Having gallbladder removed soon and really scared

Posted , 14 users are following.

I am waiting for a date to have my gallbladder removed. Spoke to friends that has had this done and they seem fine and getting on with their lives but I'm really really scared because I keep reading about people that's had it done and they've had major problems after . Feeling worried.

1 like, 70 replies

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  • Posted

    Hi I'm also waiting and as equally worried xx I've had to take time of work from the pain.. which isn't so good because you think more x try not to worry and stay positive..

    • Posted

      Thank you for your reply Louise. I have made a list of 24 friends and acquaintances who have had their gallbladder Removed and they are all just fine so that helps me a bit but I joined a group on Facebook and although there is many that has had a good result, there are also many that have had some big problems (wish I had not joined the Facebook group) I haven't had pain since last December (had 4 pain attacks in 2016 and ended up in hospital) I have lost 6st.4lb because I was terrified of going under the anaesthetic at 20st.4lb . Still terrified though . Hope everything goes well with you Louise.

  • Posted

    I had mines removed almost 7 weeks ago and feel so much better for it! I had had severe pain and nausea for about 7 weeks constantly. As soon as I woke up from the surgery the nausea was gone (and that was despite having loads of morphine which usually makes me feel sick). I still get a bit of pain under my right ribs though but nowhere near as severe as it used to be. Although I’m still careful with what I eat. Don’t think I’ll be eating pizza or takeaway food anytime soon haha. To be honest I think most of these online things are people writing about when things go wrong, but not many people will write good stories as they’re now happy with how they feel. I’d been on this group asking questions before my surgery so have stayed on to help others going through the same thing with the same questions I had. Good luck with the surgery when you get it! xx
    • Posted

      Thank you for your reply Scottie. Just be glad when it's all over. I was meant to have it done last May but 2 days before surgery I became ill with another problem and since had surgery on the 16th of August to remove my left ovary. All went well with that and it turned out to be just a piece of faty gristle that twisted my ovary. It's strange how I wasn't really scared to have that done but terrified of the gallbladder opp.

    • Posted

      Think it’s probably knowing you still have the other ovary but when the gallbladder is gone that’s it. There’s lots of good advice on this page so even if you were to get any of the negative side effects, other people have dealt with them so have advice on things they’ve found helped xx
  • Posted

    I had my gallbladder out in January. The surgery went well and I can get normal. I try not to eat to much fatty foods and stick to healthy diet. If i eat large meals I get bloated and have niggley pains under my rib cage. Having gallbladder out was the best way even though you may feel some discomfort for a few days afterwards.
    • Posted

      Thank you for replying, it does help to hear positive results.
  • Posted

    Hi Alabama,

    first of all, don't worry. I had my GB removed a few years ago and I have never regretted it. You have to remember, it is usually only people who have a bad experience who post stuff online. Those of us who have a perfectly routine experience don't have a story to tell.

    The op its self doesn't take long - I am guessing under 30 mins ( I was fast asleep!!).

    When I woke up it was a bit sore and sitting up was tricky - my abdomen looked like I had ben the victim of a frenzied stabbing attack. I think this was the most shocking part for me. I did not expect 5 or 6 separate wounds.

    I was sent home with co codamol for the pain but after 2 or 3 days I didn't need them. Back at work after 2 weeks.

    Immediately after the op avoid lifting anything heavy and try to limit bending as this wont help. If you have the urge to sneeze, take a fat pillow and press it firmly on yr stomach against the pressure of the stomach muscles (it will hurt less when you do sneeze).

    Other than that, stick to a loweish fat diet and get ready to feel well again!

    Lel.xx

    • Posted

      Thank you for your reply, haven't had pain since last December but I have lost 6st.4lb had believe that's why haven't had pain . My doctor is still advising me to have gallbladder removed.

    • Posted

      Then gave it removed as yr consultant obviously knows what's going to happen,and that means it's only going to get worse, as mine did and I very nearly ended up dead. I truly think I have been a fool Alabama.and should have just gone strait to a good surgeon at the time of my first episode and had it removed then, one I was 3 years younger 2 it would have been a whole lot easier 3 I wouldn't have wasted 3 years of my life 4 my family have suffered no end of worry over this for 3 years also and it's took its toll on them.5 it would have saved my mental and emotional health that it has really damaged and affected me big time.and 5 it would not have become infected full of puss and gangrenous and very near took my life !!!

      so their I give you 5 good reasons to listen to your consultant and gave it removed.

      and I also managed it with diet for 2 years by losing 4 and half stone and eating low to no fat. 

      And lost most of my muscle mass which I've now got to try to rebuild not to mention the repairs I need to do to my mind !!!

      JUST DO IT.

    • Posted

      Thank you for your reply. I know I will have to get it done if only to be free of the worry . Thanks again.
  • Posted

    I had my gallbladder removed on 14th July after years of painful symptoms. I could hardly eat a thing without experiencing horrendous painful bloating, and I had many painful attacks that lasted up to four days long. 

    Straight after surgery I knew I felt different - better. And after about seven weeks I was completely better. Recovery was pretty good. I just had to eat very small portions for a while. I can now eat anything and am completely well and recovered. 

    If you have gallstones and gallbladder problems that are symptomatic, they won’t go away and will only get worse. On these forums plenty will tell you of their problems, but for the majority this operation is a complete success. 

  • Posted

    Most people do well after gallbladder removal, some do have problems, but they can be sorted out.  It's natural to be worried, but opting to keep a diseased gallbladder is not a good decision.  They don't get better.  They get worse, and can even become cancerous.  So don't lose hope!  xx

  • Posted

    Hi Alabama.

    well no one was more terrified than I, so much so that I've just wasted 3 years of my life in agonising pain much of that time, and list 4 and half stone.

    i was to scared of the surgery and was being told many diffract things by the NHS no hope services.

    so they really confused me a lot which just added to my fears and anxiety overall.

    but I'm now 25 post opp,done privately by one of the very best surgeons in the country.

    and I had no choice to do it or I was likely to be dead within hours to days he said.

    so I went under at 6:30pm beleaving it was the end for me and I was not going to wake up,that's my fears and deranged way of thinking I'm sorry to say but true, and I woke up at ten to 8 pm ,so 80 mins later singing lol.

    and that was after being awake nearly 200 hours in agony I might add, I think in the preceding 200 hours I had a total of 17 hours broken sleep, so you can imagine how week I was and how deluded my mind was,yet I was awake  80 mins later singing and I'm 53 so the surgery all going well is a breeze basically is how I now see it, and feel such an idiot for being so scared and causing myself so much stress and despair I really do.

    i went up to my hospital room had no pain Meds apart from the local annasthisia I believe they inject into the abdomen after the opp.but was then walking along the hospital corridor by ten pm all be it really slowly .i then ate soup and toast around midnight,I stayed awake all night because I was scared ,sorry again but I'm an extremely anxious person, my surgeon mr Charles imber.do google him.

    came in to see me at around 11am in the morning,told me I had made an excellent recovery and was discharged at mid day and told I can eat anything I want .and that's exactly what I have done.ive had Chinese takeaway pie and chips from the chip shop and no probs really as far as I can see.so I don't know why all these people say you must eat low fat and so on , I did discuss this subject with my surgeon and told him but I've read online how you must do this and that etc ,to which his reply was , it's all b s .

    yr gallbladder has gone that's what's causing your problem ,you can now eat as normal right away.

    i have put on 12 pounds in weight since leaving the hospital 25 days ago of which I'm happy about.

    i cannot even see where I had the opp done now and neither can anyone else as the tiny scars have healed already to the point of not being visible.

    ive taken it pretty easy so far.but am walking 2 lies everyday for exercise and eating well.had bait of issues with constipation for 2 weeks but that seems to be resolving now.

    get slight stab pains here and their under my right rib from time to time lasting say up to an hour but in comparison to the pain before it's like being kissed by a butterfly and if that's the small price I have to pay for life . I'll take that please.

    by the way my surgery was elected but kind of turned into sort of emergency surgery after I had a private ct scan done and took the results into my surgeons office.he called me and said get to the hospital now or you are not going to be around basically.

    i had a 2.3 cm stuck in the cystic duct the gallbladder neck, for 3 years, and a further stone 2.1cm in the gallbladder.

    my gallbladder was full of puss and completely gangrenous and had to be drained from inside of me before he could remove it .he did this without spilling one drop or any blood loss at all. And once removed I never even had a single bruise?

    and I think I'm doing fine now.

    i think the choice of surgeon is the most important consideration with regard to this operation personally.

    and if you can manage it privately ide say do so.

    i believe if I had it done on the NHS ide be dead now.'as they would not even ct scan me and would have been going in blind to that mess , at best I beleave on the NHS mine would at best have been converted to full open surgery . 

    'My advise to you and anyone else now.

    dont be a fool like I feel I have been. And if they say it needs to come out , listen to them and have this simple yet serious operation done asap as it very near cost me my life. But I think I'm going to be fine now.

    dont let fear and anxiety and everyone else's experiences cost you your life. We are all different with different diagnoses and situations yet needing the same operation.and as many specialists have repeatedly said over and over, if you are symptomatic, generally it only will get worse and you will end up having it removed anyway as you like me will have no choice.

    good luck and let me know how easy it was afterwards.

    • Posted

      Hi and thank you for your reply. The surgeon I am booked in with is a Mr Bailey, did my friends gallbladder opp and is the leading surgeon at Southampton hospital, he also works private. Where is Mr Charles Imber from ? I am interested in looking him up but I am in Southampton England and don't know how far away Mr Imber is.                       I suffer from anxiety and worry so much about the operation. I am not in pain and haven't been in pain since last December ( had 4 pain attacks in 2016) but have been on a diet and lost 6st.4lb and believe that is the reason I haven't had the pain since last year. Thanks again 

    • Posted

      Alabama.

      i don't know mr bailey but I did research on Southampton general and found reports on the hospital acquired infection rates and they were not good.

      mr imber.

      his name is Charles Jason imber.

      he is at the London digestive centre.

      41 well beck st 

      and he serves the private hospital the princess grace in Nottingham place next to Harley street.

      he is a pioneering British uk surgeon in bikers and hepatic surgery.

      in 2012 he was the first U.K. Surgeon to perform successful keyhole liver transplant useing the givinchy robot system and to perform pancreatic cancer resection the same way.

      he is also the lead of liver surgery I think it is at the royal free hospital in hamstead London.

      just google top surgeon London and put his name afer it Charles imber.

      and the first six pages on google is pretty much about him.

      he is one amazing and lovely man.

      regards.

    • Posted

      Hi there, I have now googled Mr Imber and I am very impressed. May I ask you the appropriate coat of the surgery with Mr Imber please . I have had a private opp before in the spire hospital, for sinus surgery but fear the cost of gallbladder removal would be a lot more costly.          I am not booked in to Southampton general but in a new unit at the Royal southants hospital in Southampton. Thank you
    • Posted

      Eating a low fat diet won’t make the stones disappear no matter how much weight you’ve lost. Even if you have no pain, you may get other symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea and sickness. Also a stone can migrate anywhere within the digestive system causing major issues with liver, pancreas and bowels etc. For a short time I also had no pain due to eating low fat, but eventually the pains started again. 
    • Posted

      Thank you for your reply. And yes it is true what you are saying, think I'm trying to give myself reasons why I shouldn't have it done because I'm scared but I know in the back of my mind it has to be done. I do have a lot of gasy wind but don't know if that is a symptom or not.

    • Posted

      Most of the surgeons who are private also work on the NHS. Or most of the ones I’ve seen are anyway! Your friend has been treated by him as well so I’d trust their judgement as well. You’ve clearly done your research into who the best surgeon in your area is so I’d definitely stick with that decision xx
    • Posted

      Mine was 5,800 but mine was a little complicated what with the gangrene etc

      but I know that it broke down to 3,000 for the hospital with one nights stay as he insists you stay one night.

      but of course if your happy with mr bailey it's free !!

      i wasn't happy and I did my research to find the best ,

      'that way I could justify that I had given myself the best possible chance.

      regards.

    • Posted

      Gas, wind, burping, reflux are all symptoms. All my life I hardly ever burped until the year I started having gallbladder attacks.

      I realise now it was affecting me in so many other ways. I’d been feeling generally unwell for some time before the attacks: lack of appetite, tiredness and night sweats. Also I’d have unexplained bouts of diarrhoea: we’d go out for a meal and as soon as we got home I’d have to dash to the loo. Husband who’d eaten same meal was fine and afterwards I’d be ok. Of course I realise now that restaurant/pub food is generally very fatty whereas at home I’ve always cooked with minimal amount of fat. You only have to watch tv chefs loading butter and oil into a frying pan! At the time, I felt these things weren’t specific enough to consult my GP over. Honestly, once you have the surgery, you’ll realise so many niggling little health issues were due to your ailing gallbladder or that’s my experience anyway. X

    • Posted

      That’s sound advice Scottie!

      Just because a surgeon is London based and good at PR doesn’t mean there arent equally good surgeons elsewhere in the country. If the friend was happy to recommend the Southampton surgeon, I think that’s a pretty good recommendation.

      Also part of my NHS role was occasionally helping doctors preparing literature promoting their private work, so I know the sort of thing that is said.

      I looked into going private at one stage. Last January, after losing weight over Christmas and still being in pain I was desperate. It went against the grain as I’ve always believed in the NHS. My surgery, a cancellation, came through so I did not have to resort to this. With two open surgeries, 2 CTs, MRI, ultrasound and 2 ERCPs begins me, I dread to think how much it would have cost: probably bankrupted us!! Private does not necessarily equate to better, but you do get your own loo and tv!

    • Posted

      Sorry to pick holes here but no one said mr imber was better because he is London based neither did I say anything about his pr ?

      i simply said I done a lot and I do mean a lot, of research into the top ten general surgeons in the UK

      and after many months of research I found mr charles imber to be one of the very best and he is , that's not pr that's statisticall FACT.

      he is a uk pioneering surgeon who has carried out many U.K. First ever performed successfull life saving operations. And to say you know about pr litriture as you worked in the NHS and what they do to promote their private work is to imply that he is a liar !!

      and I'm sorry but I don't think he could get away with calling himself a pioneering uk surgeon if he was not because I don't beleave the gmc would let that slip sorry.

      on the other hand as you said you worked for the NHS and you know what sort of literature they had you prepare for their private work ! Sorry but that says it all to me as we all know what outright liers the NHS are and you just reinforced that, the NHS sent me away to die as far I am concerned,and if my operation was carried out on the NHS I cannot say for sure but I do beleave ide be dead right now as I simply do not beleave I would have got a surgeon with his skill level on the NHS,by luck of the draw as it were ,because let's face it ,that's what you get on the NHS ! 

      Or I would have had it on the NHS, I was due to gave the operation done on the 1st of September at frimly park hospital I presented myself at a & e twice in the two weeks up to my scheduled operation in absolute agony ,they were lovely to me the front line staff but refused to give me a ct scan or even an ultrasound !

      i told them my condition had changed I had all my previous blood work ups with me on both occasions,they done blood work up could see for themselves just how much further my white blood cell count had elavated from the previous ones.i also produced a private ultrasound report I had done some 5 days earlier,concluding that I had significant chronic cholecystitis with inflammation and a thickened gallbladder wall to 9mm.that report with the combined elevated white blood cell count of 19 on the day in a and e ,normal wbc being 4 to 11 as you will know, means I had infected gallbladder according to nice guidelines and the gold standard for this condition again according to n i c e guidelines is in hospital on intravenous antibiotics and intravenous fluid nil by mouth to get the infection under control and they offered me paracetamol and sent me home lol.

      our great NHS.

      i then called the surgeons Secretery and said my condition had changed somewhat and I felt I needed a ct scan, she replied I'll put it to the surgeon and get back to you,of which she did,and his reply was !

      no ct scan !!

      so I said on account of that I'm cancelling my operation as of now.

      and that's when I decided I need to go to plan b

      and do it privately as I'm not getting the care I need from the NHS.

      they were happy to go into me BLIND as it were and would likely have killed me in doing so ,given that my gallbladder was distended full of puss and gangrenous.

      so I'm so sorry to say this but the NHS failed me and my healthcare on an unprecedented scale as far as I'm concerned it's a lottery,and I did not fancy the gamble with my life.

      please do go take a look at mr Charles Jason imber. On his site found on google, and decide for yourself he has an unprecedented track record and is one of our best surgeons.

      i did also say he works for the NHS as they all do.

      he is a consultant hepatobilery pancreatic surgeon at the royal free hospital in hamstead London for the NHS.

      and is the clinical lead in liver transplantation at the royal free for the NHS.

      and I personally think his credits speak for themselves .

      I would have loved to have been lucky enough to have been assigned him on the NHS as so many have but unfortunately that was not my lottery ticket.

    • Posted

      Never said he wasn’t a great surgeon!!! Sorry if that’s how it came across. Just pointed out there are other good surgeons elsewhere. Everyone has to do their own research to find what suits them best.
    • Posted

      Sick of waiting did not say anything negative about private surgeons! They have to make themselves sound amazing when they’re private to get the business in. We’re not saying they lie, they just have to sell themselves (like in an interview). I know the nhs fails A LOT of people in this situation and I’m very sorry you were  one of them! Thankfully it seems Alabama is not in the situation you were. I agree your surgeon sounds fantastic BUT there are fantastic surgeons in every area, of which Alabama has found one who her friend can also recommend xx
    • Posted

      Scottie.

      i know and I agree with both yourself and sick of waiting.

      i never took offence and sorry if it came across like that.'im just passionate lol

      if you read back through my posts I did say to Alabama.if feel comfortable 

      with mr bailey then go for it of course.

      i am disgusted that I needed to beg a friend to borrow me the money to save my life

      but I had no choice !!

      im sure you understand.

      but he is an amazing surgeon and that does give you the best chance of survival I hope 

      and would like to think lol.

    • Posted

      Totally understand. And I agree having to pay to stay alive isn’t something that should happen with our NHS xx
    • Posted

      Nor did I ever imply that he was a liar!! You are clearly misunderstanding what I said. I’m  shocked you took offence as you have. I’m sure he’s a very fine surgeon but certainly not the only one in the country. 

      You clearly have issues with the NHS, as many of us do, and I can understand your anger after what you have been through (you are not alone!), however,  I am not to blame. I worked for NHS in a non clinical position ten years ago. You are angry withthe wrong person.

      I had some terrible treatment from the NHS, which I formally complained about and I know this has been rectified for future patients, so in a very small way I actually improved the service. 

      I am angry that anyone should have to resort to having to go private. I have sympathy for your situation and I have already said you probably have a valid claim to recoup the cost of your treatment. The NHS should be a lot better. The doctors and nurses for the most part are good at what they do and work very hard and long hours for a pittance, but they are hampered by severe lack of funding. They’ve had no pay rises for several years and that is a fact. It’s the system at fault not the staff. This is a government issue.

      The reason I posted here is because I wanted to help others. I hope I have helped some and I have been helped. I feel disclined now to continue.

    • Posted

      Definitely keep doing what you’re doing! I know you’ve helped me and so many more people! 😘 xx

    • Posted

      Now I feel I gave offended you and this was never my intention.

      bit of miscommunication on both parts I think.'hopefully we are over that now 

      and can move on ,

      'please do continue to help people as you have also helped myself 

      I did say to you prior,that I was following your posts for some months.

      i think you are brilliant.

      lets move on and get past this misunderstanding now please with respect.

      the forum would be lost without you.

    • Posted

      Thank you for your support, Scottie. Don’t know what I want to do at the moment. I’ve had so much support from this forum and just wanted to return the favour. X
    • Posted

      You were kind enough to comment on quite a few of my posts before and after my gallbladder removal, and I was so grateful for that. I think it is still important that we stay connected on these forums so that we can all share our experiences. It would be easy, after reading so many posts, to be terrified of surgery and even not go ahead because of reading of some people’s negative experiences, but is good to note and remember that for the vast majority of people, cholecystectomy is a very successful operation which removes the problem completely! 

      Please don’t be discouraged. Stay positive. God bless x

    • Posted

      Well I've said I did not mean to offend and it's a misunderstanding on both parts 

      'and I see your carrying it on on here and now you just look to me like yr milking it sorry if we beg to differ but I also have an entitlement to my view also !

      so you carry on because I feel no way about anything I said and now your looking like an injured cat

      which is a shame as I held you in much higher regard.

      but then you did work for the NHS after all so I suppose it was to be expected really.

      ile send some tissues your way good luck with your recovery anyway and I do hope you continue to well.

      but we part company here me and you sadly

    • Posted

      You are amazing, and you've done a wonderfully at supporting people!  Don't you dare take yourself off this site!  smile ((BIG HUG))!

    • Posted

      Thank you for that lynne.

      Maybe I misunderstood Mrsoscared? He certainly didn’t understand that all I was trying to do was point out that there are good surgeons everywhere as I don’t think anyone should have to go private if they can get just as good treatment under NHS. He obviously feels let down by the NHS so was forced to go private.

      I also have had so much support from complete strangers on this forum. All I want to do is help anyone I can in return.

      Bless you x

    • Posted

      My nurse daughter really didn’t want me to post on this forum as she suspected there might be this sort of thing. This is the first time I’ve experienced it.  I don’t understand why he took such offence?? Everyone else has been so nice, but I honestly feel it’s just not worth the hassle. Thank you so much for all your advice and help Lynda. You are truly a star!
    • Posted

      I think that your knowledge and experience, and your words of comfort have been critical.  I understand that getting gallbladders out is considered elective surgery in the UK, correct?  I think it's unbelievably stupid if that's the case.  

      But, I wouldn't worry so much about why someone took offense...it was his interpretation and not your intent.  I, too, have experienced this kind of thing on this site, but not frequently.  The people who write in usually really need the help!  I try to assist and if it helps, good, but if they turn out to be trolls, let them go back under their bridge where they belong. XOXOXOXO

    • Posted

      Please don't leave  the  forum  sick of waiting.    You  have helped me a lot since

      I joined.   I'm  still waiting  for  surgery  and  I'm sure I'll be asking  lots more questions and looking for support  when I get my surgery date and  post op !

      Linda  x

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