Gallbladder Surgery - 2 Weeks Post Op and Extreme Fatigue hit

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I don't even know where to begin with this but hoping someone else can help me.

I've been sick for almost a year now and no doctor has been able to tell me what's wrong with me. I lost ~50 lbs out of nowhere since last August and have gone to oncologists, gastros, endocrinologists and my blood work has consistently came up normal - same with colonoscopy/endoscopy (aside from some acid reflux). I had horrible left side pain consistently when I would wake up in the mornings. The mornings were/are always the worst. I would also immediately need to throw up in the mornings and it was always bile. My stomach was a wreck. It felt like (still does) no doctor cared and I felt like something was seriously wrong with my body.

After months of going to doctors, googling, I finally went and got a HIDA scan a few weeks ago. My gallbladder had an fraction rate of 27% (normal is above 35%). They still told me that I shouldn't remove it and plenty of people live comfortably with that rate, but I was in so much pain, couldn't keep food down, I probably lost about ~15lbs in a month my wife brought me to the emergency room after I hadn't been able to eat for 3 days. They did an ultrasound and found some sludge and said they would take it out and hope that would solve my issues.

I got my gallbladder out 2 weeks ago and pathology has come back that it was chronically inflamed. So, good to know that was my main digestive issue. A day after surgery I was feeling good, moving around, able to eat again - probably went a little too quick on back to my normal eating routine (testing chinese food etc to see what my body can take - well, it definitely can't handle what I used to eat). The diarrhea has been very real - any recommendations there?

Before surgery they did an abdominal xray and found atelectasis in both of my lungs (went to the pulmonoligst for that and he said he wanted to give me a Z-pack to make sure rule out pneumonia), and now going for another CT scan to check for that. Since taking the Zpac, the last 5 days I've been hit with a wave of fatigue, its a struggle to keep my eyes open most days. The doctor says it's not common for that to happen with the antibiotics so wondering if it's from the surgery?

I'm was feeling fine for a few days post-op and now I'm feeling terrible and pretty depressed. I'm scared that this wasn't the solve for my issues and I'm really scared something else is going on.

How long did it take everyone to recover from surgery? Were you tired? Am I ever going to feel normal again?

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    sounds like you have been through a lot!!! 2 weeks post OP I was still very tired. I took naps daily. everyone acts like it is a simple surgery and you'll be back to normal in a few days. that was not the case for me. I also had diarrhea on and off. still do sometimes, my surgery was in April. please give yourself more time. rest when you need to. you had a major surgery!!

  • Posted

    hi

    im 2 years post op in september

    and i felt like you for a few days also , i think that we felt like that due to the meds in us plus the fact we were still alive lol

    and ive never been the same again so far and doubt i will be.

    that said , a z pack is a big hit of aantibiotics and lets not forget , they wipe out all the bacteria in the gut , the bad as well as the good and they surely will make you feel washed out for some time .

    ide say try notto worry and give your body some time to heal from both ?

    ALSO BE A GOOD IDEA FOR YOU TO TAKE SOME VERY GOOD PROBIOTICS ??

    all the best let me know how you get on in a few weeks.

  • Posted

    It has been a year and a half for me. I am always tier. I'm kind of afraid to travel to far away from home because of the diarrhea. I have to keep a supply of imodium on hand and take extra clothes when I go out. because you never know when diarrhea going to hit. The Dr act as if there is nothing they can do, and just tells me to take Imodium. My digestive system is extremely slow moving, and that is one of my problems. I have a lot of gas and I am always bloated. I don't know if I will ever get back to normal. I will be sending up prayers for you, because I know how you feel.

  • Posted

    They should have told you all this before they discharged you from the hospital.

    Recovery time depends on how they removed you gallbladder.

    If it was done by keyhole surgery recovery time is 3 weeks.

    If they did not mange to do keyhole and you had the bigger operation recovery time is 6 weeks.

    Go a bit more careful on what you eat. Nothing fatty.

    Hope this helps.

    Sarah

  • Posted

    Hi Michael

    It sounds like you were quite poorly before you had your gallbladder removed. I think that and having to take antibiotics as well as the surgery would make you feel under par and tired.

    I had mine out in May and was still very tired after 2 weeks. I didn't have much energy and napped a lot in the afternoons. It wasn't until the 3rd or 4th week that I started to feel stronger.

    I don't seem to be able to eat anything fatty anymore as I end up with really bad diarrhea. Maybe it will settle in time. They didn't warn me about this in hospital - just told me to eat a bland diet for a month which I did.

    You may have to be careful what you eat now (watch the fat content in any food) and maybe some probiotics will help get the good bacteria flowing in your gut.

    Some people bounce back very quickly from surgery but everyone is different so don't get too disheartened.

    Heather xxx

  • Posted

    Hi All,

    I just had gallbladder surgery 2 weeks ago and I am SUPER fatigued. I have not been eating that well either, so, that could be a contributing factor, I was fatigued prior so that could be why as well. I am wiped out during the day and feel so sick when I do eat. I am so focused on the sensations in my body that it makes me lightheaded and dizzy. The crazy thing is, I eat better at night and have a little more energy at night, but then the cycle starts all over again. I take pepcid ac for heartburn. Does anyone think that maybe if I drink some type of meal replacement during the day that might help? Would Ensure be an issue? Or is too soon after surgery to be concerned about the fatigue? I hope the original poster is feeling better.

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