Anybody had their gallbladder removed?

[dissentowner]

Looks like I am heading down this road soon, I meet with the surgeon tmrw. Sometimes I get killer pain attacks in my upper right abdomen and it turns out I have gallstones and one is in a bile duct. Just looking for some experiences if there are any on here.

[socalwingfan]

My wife just had hers removed a few months ago. She had extreme pain leading up to the removal - we actually went to the ER room twice before she finally had it removed. She went into surgery in the AM and I had her home that afternoon, she was on pain killers and bed rest for probably 3 days. She started riding her bike to school 2 or 3 weeks after surgery. Best of luck, I know for my wife having it removed was one of the best decisions she has made, the painful attacks were getting completely out of hand

[Regulator75]

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=80109&

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=83767

My Gallbladder went gangrene for reasons unknown back in 2004. The pain was so severe I couldn't even stand up.
They removed it and I was in the hospital for 5 days.

I've never been the same since (health wise), in fact my symptoms have been getting worse, so bad that day to day activities are sometimes impossible. It's a roller coaster ride, 1 day I feel great the next two day I'm in dyer pain and can't function what so ever..

Most people deal with the side effects after Gallbladder removal for a couple weeks at the most.
I've been suffering and trying to manage for 5 years now.

Now 10 years, not 5.

[PIMking]

I need to have mine removed, Had issues with it for a while but haven't had an issue for a month. My mom has had hers removed and felt much better.

I will say that I've never slept better in my life than right after I awake at 2 am with an attack and scream in pain for an hour and it passes. SLEEP LIKE A ROCK after that.

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by socalwingfan

My wife just had hers removed a few months ago. She had extreme pain leading up to the removal - we actually went to the ER room twice before she finally had it removed. She went into surgery in the AM and I had her home that afternoon, she was on pain killers and bed rest for probably 3 days. She started riding her bike to school 2 or 3 weeks after surgery. Best of luck, I know for my wife having it removed was one of the best decisions she has made, the painful attacks were getting completely out of hand

I went to the ER 8 times for mine and still have it. At the time I didn't have health insurance and the first time they kept me in the hospital for 2 days without removing it.

Every time I went in they gave me a damn CT scan and basically loaded me up with pain killers and kicked me out. Now I just deal with the pain and scream like a baby for an hour then usually it passes around that time.

[calgaryred]

Had mine removed on New Years Eve 2006 the worst is the first night after surgery, your body is full of gas and your shoulders just ache. That and it took me about two weeks before I could eat solid foods. I just ate soup and ginger ale, after that its been pretty normal for me to be honest. Don't even notice a change in my life.

[T@T]

Had mine out 15 years ago.

Checked into the hospital at 10 am and was on my way home at 12:15 pm.

Zero problems now, never get heartburn and can eat anything I want.

Everyone should get rid of the stupid useless organ.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by calgaryred

Had mine removed on New Years Eve 2006 the worst is the first night after surgery, your body is full of gas and your shoulders just ache. That and it took me about two weeks before I could eat solid foods. I just ate soup and ginger ale, after that its been pretty normal for me to be honest. Don't even notice a change in my life.

WOW, Why? I had 3 hours of "nitro" pain and had spaghetti and meatballs the next day for dinner.

[dissentowner]

I can't wait to get it out, the sooner the better.

[SHOGUN]

If you need surgery, good luck and I hope you have a safe and fast recovery.

[dissentowner]

ugg, just checked on Ontario wait times web site and my hospital is saying 111 days for gallbladder surgery. I hope this surgeon tells me otherwise tmrw.

[Resolute 14]

How it goes will depend on if they can do it laparoscopic surgery, or if they have to cut you open. The former is how I got it, and I was in in the morning, out in the afternoon, and needed only minimum medication to keep pain down. Slow moving for a couple weeks, but normal ever since. If they cut you open, you're looking at a few days in hospital and a longer recovery time.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

ugg, just checked on Ontario wait times web site and my hospital is saying 111 days for gallbladder surgery. I hope this surgeon tells me otherwise tmrw.

That's not that bad actually, 11 months and 9 attacks before I got in. I got so good predicting oncoming attacks I just drove to the hospital and said "demerol" time.

I forgot to mention I had 13 stones, one of which was the size and color of a robins egg, I still have it somewhere, doc gave it to me in a large pill bottle.

[OutOfTheCube]

My dad had his out a long long time ago -- like almost 30 years. If you don't want the attacks you should really watch what you eat -- for the last several months leading up to his surgery he ate only real low fat foods and meats and didn't have a single attack.

Heard those attacks are brutal though. He had heart surgery 5 years ago and rated the pain of his gallstone attacks as worse than the pain from recovering from heart surgery.

[JonDuke]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

How it goes will depend on if they can do it laparoscopic surgery, or if they have to cut you open. The former is how I got it, and I was in in the morning, out in the afternoon, and needed only minimum medication to keep pain down. Slow moving for a couple weeks, but normal ever since. If they cut you open, you're looking at a few days in hospital and a longer recovery time.

I just had a laparoscopic appendectomy yesterday. I was under the impression it was less painful than an open appendectomy. They wouldn't let me go home until 30 hours after and now, 36 hours post op, I'm still in considerable pain.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by JonDuke

I just had a laparoscopic appendectomy yesterday. I was under the impression it was less painful than an open appendectomy. They wouldn't let me go home until 30 hours after and now, 36 hours post op, I'm still in considerable pain.

That sucks man, I hope it eases up soon.

[Resolute 14]

No kidding man. Hope that heals up quick!

[photon]

I was having what everyone told me was gallbladder attacks, even went to emergency once it was so bad. Got sent for an MRI, they couldn't find any stones (or blockages or knots or anything else). Asked my doctor what the problem was she shrugged lol. Eventually they went away, but I couldn't imagine living with that for a year while waiting for surgery.

[Phanuthier]

best of luck, dissentowner

[Dion]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

I can't wait to get it out, the sooner the better.

Hope the surgery goes well and relieves the pain