My Gallbladder Surgery Was A Success!!!

I had my gallbladder removed a month ago after experiencing one attack that landed me in the ER. I was hesitant to do the surgery, but my gallbladder inflamation was affecting my liver function so they wanted to take it out. And I was worried that I would experience another attack at an inconvenient time - like while travelling.

I too saw all the horror stories on the internet but did the surgery anyways because I didn't want to mess around with my liver. I talked with many friends about the surgery and surprisingly found at least a half a dozen women my age (40s) who had had it done, and they had no side effects either.

It's been 4 weeks since the surgery and I am 100% back to normal - no side effects whatsoever. I can eat anything that I want with no problem (although I am trying to eat healthier - I would like to lose 10 lbs). But even with the rare "overdoing" it meal, I am fine.

The surgery recovery was not bad, although the pain meds (vicodin) made me so nauseous I couldn't eat for 4 days so that was sheer misery. The vicodin completely shut down my GI tract too - this happened to me after childbirth too so I should have asked for a different med. Once I stopped taking it and got it out of my system I was fine. I took it easy the 2nd week because I was still pretty weak from a week of not eating much. The pain was never bad, but I did try to stay on top of it with my pain meds because it hurt to breathe deeply for a week or so. 10 days after surgery I took my daughter's girl scout troop on an overnight trip (although still no heavy lifting). By 3 weeks I was back playing volleyball and doing my regular 3 mile walks 3 times a week.

Good luck to anyone considering the surgery!

I had to have and emergency lapryscopic cholecystectomy on November 13th after my gallbladder basically died. I have never felt better other than the slight burning sensation from the incision under my belly button and some muscle tiredness in my abdomen if I walk or exercise too long. Before the surgery I lost 90 pounds in about 9 months and was only able to eat a handful of bites before the nausea would get so bad that I couldn't eat any more. I suffered with the gallbladder symptoms and gallstone attacks for the last 4 years because you have to be near death before hospitals will finally operate when you don't have any insurance or a job. The hospitals were always more than happy to shoot me up with Morphine and Phergan, send me home, and then send me a bill for around $2500.00 each visit. I had an attack on sunday, went to ER, drugged up, and sent home. Had a second attack on monday and same thing except the doc told me that one more during that week and I would probably have to be admitted for surgery. Tuesday was still in pain after being discharged from hospital but not as bad as an attack. Wednesday I felt like I was dying literally! I ate 5 bites that day, could barely walk, felt weak and that feeling of dread or doom that people speak of, so went back to ER at 6:30pm and husband went off on doc because she was talking about discharging me again. My white cells elevated drastically over that day and a half between ER visits so they did an abdominal ultrasound (which isn't comfortable as it is but when your gallbladder is done there is nothing that can touch the excruciating pain of the ultrasound) and found that I had 2 very large stones on top of each other stuck in the duct. I was finally admitted for surgery around 1:30am after about ten shots of morphine and phenergan and toradol and percoset. When I say that nothing could touch the pain, I truly mean NOTHING. I can tolerate pain, I gave birth on my bathroom floor with no medications whatsoever. The idea of surgery was terrifying at first but after the anesthesiologist gives you the white medicine to help you relax then you remember nothing and wake up in recovery with no idea that you just got operated on. I didn't think I had the surgery until I coughed and felt the pain throughout my abdomen. During surgery sediment gets into your lungs and nose due to the breathing tubes so be prepared to hold a pillow against your tummy with medium-ish pressure because it will hurt. Recovery has taken me a little over a week to feel almost normal. I get tired easier after taking long brisk walks and have to take a rest on the way home because the abdominal muscles all feel like they are going to cramp at once. My JP drain incision and the two incisions at the top of my abdomen are scabbed over and nearly done but the belly button incision takes a little bit longer to heal and you want to be very careful as to not get an infection there. If a doc tells you that you need to have your gallbladder removed PLEASE I BEG OF YOU FOR YOUR OWN SAKE GET IT DONE ASAP!!! Don't let yours get to where mine was which was if I were to have waited another day or so I would not be here today to type this post. IT WILL KILL YOU BELIEVE THAT!!!

Hiya....I have just had my Gallbladder removed 10 days ago ...I read up more on the operation than things on this sight...well oy am I glad I did...this sight would have really worried me..... the operation was a breeze, I came out of surgery at 3pm and was home at 9pm.
I never spent time in bed...only the nights...my husband vacuumed and made the beds for me, my daughter ironed...other than that everything was normal.Iactually felt I could do those jobs.....but common sence has to prevail, and I never wanted to push my luck. I am lucky enough to be back to normal. Everyone is different ....please do not be put off by things you read. Good luck to anyone having the operation soon and hopefully all the people with problems get them sorted.

Hi,

I had my gallbladder removed on Friday, Jan.29 at 7:30am and was in the car on my way home at 10:30am. I am on day 4 post op and feel pretty good. I have the four laparoscopic incisions and they appear to be healing nicely. My belly still seems to still be a little distended and tender and I have some discomfort standing up and getting out of bed, but for the most part I feel pretty good. I have been taking ibuprofen 3 times a day to reduce inflamation and 2 tablespoons of milk of magnesia each night to prevent constipation. I would say I've taken maybe 3 or 4 of the vicodin pills I was given. I have been out of the house twice already and plan to be back at work 1/2 days next week. I just wanted to report another case that seems to be going well. Good luck to all.

Did you have the laproscopic or the open surgery for the gall bladder removal?

I had mine out Aug 13 after having increasing pain for the last three years, they finally said okay its your gallbladder. I did research and tried home brewed stuff. NOTHING HELPED!!! my doctor actually was really upset because one home brewed thing landed me in the hospital over night on morphine to control the bloody pain. So now I am 1 week today the scars are small, the pain under my right side is slowly going away. I have cut my fat by over 60% and will keep cutting it out, so I wont have any problems but man I am happy and for the first time in 3 years 6 days straight no explosive runs. I have never been happier! I am hoping that things will continue to go well as the swelling goes down, and I going to get back to my walking on Monday a week off I feel a little frumpy. Hope you all have as good as a recovery as I had.

I'm so glad to finally find a few success stories :-D I had my gallbladder removed 6 days ago and today was the first day that I have felt pretty good. I was taking a lot of vicodin but ran out today and I have no complaints yet. The surgery was a breeze, I knew about the gas pains so as soon as I awoke, I put on my clothes and started walking around the hospital to get the gas out. It must have worked, because I had zero gas pains! I also requested Phenergam or however you spell it after I woke up to ease the queeziness. I didnt get sick or anything :-) I was so scared of the surgery because of all the negative posts... but to be completely honest, I've been eating anything I've wanted the past week and it feels GOOD! I mean, I do get a little bit nauseous here and there and I've only had one bowel movement since last week... but I think it's the vicodins, they always constipate me! Oh, and I forgot to mention, I just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl just 6 short weeks ago, so my body has been through hell and back the past two months!!! Well, actually, the past year lol. So being with a newborn and having surgery is quite difficult, couldn't have done it without my mothers help! But all in all, I don't regret it...yet lol. Just make sure you don't "over do it" but don't be lazy, either! Get up and move around through out the day, it helps heal you faster and get you used to being normal again. I haven't had any serious side effects or anything, but if you do experience anything out of the norm, please get help! I've heard horror stories and I just feel so horrible for those people :'( Good luck to anyone that has the surgery, hope my story helps! And keep the good posts going people!! It really helps people to see that this surgery is not going to ruin everyones lives!!

anonymous wrote:

I find your posting very positive. I'm suppossed to have my gallblader remove but i'm not 100% sure... I've read so many things, I'm really scared.
If you don't mind, can you tell me what your age and weight was at the time of surgery?

Thank you.

I was 115lbs and im 25 years old I had my gallbladder removed 3 weeks ago and Im still a little sore. More less my insides healing my stitches are basically all gone just have the knots left. After the surgery the scars look terrible but now they are just little lines. Unfortunatly i will never be able to put my belly button ring back in...but that's ok. Sometimes I still get the digestion pains like I'm having an attack when I eat certain foods but I was told it takes time for your body to re-adjust itself. My best friend got her gallbladder out 4 years ago and it took her over a year to go back to normal. My only complaint is that I don't sleep... I sleep a a couple hours at a time... It sucks. Wish you lots of luck. Take care!!!

I was about 200 lbs and 5'5, and 21 years old. I just got done having my first child :-) I'm still doing great... and I don't regret it whatsoever! I eat junk food all the time now too :-P Which I know I should avoid, but I can't help it since I went without for soo long! Hope it goes well, please let us know how it goes!

I'm morgan, and i get gallbladder surgery tomorrow. 

I had my gallbladder out 2 weeks ago today and after reading all the negative stories i would like to say i have experienced no sides effects at all. I had some pain for about a week which i took painkillers for but it wasnt anywhere near as bad i thought. I had the shoulder pain which everyone seems to get but i found doing a couple of laps round the kitchen helped.

My laparscopic gallbladder surgery was Nov. 17, 2011, but I was scared to death after reading all the horror stories online.   You only hear from those few who had bad experiences, but those who had success never get back in here to report.


My surgery went very smoothly.  I was amazed at the absence of what I thought would be a painful experience.  Compared to my C-sections and hysterectomy, this was truly a piece of cake.  I had no shoulder pain afterwards.  I even bought Gas-X just in case

I have no stitches (unless they are the dissolveable kind.  My wounds were covered with steri-strips.

I really was shocked to read of someone complaining about the scars.  I have had a roadmap to Texas on my body since age 25.   Get over it.

I am almost 60 and would have this gallbladder surgery all over again if I had to.  So far no problems whatsoever and I can eat anything.  Make sure you get yourself a good surgeon.  Mine was the best, apparently!

Hi

Thank you for the postive feed back as I am on a waiting list to remove my Gall Bladder..I have been searching and reading into everything and I dont want to have all those side affects I read on especially putting weight on no thanks..all the above did any of you put weight on..

It is relieving to hear some success stories, I was really starting to freak out reading all of the horror stories. I'm scheduled for the gb removal in about a week. I'm scared! Not of the surgery but of all the what ifs after surgery. Nearly all the women on my dads side of the family have had to have their gbs out.

I had my first gb attack ever this past weekend.  I went into the ER on Sunday morning after my pain subsided but still feeling acute localized pain and a low grade fever.  Long story short I was in surgery by 1pm getting my gallbladder out due to infection and stones.