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ME/CFS and gall bladder surgery?

Posted , 6 users are following.

sunshinemb
sunshinemb

I have severe ME/CFS since 2002.  I live in the UK.

I am awaiting surgery for removal of gall bladder and large gall stone!

My question is, has anyone had surgery whilst also having ME/CFS and did you experience any adverse effects to anaesthetic or delayed recovery times.

I want to prepare myself the best I can and any help or advice would be very much appreciated!

Thankyou

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • alison44235
    alison44235 sunshinemb

    Posted

    I have had M.E. for 32 years. I had a hysterectomy 18 years ago. I was given something to stop the sickness after the anaesthtic so that was O.K., but it took twice as long to recover than it would have if i had not had M.E. Sorry. But everybody is different you might be lucky.

    All the best.

    Alison

    • sunshinemb
      sunshinemb alison44235

      Posted

      Hi Alison

      Thanks for your reply

      I was anticipating a longer recovery only because of past experience

      with infections and viruses!

      I am keeping everything crossed and will try not to exit the hospital before the procedure..!!!

      Thanks again

  • dawn97
    dawn97 sunshinemb

    Posted

    Hi sunshine , I've had a operation to reduce my bust & I was great !!! Infact the nurses said how good I was no complaining  or moaning about pain !! My answer to them was when your used to pain day in day out its nice to have something  hurt that you know WILL GET BETTER !!!!  You will be free of that awfull gallbladder  pain. Keep that in mind !!! & me I'm now 36 dd. I was 38/40 jjj !!! I luv my new boobs even though I don't go outside the door my new boobs make me happy !!! So good luck & don't worry !! Xx
    • sunshinemb
      sunshinemb dawn97

      Posted

      Hi Dawn

      I am so glad your op went well and you're very happy with the results!!

      I was thinking of asking them to do a bit of lipo while they are in there!!!!!

      but seem to be losing weight as diet is very limited at moment due to gall bladder pain attacks...never experienced pain like it, childbirth was a breeze compared to this!

      The stone is 26mm diameter and had trouble for a couple of years so

      will glad to see it gone!

      Thanks again for your reply and good wishes!!xx

  • jackie00198
    jackie00198 sunshinemb

    Posted

    Sunshine:

    Are you having laparoscopic surgery? This is often used for removal of gall bladder and stones. A friend of mine just had this kind of surgery. It's way less involved than the "regular" surgery used in years past, like when my mother had her gall bladder removed. If you're having any kind of anethesia, I think it would be a good idea to consult your CFS/ME doctor-- Good luck with the surgery. I hope you're not in pain with your gall bladder.

    • sunshinemb
      sunshinemb jackie00198

      Posted

      Hi Jackie

      I am told it is laparoscopic surgery, seeing the surgeon in 2weeks time and for pre op assessment!  I was just thinking about contacting Dr as she would give me a letter to explain to the surgeon what is wrong with me because I get confused and mind goes blank and when I do talk the words that come out of my mouth are not what I am thinking...!!!

      I am even writing out a letter for the surgeon explaining stuff about gall bladder attacks etc...saves my brain energy!!!

      The pain has been worse than anything i have experienced and I am in pain all the time with me/cfs symptoms, but this was taken to a whole new level. Initially they were only minor attacks that lasted a few minutes but then had a really major problem in April this year...then attacks came every few days! Changed to no fat diet and drinking lots of fluids!

      It seems to have calmed down but I can feel it most days and just keep telling it to behave!!

      The plus side is that the weight is coming off slowly which can only be a good thing?!

      Thank you Jackie for your good wishes and I hope you are having a good day?!

       

  • jeanp
    jeanp sunshinemb

    Posted

    Hi sunshine,

    Good luck with your surgery and the recovery. Do you have a date for it yet?

    I don't know anything about gall bladder surgery so can't help with that, sorry. I am having a hip revision in October, so will be very interested in the replies you get. Last hip op five years ago, I had spinal and sedation, so didn't have the horrible nausea or headache from general anaesthesia, and I am hoping for the same this time. At the pre-op, the nurse didn't seem very interested in the fact that I have had chronic fatigue since Christmas (if it IS cfs it is fairly mild and I have still kept working, with quite a lot of time off). I have a neurologist referral, as my doctor thought it might possibly be myasthenia gravis - and even when I told the pre-op nurse this she didn't seem bothered; it is one of the conditions which should mean I get to see the anaesthetist automatically, according to the hospital's own guidelines.

    Can you ask your consultant's team whether your condition will affect your recovery and how? and if there is a lighter form of anaesthesia available for you? I agree it is worrying to be undergoing surgery when even doing a bit of shopping etc can wipe you out for days.

    • sunshinemb
      sunshinemb jeanp

      Posted

      Hi Jean

      Thank you for taking the time to reply to my question!

      I will be seeing the surgeon and having pre op assessment in 2weeks, so trying to be well prepared before I go to see him!

      My mum fell and broke the top of her thigh and her arm and she had a partial hip replacement where they replace the ball joint.

      She had local anaesthetic and nerve block.  She has an ileostomy  due to ulcerative colitis and does have a lot of fatigue with her condition.

      She has done really well 8weeks on and just needs more sleep!

      I will ask the questions that you have mentioned, and I am really grateful for your reply!

      Thanks again Jean and hope you are having a good day?!

    • jeanp
      jeanp sunshinemb

      Posted

      You're very welcome. Hope your mum recovers really well. I remember feeling really tired after the first hip op, for several weeks. I am expecting the recovery to be longer this time round (i'm five years older for one thing - 61) so expect to be supertired! Sleep is healing though, as long as your mum moves around too. Walking is a good exercise (as long as the surgeon okays it of course). And I hope you are also having a good day.
  • sunwyn66141
    sunwyn66141 sunshinemb

    Posted

    Hi Sunshine,

    I had my gall bladder out about 8 years ago.  I was still working then, but already showing some signs of whatever it is I have.  I had no adverse effects at all.  I had ignored the pains of passing stones, thought it was indigestion, until a big stone got stuck and the pain did not stop.  I asked the security guard where I lived for some pepto bismol and he tossed me in the van and ran me over to the emergency room.  They gave me tests and some LOVELY morphine and two days later (after the barium x-ray and all that) they took out the gall bladder.  They let me out of the hospital two days after that, and the day afterwards I was back at work.  I just couldn't do any heavy lifing for awhile.

    I say "whatever it is I have" because I am pretty sure it is not CFS or ME.  I have some of the symptoms but not others, the onslaught was gradual, and I am getting progressively weaker.  My neurologist gave up on me and said it had to be CFS because they had ruled out everything else.  Two years earlier another neurologist at the same hospital had diagnosed me with IBM, a progressive, debilitating, and fatal illness.  I may or may not have it, I may have something else.  

    Another doctor has taken over and he is going to do another whole bunch of tests. Whatever it is, I am very weak, easily fatigued, and in a lot of pain. So even if this is not CFS I certainly sympathize.

    Good luck with your surgery.  Make sure you eat well (if you can) before the surgery because you are not going to feel like eating for awhile.  I didn't.  Of course, that may just be the hospital food....

    Take care and God Bless you,

    Sunny

     

    • sunshinemb
      sunshinemb sunwyn66141

      Posted

      Hi Sunny

      Thankyou for taking the time to respond and also your good wishes!

      I am sorry to hear that you are being passed around between different doctors, which is so mentally exhausting as well as physically.

      I hope it isnt IBM(I will look that up) and I hope it isnt CFS/ME either!

      But I do hope you get some answers or definite diagnosis soon instead

      of being left in limbo all this time.

      Thank you for your encouraging words about the gall bladder surgery

      and I will make sure I eat before I go in because as you say the hospital food will not be enticing me to eat!!... as I have seen it recently when my mum was in hospital and I made a mental note then to take my own food in with me!!!!

      Thank you so much Sunny for taking the time to reply and I hope you enjoy your weekend?!

       

    • sunwyn66141
      sunwyn66141 sunshinemb

      Posted

      Thanks for the good wishes, Sunshine.  We are having a much nicer weekend than we expected, cool and rainy.  But with 2 hurricanes just passing over us we are grateful that things are going well.  Aloha from Hawaii!
    • sunshinemb
      sunshinemb sunwyn66141

      Posted

      Aloha Sunny!!

      I looked up IBM...you definitely don't want that!

      The human body is a wonderful thing, but just like computers,

      when they go wrong they're a bloomin pain to fix!!

      I hope you are lucky enough to live on Hawaii and not just visiting!

      I know hurricanes can be a big problem as my sister has visited

      but it was only a small one and that was scary enough she said.

      But I would take my chances to live there!!!

      So when you say cool do you mean less than 75deg F

      cos here it is 55degF today and loads of rain and this is the middle of summer?!!!

      Unfortunately I am laid up in bed after a bad night with gall bladder

      pain, so feeling very delicate at the moment!

      Take care Sunny and hope the sun shines on you today?!

       

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