Having gallbladder surgery and really concerned

Posted , 6 users are following.

I'm scheduled to have my gallbladder removed tomorrow. This has been rescheduled twice due to my having a chronic cough after an endoscopy...which I still have...along with allergies to almost every pain medication. They think they have it figured out but in the meantime while I'm trying to stay as positive as possible I have had numerous health care workers express to me the pain afterwards being the worst hurdle and if I'm coughing that could be an issue. Really? I'm not sure how to take that. And I'm scared. I do have high sensitivity to pain meds. Fetanyl, a "normal" dosage they said (75) literally almost stopped my breathing. Anything I should consider or do I just trust my surgeon and hope for the best? Is the pain that horrible? I had 5 children without any drugs but the last one was 16 years ago! Not sure I'm that tough now.

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Jacque,

    ?I just had the surgerry 4wks ago and this was my first surgery ever no kids so the'

    ?absoluute first. I myself have had experience with reaction to medicine so my fear was if I have an allergic reaction to any of the meds during and after.

    ?Glad to say no problems just know your throat will be a little dry and sore maybe have some frozen flavored ice cubes popsicles something keep your throat moist.

    ?You will be fine if some one would have told me this day before maybe I would have had a lower blood pressure.

    ?Just be sure to walk, walk walk drink fluids and all will be fine.

    ?Prayers will go up for you keep me posted the surgery sounds really worst than it is.

  • Posted

    Hi, Jacque,

    Sorry to learn that you're going through all this!  Are you scheduled to have keyhole surgery?  Then any pain should be minimal.  I had some pain, but not a lot. 

    If you're having an open procedure, then I think that the doctors will do whatever it takes to make you comfortable.  Remember, hanging on to a diseased organ may mean that other things can develop, so if you've been told you need to have the surgery, you probably do.  

    In times past, doctors had very few drugs for pain management.  Now there are lots of drugs available.  If you had asked the health care workers if they were recommending that you not have surgery, they probably would have said that they weren't recommending anything.  They wouldn't want to be responsible for you electing not to have it, only to become critically ill.

    Try to take it easy, if you can.  Surgery is scary, but when you think about it, so is electing not to have the surgery--and being stuck with something that has the potential to make you much more ill inside you.

    Best of luck!  Let us know how you do!xx

    • Posted

      Thank you! Yes the plan is the key hole but I don't have stones. I have multiple polyps that caused a terrible attack 6 months ago. There is a possibility that my gallbladder is enlarged too much to do key hole but it's what my surgeon is attempting first. And what I'm praying for! I'm dreading coughing afterwards but it's going to happen because I've had this chronic cough for 5 months, beginning the day I had an endoscopy, with no explanation as to why. So I just need to keep praying about that! Thanks again! The encouragement is very helpful!

    • Posted

      You're welcome, Jacque, I pray that everything goes well for you--and if you keep coughing, that's not good, so talk to you gastroenterologist about it.  Five months is too long!

      Best of luck, and let me know how you do!

  • Posted

    Hi Jacque. If its medically necessary then you have to do it. I stated in one blog I have s friend who could not have hers removed because it turned into cancer. The pain is really not bad at all. However I did not have the invasive surgery. I had larposcopy surgery. If you trust your dr and believe in God he will be with you. I was afraid too and I asked God to hold my hand and everything work out well. I stooped taking the pain meds in 2 days. You will be fine!!!! good luck!
  • Posted

    Hi, I had open surgery after a failed attempt at keyhole in April. Had 23 staples in the wound.

    Pain was minimal. I took the morphine iv and antibiotics for a few days then painkillers orally. Stopped all after a week but I did get an infection in the canula site which was far worse than anything after the surgery.

    Everyone is different but this was my experience. Have felt really well since my gall bladder was removed and until it was out I didn't realise just how ill I felt!

    Good luck and let me know how you get on.x

  • Posted

    Thank you all for your encouragement and advice! The Popsicles have saved my life! And lots of crushed ice! Surgery yesterday was successful...the laporscopic thankfully. I got to come home last night. Sleeping in recliner but the pain is more tolerable that way. Coughing has been minimal and probably because my lungs were very sleepy. The little I have coughed hasn't been too bad. Really relieved and glad this is over! Wasn't near as bad as I had in my head!

    • Posted

      Hi, Jacque!  This is great news!  Glad that you could have keyhole surgery!  Remember that you've had major surgery, so don't overdo!

      Let us know how you get on! xx

  • Posted

    ​Hi Jacque,

    ​Glad to hear all went well was waiting all day yesterday to hear from you!

    ​Also glad you got the popsicles what  a wonder brings you back to childhood not sure of your age but me 53.

    ​Just remeber now keep walking around the house walk walk recovery is on the way.....

    • Posted

      Just curious....day 5 post surgery and I'm still having an annoying pain in my side. It is much like the pain you get in your side while running but it never goes away. Standing worsens the pain quite a bit. I stopped taking pain meds 2 days after surgery. I had a strange reaction from anesthesia...hair falling out and extreme moodiness, grogginess, and sadness. I felt the pain meds were just making those symptoms worse. So although I'm feeling better I'm curious if this pain in my side is normal and will go away eventually. I have to hold a small pillow to my tummy when I walk around. My staples won't be removed for another week but I would like to do a little more than I'm able to right now. Too high of expectations?

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