What is Gallstone Surgery Like?
Wednesday April 19, 2006
Women's Health Forum: "I'm 20 years old and was just diagnosed with gallstones after having my first attack... I need to have my gall bladder removed but I'm very nervous! I was just wondering if anyone else has had this procedure and how it went for you." Share your gallstone surgery experience!
Comments
My friend had gallstone surgery about a year ago. After her surgery, she had three small scars on her stomach and she sat in a chair for about a week. After that she only felt minor discomfort and she was able to eat and not feel pain like she did before. She is now fully recovered and happy that she had the surgery. (Also, her scars are barely visible.)
after you have had a gallbladder attack they only get worse (more pain then child birth) the last attack i had i wanted to die. the simple surgery was well worth it. a few small scars, your real sore, a week to lay and sit around, and in 6 weeks your good to go!
My son had his gall bladder removed when he was only 4 years old. He did have pain for about a week, mostly from moving around too much. He was back to normal in under 2 weeks, & never really had to take anything other than tylenol for the pain after leaving the hospital. Trust me the surgery was worth it, after going through extreme pain for over 6 months before being diagnosed. No Dr.s though to check for gall stones in someone so young. About six weeks after sugery his symptoms did return, only to find out he also had kidney stones. He is now 8 and on meds to prevent any more kidney stones, and doing well. Good Luck…
After hearing of all stories i think i am going to post pond my surgery!
DONT postpone your surgery! I have gallstones as well and was diagnosed after a serious attack. Its best to get them out before more damage is done. My aunt is a nurse and she had them too, but her gallbladder almost exploded form too many stones. The after effects of the surgery far outweigh living with them. Just get it done and over with.
I am scheduled fmy surgery 14 days and I con’t be happier! I had my first attack in feb that sent me to the hosptal in extreme pain.(As a paramedic, I know that sudden persistant abdominal pain is never something to dismiss.)Here it is in dec and I will be out of work for a couple of weeks but it will be worth it not having chronic nausea and pain!
Started having gall bladder pain in September 06. Not severe, but a surgeon wants to operate. Problem is, I weigh 300 lbs. and surgery would be very risky. I wonder what will happen to me now?
My mom is going to have the surgery on April 1, she cant wait till it is done and she has no more pain…..
I was recently diagnosed with gallstones and was told that my gallbladder needs to be removed immediately. My doctor reviewed my ultrasound results and explained to me that my gallbladder was “packed” with stones. I am relieved to know that I will be having surgery to have my gallbladder taken out. The pain that I have dealt with is intolerable! I’m so fortunate to be having surgery, and looking forward to no more pain!
Hi i have just been diagnosed with a 2.3cm gal stone and my only option is surgery, which i can’t wait to have as i have 2small children and dealing with the pain&sickness plus medication which makes u drowsy plus work is just gettin to me, iv got my mum around to help as husband away alot, im worried as not sure if i can have keyhole as my gall stone is filling my gall bladder, can any1 give advise on wat surgery i will be getting..
I’m a 37 year old single mum and was diagnosed with gallstones in April after suffering 3 days of pain, nausea and by the end of it, yellow eyes and stools that looked like clay. My next attack 3 weeks later saw me in A&E at 4am in the morning. I couldn’t take the pain. I’m now waiting for surgery to remove my gallbladder. I can’t wait - even though I’ll be starting a new job in a few weeks and will have to be off for at least 2 weeks, I won’t jeopardise my health for
anything.
I was diagnosed with gallstones 2 days ago, i have been suffering with pain for over 18months on abd off, the gp kept saying it was IBS so i took buscapan to help relieve the pain however did not work and then two nights ago i was rushed to hospital with pain i could no longer stand. When i got there they did a scan it resulted in being diagnosed with gallstones and am now in the process of waiting for surgery. cant wait as will no longer have discomfort!!!
I’m so glad to hear all the comments from other people. I was diagnosed with gallstones 9 days ago. But, have been in pain for about 2 months now my doctor just told me that i will have to have surgery. So now i just have to wait it out until the day comes. I can’t wait but i’m super nervous. Let’s hope i don’t give myself an ulcer worring about my surgery.
My mother and I have this problem, My mom don’t have insurance, but I do. I am suffering from this pain since 2003. for a long time didn’t know I have a gall stone, later I found out. I am scare of post operative and the living after that. is it very risky.
I am going to have gallbladder surgery tomorrow morning. I have been suffering with pain for a little over a year and can’t wait to get it out. The pain at times is unbearable. Someone described the pain as being worse than childbirth and I have to agree. I thought I was having a heart attack. I’ve spent at least $700 on (7) E/R visits alone because of the severe pain. It will be nice to live pain free again and without constant medication everytime I eat. I believe it is worth it. You need to prepare your body for surgery and that means to exercise, don’t smoke and eat right. You are worth the trouble believe me. After a lifetime of taking care of others, it is time to take care of myself. Consult with a surgeon and research more about the gallbladder surgery. The more informed you are about it, the less scary it will be.
I just had gall bladder surgery ten days ago. I went home the same day and was up and running 2 days after the surgery. The ONLY pains were gas pains–it rolled back and forth all around your abdomen, slight incision pains, and LOSS of stomach muscle. Weird how your body just doesn’t respond to you! I also felt a bit out of it (drugged). I took meds for pain but didn’t need to. It is 10 days later now and I feel totally me now, just tired. I’m 50. I’ve only had 3 attacks in three years.
Had laproscopic surgery 1 week ago and besides being a little sore, it was the best thing that could have happened to me…living with gallbladder attacks for 9 months after having my second child was horrible, especially since I was misdiagnosed for 6 months (told by one dr. I was having back spasms)…I can eat again..everything was making me sick..cheese/nuts/chocolate…so happy I had the surgery!!! Now I can enjoy running around after my two kids instead of worrying when my next attack would come!
i just had my gallbladder out a week ago and iam not going to lie the first few days is unbearable maybe becuz iam 46 but it gets better and please if you are having trouble get it taken care of don’t wait for an attack to come becuz it can be worst …..
I am having my surgery today at 3:30. I am so stressed about it and have been since my attack last week. I am not sure if i Really want this done. I am only 24 and my mom had hers removed at 34 so this is stressing me out. I am a very healthy person. I eat right and work out a lot. I just don’t understand why I have to get this removed. But I know that I do not want the suffering I went through last week to happen again. I pray it goes well. Thanks for all your comments!
Truly,
DD
I was diagnosed 3 days ago with a gallstone and I’m meeting with my surgeon on May 7th. I’ve been having minor attacks since I was diagnosed, and realized I’ve been having attacks A LOT in the past year. I was on birth control from Feb 07-July 07 and thought that was what was causing my nausea. It turns out I had the gallstone, and birth control can actually cause them!
I’m happy to get it taken care of, but nervous about the after-effects of anesthesia (I hate nausea - don’t ask how I lived with it for a year and didn’t commit myself to an asylum). I’ve been researching and asking friends around here that have had the same thing - they’re all HAPPY they got it taken care of, because now they don’t have nausea and pain anymore.
Hi, i’m 21 and was diagnosed with gall stones about 3-4 wks ago when i had an attack that took me to hospital i was in so much pain. Then last friday i started getting pain, and come sunday i still had it so back to the hospital! Turns out one of the stones was stuck and my gall bladder was inflamed and infected… so it was out on monday night. Luckily they were able to take it out by keyhole surgery. i was out of hospital yesterday.. and now its thursday i’m feeling pretty good. Well i’m feeling SO MUCH better than all the pain that comes with the attacks. I was so scared of surgery.. but it is really nothing to be worried about.. you are asleep the whole time and cant remember a thing. Of course there are risks.. but they are nothing more scary then the risks of walking down the street.. these people really know what they are doing. Do not put off the surgery.. its only been 3 days and the after is SO MUCH BETTER than the before.
I have surgery in a couple of days and am counting the minutes. I started downhill in February; I thought I was having a heart attack. Then, the doc said I had acid reflex and I have been on Previcid ever since. I watch what I eat, have lost weight, and still have the painful attacks. The pain that goes across my right shoulder and back has been unbearable. I know I will feel 100% better after the surgery. I hear recovery is pretty fast, and then maybe I can stop taking the Previcid forever.
i just had surgery done yesterday. i was so nervous to get it done. but now that i did it i dont kno why i was so nervous. it was fast, i felt like i was out for only five minutes. i feel good for it being the day after. i can walk around and go where ever. i just cant bend over or drive for like a week. i think the surgery is worth gettin done. you will feel so much better. jus eat slowly and dont go straight for the junk food after wards. you gotta let your body get used to the change.
i just found out i have gallstones. there ranging up to 17mm. are those big enough to have surgery?
Did your surgeon discuss with you the risks of surgery? Is anyone experiencing any side effects after having your gallbladder removed?
I’m wondering what type of surgery you are talking about? Removing the stones only (but keep the gallbladder) or removing the whole gallbladder? My mom was diagnosed to have gallbladder and was told she can choose either one. Thanks!
Hey! been suffering excrutiating pain right in the chest for almost 9 months and were continuously told by my gp that i may have an ulcer, been in and out of hospital all month and then had a usscan which showed gallstones! I have 5 children out of which 1 has downs syndrome, i am so busy i cant even answer my phone! gallstones was the last thing i needed, the pain i have makes me want to die! am now wondering how long its going to take on the n h s for them to perform surgery? i just want my life back, and to be a good mum to my kids, please someone tell me!
wow, for about 2 months now i have had the attacks, not knowing what it was, i have had different doctors tell me different things because i am also now 32 weeks pregnant. come to find out last week they knew what it was and didnt even tell me.. its multiple small gallstones… i dont know what they mean by small, but i cant wait to have the surgery … because these attacks are intolerable and have been happening once a week to 2ce a week, now i know i need to try and cut out the fat..
Oh my god!
Just found out today that i have multiple gallstones like you too! I just cant take the pain anymore, especially if i accidently eat the wrong thing, just keep away from eggs and oil coz they are hard to digest. Doctor told me to have surgery straight away, said youre better off without your gallbladder, what im worried about is, where will all the bile go? he said “it will just go directly into the intestines”, but thats not what i heard. Theres lots of co’s and pron’s bout surgery, please find out, coz i am. Hope you have a peaceful pregnancy and all go’s well for you!
I’m 19, and had my gall bladder removed 3 weeks ago. My problems started in late July of 2008. The attacks occurred so infrequently and so close to my period that I passed them off as bad PMS induced bloating. They hurt like hell but only lasted a few hours, so I didn’t think it was a big deal. Then sometime in mid-September I had a REALLY bad attack that rendered me incapable of even walking. I don’t remember what I ate to cause it, but I remember waking up at 2 AM with a lot of pain in my stomach. Thinking again that it was a bad case of bloating, I got up, popped a few Gas-X pills, and waited for the pain to subside.
I waited for hours to get better, but it only got worse. It felt like there something huge in my upper abdomen that was trying to burst free. After more time passed, it got even worse. My abdomen felt like it was burning. Then the vomiting spell hit. Anything I had in my stomach was expelled, but the pain did nothing but intensify. By 6 AM I could hardly walk. I couldn’t even stand up straight because of the pain. For the next 5 hours or so I ended up camping out on the living room couch, never getting up unless I had to vomit (and unfortunately, everything I vomited was nasty disgusting bile). Thankfully, I got better by around 2 PM that afternoon.
I visited the doctor a couple days later, and after I explained what happened and he did the “tummy touch” thing, he told me that I probably had gall stones. A week later an ultrasound of my abdomen confirmed it. Between that time and October 20 I had a few more attacks, though none were so severe. It helped that I knew what my problem was, so that when I felt an attack coming on I would drink a couple glasses of water, which really helped lessen the problem.
On October 20th I got hit with yet another major attack. The night before I had made a stupid decision to eat bar-be-que ribs at Chile’s. I paid for it the next morning. I felt the attack coming on somewhere between 5AM and 7 AM. I awoke to a butt load of abdominal pain and burning, and just barely made it out of bed in time to throw up. The pain and vomiting actually lasted like this for over 24 hours. I couldn’t eat or sleep, and moving around was just as hard as the attack I described before. It was so agonizingly painful that I actually called one of my good friends and begged him to bring me some of his pain killers, because I just couldn’t stand it. What worried me most, however, was not so much the pain, but the fact that it lasted so long. Attacks are usually supposed to last for anywhere between an hour to 8 hours on average. I looked it up online, and couldn’t even find a single incident where an attack had lasted for an entire day.
Thankfully, the pain did pass, but not completely. After the first 24 hours, most of the pain had subsided, but I dealt with abdominal discomfort for a day or two afterwards. What was worse was that not only was I in discomfort, I could actually FEEL the swelling of my gall bladder. Up until after the surgery, my side was visibly swollen, and if you felt the area right above the gall bladder, it felt hard. For the rest of the week I couldn’t eat much of anything without causing a minor attack. I lived off small amounts of dry cereal and vegan foods for the rest of the week because they were the foods that gave me the least discomfort. (The upside to this was that I lost between 5-10 lbs. that week. Hooray for weight loss!)
The following Monday I went in and had my gall bladder taken out. They explained what would happen as the prepped me for surgery. It would take 45 mintues at the most, and an additional 30 minutes or so of recoup time. When they got that anesthesia in me, I was out like a lightbulb. One minute I was being helped by nurses to lie on the operating table, and the next I was opening my eyes in the recovery room. The sorest part of my body was my throat. They have to stick a breathing tube down your throat during operation, you see. They also give you a direct injection of pain killers into the abdomen, so you don’t even feel any pain in your gut when you wake up. They gave me crackers to eat, and a soda to drink so that I could have enough food and fluids in my body to take my vicoden.
After I had layed around in the recovery room for close to an hour, they gave me back my clothes and I got dressed. Before they discharge you, you’ll have to urinate so they know that everythings okay. Once I finally managed to get that taken care of (wasn’t easy at first. Apparently anesthesia makes my bladder shy), they let me go.
Some people report feeling pain in their back or shoulders after gall bladder surgery due to the fact that they have to inflate your stomach with air. I didn’t have this problem. I didn’t feel bloated or have any pains related to the air in my stomach. Towards the end of the day the injection of painkiller they gave my stomach finally wore off, but the pain killers they give are MORE than enough to take care of what little pain you’ll have in your abdomen. There was a bit of bloody seepage from my wounds, but that stopped by the middle of day two. My throat remained sore for a few days (partially my fault, as I’m a smoker, and smoking doesn’t help at all). The incisions hurt the most in the morning, because the pain killers always wear off by the time I wake up. Oddly enough, they don’t hurt at all when you lie on your back. It’s when you’re upright when they start to bother you. I can’t stress how little pain you feel when you have those pain killers, though. It took me about 5 days to recover enough to the point where I didn’t need any painkillers at all.
Here’s a few tips you should know before going into surgery:
1.) Some will tell you they went back to work after 2 or 3 days. I myself wasn’t ready to go back to work or school until after a week. Your ability to go back to work depends on how good of a healer you are, and what kind work you’re doing. If you have a job that requires doing any moderate amount of physical labor, or lifting anything over 10 lbs., you might want to request two weeks off work just to be safe. You’re supposed to not do any heavy lifting for 2-3 weeks. If you feel that’s too much time, or you need the work, then take off one week of work, but make sure you get a doctor’s note to your supervisor as soon as possible to let them know that you absolutely CAN’T do any lifting over 10 lbs. Trust me, I spent four hours at work just shifting heavy stuff around (not actually picking it up), and I ended up really sore and wishing for a vicoden at the end of my shift. Do not push yourself.
2.) Keep low-fat and high-fiber foods handy for after the sugery. The painkillers usually cause constipation, and trying to have a bowel movement while your abdomen still has a bunch of sore incisions is just not comfortable.
3.) Don’t rush the removal of your badanges. If you had the outpatient key hole surgery like I did, you’ll end up with internal stiches, and surgical tape over your incisions. The doctors will tell you they’ll start coming off within a week, but mine took up to three weeks to come off. It would have taken longer had I not have started tugging on them. By week two, if they haven’t gotten loose around the edges, carefully loosen just the edges, so that when you take showers the water can get in there and help loosen them up more. A little rubbing alchohol on the tape can help too, just make sure you don’t get it in your cuts, because it’ll hurt like hell.
—–HERE’S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART———
The biggest question everyone who’s considering gall bladder surgery has, is whether or not it works. Everyone has different experiences, and from mine, I can attest to the fact that it is most definitely worth it, and it does work. If you’ve had multiple attacks, there’s no point in keeping the gall bladder. Some may tell you that you can flush out stones by natural means (usually by drinking large amounts of some kind of oil). While you can flush a few stones out this way, you can’t flush them all out this way, and your problem will eventually come back. As for the dissolution therapy - it’s not a guaranteed fix, and the problem comes back over 50% of the time. It’s also far more expensive and takes way more time than the surgery. You’re best bet if you’ve had more than one attack is to have your gall bladder removed.
By day 2 of my recovery I was already eating pizza without any negative repurcussions. Today I chowed down on a nice high-fat, high-calorie meal of 2 Jr. Hamburgers, fries, and a small frosty from Wendy’s. The only side-effect I’ve had so far is the occasional case of “the runs” when I eat too much high-fat food (and it’s still a very rare occurance). It was a small price to pay for removing what was the primary cause of my agony. I’m glad I did it.
Hey! thanks so much for your info! am twice your age and have exactly the same symptoms as you, only difference is that i have a lesion somewhere in my gallbladder which is leaking, am still waiting a surgery date but am scared to death at the same time aswell! i really need to get this gallbladder out before i lose everyone who ever loved me, my pain is so bad that i block out all friends relations and anyone close to me out for weeks on end, simply because the pain just doesnt go away. Ive suffered for 8 agonizing months, lost weight and look half my size, pale, and people can tell something is wrong with me! im not the bubbly person i used to be, im so scared of having surgery, but then again i just want to be pain free. My pain can last up to 14 hours, and believe me when i say it is CHRONIC!! yet despite going into hospital 5 times last month, doctors still failed to tell me i had gallstones, until i had an endoscopy last week! How long did your appt for surgery take? im so happy for you and hope it all works out well for you!
Over the past 6 months I have been reading up on people’s personal experience with gallstones and/or surgery. I had two bad attacks this year and was told I would have to have surgery to remove the stones. So to make my struggles a little more easier, I was trying to be cautious about the foods that were best for me to eat. Doing this was a good choice as I only rarely experience a slight “something-something” in the gallbladder area when I ate. This changing of my eating habits helped a lot! Truthfully, I was trying to avoid surgery for as long as I could. So after a few months, I would slip in a little bit of something that I wasn’t suppose to eat and did ok. Believe it or not, in the past three months I have had no symptoms or signs of pain or discomfort. I recall having a bowel movement that that left me with a feeling of heavenly comfort…as if I had a new inside. It was different from any other BM I had ever had…not painful, but it was very involved, if that makes any sense. I think I was dreading surgery so much that I prayed those stones out of my gallbladder. Only two were visible on the sonogram but they were thinking there may have been more. I say this just to let everyone suffering from gallstones that it is possible to pass these and eliminate having the dreaded surgery. Since that bathroom episode, I have virtually eaten every greasy and fattening thing that brings me happiness. Too, I know they can come back so I am very careful to limit my weekly intake of those anti-gallstone foods. still, I will keep you posted.
Was diagnosed with “silent” gall stones about a year ago. There was no point in doing anything as I had no symptoms. Till 3 weeks ago when the first attack hit. The pain was horrific. I meet with the surgeon in 3 days and will have surgery soon thereafter. I was stupid enough to eat a BBQ burger and fries yesterday and my abdomen lit up like it was on fire. Trust me when I say surgery can’t come soon enough. Good luck to all.
I had mine out yesterday! So glad I had it done. I spent most of the day sleeping and taking Vicodin. I had major shoulder pain from the gas, but it went away after about 10 hours. I kept a heating pad on my shoulder in bed which helped a lot.
I guess everyone is different. Some people experience all of the symptoms and others not any. I have had people tell me that gall bladder surgery is a breeze. Although I am not apprehensive about it, any surgery is potentially serious. I am scheduled for 12/23. The only thing I’m upset about is being in bed for Christmas but I sure am looking forward to getting rid of this pain. My faith is in God and I believe I’m going to be fine.
I’m due to get my gallbladder removed on Tues. 16/12/08 & can wait! The pain over the last 8 or 9 months has been consistant & horendous. Mine were found by accident as a result of tests for a inherited family bowel cancer. I know which I’d rather have!!
I had mine ou on dec 19,2008. Iwas in by 6 am and out by 11Am. The first 3 days I was pretty sore, but now 4 days later i’m anxious to go somewhere b/c i’m sooo bored lying around, but I def. feel so much better having it out.
I am so happy to read everything people are saying positive about surgery. I just found out today that I need to meet with a surgeon before the end of the month. This site has helped me to be a lot less afraid.
Has anyone heard about the fact that the removal of gallbladder may inrease the chance for colon cancer? Does it have to be a concern when thinking about the surgery?
I am curious about where people live. It seems that some people are getting in quickly for surgery and others it takes awhile.
I am in southwestern Ontario and my doctor told me that it will be 1 month to see the surgeon and then about 4 months for the surgery date to come up. I am very scared of the surgery but on the same hand just want to pain to stop.
I have had pain from gall stones for 2 and a half years. I never went to the doctor because I figured it was just nerve pain. Last month I went to the doctor and through an ultrasound realized I have been enduring pain from gall stones. I was so releived that the problem was fixable. Seeing the surgeon in 2 days and hopefully scheduling surgery within a week.
I’m getting mine removed 1.20.09, which make it in a couple of hours. i’ll let ya all know how it went!!! cant wait!!!
Well I’m scheduled to have surgery on the 27th Jan.”09. And i’m hoping this goes well. I had a couple attacks in Dec.08 and was rushed to the hospital after getting a check up and seeing that my abdomen was swlloen from the gallstones, I was released a day later after medication but will be going back to remove gallbladder and stones, I’m a bit nervous but after reading your comments on how the surgery went i think all will be Ok
hey all, well i posted 3 days ago that i was getting my gallbladder removed and here I am. I have to say that so far everything went great. The surgery took exactly one hour and the doc says that my bladder was a mess. In a week I will go back to see the pictures of my ex bladder.
I woke up 1 1/2 hour later after the surgery with no problems whatsoever, no vomiting and no nausea. I had to urinate before I went home and I did about a half hour after I woke up. Going home I still had no pain since I was still under the good stuff. I have 4 cuts in my abdomen, one being in my navel, and my stomach has swelled up a bit.
The next day I had my first bowel movement after taking milk of magnesia so that made me amazingly satisfied. Stomach did hurt a bit but nothing a couple hydrocodone teaspoons couldn’t fix.
Until today the recovery is going extremely well. I have slight pain, I’m walking around the house fine. My diet now is soups, mashed potato, crackers and lots of water. No fat, diary or acids like juice. I do partake in some jello now and then. When the pain comes I take my hydrocodone. I’ve had some flatulence which was probably due to the gas they inflated in me but is now gone. My urination was irregular the first days, it would stream out then stop then stream then stop, but now its just one constant nice flowing motion.
The way this is going I’ll be back on my feet within in a week hopefully driving again.
All and all, so far its a good experience and if it means no more pain after eating food it’s all well worth it.
I had a miscarrage late 07 since then i have had what we think is ibs once in a while gurggling sounds in lower stomach,diarrhea and throwing up. now1 1/2 years later yesterday i had a pain in my stomach and it moved down to my back right side, i could walk at first but not bend down. i couldnt breath unless i layed down on my stomach, 24 hrs. later it is still sore if i lay down for a while and then get up or stretch my right side, could it be a muscle spasm or galbladder, i have no insurance, so i would hate to pay for a ultrasound to find out it was my muscle any help would be appreciated, thanks
I had my gallbladder out yesterday.Unfortuatly,I am experiencing alot of pain.The gas in my stomach and shoulder blades is horrible.If I try to sit,the gass pains rise to my neck.For me,the pain feels very much like my gallbladder attack.I hope the pain stops soon.
I was just diagnosed with gallstones 3 days ago after having a severe attack that sent me crying to the emergency room. One was logged in the gallbladder neck. I had been in pain for about 16 hours and over the counter pain killer did nothing to relieve the pain.
I believe that I have been suffering with gallstones for a couple of years but did not know what it was. Some of my symptoms are gas, bloating, stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea.
I live in Sacramento CA. and have already seen my primary care physician who recommened surgery to remove the gallbladder. He said the surgean will contact me in the next few days I will be put on the schedule for surgery in a couple of weeks. I can’t wait for the surgery. I never want to feel that kind of pain again. I hope that it helps with my other symptoms as well.
I’ve discovered (through an ultrasound) I have a 2.4cm gallstone and have not experienced any pain or discomfort whatsoever…. so I’m having doubts about the need to remove my gallbladder??
Hi all.
I experienced pain in my upper abdomen for around 10 years. It increased in frequency, until December 24th I started to get the pain every single day, for hours on end.
I had an ERCP to release a few lodged stones, and then on the 13th of Feb, my gall bladder was removed. Like others, it was packed with stones.
Prior to the ERCP and the surgery, my life had really deteriorated. I could not cook with my fiance, we could not go out for dinner or meet with family over the holiday. I could not walk nor exercise because I could not be too far from home if I got an attack. My fiance go on regular walks around the lake and I could not do that.
To make a long story short, it’s worth it. I am still recovering now, and I have pain from the recovery, but I look forward to getting my life back without pain.
I too,had my gallbladder removed about a month ago.I had been suffering from this at least a year and a half,I became jaundiced and was nauseated for one week. I went to a clinic the week before i had surgery for them to tell me that I had a urinary tract infection but of course that is not what it was.The surgery went well I recuperated at my mother’s home.
hi, i have severe pain at my lower side of my stomach in between my right leg aswell.. the pain last for an Rhours but it suddenly occurs unexpectedly, i was so desperate with looking for final diagnosis.. doctor said and told me to have and M.R.I, and some ultra sound.. i dont know what does it mean when the result said that “there is a possible milk calcium bile that does not present like the usual shadow of calcification, which is dark signal abnormality on the T1W pulse sequence.’ ” i had this result just this day..and i cant sleep thinking about this ..
my work will be affected and i dont have my family with me to take care and be with me on this difficult days of my life… pls give me good advice.. or a cure ..i dont want to have a surgery… i dont earn alot .. i just need good advice to cure me this time.. pls .. suggest something .. thanks and god bless..
Oh my god I feel your pain! I was diagnosed with gallstones about two months ago and I’ve had more than 8 or 9 attacks within this span because at first I thought it was only a stomach ache but after visiting the doctors a few times, and two ultrasounds they realized that I had several gallstones. My last attack I was hospitalized for four days because one of my stones went into my bile duct causing an infection and inflammation. I’m so HAPPY to say that I’m getting my gallbladder removed on May 4th and I cannot WAIT for it. Everyday I’m counting down the days until I could have a simple light cream cheese and bagel for breakfast.
Good luck with your surgery & I’ll report back to you all after.
Hey guys i’m reporting back. So I had my surgery yesterday and everything went well. I have four bandages on my stomach and only one of them is bloody. The bad thing is that I haven’t gone to the bathroom in two days I think I’m constipated because of my pills. I can’t walk or get out of bed without help and i have difficulty walking. Right now my belly button is stinging and my back is KILLING me. Yesterday i only had a bit of soup and jello and about 4 or 5 cups or gingerale. Today
I’ve been experiencing gallstone attacks since September 2006. That’s 32 months now, but I wasn’t diagnosed until this past Sunday (May 24). I usually go to the hospital by ambulance because the pain is so intense and because I don’t have a car.
Every 2-4 months I would wake up in the middle of the night with the pain, mostly in my back but also in my chest and abdomen (though the latter feels more like muscular cramping rather than internal organs).
On Sunday the EMT’s took me to a different hospital than the one I usually go to, and it was there that a doctor was perceptive enough to perform an ultrasound. My other hospital only did back x-rays once or twice. After finding nothing, they gave up looking for the cause of my pain and just gave me a shot and a prescription each time I came in, then sent me on home.
My attacks seem to be getting more frequent now. If I may count the minor one I had this morning, then I’ve had 3 attacks in one month, rather than the usual 1 pain every 3 months. So now I need to get myself a regular physician who accepts Medi-Cal and start looking into having surgery (assuming Medi-Cal will actually cover it and my doctor thinks it is necessary).
Okay, I am REALLY confused now and I need some advice from those who have already had their gallbladders removed.
My mom just passed away the other day, so now my aunt and uncle are helping me get the estate (or lack thereof) in order. As soon as my aunt found out I have gallstones, she started badgering me with her “informed” opinions. She works as a physical therapist for Kaiser Permanente in the L.A. area, so she seems to think she understands a great deal about the whole medical field, even more than the doctor who diagnosed me.
Anyway, she seems to think that at 28 years old I am too young to have my gallbladder removed, and that the gallbladder serves an important function, and that without it things will be more difficult for me than they are now. Now I have been researching gallstones online for the past two weeks, and what she said is completely contradictory to everything I have read.
1. I am NOT too young, as there have been teens on these forums who have had their gall bladders removed safely and successfully, 2. the gall bladder is NOT that important. It merely stores the extra bile, and 3. I have a 42-year-old friend who just had hers removed a few months ago, and she’s eating what she wants (most of the time) and living a completely normal life.
So… please tell me that my aunt does NOT know more than all of these medical websites (especially WebMD and Mayo Clinic) and countless gallstone sufferers on forums such as these. I told her what the ER doc told me, that I would need to have my gall bladder removed, but she says her friend, who is merely a dietician, says that as long as I avoid fatty foods and all this other junk, I will be fine.
BTW… I have been having frequent gallstone attacks for over two and a half years, averaging one every 2 - 4 months, and in the past month alone I have had THREE, so apparently they are becoming even more frequent. And they are so painful I have to go to the hospital via ambulance for a shot of Dilautid or something to stop the agony. Once attacks become more frequent, it’s not likely that the will become LESS frequent again, right? Even if I’m eating right?
Either way, I should not have to keep suffering like this just because my aunt is so damn sure of all of this. Also, what degree of education does a dietician have as opposed to an actual ER doctor? Somehow I doubt they even come close.
Hi i am 38 yrs old i was falling alots of pain in 2005 i went to my doctor and did a ultrasound they diagnosed me with multiple w gallstones in my gallbladder since 2005 my doctor told me that i will have to do a surgery i was so afraid of the surgery i will to a herbal life doctor and she gave me herbal medines i told them by the third day they have come out in the toilet then i was so happy, 2007 started feeling pain worster than the first time i went back to my medical doctor and told him everything i send me straight to the hospital i then treated and send home too much people to do the same surgery the gallstone section was full i was kind of glad main reason i was afraid of the surgery but still afraid of the pain everything i eat it pain me so i get fedup and to to the UWI hospital and they admit me i was so so afraid but the doctor at unvertiy of the west indies took very care of me they did a well done surgery doctor Mc lennon and nurse grace, nurse Stweart and Nurse Cole he is a male they all help me through the surgery and a few more nurse and doctor i love the Jamaican University Hospital
I have been dealing with gallstones for over a year. After my second attack i severly changed my eating habbit and it seamed to help a lot. but about 7 months ago the nausea and vaumiting set it. It makes it very hard to get up in the morning. Then I started to have stool that was liquidy yellow. I looked up some info on the internet and found out that I have the symptoms of an infection. Well, I’m stubborn and have no money to have the surgery. I have been so sick for so long, I’m scared to go to the hospital. Reading a lot of the comments on here has really helped to make me decide to go to the er on monday. hopefully with how sick i am, they will just do the surgery.
Has anybody lost weight after having gallstones surgery?