I HAVE NOT LOOKED BACK SINCE.
I realise that people have complications and sometimes it doesn't work as well. For me, there was no getting worse than the pain I was in.
I occasionally experience an upset tummy. Nothing terrible, and doesn't seem related to particular foods. Can drink alcohol and basically do what I like.
It's nearly a year later. I am soooooo glad I had the surgery. I experienced normal reactions to keyhole surgery - sore for a few days, felt like I had pulled a muscle. All healed nicely now.
I started getting symptoms soon after having a baby. This was the same for three other people on my ward. GPs seem very uneducated about gall stones. If you think this may be what you have, ask for an MRI. If I had any clue this was what I was suffering with, it would have saved me months of the worst pain ever. But the surgery has changed my life :-)
:-)
Hello I had my GB removed 3 days ago and I am feeling okay. I am still very sore and moving around the house very slowly. My doctor said I should be pretty much out of pain within 3 weeks. The pain medication has helped a lot!
I had my GB removed in July. Had a bit of pain as a result of my phrenic nerve being annoyed by the CO2 they pump into your abdomen to do keyhole surgery but that passed within 48 hours and Ive had no problems since. none at all, no nasty complications or side effects. I'd never look back!
Had mine removed 3 weeks ago. No major problems other than some discomfort for 3 or 4 days....have found that I can eat and drink whatever I want, including a glass of wine or 2 ! I feel so much better !!!!!!!
BTW, I'm 73 years old...........and really surprised at how quickly I recovered.
I know this tread is really old now, but I wanted to share my success story with the rest of the world. I'm a 26 year old female.
I started having gallbladder attacks about a year and a half ago. I was very overweight at the time. The first time I had one I thought something was seriously wrong, but it went away after about four hours and I figured it was stuck gas or something. It came back about a month later, and again the pain was unbearable to the point of crying and not being able to sleep the whole night. I went to the ER and they told me I had gastritis, so they gave me some meds to control stomach acid and painkillers. I had a series of fairly small attacks during the next months until december 2011, when I had an attack that lasted about 11 days. I could not even breathe if I didn't take really strong painkillers (ketorolac 30 or 60mg) every 6 hours. I could not eat anything that Christmas or New Year's eve. From that day I decided that it was my diet that was creating the pain, whatever it was, so my only new year's resolution was to watch my diet so carefully that the pain would never return. It wasn't even hard to avoid all the foods I like, it was better than dealing with that pain again.
I did so for the next six months. It was a great decision because I lost about 60 pounds in the process and was feeling great! No attacks for six months. But then the pain returned really bad in June. There I was again, in the ER, hooked up to an IV wondering why the pain had returned if I had been watching my diet so carefully. Finally, after a series of tests (ultrasounds, chest Xrays and bloodwork) they told me I had multiple stones in my gallbladder. At least I felt happy to have been diagnosed, it's better than having no clue of what is going on inside my body. The scary part was that I had to undergo surgery. The doctor said it wasn't an emergency, but that soon it could become a serious problem, the stones could pass through my bile duct and go into my pancreas, causing pancreatitis which in bad cases can be fatal.
I waited another six months to have the surgery done, because I had recently started a new job and was afraid to lose it if I was absent for two weeks to recover from the surgery. I have to admit that I was also scared of having a surgical procedure done. I've never even have cavities in my life, never have broken a bone, never had been hospitalized for anything before. Also I read horror stories on the internet that scared me to death! But I knew I had to have it done, or the pain attacks would never go away. Plus, who can be on such a strict diet forever? It's feasibe for a few months or even a year, but after that, it starts to become torture!
I had to keep a strict diet for all that time to avoid attacks, which wasn't enough anymore. I guess the condition of my gallbladder was just worsening, because I had a number of pain episodes and visits to the ER even when I was eating almost zero fat and super healthy foods.
Finally I had my gallbladder surgery on dec 17th, 2012. It was a laparoscopic surgery. I was very nervous but everything went ok. The procedure itself was difficult for the doctors, they took 3 hours to have my gb out because I had so many stones in there and it was so swollen. After surgery I felt like I had drunk 30 beers and everything was moving even when I closed my eyes. The pain was REALLY bad when I woke up from the anesthesia, but they gave me drugs that got the pain under control. I spent the night at the hospital, and was given meds for pain and nausea. I was also given antibiotics. It was very hard to sit up and stand up to use the bathroom, but I had to do it and survived. I did vomit one time after anesthesia, but it wasn't so bad. I spent less than 24 hours in the hospital and went home.
I recovered really fast. I was feeling better hour by hour. I have three tiny incisions on my abdomen and a small incision inside my bellybutton. The pain was bearable, really. It didn't hurt at all if I layed still on my bed. It hurt to sit up and move around when I had to pee, but it was bearable too. I could shower 48 hours after the surgery and they gave me a bland diet. It took around 4 days to have my first bowel movement and I felt constipated only that week. After that, my bowel movements have been perfect. I have not had diahreea, pain, gas, or any of the horrible symptoms I read about in the net before. On the fourth day after surgery I was able to walk around and go shopping to the supermarket for Christmas dinner. A week after the surgery I went to the beach and felt fine. I even ate more than I should have! Including some meals that were kind of greasy. I had no problems whatsoever. No pain. No diahrrea. I had forgotten what it feels like to eat whatever you want without being scared to death about the pain you'll have to endure a few hours later. I had forgotten what it feels like to enjoy a meal without thinking about its ingredients. Three days after surgery I removed my bandages, and the wounds formed small scabs. I've had to take care of them by showering everyday and cleaning them with antiseptic. Other than that, I don't worry about them.
It's been two weeks since the surgery. I'm pain free 99 percent of the time, although it still hurts to do some movements and still can't sleep on my belly. I have to move carefully so I don't pull my stitches. The wounds look perfect and dry, no redness or swellling or signs of infection. I don't have to have my stitches removed because the doctors used special sutures that are absorbed by the body. They sewed the holes from the inside.
I have an appointment with my doctor in three days to check the wounds and my health in general.
To all of you that have experienced gallbladder problems, I'm sure you're familiar with the horrible pain that it causes. I want to tell you that I'm so happy to know that I'll never have to go through that again. Go for the surgery. It's so great to eat whatever you want without worries or pain. I would be happy now even with diahrrea episodes. I'd trade a few extra minutes in the bathroom for the pain anytime! Don't be scared because of all the horror stories out there. Most people like me that have success stories don't post on treads and just move on with their lives. You'll be fine. It's so much worth it!
I feel healthy and happy and excited for my future! I still have a few pounds to lose and I'm determined to keep dieting until I reach my target weight. This past year and a half has been filled with pain and worries, but it has also forced me to be healthy and lose all the weight that I had to lose. Everything happens for a reason. Look at the bright side of everything! You'll be healthy one more time after surgery.
Good luck to all!!!
I removed my gallstone without gallbladder removal. Pretty happy with that.
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I'm 82 and never had health problems until two episodes of what i thought were chest pains last august. I was hospitalised both times and underwent extensive tests that only proved my heart and chest were fine, finally a scan showed a "chunky" gallstone had inflamed my gallbladder. Since its dangerous to leave i had no choice but to have surgery and so spent weeks worrying over the scare stories. My operatiion was Wednesday, two days ago, and took 45 minutes. I should have got home the same day but couldn't pee (a common problem) so had to stay overnight until i could. Today, Friday, i have been to our local surgery to have the wounds checked and re dressed. They had used glue not stitches and everything is fine. True i feel tired, stiff and ache a bit but no great pain problems. I may still have to eat my words but so far my experiance has been totally positive and i would advise anyone faced with gallbladder surgery not to worry, just go for it!
Hi all, I am glad i came across this site. I am scheduled to have a surgery consult to have gallbladder surgery next week. i am so scared. i have huge aniexty issues also and I always think the worst, Like what if i dont wake up , what if i go into a coma. i have two precious or boys, the youngest is only 2 mos old.I started having issues when i was pregnant with him and i just thought it was gas pains from everything being pushed up so i would take gas x. The pain would last for hours at a time. I still get the pain after I had him, so I knew it was something else besides gas pains. So I went throught all the possiablities it could be, like I thought all the sudden i had a lactaid problem so i changed milk and started drinking Silk and stayed away from cheese and such for a few weeks, and that wasnt the case, then I thought it was an ulcer because during one of my attacks one night after hours of pain i drank a sip of Slik milk and it the pain went away. I went to the doc to get treated for an ulcer and for a post pardum check up and doc said right off it was my gallbladder, she sent me to get a ultrasound done, and got the cal l the very same day that it was my gallbladder that I had gallstones, so she referred to me a surgeron to do a consult and have the surgery. I have never been put under , the closest i have been put uinder was gettig my wisdom teeth pulled and i was still awake during that. i had the epidural with my kiddos,vaginally deliveries. Everyone that has it done has told me it is a piece cake now days. I am so scared. What should I expect at the consult? any advice?