Post op

Hi Fiona! I'm 3 1/2 weeks out and I still get very bloated and have diarrhea sometimes and stomach cramps😩, I'm still on a low fat diet , my surgeon told me that it's pretty normal and can last for a few months until our body adapt to not having a gallbladder , my top incision still is sore and bothers me 

9 days is way too soon and all tou are feeling is normal don't worry, it will get better!

Hi Fiona

Glad to hear you're on the mend!

I'm five months post op. I had open cholecystectomy and a liver resection soon afterwards so my recovery will probably take a bit longer than yours.

I still have tenderness on right hand side but it has improved.  I get the odd twinge still too but nothing like the dreadful nagging pain I had pre op. Guess it's just a slow process. Was told it could take a year.

I also still get bloating and cope with this by eating smaller portions generally. You just have to work out how much to eat before you need to stop.

I'm still limiting fatty foods. For instance, I can eat one poached egg but not two. Because your body has no where to store bile, it cannot cope with large amounts of fat at one time. 

I was advised to gradually increase the amount of fibre in my diet as this helps soak up excess bile between meals and thus reduces risk of diarrhoea. If this doesn't help you can get your doctor to prescribe something that helps.

I would say, if you're still having pain and diarrhoea, and your doctor has checked it out, you aren't ready to go back to work  for a week or two yet. Remember you've had an organ removed and your body needs time to adjust to that. If you drive, you need to be capable of making an emergency stop and you still can't lift much. I realised how much an average handbag weighs after my surgery!

Even though they say two weeks recovery after laparoscopic cholecystectomy, it is a gradual recovery and I think it will take maybe a couple of months for you to feel better. Make sure people at work are aware of this and don't expect too much. When my daughter had surgery a couple of years ago, she had a graduated return to work and still tired easily.

Hi, I am 11 days post op and my diet is varied.. I can eat chicken and rice, egg and oat toast ( I am gluten and dairy free) I can manage a small amount of coconut yogurt and berries, homemade soups, crackers and avocado, the odd nut etc.. I am a greast believer in fat and how essential it is for our bodies, hormones and health, so still eating healthy fats and using oil, however taking it very slowly in small amounts. I am still geting bloated after meals,  but ox bile does help with this ( and makes sure I am digesting those fats properley) I also take a probiotic at bed and digestive enzymes and have so far, touch wood, had no issues with any foods except a little gas and bloating which is too be expected as my digestion is adjusting to its changes.

I have minor achy feelings at my right ribs from time to time and not sure if its healing pain or gas, but my wounds are healing well and overall mostly feel great...

I dont have any pain when moving, sleeping ( can sleep on my side and have done for a week now) or walking about, however we are all different and heal differently, there are many on the FB group who sound like you, so its normal. Some heal well and then develop symptoms, so I am aware of that.

Bile salts have helped people with upset tummies as well as calcium carbonate, psyllium husk, prescription bile binders, probiotics etc... it seems some work for some and not for others, so trial and error. Good luck with your healing x