Have to have my gall bladder removed

dwatson925

Just lost 45 lbs now have to have surgery. Doctor says I'll have to take a break from the gym. Anyone else have that challenge?

Pawsforme

I haven't had it done, but I don't think it should be too bad? It's such an easy surgery nowadays. Most people I know who've had it done are back to their normal routine within a few days, a week at the most. My MIL was in her 70's when she had hers removed and she was back to normal in less than a week.

Good luck!

Owlfan88

I don't have any experience with this, but maybe you can still do some lower intensity exercise sooner than your full gym workout.

x311Tifa

I was 22 when I had mine done. I was absolutely useless for two weeks. I spent my spring break in a recliner. After about 4 days I felt human again, but being 100% again took 5 weeks.

But that's just my experience. I would do it again in a heartbeat to stop the terrible pain I was in from having my gallbladder still.

Just_Ceci

I had mine removed after losing 50+ lbs. I was walking the afternoon of surgery, back to work in 3 days, running and cycling after about a week. It was painful, but not as painful as the gall bladder attacks had been.

Diane4242

Think of your convalescence as a short vacation.. you'll soon be back to the gym without the pain of the bad gall bladder. I had to have the surgery the old fashioned way (about a 7" abdominal scar) which took me a lot longer to get back on my feet but understand the laparoscopy surgery used today is a quick recovery. The diet changes you may need to do after the surgery will take the longest to get used to. I still can't eat really greasy/oily foods, as an example. You'll feel sooooo much better after the surgery!

Chainotthetea

I had it done, it's only a few weeks.

tmonty67

I had my removed a year ago. It is relatively easy, I had very little pain, and only took pain meds for two days after that over the counter meds. I got up and moved around, slowly and carefully with first few days. I did walking after the first week and went back to the gym when cleared by doctor. Some people have a digestion problems after, meats and fats can go right through you. I have had no problems. I suffered for over five years with what I thought was just a fussy stomach, until the pains came. I am so happy to feel good. Good luck, fast healing.

dwatson925

tmonty67 wrote: »

I had my removed a year ago. It is relatively easy, I had very little pain, and only took pain meds for two days after that over the counter meds. I got up and moved around, slowly and carefully with first few days. I did walking after the first week and went back to the gym when cleared by doctor. Some people have a digestion problems after, meats and fats can go right through you. I have had no problems. I suffered for over five years with what I thought was just a fussy stomach, until the pains came. I am so happy to feel good. Good luck, fast healing.

Thanks for the uplifting words! I'm nervous!

ValerieMartini2Olives

I had mine removed. Two weeks taking it really easy, one more week of easing back into things.

AnnPT77

I had mine out last June in the middle of weight loss. Other than the frustrating break from my normally active life (especially the "no rowing" for a month during rowing season!), it was a non-event. No pain, no problems, no strange digestive consequences.

I was allowed to walk as much as I wanted almost right away (I don't recall if it started the day after surgery, but if not that, only a couple of days after. But nothing vigorous for a month . . . and they defined "vigorous" as things like running a vacuum cleaner! Toward the end - week 3 or 4 - I was allowed to lift 5 pounds (!) and do so repeatedly. First time in my life I've ever done "reps to boredom" instead of "reps to failure".

All joking aside: For me, it was very easy. Easy surgery, easy recovery. The enforced "no vigorous activity" was literally the worst thing about it, and that's (sigh) obviously do-able.

If I were doing it over in the same circumstances, I would've gone to (or near) maintenance calories for a few weeks after surgery, instead of staying in deficit. But since you're posting in the maintenance area, I'm assuming that's not an issue for you.

draco706

Had mine out in October of 2012. Had lots of complications, in the .002%! I started working out in Feb of 2013, I had to work up to a quarter mile.... Just say NO to first year residents playing operation!

dwatson925

ValerieMartini2Olives wrote: »

I had mine removed. Two weeks taking it really easy, one more week of easing back into things.

Thanks. I hope mine goes as well

hellobaconplease

It's such minor surgery now. I had mine removed in 2013, was home again 3 hours later. Sure it hurts a bit for the first couple of days but I found that I felt better rapidly.

AlphaHowls

I definitely do not consider it a minor surgery, in any context. Any doctor cutting on my abdomen seems pretty serious. That said, you are probably not infected and too sick since you are here talking about it. I went down hard when mine failed. I spent 5 days in the hospital. My gall bladder was badly infected and full of stones. I had no idea what was happening for those 5 days. I had been sick for a long time, but did not know it was my gall bladder keeling over. Only instruction I got from my doctor: "The best thing you can do is walk."
There were no diet instructions, but to take it easy. I do have trouble processing some foods and you do need to take it easy for the liver's sake.

hellobaconplease

Maybe it seems minor because I have c-sections to compare to it, and my gallbladder wasn't deseased etc. The gallbladder surgery was a few hour thing with just some tiny holes, as compared to my entire lower section cut right open and 4 day stays in hospital. I also had the stones for 8 years, so that many years of pain was horrible.

Having the stones removed that were left behind in the bile tract was MUCH WORSE and was agonising though. That was a camera and tools down the throat jobby. Spewing and choking while it feels like 40 gallbaldder attacks in a row and no sedation whilst lying on ones tummy is not cool.

ChristyBaxter2010

I had to have mine removed laparoscopically in 2005 when I was 30 weeks pregnant with my youngest son. The doctors were worried that the surgery would cause me to go into labor, but it was one of those things that was going to put us both in danger if they didn't remove it immediately. I had to stay in the hospital for several days after surgery to monitor me and the baby, (we were both fine

RunRachelleRun

I had mine removed laparoscopically in 2012. I didn't need any pain meds after the surgery and felt pretty good 2 days after. I was training for a half marathon and was advised to take a week off. Things felt sloshy in my gut when I started up again so I took it slow to reduce the impact, but two weeks after the surgery, I could exercise normally. My digestion of fats is poor and I expect that won't improve since it's been almost 4 years.

dimple_gal

Had mine done 23 years ago 2 months after my son was born. Was lifting my 15 pound baby (carefully) and back to work 3 days later, and dealing with my 3 year old. Very little pain, and certainly so much less than the GB attacks! I can barely see the scars now, and though initially had troubles with fatty foods, I don't seem to have that problem now but avoid them anyway.

mabinethin

Yup....had mine removed 2yrs ago...I would say I was 95% better by week 2.

dwatson925

dimple_gal wrote: »

Had mine done 23 years ago 2 months after my son was born. Was lifting my 15 pound baby (carefully) and back to work 3 days later, and dealing with my 3 year old. Very little pain, and certainly so much less than the GB attacks! I can barely see the scars now, and though initially had troubles with fatty foods, I don't seem to have that problem now but avoid them anyway.

Thanks