Gallstones/Gallbladder Surgery

[Music City Mama]

Well, I evidently have gallstones. I've never had stomach issues, gallbladder or otherwise, and last weekend I had some pain out of nowhere that wound up going to the middle part of my back (this was the longest and worst of the pain) and then I vomited several times over the next 2 days and just felt unwell. On Monday, I noticed the whites of my eyes were yellowish, did an internet search about the gallbladder, made an appointment with the gastroenterologist, and my primary care doctor sent me for labs. Liver enzymes came back significantly elevated. Saw the gastro yesterday who sent me for an ultrasound of the gallbladder and liver this morning, and he just called to say that I definitely have stones, a couple of larger ones and he recommends that I have surgery to remove it sooner rather than later which I'm on board with. I've felt much better since this past Tuesday evening, but I'm really watching what I eat (and will continue to do so). The whites of my eyes were more normal by Wednesday and completely normal by yesterday (Thursday).

He'll contact the surgeon Monday morning, and hopefully, they'll be able to schedule me for this coming week. I feel okay overall, but I do have some tenderness (not pain) in that area -- maybe from the ultrasound, I don't know.

I'm not overweight at all and while I eat lots of junk, I also eat a lot of good food too. But, I know I'm at that age (51) that crap like this just starts to happen, especially to women.

Any words of wisdom, advice, experiences on how long your recovery was, when you could eat normally again, etc.?

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I had my gallbladder out last year. It was a laparoscopy, so my recovery time was pretty quick. I controlled the post-op discomfort with Ibuprofen. I was told to eat normally after the first day, but nothing really fatty or greasy for at least a week. Be prepared to "go" more often. Some people don't have this effect, but since my surgery last July I go mostly three times a day and sometimes more. I know, TMI.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I had gall bladder issues summer 2020 which ended up as acute pancreatitis. Basically the gall stones are from fat in the diet. They can be in the gall bladder and not cause problems, but if the move up the tube to the pancreas, thats when issues occur.

I had very sudden severe pain in my right side, with nausea and vomiting. I went straight to the ER and was in hospital for 5 days. I was not allowed any food and was on a drip. The treatment is to completely clear the system of food / fat and allow the inflamed gall bladder and pancreas to heal.

This was July 2020. My surgeon put me on the list for gall bladder removal for September 2020. The hospital dietitian gave me a diet sheet , basically cut out as much fat as possible from my diet for 8 weeks.

Cutting out fat is not just things like butter, cheese, fried food etc, its also the good fats such as seeds, nuts, avocados.

I completely changed my entire diet. I bought a George Forman grill to cook meat, I only ate bread / toast dry or with jam, I changed my breakfast cereal from muesli to low fat cornflakes. Even things like snacks I changed, no chips or chocolate, only jelly beans, marshmallows, Haribo, popcorn and low fat cookies.

I do online shopping and my grocery store has a colour coded system for nutritional information, so before I bought anything, I checked the colour code to make sure it was low fat.

This was the meal planner I made, using the diet sheet from the hospital dietitian.



During the 8 weeks before my surgery I had no further gall bladder attacks. I also drank 2 litres of water every day.

I had my gall bladder removed by keyhole surgery in September 2020. It was a day surgery, I went to the hospital at about 7am and I was home by 5pm.

The first few days I was a bit out of it, but by the following week I was back working in my home office. I have 4 tiny scars, one at my belly button, one just under my bra band and two on my right side. I had dissolvable stitches, so I just had to keep the wounds clean and they healed up. I didn't do any lifting for about 4 weeks.

Since the surgery I have had no dietary issues. I re introduced various foods slowly just in case but I didnt have any issues. I did loose weight while waiting for my surgery , so now I eat a modified version of the low fat diet.

 

[KPeterso]

I had my gall bladder 10 years ago. I had several months f pain and nausea before the surgery. Mine was done laparoscopically and I was only at the hospital about 6-7 hours that day. I had 4 tiny incisions and only 2 really small scars from the incisions. To this day, I still have issues relating to having to “go” and it is usually pretty urgent. But the pain and nausea is gone and never returned so I consider it a major success.

 

[ScottOKW2K]

I had my gall bladder removed about a decade ago and it was done laparoscopically too. The surgery and recovery were uneventful for me. One good tip - use a reclining / easy chair to sleep at night. You don't realize how many abdominal muscles you use getting into and out of bed. The most difficult part I had was the next morning because of that. I used a recliner during the next day and realized getting into / out of that I was primarily using my arm and leg muscles. I continued to use that during the day and for sleeping at night and that made recovery much easier.

 

[Suzabella]

I had my gall bladder 10 years ago. I had several months f pain and nausea before the surgery. Mine was done laparoscopically and I was only at the hospital about 6-7 hours that day. I had 4 tiny incisions and only 2 really small scars from the incisions. To this day, I still have issues relating to having to “go” and it is usually pretty urgent. But the pain and nausea is gone and never returned so I consider it a major success.

Same here.

I was told that this is a common ailment that occurs after childbirth. My family has a history of gallbladder issues; Grandmother had it, Mom had it, sister has it but I'm the only one to have had it removed.

 

[BadPinkTink]

One good tip - use a reclining / easy chair to sleep at night. You don't realize how many abdominal muscles you use getting into and out of bed. The most difficult part I had was the next morning because of that. I used a recliner during the next day and realized getting into / out of that I was primarily using my arm and leg muscles. I continued to use that during the day and for sleeping at night and that made recovery much easier.

I didnt have a recliner, but I got extra pillows and slept sitting up for about a week. For about 4 weeks after I would start the night sitting up and gradually as I slept would be lower and lower and finding comfortable positions to sleep in.

But defiantly for the first week, sleeping sitting up and not flat was the best thing for me.

 

[bgirldeb]

I hope they schedule you as soon as possible. I actually was admitted to surgery through the Emergency Room.

I had immediate relief after the laparoscopic surgery, and was back to normal after a week post op. I don’t miss it at all and can eat like I did before.

I was miserable before the surgery and in extreme pain and nausea.
Glad you will have relief soon!

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

My first gallbladder attack was my last gallbladder attack. It happened on a Saturday night when I was out of state for a softball tournament with my daughter. The pain was excruciating, but luckily the vomiting didn’t kick in, despite the nausea, until I’d driven us 8 hours home the next day. That was not a fun ride. DD only had her learners permit at the time, and I didn’t want her driving on interstates quite yet. I downed a bunch of Advil, gritted my teeth, and drove completely hunched over.

I went straight to the emergency room when I got home on Sunday. The surgeon on call reworked his schedule to fit me in for the removal the next day. The pain and vomiting had lasted 3 days by the time I went in to surgery. I couldn’t even keep water down. Turns out the duct was blocked and my gall bladder was on the verge of rupture. The surgeon had to drain it before he could remove it laparoscopically. I went home later that evening.

I had a c- section with my first child, and this wasn’t nearly as bad. The hardest parts were sleeping (slept sitting up propped on a bunch of pillows) and wearing a bra (the bra band rubbed the top incision). I’ve had no problems eating whatever I want since surgery.

Good luck OP!

 

[Music City Mama]

Be prepared to "go" more often. Some people don't have this effect, but since my surgery last July I go mostly three times a day and sometimes more.

Eek!

Since the surgery I have had no dietary issues. I re introduced various foods slowly just in case but I didnt have any issues. I did loose weight while waiting for my surgery , so now I eat a modified version of the low fat diet.

First, thanks for your detailed response about the food/diet. Even though I'm not overweight, I have about 5-10 lbs. that I'd love to lose that I just haven't been able to. I'm hoping because I'm modifying my diet right now that it will stick and be the thing I need to not only shed those few pounds, but just keep me eating more healthy going forward. What a relief to hear that you didn't have any more attacks while you were waiting for surgery. I know mine will be within in the next couple of weeks (I REALLY hope this week), but that's reassuring that you kept it at bay for so long.

To this day, I still have issues relating to having to “go” and it is usually pretty urgent.

Again, eek!

I had a c- section with my first child, and this wasn’t nearly as bad.

I've had 2 c-sections and I can't imagine this being quite as bad, so thanks for the confirmation.

My boss told me his wife had hers removed about 15 years ago after dealing with issues for many years. After she got it removed, she was still having similar problems, even worse, and evidently, there was something stuck in a duct that they didn't get and they had to go "fish it out". So, that scares me a little...

I feel very normal today -- not even tenderness. Since it was my first attack I wasn't sure if they'd recommend removal, but I guess because a couple of the stones are fairly large and because of what it did to my liver and causing jaundice those couple of days, he did say to remove it. Again, fine by me!

And thanks for the info, everyone, that you were able to eat normal foods again afterwards.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I had my gallbladder removed in 1999 when I was only 35. I had my kids in 1995 and 1998 and had gained a lot of weight with each pregnancy. By the time I started getting the symptoms, I had lost all of the baby weight and then some. But, my gallbladder was already ruined so it had to be removed.

I did well enough with the surgery. The doctor gave me the option of staying overnight in the hospital or going home after a few hours. I chose to stay since my kids were little and I knew they would just want to crawl all over me while I laid in my bed. The recovery wasn't bad. I mostly only had trouble getting myself upright when I needed to get out of bed. DH put a chair next to the bed that I could grab onto and pull myself up. I remember starting with bland foods and working my way up to more normal stuff.

I went through a period after that where I gained some of my weigh back. In 2017, I decided enough was enough. I completely changed my eating habits and lost 80 pound, which I continue to keep off. I do notice now that when I eat extra fat, my stomach and intestines will start to rebel. I think it's a combination of not having a gallbladder and being unaccustomed to eating very much fat. It's a good reminder to make lower-fat food choices so I can keep the weight off and continue to feel good. Nothing shuts down the temptation to eat a burger and fries like knowing I will spend the night with uncomfortable intestinal cramps. The grilled chicken salad looks really attractive at that point!

 

[bgirldeb]

The funny thing about the gallbladder is that weight loss can actually cause gallstones because it can make your liver release extra cholesterol in the bile.

 

[MaggieBags]

It took a week before I felt back to normal.
No issues with increased frequency afterwards.

Best of luck OP!

 

[JLTraveling]

My mom had hers removed in her late 30s. She was admitted the night before and had laparoscopic surgery the next morning. Released in the afternoon, and we went straight to the MK (local APs with a history of recuperating from stuff at Disney). She didn't do the coasters, but she did do Splash. Said the walking felt good. That night she had some post-op gas and a bit of discomfort, but nothing awful. Totally back to normal in a couple of days, and eating normally within a week. Her mother was shocked, because she had hers out a decade or so earlier with the old-fashioned open surgery and it took her about two months to fully recover.

 

[C&Jx2]

I had mine removed laparoscopically last year. Recovery is much easier if you get up and move as soon as possible to disperse the gas they fill you up with to visualize the area during surgery.

I never had any of the urgency to #2, but just the opposite. I feel like I'm taking longer to digest. Sometimes when I eat it feels like a rock in my gut, but it wasn't a terrible experience overall.

 

[DisneyLover83]

I had mine out in 2007 - had some complications and ended up being admitted to the hospital with pancreatitis for 3 days. I continue to have issues. My GI lovingly calls in "dumping syndrome". Its a real thing that can happen after the surgery. I have been on low dose Welchol for years to alleviate the symptoms. For anyone still having issues after please talk to your GI.

 

[Music City Mama]

The funny thing about the gallbladder is that weight loss can actually cause gallstones because it can make your liver release extra cholesterol in the bile.

Hmmm, that's interesting.

I had mine out in 2007 - had some complications and ended up being admitted to the hospital with pancreatitis for 3 days. I continue to have issues. My GI lovingly calls in "dumping syndrome". Its a real thing that can happen after the surgery. I have been on low dose Welchol for years to alleviate the symptoms. For anyone still having issues after please talk to your GI.

Oh no, sorry to hear that.

Released in the afternoon, and we went straight to the MK (local APs with a history of recuperating from stuff at Disney). She didn't do the coasters, but she did do Splash. Said the walking felt good. That night she had some post-op gas and a bit of discomfort, but nothing awful. Totally back to normal in a couple of days, and eating normally within a week.

I can only hope I have that easy.

I really hope the surgeon's office calls me in the morning tomorrow and they can get it done this week (my GI seemed to think it was likely). I've got something pretty major going on Memorial Day weekend and I'd like to have this all behind me. I do feel completely normal at the moment, like I could do/eat anything, but I'm not taking any chances. Last night for dinner, I had a baked potato with fat-free cheese sprinkled on top -- I didn't know fat-free cheese doesn't melt very well. It was kinda gross.

 

[elgerber]

I didnt have a recliner, but I got extra pillows and slept sitting up for about a week. For about 4 weeks after I would start the night sitting up and gradually as I slept would be lower and lower and finding comfortable positions to sleep in.

But defiantly for the first week, sleeping sitting up and not flat was the best thing for me.

I had mine out 24 years ago, but I have to chuckle at the bed issues. I had a free flowing waterbed at that time! Talk about a challenge.

 

[Aladora]

I had mine out June 2020. I was told that issues with gallbladders increase with the 4 Fs. Female, Fat, Family history, over forty.

I had mine out laparoscopically and other than not being able to eat some high fat foods (I have to watch myself when I try and have korean fried chicken), I can basically eat whatever I want within reason. I've had some pretty major abdominal surgeries (laparoscopic tubes and ovary removal, plus a big surgery where they used my abdominal area to reconstruct after bilateral mastectomy) and the gallbladder removal was pretty easy to recover from. I took it easy for about a week and that was it. I never slept in a recliner and was in my own bed right after the surgery, which was done as an outpatient surgery.

 

[AndreaDM]

Well, I evidently have gallstones. I've never had stomach issues, gallbladder or otherwise, and last weekend I had some pain out of nowhere that wound up going to the middle part of my back (this was the longest and worst of the pain) and then I vomited several times over the next 2 days and just felt unwell. On Monday, I noticed the whites of my eyes were yellowish, did an internet search about the gallbladder, made an appointment with the gastroenterologist, and my primary care doctor sent me for labs. Liver enzymes came back significantly elevated. Saw the gastro yesterday who sent me for an ultrasound of the gallbladder and liver this morning, and he just called to say that I definitely have stones, a couple of larger ones and he recommends that I have surgery to remove it sooner rather than later which I'm on board with. I've felt much better since this past Tuesday evening, but I'm really watching what I eat (and will continue to do so). The whites of my eyes were more normal by Wednesday and completely normal by yesterday (Thursday).

He'll contact the surgeon Monday morning, and hopefully, they'll be able to schedule me for this coming week. I feel okay overall, but I do have some tenderness (not pain) in that area -- maybe from the ultrasound, I don't know.

I'm not overweight at all and while I eat lots of junk, I also eat a lot of good food too. But, I know I'm at that age (51) that crap like this just starts to happen, especially to women.

Any words of wisdom, advice, experiences on how long your recovery was, when you could eat normally again, etc.?

I had mine out at 22 and did not fit any of the 4 "Fs" except one. Female, Fair, Fat, Forty lol, only the female pertained to me. That was 30 years ago and I was the first patient at that hospital to have it removed laparoscopically so there were TONS of extra Doctors and Nurses there to observe. I felt like a celebrity lol. I hope you heal quickly! It's a very odd pain and hard to describe to someone who hasn't had it, especially the location, upper back between shoulder blades, ugh!