Gallbladder Issues

susannakaysen · September 2013

Hi everyone. Long time user, first time poster! I thought I'd try these message boards for support about some gallbladder issues I've been having since I've seen some great support go out to others!

I had my first ever 'gallbladder attack' about 5 years ago while I was at university and have had them on and off since then. I've had 3 in the space of a week, and I've also gone months with no pain whatsover. Earlier this year I was diagnosed with gallstones after a particularly bad attack in January. 26 hours of pain, codeine, valium, nothing would shift it. The consultant scheduled me in to get my gallbladder removed and since then I've postponed two surgery dates.

The hospital have obviously had enough and scheduled me an appointment on the 21st of September, but as i'm crazy busy with work and social things, I'm reluctant to take time off for recovery. I've also been doing a lot of research and though I understand people turn to the internet when things go wrong, there do seem to be a lot of issues to do with digestive problems after removal (I was especially upset to learn that some people end up completely intolerant to alcohol!)

On top of that I've not had any pain AT ALL in 9 months. I'm not sure if that's due to doing more exercise, becoming pescetarian and losing 20lbs, or if i'm just in 'off season'. I've certainly had nights of excess in the space of that time and I've had no bloating, pain or any bad symptoms at all.

I'm in two minds about surgery because on one hand, it is preventative and removes the fear of gallstones getting worse. On the other hand, I feel perfectly healthy and I don't want to go messing with organs and my digestive system if I don't have to.

I'm fine with having a low fat diet afterwards as I follow a relatively low fat diet already, but the thought of rushing to the toilet immediately after having an alcoholic drink or slice of pizza really depresses me. I'm only 22 and I'm really settled into my diet and exercise plan, I'd hate for it to get ruined.

I was wondering what others experiences of gallbladder removal have been? Were you unable to eat certain foods or drink alcohol after having your gallbladder removed? How quickly did you recover? (I have a weekend away booked 10 days after my surgery is scheduled that I've been looking forward to all year).

I know that my health comes first and that's precisely why I'm asking. I don't want to cause myself issues if diet and exercise seems to be keeping problems at bay.

Thanks so much for any advice!

running_free_1984 · September 2013

I had my gall bladder removed 4 months ago. Like you i was deliberating and unsure as i hadn't had them in a few months but THEN i had a 48 hour attack which turned into pancreatitis when the gall.stone hopped into the pancreatic duct. This is fatal for 1 in 5 cases. The removal was done in a hurry once they confirmed the stone was not blocking my pancreas anymore. I was in dire pain and starved for days because of numerous scans.

overall, barring the 3 weeks i wasn't allowed to run. It was the best thing that ever happened. I'm the fittest and strongest ive ever been and i can know that i will never get bilial colic again. I know how debilitating it is, i couldn't even look after my two very young children when it came on.

if i had to make the decision again i would have got it done with no hesitation. This is with the benefit of hindsight.

best of luck

running_free_1984 · September 2013

I have absolutely no problems eating anything. Naturally after a week of starvation it took me a couple of weeks to get totally back to normal but then pancreatitis is truly awful.

SweetJoanne · September 2013

i see the surgeon on October 1st and if he wants to take my gallbladder out he can. I have gallstones, I had a bad attack a couple of weeks ago and then another last week after eating rich foods at a buffet/dinner. Usually I eat healthy. My doctor told me to avoid alcohol altogether which is tough as I enjoy a glass of red wine now and again. If I was you I would get it out you don't really need it

autumn_mix · September 2013

Hello! I had my gallbladder removed five years ago, at age 23. I also had experienced terrible attacks that would come on frequently (up to 3x/week), and then would go away for months. Very frustrating. I decided to go through with the surgery, and I am really, really glad I did. My surgery was laproscopic - meaning I had four tiny (< 0.5") incisions on my abdomen. The pain was severe the day of the surgery and the day after, but codeine took care of it (like you, any codeine variant had zero effect on the pain caused by the attacks). The only difficulty for me was not being able to use my core muscles for a few days - my boyfriend (now husband) had to help me out of bed to go to the bathroom, etc. This was gone in a couple days. My surgery was on a Friday early afternoon, and I was back at work the following Wednesday morning. As far as surgeries go, it was easy. The incisions took some time to heal, and you do need to be mindful of not lifting heavy things for a bit afterward. I remember I moved to graduate school eight days after my surgery and it left me in quite a bit of pain, but that was a lot of lifting/walking that I absolutely should not have been doing.

As for afterward, I found that I didn't need to drastically change my diet. I was at a healthy weight and ate healthy prior to my surgery (since fried foods and ice cream caused the attacks, which I was trying to avoid). I was actually able to eat more fats after my surgery than I could before, which I suppose is a benefit. I still am a bit fat-intolerant, and I get cramping if I eat too much of anything too heavy, particularly foods high in saturated fats. You will learn what your body can and cannot handle. I have a friend who had the same surgery and eats cheeseburgers and fries with no discomfort, so there's quite a range in resulting eating habits post-surgery. I also drink alcohol with no problem.

Hope this helps!

michael1976_ca · September 2013

i had mine out. you wont be layed up much it was a day surgery. i have a tiny scare from it but i was up walking the next day as far as exercise you might have to do light work out. so theres nothing to fear except when you come back to planet earth. i was complaing i couldn't feel my legs but it was the drugs talking

Danilynn1975 · September 2013

I had mine out at age 25. Best thing ever.

I had mine done on a Friday, back at work the following Monday.

No issues with any food or alcohol.

brraanndi · September 2013

Yep, I was fine enough to work in under a week.

It all happened pretty fast I thought my appendix had burst or something I was in so much pain.

I would recommend it to anyone who's doc suggested it, a severe attack is a nightmare.

And after the surgery I stopped having to modify my diet, there was nothing to set off attacks anymore.

Fullsterkur_woman · September 2013

I have a family member who had his out in his early 20s. He has to take cholestyramine binders to avoid having diarrhea now, but tolerates alcohol fine. If he doesn't take his binders at the same time every morning, he can't stray far from the house when he finally does eat, until he gets it out of his system. It may be that if he just wouldn't eat so high fat, he wouldn't have that problem, but he's otherwise healthy, so I leave him alone about it.

He was up and around and actually learned to kneeboard (like waterski) two weeks post-surgery, so I wouldn't worry too much about the recovery period.

I have another friend who had hers out in her 30s a couple of years ago, and she has not mentioned any untoward side effects afterwards.

Pancreatitis is horrible and painful. I wouldn't risk it if I were you.

grillingirl · September 2013

I had my gall bladder removed 6 years ago after a painful attack. My doctor told me not to wait so I had it out pretty much immediately. I haven't ever had a problem with eating anything since then and I've felt just fine. The surgery was in and out the same day and I was walking around my backyard that same afternoon! They made 3 tiny incisions to get in there and remove it, and those incisions literally can't even be seen today. Piece of cake for me! It would probably be wise to listen to your doctor's advice. Recovery time was literally only a few days at best.

ldrosophila · September 2013

Went into pancreatitis was hospatilzed for 7 days...best surgery of my life. I think it is such a worthwhile surgery there is no sense in being in pain when you can do something about it.

Never had issues afterwards,and back to classes a week later.

Discuss with your doctor and what you want out of your quality of life, but personally I say get it!

Question for the ladies who have also given birth. I've heard gallbladder attack and pancreatitis is worse than giving birth is that true?

running_free_1984 · September 2013

Went into pancreatitis was hospatilzed for 7 days...best surgery of my life. I think it is such a worthwhile surgery there is no sense in being in pain when you can do something about it.

Never had issues afterwards.

Discuss with your doctor and what you want out of your quality of life, but personally I say get it!

Another who experienced the complication of gall stones. I've never experienced anything like pancreatitis and never want to again. Saying that having given birth with no pain relief!

MsMimidoll · September 2013

I had mine removed 10 years ago, recovery time was short. I could eat or drink pretty much anything, i used to have the bacon cheeseburger from Jack in the Box for breakfast after a night of clubbing when I worked the next day. Every now and then I would have some issues after drinking, but it's rare.

ldrosophila · September 2013

Went into pancreatitis was hospatilzed for 7 days...best surgery of my life. I think it is such a worthwhile surgery there is no sense in being in pain when you can do something about it.

Never had issues afterwards.

Discuss with your doctor and what you want out of your quality of life, but personally I say get it!

Another who experienced the complication of gall stones. I've never experienced anything like pancreatitis and never want to again. Saying that having given birth with no pain relief!

24 weeks pregnant here. So the pain of pancreatitis was way worse than birth? I can remember laying on my bed then thinking I was ready to die.

If I can get through that then birth will hopefully be easier...crosses fingers

garber6th · September 2013

I had mine out about 4 years ago, I bounced back really well, I replaced the vicodin with Advil after two days and I was pretty much up and around after that. I was a little tired but that's to be expected.

ETA: I was eventually able to eat just about anything although sometimes high fat foods would not sit well with me.

susannakaysen · September 2013

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think i'll just go in for the chop and avoid reading horror stories online, everyone on here seems to have had a far better experience. As much as I love red wine, I think I love not having pancreatitis more (although it's a close one). Prevention is better than cure right?

Also, my mum had gallbladder attacks and five children. She said the gallbladder attack was the worst pain she'd ever experienced. If you can deal with that pain, you can deal with anything!

amyelgie · September 2013

I had mine out when I was 20 (I'm 32 now). I had gallstone attacks when I was pregnant with my daughter and ended up with pancreatitis. Two weeks after she was born I went in and had it removed. For me it was emergency surgery, so I didn't really have a choice, but I would have done it regardless. I was release from the hospital 3 days later. I took two weeks to recover than went back to work, but that was a personal decision (due to having a new baby). I have only had problems with eating foods with high fat content, so I avoid them now. Alcohol was never a problem for me. I hope that helps.

poohpoohpeapod · September 2013

I started having pain at 30 after losing 80lbs very fast. I had so much pain, and went undiagnosed, as I was not, fat fair and forty. Finally, my great dr, stated I bet it is your gallbladder, it was. I had it removed laprascopically (sp) and have never had an issue since. The surgery was painful for one day after. I feel it was worth it!:bigsmile:

RoamingDuck · September 2013

I am 23 and I had my gallbladder removed 3 years ago. I was not yet on a healthy path and blew up to 215 pounds after the surgery. The next 6 months after the surgery were full of IBS...I had bad gas with almost anything I ate and had to go to the bathroom within minutes of a meal. I even had what felt like another gallbladder attack!

However, when I started getting healthy in early 2012, these issues lessened greatly. I'm willing to bet that I'm still gasser than most people, but I haven't had much pain associated with it. I can even indulge in the occasional fatty meal and not feel the consequences that I was sure to feel when I was always eating unhealthy. As for alcohol, I still drink and haven't experienced too many issues with it. When I drink too much I do tend to have an upset stomach the next day, but drinking too much in general is bad for anyone.

The short and skinny of it is that if you live a healthy lifestyle, I think you'll be okay! If your stomach gives you issues for the first few months, this is to be expected. Your body will adapt. Good luck :]

tigersword · September 2013

Get the surgery done. I let mine go, and then I ended up hospitalized with pancreatitis, and my liver was going insane. Laparoscopic surgery was a breeze, and from the time I was admitted to the ER in agony until I returned to work, I was only out a month (I work a highly physical job,) and the only issue I've ever had is a bit of pain (like a side stitch) when I run, that subsides after about 5 minutes.

lstroth1 · September 2013

I just had my gallbladder removed in June of this year. It was done laparoscopic with 4 small incisions. I did it and then left for a month vacation out of state a week later. What I didn't realize that if for some reason there were complications and they ended up having to do a traditional abdominal incision the recovery period would have meant my vacation would have been cancelled. After the surgery I continued with a low fat diet for about a week just to play it safe. I have no issues with fat or alcohol intake at all now that the gallbladder is gone.

I wish I did this earlier. I was misdiagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome for 20 years. I put up with pain, cramping, horrible back pain, and diarrhea for that time period. I was told it was due to anxiety, back issues, ribs popping out of place, or just plain IBS.

When they finally did an ultrasound of the abdomen they said the gallbladder was filled up with gallstones and the gallbladder walls were very thickened due to years of inflammation and multiple attacks. Having the gallbladder taken out was the best thing ever for me. I can now exercise because I am no longer in frequent pain.

HeidiCooksSupper · September 2013

Both my parents, my husband, and most recently my sister have all had their gall bladders out and recovered without issue. The problem with putting it off is that you are risking being a LOT sicker when you do get it out. Hubby's, for instance, was heavily infected and would have made him an extremely sick puppy had it burst. Pancreatitis can kill you. If my doctor said, "Time to have your gall bladder out," I'd be packing my toothbrush for the trip to the hospital. Most people are home the same day. They kept hubby overnight to pump him full of antibiotics. My sister's came out two weeks ago and the insurance company approved her to return to work this week. She feels better than she has in ages except for soreness. Bear in mind all this folks were older than you are and took longer to recover than you probably will if you do it NOW while you're healthy.

jaecamp1 · September 2013

I had mine out last year. I was up walking a few hours after I woke up and picking up my kids the next day. I could have returned to work two days after, but I took off two weeks just because I could

mgobluetx12 · September 2013

I had mine out in 98 and also experienced IBS for a few years after. That was absolutely awful, but it eventually got better and now I have no problems at all.

metaphoria · September 2013

I had mine out last summer and had some digestion issues for the first couple of months, and found that too much beef makes my stomach mutiny, and coffee can cause pain like a gallstone attack if I drink too much over a few days. So more tea and chicken, and I feel fine.

running_free_1984 · September 2013

Went into pancreatitis was hospatilzed for 7 days...best surgery of my life. I think it is such a worthwhile surgery there is no sense in being in pain when you can do something about it.

Never had issues afterwards.

Discuss with your doctor and what you want out of your quality of life, but personally I say get it!

Another who experienced the complication of gall stones. I've never experienced anything like pancreatitis and never want to again. Saying that having given birth with no pain relief!

24 weeks pregnant here. So the pain of pancreatitis was way worse than birth? I can remember laying on my bed then thinking I was ready to die.

If I can get through that then birth will hopefully be easier...crosses fingers

birth was a lot shorter and was only really painful when in the transition phase from stage 1 to 2. You'll be fine Hun

kar328 · September 2013

Had my laprascopic choleycystectomy in 1992 when I was 28 and the procedure was fairly new. From my first attack to the surgery was two weeks, so it was acute and needed. Met the surgeon that morning before the nighttime procedure. It was four days before Christmas and if it had to be converted to the open incision version, I'd have been in the hospital for Christmas, but it was highly necessary to risk that. My final attack had been for six hours straight and had been because I had a slice of really good pizza that had some extra oil dripping off (New Yorkers will understand).

Loved it. Stayed overnight only because the surgery was at 8 PM. They stuck me on a low fat diet in the hospital but once I got out of there it was back to normal. Have not had any problems and it was such a relief to eat something and not go to bed thinking I'd be awake in agony a few hours later. Immediately after my belly felt like I had done a million situps, but oral pain meds helped. I was in the mall Christmas shopping two days later - keeping my arms out so no idiot would bump into me. I had two weeks off because that's what they gave you, and since it was the only way I'd get off for the holidays, I was okay with that. Also I worked in a busy delivery room and it's very physical so I would not have been able to lift patients right away. I took my time with that when I went back but there wasn't a problem.

You have to do what's best for you, of course, but I just can't imagine waiting and always wondering when the next attack would be, like on a vacation. Good luck with whatever you choose.

xoxolindseym · September 2013

I had my gallbladder out a couple months ago on July 31st. I had been having trouble with it but for years I put it off and tried it ignore it as I was in school and didn't have time to deal with the recovery. I was TERRIFIED to be put under.

The longer I put it off, the worse it got. I ended up with a VERY infected gallbladder which gave me liver disease and beginning stages of pancreatitis. It was scary to be in the ER and have the doctor come in and say, "We need to get it out asap and you can't leave the hospital till we do."

I'm loving life not having one. I feel completely awesome. It only took me about 5 days to recover and I could get up/walk perfectly fine, pain free.

I say if you can get it out now, do it. Do. Not. Wait. The couple days of down time with the recovery is worth going through.

If I could go back I would beat myself up for not doing it sooner.

Edit: I also ended up with a gallstone blocking my bile duct. Caused my bilirubin levels to rise from 1 to 5.8. I felt like I had fire ants crawling under my skin 24/7 for two months and completely scratched my legs to shreds. No shorts for me anytime soon.

WrenTheCoffeeAddict · September 2013

I had my gallbladder out 2 years ago - but the doctors and hospitals really let me down. It took them a year to diagnose it, and then they postponed the surgery once - but by then it was too late. My gallbladder actually died, and my body became riddled with infection within 24hours. They had to rush me into hospital after I had a fit, keep me on a high dose of morphine and antibiotics just to kept the infection down enough for them to operate.

Do not postpone it. Because of the extent of my surgery I was laying down in bed for 2 weeks before I was even allowed to walk downstairs.

No post-effects, I can drink alcohol fine, I don't eat much fat anyway, so I've noticed no difference.

running_free_1984 · September 2013

Just a thought, if you get any bilial colic in the mean time take anti inflammatory meds. Ideally take naprosyn or diclofenac. Even stuff like ibuprofen can help.

they loosen the bile duct and allow the stone to pass. Its handy if you have stones that are numerous in amount but below 5mm diameter. The bile duct is on average about 4mm across so it possible to get rid of an attack that way. I did it a couple of times before i went in for the removal and it stopped it.

i wouldn't rely on it as anything but a short term measure but its worth doing if you can get past an attack quicker.

FourIsCompany · September 2013

I had my gall bladder removed some years ago (maybe 5 or so). The surgery was laparoscopic (small incisions) so the recovery was minimal. Within days, I was fully functional. I laid off fat for a while, but eventually, I was able to eat anything. Sometimes, when I eat a fatty meal, I can feel a discomfort in the area, but it passes. Having several debilitating gall bladder attacks convinced me to do it. I have NO regrets.

I don't drink alcohol, so can't speak to that.

Gallbladder Issues

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