gallbladder surgery

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  • thegeordielass
    thegeordielass Posts: 208 Member
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    Something I didn't see others mention - some type of trousers with a loose/elastic waist will be your friend. I couldn't wear jeans for weeks as the waist would dig into my scars - probably not helped by the fact I had to have stitches as various glues don't agree with me. Either way, any pressure hurt and I could position the waist of elasticated jogging bottoms just right so it didn't hurt.
  • Ziggy2875
    Ziggy2875 Posts: 28 Member
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    I waited to long to have it removed, so it was done by emergeny laparoscopy, and I had to stay one night in the hospital. I was sore for maybe a week. After that fine, could eat the same and never noticed any food differences.
  • enyagoboom
    enyagoboom Posts: 377 Member
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    thegeordielass wrote: »
    Something I didn't see others mention - some type of trousers with a loose/elastic waist will be your friend. I couldn't wear jeans for weeks as the waist would dig into my scars - probably not helped by the fact I had to have stitches as various glues don't agree with me. Either way, any pressure hurt and I could position the waist of elasticated jogging bottoms just right so it didn't hurt.

    ah, yes! I already looked over my 'yoga inspired' ensembles (hahahah) to get them out and have on hand. good call there. :smiley:
  • EatingAndKnitting
    EatingAndKnitting Posts: 531 Member
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    I stocked my freezer with about two weeks of low fat tv dinners, SmartOnes, Weight Watchers, etc. I had my husband take a couple days off work to take care of me, mostly to prepare my meals for me (thus, tv dinners, he's not much of a cook ;) ). I didn't have gallstones, just sludge and a diseased gallbladder. I woke up in recovery feeling in pain, but so much healthier.

    The TV dinners were really quite tasty and pretty filling for me, and I wish I'd kept eating the low calorie diet and lost weight then.

    I wore a nightgown for a week and took it easy. I was so out of it because of the anesthesia and pain meds that I couldn't even lie on the couch and watch Friends! I mostly laid in bed and played on Facebook/games on my phone and slept for the first four days. After that I was fine, and by the follow-up appointment a week later I was feeling pretty normal again. I only really needed someone to help me the day of surgery, but I hadn't had surgery as an adult, so I didn't know how I was going to react. I was out of it, but fine for microwaving food and going to the bathroom, and taking my pain medication.

    Take your pain medication as prescribed, but try to get off the heavy stuff as soon as you can. That stuff is addictive! I found that the first two-three days I needed the hydrocodone, but by day four or so I was fine with 800 mgs of iburoprofen every 6-8 hours (800 mgs is the highest safe dose of ibuprofen). Don't take the hydrocodone any sooner than prescribed (well, I would cheat a bit, I'd take it 20-30 minutes before the next time it was due, but not any sooner than that, don't tell my doctor... ;) ), but do keep up with the pain pills, set an alarm at night to wake up and take the pills as scheduled, even if it's just the ibuprofen, because you want to stay on top of the pain.

    If you've never had anesthesia before, it can make you nauseated. Ask the anesthesiologist if they think you should have nausea meds. I know it makes me nauseated, so I always ask for meds. When I had my tonsils out as a teenager I threw up every time I sat up for 15 hours after surgery. NOT FUN.

    Recovery isn't as bad as you think it will be, really.

    Some people have a hard time digesting fat and spicy foods after surgery. Your liver will compensate for the gallbladder with digesting fat, but sometimes it takes a while for the body to figure that it and start doing it. My friend got sick for a year after surgery if she ate too much fat. I had no trouble at all right away. My mom has not had a gallbladder for fifty years, she never had trouble either. Everyone's different, and you'll learn really quick what you can handle. :)

    Good luck!
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
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    ruhids wrote: »
    Hi do you put on weight after gall bladder surgery?

    Nope! U had no food related issues at all and did not change my diet, though spicy food is not the norm for me, so I can't speak to that.
  • queenscorpio73
    queenscorpio73 Posts: 59 Member
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    Anyone have pain in one particular area? I had laparoscopic removal 6 days ago and the entry on my left has a muscle that keeps cramping bad! I may call the doctor because the other holes don't hurt. That is the only really sore part. I sneezed and wanted to die! I was looking for an update on the op. How did it go?
  • enyagoboom
    enyagoboom Posts: 377 Member
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    Hi All! So surgery was last Wednesday. The weekend before surgery was a hot mess; I had multiple attacks and ended up in the hospital Sunday night into Monday. They were going to admit me but couldn't promise I'd get surgery that day because I wasn't inflamed so I'd be waiting in the hospital for surgery soooo I said yeah, how about you give me some drugs and send me home which they obliged. I was on clear liquids leading up to surgery with some white rice mixed in (made with chicken broth) so I had something with a little bit of substance in my belly.

    Surgery itself was very zippy. I was in and out by lunchtime and back home sleeping. The days following were ok; one thing I wish I would have done differently was taken the full amount of drugs rather than the low end for the first three days. I'm pretty much off all pain killers now except for some aleve once a day. The ache is limited to where the internal stitches are for my gallbladder, and the lower abdomin for the laproscopic proceedure.

    Things I wish I would have known: The gas pain was worse than the gallbladder recovery; for laproscopic proceedures they blow gas into your abdominal cavity so they can get around. That gas cannot escape through normal venues so it tries to get out - in my case - through my darn shoulder. The other thing and this is way TMI but whatever, the drugs block up a normal person's bowel movements. I had already been constipated before the attacks the weekend before, so by the time surgery happened it had been a week since I had taken a crap even after trying to take some ducalax two days in and all that. After surgery I had to take extra measures to get the the works moving again which was really hard to do because my arm wasn't working due to the gas trying to get out through my shoulder.

    I'm home resting this week doing some telework mainly to stave off boredom. there is only so much TV i can catch up on before I'm drooling on myself. I'm eating solids again, very limited fats and rich foods, being careful when I bend, and I find myself holding my lower abdomin when I'm walking. Oh - that's another thing - the gas and surgery kind of undid all the posture work I've been doing since last July trying to keep my gut tight and tucked. It's very loose and I definitely had a cry over my extended pooch. It will pass and in a few weeks I'll be able to start doing work on these things again, but it was a slight and unwanted surprise.

    I'm very grateful for everyone's advice and shared experiences. It helped prepare me for a lot of what was going to happen and made me very determined in the lead up to surgery and getting the hell out when it was time :)
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,203 Member
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    Thanks for the update: It's always nice to hear how things worked out!

    Honest, I would've warned you about those after-effects . . . and feel a little guilty saying I didn't warn you because I didn't have them.

    Betting your "extended pooch" relates partly to the gas, too. Your hard work isn't undone, just set aside for a mo.

    (((Hugs))) and best wishes for speedy recovery from here on!
  • lois1231
    lois1231 Posts: 331 Member
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    Mine was taken out years ago. It ended up being a complicated mess. One thing I noticed in myself and other people who have had the surgery is be near a bathroom if possible to avoid accidents. This calms down after awhile. It might not even happen to you but it did to me and others.
  • XxQueenMxX
    XxQueenMxX Posts: 683 Member
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    Dont feel bad about your pooch, it should go away, BUT definitely watch what you eat. I would stay for the next 3 weeks don't eat too many carbs, red meat or dairy! I swear you will lose weight and be happy lol.

    Last April they told me I had stones (I was shocked because i was eating okay, not too much fat and working out. I didnt experience many episodes, only minor ones that I cured with Apple cider vinegar and apple juice!

    This past December I unexpectedly ended up in the hospital for 5 days because I got pancreatitis due to a stone that came out and was affecting my pancreas. It was the worst days ever, I had to go under anesthesia to have them go in and find an remove the stone that came out and got stuck, the next day I had my gallbladder removed the recovery for those two procedures sucked!!! I didn't eat all those 5 days! From Mon-Friday i was at the hospital, went back to work Monday. My belly looked bigger, I was so sad.
    I was SOOOO scared to eat ANYTHING, so for 2 weeks I ate chicken broth with veggies and a little chicke, lentils, jello, hardly any solid foods. I just didn't want to upset my stomach or anything! Plus in two weeks I was traveling to cancun so I wanted to fully recuperate for my trip! I ended losing around 15 lbs during those 3 weeks and I ended up looking and feeling better for my trip!!!

    Anyway, people say we dont need our gallbladder but we definitely do!! Its important to watch what you eat, or you could end up some other type of pain, or with the runs and stuck in the toilet lol. OR maybe nothing at all, but it will obviously be harder for your body or process fats.
  • ccsernica
    ccsernica Posts: 1,040 Member
    edited March 2018
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    I had mine out about 15 years ago. Laparoscopic procedure, very easy recovery. Just don't be too alarmed at the state of your gut immediately afterward. They pump your abdominal cavity full of air so they have room to work. This might stretch out your abdominal muscles and made them a little saggy for a few days. It resumes its normal shape in a few days.

    There were no changes in diet afterward.

    Edit: I just noticed the dates on this thread. Oh well. Just take the part about the pooch in stride. It's normal, and goes away before long.

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