Gallbladder surgery in 1 week
Posted , 8 users are following.
Scheduled for surgery in a week and I'm probably in denial but looking for your comments on this. I have been constantly sick for 9 months. Started out nausea that had me in bed several weeks. Had an US and bloodwork. US showed gallstones and sludge. Saw the Dr a few weeks later and he did a endoscopy and colonoscopy. Mild gastritis and esophagitis. Then pain is below sternum in the middle like I had been punched in the stomach which lasted several weeks. Now pain is in middle of stomach. Again like I've been punched and the fist is still inside. No pain on right side under rib cage or pain that radiates up to my right shoulderblade. Had hida scan which showed ef 4%. My symptoms don't seem to me to be classic symptoms. Anyone else have these symptoms? Oh yeah and I burp a lot.
1 like, 24 replies
Timmie25
Posted
One day after posting this still in constant pain and now the pain has radiated up my right shoulder and neck. Also having light chest pain. A heating pad helps. Maybe just because I feel like I'm doing something to try to relieve the pain. Have to switch from my stomach to back to shoulder and neck. Just praying that I can go for a week. I really want the surgeon I met with to do the surgery. I'm tired of being sick for 9 months. Ready to have this over with.
One thing that's different from what I'm reading on others posts is I haven't lost any weight. For the first few months I thought I had an ulcer. My stomach would burn like I was hungry then I would eat and feel bad. I ate very little because it always felt like i was full even after eating a cracker. But no weight loss. Would be nice because i have 20 lbs to lose 😁
katherine42413 Timmie25
Posted
Hi temi, it does seem as though everyone's symptoms vary as alot of people loose weight not all do. That pain in the shoulders and neck are awful and I think it was that that I found the hardest to deal with. Unfortunately my gallbladder wasn't working properly and now they think I have sphincter of oddi dysfunction which causes the same pain as before which they mentioned me before surgery anyway.
I had a gastroscopy in the early days to rule ulcers out and they tested me for crohns also.
It does seem that it takes months for surgery or to get to find out whats causing it so we can have the surgery and unfortunately it does seem to get worse but you haven't got long to wait now and surgery day will be here before you know it and then you'll be able to recover and get back to a painfree lifestyle.
Take care and keep me updated xx
Timmie25 katherine42413
Posted
Hi Katherine. I'm sorry for you that you still have the same pain after surgery. What do they do for sphincter of oddi dysfunction? And how do they know that's what it is?
katherine42413 Timmie25
Posted
Hi temi, I didn't have gallstones or sludge and my hida scan was only 14% but I also had constant pain all the time which when I first saw the surgeon said that removing the gallbladder wouldn't take all the pain away. I had what seemed like all the tests that all came back as normal except of this one. When I went in for surgery and he visited me beforehand he said he wanted to do a cholangiogram of the liver as my liver blood tests were very erratic, I didn't know this as everyone said they were within the satisfactory range but I expect as he is a specialist they fine tune things that don't look right to them. From everything I've read they can try medication first as its a muscle that spasms when it shouldn't but if you're in more severe pain they do an ercp which is a type of gastroscopy but more risky and they might do an spincterectomy if really bad which is cutting the muscles to loosen it but I don't know yet. I've got my appointment at the end of the month so I have no idea what they are going to do next as I would not have thought I would have another appointment with a surgeon unless it was important and that they would refer me back to my gp.
Is all a bit up in the air at the moment as I don't know and only know with the research that I've done on the web.
I'll speak to you again soon, how are you today?
x
Timmie25 katherine42413
Posted
Katherine, I came across that while I was researching gallbladder disease but I think I read that it was rare and so I only skimmed through it. I hope all goes well for you. Keep us posted. I'm going to the hospital on Friday for pre op, surgery on Monday.
katherine42413 Timmie25
Posted
Thank you, no its not rare but only a gastro with a specialty in that area would necessarily know about it.
I did like you and did lots of research before surgery and all the different avenues so I could understand whats going on. Yes I will do as I know there are others on this site that are also going through the same.
I remember pre-op, they took so much blood I had to lie down because I was feeling a bit light headed! The nurses in there were really good also and very supportive.
Good luck for monday, do you have to be there first thing? The nurses were excellent where I was, even though I was the only one on my ward having this particular type of surgery, the others had different GI surgery and only about 6 on my ward. After surgery they check on you alot as they have to do blood pressure and they were always asking me about the pain as when I started to recover a bit more it did start to hurt so they got me more pain relief straight away. Obviously I was in post op for a while but as soon as you wake up they take you back to the ward.
I hope you experience the same support I did, I couldn't fault it.
Keep me updated with how you get on, you may not feel much like it for a couple of days afterwards but that'll pass as you rest.
I'll speak to you again, take care xx
Beenthruit Timmie25
Posted
I can identify with the burping and punched in the stomach feeling. I never used to burp! My gallbladder pain was central too. It felt like my stomach was going to burst open like I'd eaten a huge meal when I hadn't. The shoulder pain came later. I controlled mine with a low fat diet until surgery and it worked most of the time for me. Good luck. I hope all goes well for you.
Timmie25 Beenthruit
Posted
Thanks for your reply, it really helps to hear from others that have gone through what you're going through. Yeah never had a burping problem either! How have you been since your surgery? It's hard to find anything to eat that doesn't hurt.