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Very distended stomach 7 weeks + after gall bladder op.

Posted , 13 users are following.

vivey
vivey

Hello all,

Has anyone out there who has had the Gall Bladder op still got a distended stomach 7 + weeks after operation ?

I am back at work now but still cannot do my trousers up as tummy so distended.  

Have a special occasion coming up where I would like to wear  a lovely semi-fitting dress - but at the moment look 7 months pregnant (not poss for a 60 year old lol) but seriously am getting quite depressed by this.

Have had IBS for the last 40 years and when saw Consultant prior to op. he said this op may make all the difference to your IBS (i.e. distended stomach, pain and gurgling) I am ever hopeful !!!!!!

Please - is anyone else still suffering with the bloating - want to know that I am not alone !!!!!

Thankyou.

 

2 likes, 18 replies

18 Replies

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  • cynthia89958
    cynthia89958 vivey

    Posted

    I am pre op so not much help to offer but I have had severe bloating as one of the worst symptoms and I have other digestive issues, incl H pylori, hiatus hernia, ? IBS (not diag still having tests). I'd hoped the Gb op might help but not still sure if it is the only culprit. Also, I'm over 60 so the idea of an op is worrying. I am  taking strong probiotics and they helped a little so far. All I do know is, as a former nurse, 7 weeks is still quite early days after an op, esp if you have other conditions, it can take up to 3 months to feel fully recovered. Some folk of course are back at the gym the week after, but we all different and have to allow for this. Maybe time to mention to your Dr though if you feel things are not right. Good luck!
  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 vivey

    Posted

    I can only tell you of my own experience and hope it helps.

    I was diagnosed with gallstones December 2014 and had my gallbladder removed in April 2015.

    No nausea or bloating really just pain particularly after eating.

    I am better than I was.

    However I have recently been diagnosed with a hiatus hernia and it is also likely that I have ibs but these things are liveable with.

    Take care and keep in touch

    Sarah

    • vivey
      vivey sarah87162

      Posted

      Hi Sarah,

      Thankyou for sharing that.

      It is so weird how different people experience the "after gall bladder operation".

      Glad to hear that you are better than you were. That is very positive.

      Hope the medical profession sort you out with hiatus hernia and IBS.

      Take care of yourself.

      Best wishes.

      Viv.

       

    • Guest
      Guest vivey

      Posted

      Hi Vivey

      My husband had his gallbladder removed 8 days ago. For the first few days he had no bloating, then he had a little, then today he had more than any other day since his gallbladder was removed.  Before he had his gallbladder removed, he couldn't eat lactose, gluten, soy, corn, takeaway and a bunch of other things. Since having his gallbladder removed he's been able to eat just about everything.  I am wondering if his bloating today is still a sensitivity to lactose or preservatives however - because he bloated after eating a ham and cheese toasted sandwich. I don't know if it will help with your bloating, but you could look at food sensitivities - and try eliminating the common foods like lactose and gluten. Hope this helps, Beau

    • vivey
      vivey Guest

      Posted

      Hello BeauCornerstone,

      Thankyou for taking the time to reply to my question.  That is interesting regarding lactose and gluten though.  I really haven't gone into eliminating these from my diet.  I purely have put it all down to stress when my stomach becomes so badly bloated.  Also because it has become so bloated since the operation am still putting it down to gas through keyhole surgery.  I am still also getting the pain in my shoulders aswell.

      I will investigate this further regarding lactose and gluten.

      Thankyou BeauCornerstone it has really helped me.

      Best wishes,

      Viv.

  • LittleMissDolly
    LittleMissDolly vivey

    Posted

    I had that for a good while after my removal surgery.  You haven't got a hernia or anything have you too?
    • vivey
      vivey LittleMissDolly

      Posted

      Thankyou for your reply.  As far as I know I haven't got a hernia. Unfortunately I went to a private hospital for the op as a NHS patient and they only give follow up appointments to the private patients.

      I have an appt. with my GP next week so will ask for an examination.

      I have had problems in the past when my stomach becomes so distended if I am stressed etc. or after eating bread.  Not sure if this is any relevance to the gall bladder operation though ?

      Best wishes.

    • LittleMissDolly
      LittleMissDolly vivey

      Posted

      I had my original operation in an nhs hospital and didn't receive a follow up appointment either.  I can't get over that.  It's a cost cutting exercise that not every hospital does.

      I don't blame you getting your GP to check you over.

      I hear you about your stomach.  Bread seems to effect women that way I think for some reason. 

      Everybody reacts to the gallbladder surgery in different ways I've discovered.  I think it's easy to forget that it can take a while to recover.  We can't see the healing that is taken place inside either eh!

      Good luck to you.

    • vivey
      vivey LittleMissDolly

      Posted

      Regarding the follow up appointment. I was told by the nursing staff when I queried about no follow up appts. that because they had so many "did not attend" for f/up clinic they had decided to abandon f/ups completey (NHS).

      Apparently the Consultant who did my op was not at all pleased by this decision.

      It is the way of the world.  

      Many thanks for your reply LittleMissDolly.

      Take care.

    • LittleMissDolly
      LittleMissDolly vivey

      Posted

      Ah, that's interesting! 

      I was told it was because there was no budget for it. 

      You know, I think these folk make it up as you go along.

      I had surgery earlier in the year to repair my first incorrect surgery.  I had a follow up for that.  And they've discharged me saying any problems going forward just phone them directly. 

      You take good care too ok.

  • Kasully60
    Kasully60 vivey

    Edited

    Hi,

    i have my gallbladder remove 4/9/2021 it started out to be laparoscopic but because of so much scar tissue from previous surgeries last year, they had to cut under my rib. i am very bloated, my belly is very hard, especially on top and i look about 8 1/2 months pregnant. I am told i can't exercise except to walk but i get winded very easily. I am so sorry that you are going through this, but now I feel like I am not some freak of surgery. i thought by now I would have at least looked 4 months pregnant of course if i was pregnant at 60 years young, i would be very rich

  • AndyF17
    AndyF17 vivey

    Posted

    Hi there,

    sorry, l can throw no light on your situation, save to say l have what might be similar.

    I awoke after keyhole surgery for gallbladder removal to a hugely distended abdomen.

    I still have it, and the op was 19 months ago at the beginning of November 2019, and l have been chasing a diagnosis and cure ever since.

    So if l find what is wrong I will post to let you know, so you can see if it us something your docs may not have considered, and perhaps you would be kind enough to do likewise

    thanks AndyF17

    • cathy81473
      cathy81473 AndyF17

      Posted

      Are you still having the extending stomach? I TOO, have this problem and it's been since 2019. I have tried eating right, etc and I still look like I'm 8 months pg, I'm at a loss. I gained weight also.

  • deborah91099
    deborah91099 vivey

    Posted

    I also had IBS before I had my gallbladder out. My belly is bloated and I can't zip up my jeans and have had to wear yoga pants which is okay for my job caring for a toddler but it does bother me as I want to wear something else. I don't weigh more so I know it is not that. I drink a lot of pop normally well before the surgery a month ago and now if I drink it I end up in the bathroom minutes later so I am trying to give it up as it is most inconvenient. I am hoping that if I stop with so many carbonated drinks that my belly will go down. I know this post is no help to you but I just wanted you to know that you are not the only one and I am in my mid 60s. I am really mad about my belly being so big.

  • paola41779
    paola41779 vivey

    Edited

    Hi,

    I've just had my gall bladder removed 2 weeks ago. I was told the same thing about my FODMAP and SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth )issues by my surgeon,that the symptoms will quite likely disappear. I know it's early days,but my symptoms have worsened and my stomach is so distended. I had been on a diet under a naturopath for 3 months prior to my op so I hadn't been experiencing bloating or stomach distension at all during that time. The only thing my surgeon said was that the distension after the op was what I had always experienced and it had nothing to do with my op. He was completely deaf to the fact that I knew my body better than him....after all I have had 58 years of experience living in it,and at least 30 years of FODMAP problems.(IBS is part of Fodmap problem). I also experience gripping gas pains at times.........much more than ever before.

    So NO,you are not alone.

    How are you going now that it's been a few months?

    Thank you.

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