bye, bye gall bladder

Myjoy, I had emergency gall bladder surgery years ago. I had ignored symptoms until I became very sick one day. I drove myself to the emergency room where tests were done. I was admitted immediately and they had to wait a day or two to "calm" the infection a bit. I already had gangrenous (sp) tissue. The surgery was done with tiny little holes in my tummy. I recovered quickly. I don't remember any increased muscle pain, just discomfort from laying on a hospital bed (which must have been made of concrete).

My experience was not bad. I hope the same for you.

Myjoy,

I don't know if it's exactly a good thing or not, but if it has to go, it has to go! I had mine out almost 4 years ago. My digestion still isn't great, (IBS?) I can't eat that much (but that may be due to something else) and my liver enzymes are still elevated, but the doctor says it's just mildly, so I try not to worry - anyhoo, at least I don't have those horrendous, burningly painful attacks anymore.

My 24-year-old daughter just had hers out 3 weeks ago. Ditto for her - no more pain that makes her leave work or rush to the ER! Can't say about the long run yet, because she also has chronic issues - gas, bloating, probably IBS too. :(

I didn't realize until she had her surgery that mine had been unusual - - even though it was done laparoscopically, I had to have a long, plastic drainage tube for about 10 days, which was quite a bother. My husband helped me at first, to drain it and measure the liquid several times a day - yuk! (I guess there was some excess bile in there somewhere.) No one bothered to tell me this was a complication...I just thought it was par for the course. Every time I moved, that thing hurt, so I had to be on Vicodin longer than I'd expected. I was surprised at how sore I was, even 2 or 3 weeks afterwards. I think Fibro always complicates anything else somewhat. We have those lovely, state-of-the-art pain receptors, after all! I ate pretty normally within a day or two.

Hopefully, yours will be easier and you'll have no more nasty symptoms.

Debbie

Thanks so much, everyone! It's great to hear your stories.

Hi myjoy, just wanted you to know that I had my gall bladder removed back in 1983 I was only 23 at the time, but they didnt do it laproscopicaly back in those days so I have a nice long scar. lol The nurses were amazed at how fast I bounced back from the surgery but I think it was because most of the patients were older than me. For me it was a relief just to have it gone.
I have friends who have had it done lapriscopicaly and the recovery time is much shorter although there is still pain.
I will be praying that everything goes really well for you.
Gentle Hugs
Shirley

Hey MyJoy - you have a distinct advantage that they're planning your surgery, vs letting yourself get so sick that you end up in the ER with emergency surgery for it. My mom's surgeon and g.p. explained that it is MUCH better for you as the patient from all angles. So this is a huge advantage you have.

My mom is mid-80's and had hers out last fall, laproscopic (sp) surgery. Hers was full of stones, diseased, infected with MRSA and just a mess. Still, at her advanced age she came through it well. Being elderly she had a longer stay - and then she developed pneumonia in the hospital (easier for elderly to get) so she stayed longer. None of the negative aspects of hers applies to you --- yours sounds like it will be a piece of cake. You're going to do fine.

They're going to be possibly looking at my gall bladder depending upon how my current health issues resolve - so this is a possibility for me in the future too. Knowing a good surgeon now, I feel much more at ease about the whole thing. The surgeon is your key, I think, to a good recovery.

Thanks, everyone.

I no longer eat high fat foods at all, because I'm on a wellness program. I've lost 45 pounds since April. The fact that I'm having so much gallbladder trouble, and am feeling so crummy (while eating a good diet), tells the doctors that my gallbladder is a real problem.

I had my GB out 18 yrs ago. I had been sick for 2 yrs before that, brought me to my knees. Finally went to the dr, had US, they confirmed what my dr suspected. I had a 'farm' of stones. I was scheduled to go in for surgery, never made that date. Rushed into ER. They had to stablize me first before they could do the surgery. I was in the hospital for 9 days. I had the old fashioned cut, nice and long and the drainage cut. I was hurting for the longest time, but just plowed on w/ what I had to do, all my children were little, didn't have much choice. 

Before I left the hospital, I had diarrhea. Dr. thought I had an infection (reason I stayed so long), finally let me go home, but continued to test my BM. I held off going to another dr for the longest time. Finally, my pcp sent me to a gastro. I have many digestive issues, was on Questran for over 10 yrs. I have IBS C & D now. Many foods I can not tolerate. I have to eat by a certain time. These are things I just live w/, I know what I can and cannot have.

I hope this goes very well for you and it is a whole new beginning for you. Good Luck!

God bless.  Alice.