Pls!! Gallbladder surgery advice!!

Frankly, keeping your gallbladder would mean more than enduring the pain.  Your body will continue to make stones.  It won't  stop.  A sick gallbladder affects all the organs that function in concert with it, including your liver, stomach, intestines and your pancreas. Gallbladders can become cancerous. Most side effects of gallbladder removal, including diarrhea, can be managed.  And not every one experiences unmanageable side effects from removal.  Most folks do just fine.  

Others will tell you that it's possible to detoxify your gallbladder and liver and dissolve stones.  Remember, that they're usually trying to sell something.  There's no evidence that these approaches work.  You can even become more ill.  There's a prescription medication that can be used to try to dissolve stones, but there's no guaranty it works and it has to be taken over the course of years.  It also has side effects.

It is understandable that you're afraid--but you need to take care of yourself.

As for preparation for surgery and discussions of that, the discussions already present on this site offer excellent resources for that information.

Best of luck to you.   

 

I was the opposite and was telling the surgeon to get my gallbladder out as soon as possible. Couldn't cope with the constant pain and nausea I'd had for about 7 weeks solid! So it got removed after 2 hospital admissions with cholecystitis. I'm only 2 weeks post-op but so far so good.

There's tablets to take to help with any side effects you may get but there's nothing that helps with a sick gallbladder! Hate to say but it's only going to get worse painwise until you get the gallbladder out. Ending up on IV antibiotics for cholecystitis and treated for sepsis isn't fun, and not something I think is worth keeping your gallbladder for.

Promise you I've felt a million times better in the 2 weeks my gallbladder has been out! Have my appetite back (but I don't eat loads of junk or fatty foods anyway so all good haha). Hope you get sorted and feel better soon xx

My first (and so far only) attack I had 13 days of pain (last month). from start to finish-the worse pain being on days 7-8. I have a high pain threshold and worked ,in a physical job,from day 1 -5. (Looking back I don't know how I did it)

Since then, I have restricted my diet within reason. A lot more fruit,not a lot of spice and very little fat.

At first the weight dropped off me but the last couple of weeks my stomach has been bloated and excess wind (far too much and rather smelly ), which I know is a common sign of gallstones.

O forgot to say that I having done a lot of research on t'Internet, and only having one attack (so far) that I would like my gallbladder removed. I'm of the opinion of it don't work or causes you pain then remove it.

It's natural to be afraid of surgery but sometimes there's no other option. If it were as easy as taking pills, liver flushes etc would the overstretched NHS be spending millions offering surgery to gallstone patients? These days, when you sign the consent form, they list a whole load of complications that may (but probably won't) happen during and after surgery and it's very scary but all they are doing is covering themselves from you suing them afterwards because you weren't told something. Generally people who post on this forum have post cholecystectomy complications but they are the minority. The ones who have no issues don't post because they're fine and don't need to ask for help.  I personally know five others who've had this surgery and not one has had complications. Many of those who do have complications have other health issues that affect the outcome of their surgery and a small minority refuse to accept advice regarding diet (it's just not healthy to go on eating unhealthy foods). I heard about one lady, a nurse at that, who had day case surgery, went home and ordered a take away curry! She really should have known better. When they say you can eat a normal diet afterwards that does not mean you can live on fatty takeaways. You have to eat reasonably healthily.

The vast majority of patients have laparoscopic surgery which has a shorter recovery time than open surgery. Yes you are laid up for two to three weeks but then you gradually get your life back. It's better than having attacks that with me, sometimes lasted up to five days during which I could not sleep or eat.

As to hanging on to a sick gallbladder, my advice is don't even think about it. At first you may be able to control the pain with a low fat, bland diet, but eventually this won't work. It took four months for low fat diet to stop working for me.

Also the risks associated with keeping a sick gallbladder are huge. The gallbladder does not work independently: it is part of a large digestive system, thus a sick gallbladder can cause the other organs in that system not to function correctly. It can affect your liver and you will develop jaundice.  I developed jaundice and was hospitalised for a week due to septic shock. It can affect your pancreas causing painful pancreatitis and it's not so easy to deal with a sick pancreas as a gallbladder. It can cause bowel problems like cancers. The gallbladder can rupture causing peritonitis. Many of the complications that can happen through hanging onto a sick gallbladder are life threatening. I had open surgery in February. The labs found cancer in the gallbladder so I ended up, just five weeks later, having a liver resection in order to try and save my life. It is rare, but it can happen. I now have to six monthly tests to see if it has spread. I wouldn't want anyone to have to go through that. At the moment I'm feeling good in myself and my life has, more or less, returned to normal, except for getting very tired and some tenderness on my right side. 

Sorry about the length of this post but I believe in being blunt on this topic.

If you have painful symptoms from your gallstones the only treatment that will help is to have your gallbladder removed. It won't improve by itself, in fact it will only get worse over time. There are plenty of stories of people having problems afterwards, but honestly, most people do extremely well and get their lives back! I am one of those. I had my gallbladder removed eight weeks ago today and I am completely better! No problems and no symptoms after years of pain and attacks! I felt better as soon as I came out of surgery. Of course there is post surgery pain, but you can take pain medication to help with that. It hurts pretty bad to sit up, move about and so on for a short while, but you'd expect that after surgery. I had no problems with diarrhoea at all. I ate plain simple foods for the first week - soup, toast, potatoes, chicken - and smaller portions. I can now eat anything! Before I could hardly eat a thing without getting ridiculously bloated and being in severe pain. Everyone's recovery will vary of course, but I cannot recommend surgery enough. (I had a laparoscopic cholecystectomy- which is how most procedures are carried out,) 

Good luck, and let us know how you get on. 

I would bite the bullet and have op asap, you wont know anything about,you will be sent home next day,take it easy no lifting, a bad gall bladder will only get worse,the surgeon said mine was in a very bad state,even tho ive always eaten healthy, i was in agony,was rushed into surgery, im still on mend,but getting there,  all best,

Thank you all for your advice! I have done the surgery, but I'm in pain... Can't sleep well and my  right shoulder along with the right side is killing me

( they say it's probably trapped gas).

I wonder how long does it take for all this gas to go away? And  what  did   you  guys eat? Also any comfortable sleeping positions?

Thanks for all your help!!!

You do feel rough for a while post op. Remember this is temporary. You will gradually feel better.

You can help get rid of gas by moving about. This also helps prevent DVT. Try to walk short distances regularly.  Raising the foot of the bed is supposed to help too. Keep on top of the pain meds. Don't make sudden movements or try lifting anything for a while. Drink loads of water.

As for food: I didn't have much appetite. I'd order up food in hospital but couldn't manage to eat more than a mouthful when the food arrived. I was better at home, where I had more choice and could eat when I wanted. I recall craving prawn cocktail of all things! Husband found low fat version. I ate small meals as the bloating was so uncomfortable and plain foods: rich tea biscuits, toast, baked or mashed  potatoes, rice pudding, soups, bananas, orange juice. Gradually my appetite returned and I was able to slowly introduce other foods.

Six months on, I still eat low fat as I get an uncomfortable full feeling if I eat too much fat in one meal. I also eat smaller portions at meals than I used to for the same reason, but I try to include a couple of snacks in the day to make up for it. I do calorie count to ensure I don't exceed what I need to maintain my weight. I lost about four stones in a year, so don't want to pile it all on again, but the loss has slowed down recently. I feel better than I've done in years except for tiring easily and tenderness on rh side but I had open surgery twice within five weeks and through the same incision so this should not be an issue for you.

Hope you have a speedy recovery!

Hey everyone 

I'm new on here . I have suffered with gallbladder pain for years now but over the past 3 years it has gotten much worse. I have my surgery next week but I have a sever fear about it . I know I need it out but I am scared that I will have a panic attack and not go through with it . I have read good and bad experiences . What are everyone's else experiences? 

Thanks 

Everyone is scared of having surgery. The thing to ask yourself is what is the alternative? Peritonitis? Sepsis? Pancreatitis? Jaundice? Ask any surgeon and they will tell you it will only get worse in time and you're putting yourself at risk. Who wants to live with pain, nausea, sickness, diarrhoea and all those other horrible symptoms, having to eat a restricted diet and never knowing when the next attack will happen? Get your gallbladder out and get your life back. Yes there will be post op pain and discomfort and it takes a while for the body to get used to not having a gallbladder but for the vast majority this is temporary.

I was wondering.. is it normal to be fully bloated after gallbladder removal? I am so bloated it is even difficult for me to move or walk... I also have constipation even 5days post op... Anything I can do to help with the bloating and constipation?