Who's had their gallbladder out?

[mamagiff]

I'm almost to the 3 week date of my surgery and all is well. Only had one time that I had a bathroom issue and I figured out it was too much cream in my morning shake. Other than that I have had no other problems and I'm feeling great.

I'm back to my regular biking and will be back to my usual weights starting next week. The biggest issue I've had is the itchy, healing incisions and waistbands rubbing on them!

[shykins]

i was told no strenous pulling exercises for 6 weeks so pls be careful.. you may feel all healed on the outside but its the insides that have been pulled about remember

glad to hear ufeel well
x

[mamagiff]

Originally Posted by shykins

i was told no strenous pulling exercises for 6 weeks so pls be careful.. you may feel all healed on the outside but its the insides that have been pulled about remember

glad to hear ufeel well
x

Thanks! I talked to my dr. and he said I am ok to go back to my regular routines as long as I don't feel any pain. I have been doing the exercises with much lighter weights right from the beginning with his ok. I won't go to the heaviest yet but I am adding a bit more than I've been doing. I definitely will be very careful.

[Determinedtolose]

I had mine out in 97 and ever since then no attacks. I don't even get the runs either when eating fat.

Had the laproscopy done and was out of the hospital in less than 24 hours. They were just waiting for me to wake up and pee!

[mikkimouse]

Hello,
I had mind out in 94' after i had my dd, i later found out that something triggers gallstones once you have had a c-section. I have 4 other friends who had their's out after their c-sections too. Weird. I had 2-3 dozen gallstones and pancreatitus ( SP?) almost died. very scarry. Before gall surgery i weighed 210 i was in the hospital for 5 days and when i left the hospital i weighed 145, OMG i looked dead. they tried to get it out laproscopicaly but couldent due to how inlarged it was so they had to open me up. Gallstones are a very scary thing to deal with and im glad you are ok.

[yoshi]

Mine was removed a year ago the hard way. It ruptured and inflamed my liver and pancreas. The pain was unbelieveably excrutiating. I have a nice long scar and outrageous medical bills as a reminder. I feel much better since it was removed. I hadn't been able to eat anything with fat or too much protein for several months before. I had a few problems while my liver was healing whenever I ate low carb. Now, it's not so bad. I can no longer eat hot peppers or foods made with very hot seasonings (bad stomach ache). But that's okay. I'd rather do without the hot and spicy food than go through the pain I had when my gall bladder was still with me. Eating fat doesn't give me the runs, but eating wheat, corn or sugar does. Good enough reason to eat low carb IMO.

Like you, I had a burning pain right under my breast bone. I also had a terrible ache in my right shoulder and right upper back. I didn't know what was causing it. I was told to take Tums and Prilosec. It worked part of the time. The only time it really seemed to work in providing relief was when I also took an Aleve. I didn't connect it. The doctors didn't connect it, either. One told me I had a hiatal hernia. Both times I went to the local emergency room in the months prior to the rupture, I was told it was severe constipation and to eat more fruit. On the advice of a friend, I went her doctor, one I'd never been to before. He diagnosed the problem almost immediately. The surgeon I had said I was lucky because most doctors do not recognize the signs of gall bladder disease and will look for something else. I was in the hospital for 8 days and on IV antibiotic therapy the entire time. I also had to take oral antibiotics for awhile after I got out of the hospital. It's not something to mess with, especially if you're having pain and fever. I'm glad you have a doctor who is running tests. Hopefully, they'll find out for sure what's wrong so you can get it taken care of before it becomes severe.

[retroworx]

I'm glad someone has mentioned already that if you are diagnosed with stones and are symptomatic, postponing surgery can be potentially life threatening due to the possibility of peritonitis. In addition, if the surgery becomes a necessity because of acute failure, as opposed to an elective situation, you are more likely to require an open procedure instead of the laparoscopic one (robotic tools inserted thru tiny sutures) and that means longer recovery time, major scars, and more potential for post-surgical infection. Of course, finances and lack of insurance make these decisions more difficult.

To ease some fears: I understand that laparoscopic GB surgery is the most performed surgery in the U.S. (Which is why I am completely baffled why docs don't recognize the obvious symptoms: hours of acute sharp clutching pain, usually in a band around your chest and extending to back and shoulder, often within approx 6 hours of a meal. Emergency room doc told me I had acid reflux and to take some antacids. Turns out I had stones that had filled the sack completely and backed up into my bile duct. Surgeon said it was solid like a block of cement and it took him hours to crush and remove all the cement thru the tiny incisions. I'll always be grateful that he stuck with it that way and didn't open me up, which was an option he had reserved. Thanks Dr. C, wherever you are!)

[Determinedtolose]

I forgot to mention that before my surgery, I had really bad that even went all the way around my back. I felt that I couldn't breathe at times and it lasted at 5 minutes. And it happened either late at night or right after I ate something greasy and spicy.

This occurred at least 4 times before I decided to do something about it. I actually went to the emergency because I had no idea what was going on with me.

[MaryMary]

I had mine out in 1982 - 26 years ago before there was laproscopic. I had a six inch scar that was diagonal on my right side. I continued to gain weight after that and eventually went from 220 to 376 lbs in 2001. I ate all kinds of things. It was when I ate high carb and high fat that I had the reflux problems. When I stay away from the junk, coffee, grains, caffeine, dairy, caffeine, chocolate & sweeteners, I don't have a problem. That may sound horrible but what's left is all the beautiful food, proteins, veggies, fruits and dressings. Today at the same weight for the last two years, I only get the reflux or diarrhea when I drink coffee or have the other things named above. I still forget once in a while and the smell calls to me, and I have a decaf, inevitably the next day I am in the bathroom. It ain't worth it.

By the way, the six inch scar was removed when I had the panniculectomy two years ago to remove the hanging skin left after losing 220 lbs. I am very grateful.