Holiday Advice

Posted , 8 users are following.

Hi all I am new here and I am hoping someone who has experienced or is going through problems with gallstones can help me out I am feeling pretty desperate.

It all started back in 8th Nov with a gallbladder attack.Paid a visit to the doctor and he said he would arrange a scan,this was done on 30th Dec due to doc forgetting to refer me. Gallstones were found along with enlarged gallbladder and wall.So acute cholecystitis and biliary colic is what I am stuck with. Since then I have had 5 attacks two ending up being a&e visits whilst waiting for an appointment with a surgeon, after weeks of not hearing I called the docs (a different one from before) to enquire about my outpatient app. Holy cow this referral was also forgotten!!! So anyhow I have been today to my Hosp and met with the surgeon who had the sympathy of a gnat! He asked me what I wanted to do and I said I wanted to have it out.

He advised me on what I should and shouldn't eat. Which I had already worked out for myself. I am living on chicken breast, mashed veg,bread and custard! I have cut everything else out. So here lies my problem, I have booksed a surprise 50th birthday holiday for my husband,my little one and me in Greece and we are going 2nd May. I told the surgeon and he said oh the op will have to be after that then because you can't fly for 6weeks after the op. Oh no!!!! I haven't been abroad for 10years and to say I was looking forward to it is an understatement! Not so much now though... Are there any people on here who are post op or even pre op that can give me some advice on what I should do in regards to the best pain relief to take with me. What are the best and worst Greek foods to have/avoid. Alcohol? Best and worst? I haven't had much alcohol since all this started just the odd sip of real ale.I haven't had anything carbonated so there goes my prosecco! Boo hoo.I am gutted to be going away and having to think oh I can't have that,or that,or that,or that! At the moment here in this country is hard as hell to eat like a sparrow.

Any input would be gratefully received. I have medical insurance already do I need to add to it?

Thanks in advance smile

0 likes, 18 replies

18 Replies

Next
  • Posted

    I would been willing to fly to Greece 6 days after surgery never mind 6 weeks.

    I just wouldn't lift anything until your incisions are healed.

  • Posted

    Sorry to hear this sad You need to eat small amounts, as bland as possible, so plain fish, boiled potatoes, nothing fatty, fried, greasy, heavy or spicy. Stay away from alcohol this can make things worse as the gallbladder and liver are sort of related. 

    I was was warned off taking cocodamol, not that it did anything when I took it anyway. The best pain relief for me was a red hot bath and stay in it long as possible, or a hot water bottle to my tummy. 

    Stay at away from caffeine too, avoid stress, limit the amount of dairy you have I.e. Yoghurt so, double cream, eggs. Basically ifs sold in a bakery or a chocolate shop avoid, avoid, avoid! 

    This is is probably not what you wanted to read but I'm afraid that's what happens when you suffer with GB problems sad

  • Posted

    http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2615.aspx?CategoryID=69

    This says you can fly 2 days after laparoscopic surgery.

    • Posted

      The surgeon I saw yesterday said and I quote " when are you going away?" I told him. He said ''ah well we will do it when you come back'' I then moaned at him and said oh no. Any way you can do it before then I said? He then told me there is a 6-8 week wait anyway and it is not guaranteed that it would be done before and even if it was I wouldn't be able to fly for 6 weeks after. He said he could not guarantee it would only be keyhole and that it could go into open surgery. He wouldn't agree to it being done before. So that was that. I am totally miffed with my docs because two mistakes by two doctors have led to an unnecessary wait. The scan was a month later than it should've been along with the surgeon appointment being forgotten. It could have all been done and dusted before the holiday... but I have just got to put it to the back of my mind, move on,get on with it and keep everything crossed I keep the attacks at bay!

    • Posted

      That's too bad. I'm going to have another keyhole operation and originally the surgeon suggested I get that and the GB done at the same time but I had a trip to Hawaii planned and I didn't want to worry about having an attack. Also the attacks were coming fast and furious. Coincidentally my last attack came after a Greek meal. (It was almost worth it!)

      I'd try and get a prescription for Ursodiol. That's a bile thinner.

      Don't eat late. Don't eat fried foods. Take it easy on the olive oil.

    • Posted

      Cheers for the reply. Unfortunately I am on estrogen hrt, I am in my 30's and have had a hysterectomy. I believe ursodiol doesn't bode well with estrogen based meds. Thanks for the suggestion though. I will stick to chicken and salad as I have been and hope for the best. I will have the op done then treat myself to an Amsterdam weekend away as a relaxing treat I think! wink

  • Posted

    I had my gallbladder removed 4 weeks ago. 2 weeks after I was booked to go on a short break holiday to Rome. The surgeon stated that I was alright to fly but I needed to give myself blood thinning injection day I was flying and also on the day I returned. I also had to take aspirin week before I went, during holiday and for a week afterwards. This is because you are more likely to be high risk of getting DVT. I also had medical insurance to cover me. Check with hospital about this. I had no side effects and enjoyed my break.
  • Posted

    Thanks everyone for the replies. I just hope the Greeks will understand when is say " I will have blah blah blah.... plain, no sauce, no spice no nothing please" "no thanks i wont have a glass on wine or a cocktail" Oh no tyhanks you i womnt have a yummy desert" Oh god I am sort of dreading it really but I am going to have to suck it up for the sake of the holiday and my family. sad I am in the midst of house buying and moving so small mercies that I can do all that before the op! I will take a hot water bottle with me that will be a good idea. I cpould check if the room has a bath. Just in case.... I feel sorry for myself I must say though. I keep telling myself there are people going through far worse that me!

    Oh what is Greek for gallbladder/gallstones just in case of an attack and I start mooing like a cow again lol wink I have had a 10lb baby and I would choose to have him again x20 over gallbladder stuff!

    • Posted

      Hiya not much advice on Greece but do u take buscapan ? I find it great for the colicky pains and also when I get the bad indigestion type pain in centre of my chest x
    • Posted

      Hi there took buscopan after my first a&e stint, along with naproxen! I know! The did said to take it. It was making it worse. So I take co-codomal when needed. I was also given omprizole(sp) after another a&e stint I will go and see the doc (a better one this time) and get some advice on what media to take with me.... morphine please! lol.

  • Posted

    Hi, 

    My sister actually was abroad when she had her attacks and they were amazing in the hospitals so even if you end up with an attack they are very quick to help you.

    your GP should also be able to prescribe something stronger for you to take just in case, but if you keep to your Diretzi you should be able to keep it at bay as you do now.

    have a fantastic time. X

     

  • Posted

    I had to go visit family for a week at Christmas and had an attack the week before. Knowing what I know now (that I had gallstones and not IBS) I wouldn’t have gone. The difference is that IBS can be avoided with diet, but gallstone attacks cannot. You can't stop it happening no matter what you eat.

    The condition is also not static. It is probably getting worse. I spent the latter half of my holiday in Hospital in another town because the issue became an emergency. I was unable to eat, the pain was debilitating and it wouldn't stop. I had to stay in hospital and have the tests and surgery right then and there.

    I kept telling myself how lucky I was to be in the right place with the right surgeons and not on holiday on a Greek island, which would have been an absolute nightmare.

    That's my experience and opinion in any case.

    Rob

  • Posted

    if your still having issues cut the bread, I cannot tolerate gluten, funnily though I am fine with chocolate and pork sausages, so guess we are all different smile

    • Posted

      Amazing pork sausages! There just isn't any sense to it is there? A sausage would kill me off lol wink I find salmon horrendous, grapes,onion,tomatoes, not touched any red or processed meat. I have read olive oil helps but the surgeon yesterday said no way steer clear. He found it highly amusing that I was going on holiday and not being able to enjoy it. I could've slapped him!

    • Posted

      yes is so different for so many of us LOL

      yet if I eat a egg it hurts. I also avoid onions, garlic, tomatoes and most of the normal stuff. 

      I was living on chicken and rice and yogurt now and again ( coconut as cannot tolerate any dairy)

      I had to cut the yogurt out but added it back in recently with symptoms staying stable but guessing it will flare again.

      I am allergic to fish, so havent tried that.

      sorry about your holiday sad 

       

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.