I am most likely looking at having gallbladder surgery and I'm so scared??? Any suggestions

I had to have it by keyhole last year. Quickly done, home next day, eating soon afterwards.  You will be ok.  As my surgeon said 'i am good at what i do' after all my questions!

only proviso is watch what you eat as i find too fatty or spicy can upset tummy.

Hi Anna

You will be absolutely fine, I have had many major ops, and come out the other side fit & well.

You will feel so much better Post Operatively aftercare will ensure you aren't nauseou, ask for meds if you are... you should see an Anaesthetist prior to Surgery, tell them of your concerns and they could put you early on the List and give you some sedation to help calm you prior to surgery.

You will feel very drowsy when when you come around, there will be Medical & Nursing Staff with you all the time.. So don't worry..

Good Luck!

Hope you feel a lot better, you are very young to be having to have a Gallbladder Op?

It's very safe as far as surgeries go. You'll be intubated so your apnea won't be a factor at all. I have apnea too.

Hi Anna, I'm 11 day post op and there really isn't anything to be worried about. I'm a bit older than you are but I'd never had surgery before so it made me very anxious. Well I needn't have been the nurses were amazing and looked after me brilliantly well and the surgeon's assistant, the surgeon and the anaesthetist all come and visit you first so if you have any other questions then you can talk to them. 

If you haven't already you will have an appointment with the surgeon so you can as him/her any questions but you will also have an opportunity at the pre-op as well which I had about 2 weeks before surgery.

I hope this helps and don't be scared just do what they say and your'll be fine x

This is my biggest fear I have put it off for over 10 years but it's making me really ill now and I am going to have to go back to the Dr as it's affecting my quality of life. But I am just so scared I am not sure I can go through with it. I just keep hoping they will find a way to do it with epidural.

​So sorry to hear you have gallbladder issues at a young age - not uncommon though these days.

​Rest assured as surgeries go, it is one of the most often done and with a good record of success, even where other conditions are present. I have known someone have it who had sleep apnoea and they were scared, but all went well as the medical team will give extra care and attention when needed, you will be monitored by the anaesthetist every minute you are in the operating room.

​I was scared to have mine done, though different circumstances, but honestly it was much easier than I imagined.  It only takes seconds to fall asleep and then you wake up all done.

​What helped me was just getting through each hour one at a time in the lead up to the procedure and not thinking too far ahead, except to imagine being well after. I am going for a different type of surgery soon and the nerves are the same, it is only natural and human nature to fear these things. But the surgical staff will reassure and support you if you tell them of your anxieties. Hope all goes well for you.

Anna,

?Don't worry.  You will be fine.  Your surgeon would not do it unless he/she was fully confident about the outcome.   I had it done a little over two years ago by keyhole surgery.  My only thoughts were that I wanted the pain to go away.  I wasn't scared at all. 

?You will be in pre-op for a little while as the nurse will get you ready for surgery.  There you will be given an IV, and a sedative to calm you, if needed.  They put warmed blankets on you, and then you are wheeled into surgery where you need to scoot over onto the operating table.  As soon as you are in position on the table, everything happens very fast.  The Anesthesiologist puts your arm with the IV on a arm board which swings out from the table, and begins administering the anesthetic.  The next thing you notice is that you are waking up in post op.  As soon as you are coherant, you will be taken back to your room or if it is day surgery, a recovery area.  You will stay there until the doctor gives his/her okay for you to go home.  The surgery itself takes about an hour. 

?I do recommend that you wear some loose fitting slacks (no jeans) to go home in.  There is one two inch long incision usually just above the naval or right at the waist, and a couple of small incisions elsewhere below the waist.  Everything will be either stitched or surgically glued and bandaged.  Your doctor will see to it that you are sent home with pain medication, which you will take for the first few days or as needed.   You may not feel like eating as much at first, but do eat at least three to five times a day in small meals.  Drink a lot of water and juice to flush the anesthetic? from your system.  Since you will no longer have a gallbladder, you will not be able to eat high fat foods.  Just focus on eating balanced low fat foods. 

?Get plenty of rest.  You will find yourself taking a lot of naps during the first few weeks.  This is the body's way of healing.  Get up and walk around the house at least once every few hours during the day.  After a few days when you feel up to it,  start taking short walks around your neighborhood.  Make sure someone is with you as you may feel a bit unsteady the first week.  You should feel back to normal in about five weeks.  However, your body actually needs a full year for full recovery.  Begin exercise only when you doctor says it is okay.

?Don't worry, you will be just fine.