know who my surgeon is yet, I'm waiting
for the letter from the hospital with all the info, I'll let you know when I find out.
Funnily it's not my gallbladder that's causing me problems, it's my bladder .
I have interstitial cystitis which is difficult to treat but means most foods cause me terribly,burning pain . I don't know what I'll eat after surgery as I'm really struggling at the minute with food even though I've got a good appetite . I hate being on a ward and no one speaks to you .. I've met some lovely patients in hospital and others I wouldn't want to see again ! It's great being able to speak to you as you've been there and know what I'll be going through. Linda x
Beenthruit linda282930
Posted
You are supposed to be able to choose your hospital and surgeon through NHS Choices, but I never got the choice either. Mr. Garcea, my surgeon, is very good also Prof. Lloyd who was my first surgeon. I was allocated to mr. Garcea's list after I signed consent to have any HB surgeon. I was really desperate. I'd had attacks since July 2016, though I'd not felt well for some time. Apart from feeling tired, having no appetite and night sweats, I'd had odd bouts of unexplained diarrhoea. I'd also had bad shoulder pains for a couple of years which I put down to having had a lipoma removed years ago, but of course it was the start of gallbladder attacks. I was misdiagnosed in July as having kidney stones and wasn't diagnosed with gallstones until September by which time I was very ill and had to be admitted for jaundice. I even lost weight over Christmas.
After surgery you don't feel much like eating. It's partly to do with the anaesthetic. I chose plain foods from the menu/: baked potatoes, soup, toast, rice pudding. I avoided the spicy foods and anything fatty. Often I could only manage a couple of mouthfuls. Don't know what you eat normally due to your illness but suspect you won't be feeling like eating much anyway. They prescribed Omeprazole for me. Pain relief on the whole was good. I had PCA pump and IV and oral pain killers. Not sure what they do if you've had laparoscopy as you're sent home same or next day, but probably codeine and paracetamol with a bottle of lactulose on discharge.
Think the worst part of laparoscopy is the pain from the gas. One of the nurses who'd had it said she thought they'd broke her shoulder. Apparently you need to walk round to get rid of the gas and raising foot of bed helps but of course I don't know because I had open surgery in the end.
It sounds awful doesn't it? Can I just say the anticipation of having surgery is far worse than it actually is. Even the recovery was not as bad as I'd expected and you recover from laparoscopy quicker than open surgery, so I'm sure you'll be just fine. You don't know a thing about the surgery. You're out of it by the time they start and it's all over when you come round. Don't be afraid to ask for pain relief afterwards.
Stay strong x
linda282930 Beenthruit
Posted
I'm down for Mr Garcea too. TBH he's not my choice of surgeon, I would
prefer Mr Robertson but I'm not sure if he's just in private practice now.
I was down to see a different surgeon next month but it looks like they've
brought my surgery forward for some reason.
I don't have gallbladder pain, back pain, sickness . I could live with my gallstones , doesn't make sense when I'm suffering with awful pain
in a different area.
Beenthruit linda282930
Posted
I remember Gavin Robertson but don't recall any mention of him recently, so you may be right that he's concentrating on private work. Mr. Garcea is a good surgeon- just maybe not as personable and his registrar, Sarah, is lovely.
Sounds like you've got a cancellation like I did.
Have they said why you're having surgery if you're not having symptoms? Lots of people live happily with gallstones which are found when investigating something else.
Anyway I hope all goes well - I'm sure it will!
sarah87162 linda282930
Posted
I'm sure you'll be fine. Read Michelle's posts. She was scared stiff as well but managed to go through with it.
Praying for you.
Sarah xx
linda282930 sarah87162
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linda282930
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I had my pre med today . When I went for bloods to be taken it was a trainee nurse. She said she felt shaky ! So did I then , I was glad when the
experienced nurse took over.. The nurse at the pre med did say it's a
painful surgery which takes a while to recover from. Not what I wanted to
hear .. Getting scared now !
terry50104 linda282930
Posted