Gallbladder removal attacks etc?

Question

HI

Ive got gallstones and in four months have really suffered inc Losing my unborn baby ive had pancreatitis and acute colysistitus all from my gallbladder attacks and i live on 3 slices of dry toast a day!
Trouble is im terrified of having an opertaion ive never had one before and i keep worrying i wont wake up i also smoke which i knwo i shouldnt and again this causes me worry but at this stresfull time im smoking more!
has anyone had there galblader removed and was it easy?
And how long were you in surgery for ?

Answer 1

Gall bladder removal is fairly simple and really isn't a big deal like it was years ago. Most of the time, it's removed as a laproscopic surgery, and you are in surgery in the early morning, and home in your own bed that same night. On the odd occasion, we have an emergency removal done at night, and they go home just after breakfast the next morning. You will be put out via an IV, drift off to sleep, and wake up in recovery about an hour later. You will have two small incisions in your side, and around 4-6 little stitches or staples. You will feel groggy and bloated, but not in any pain. The nurse will encourage you to move a little, and have a drink. Once you are awake, and talking, and will hold down liquid, they will send you back to your room. In a lot of places, if you had surgery done in the early am, you may even be offered a light lunch- usually broth and jello, and a drink. When you are back on your feet, walking wobbly and able to go to the bathroom and drink plenty of liquids, they will let you go home. You will have pain medications to take for the first few days. You will not feel all that great the next day, you will be slow pokey, and feel bloated from the gas used to expand the abdomen, but otherwise you aren't too bad off. You eat a light blandish diet for the next few days, walk about to work the gas out, and inside 3-4 days, you should be just a slightly slower version of your old self. By the end of a week, you are back on your feet, they take the stitches out, and you are off on the rest of your life, sans future gall bladder attacks. You will have to watch the amount of fat you eat, until you have determined what your personal limit is, but that's about it. A high fat meal will give you diarrhea and gas, but for the most part that's all under your control to manage and decide. The smoking may mean you have some uncomfortable moments when you cough those first few days, but overall are not a hazard to the surgery. As scared as you are, this is really making your life more miserable than the surgery ever will, honest. Once you have it done and are recovered, you will wonder what had you so worried, and why you didn't do it sooner. You will be able to eat a lot more than dry toast, I promise you. So you won't want to gourge on a fried chicken, french fry dinner, with a three scoop ice cream sundae very often- but then you can't do it now either. And even should you decide to do it later, the bloating and diarrhea are merely uncomfortable and inconveniet- but heavy pain killers and the excrusiating pain will not be part of it. So, breathe in deep and put that fear in it's place. Take the plunge and part with that non-usable gallbladder, and enjoy life again without the pain it's causing you. All you will be left with is two tiny little scars, and unless you are a professional model, they are no big deal either. Nothing a little Mederma during the healing process won't take care of.

Answer 2

Hi,
I had my gallbladder removed last year, and I feel like a new person. I know all too well the pain you are experiencing. I couldn't eat anything that was greasy, spicy and even dairy products irritated me. The sooner you have the operation the better. You are really putting yourself in danger by procrastinating. I am a plus size women and I had the same worries as you, i.e. not waking up from surgery, anesthesia wearing off in the middle of surgery, etc. before having the surgery, sit down a have a heart to heart with your doctor. Ask him/her to explain what the procedure entails and what to expect after wards. This will really put your mind at ease, and if your pain is any where near as horrendous as mine you will welcome this surgery like a long lost friend. One downside though, get ready to have loose bowels after the first meal or cup of coffee first thing in the morning. Your gallbladder will no longer slow down this process, so you may want to eat after you get to work or an hour before you leave the house. accidents may happen. Good Luck to you!!!.

Answer 3

I had my GB removed 7 weeks after my son was born...I never had an attack until after I gave birth. I'm not too crazy about having surgery either but when the pain affected my taking care of my son, I didn't hesitate. Considering you are are experiencing multiple problems as a result of your GB, the benefits far outweigh the risks of the surgery. The risk of not waking up is soooooo minimal. You have to ask yourself what your quality of life will be if you don't do this. Do you really want this pain for the rest of your life?
The surgery is short and the recovery is not bad at all. A few days of rest and you'll be good as new!
Choose a surgeon with a good reputation in your area...ask around.
Don't worry about the smoking issue...you're not the only smoker to ever have surgery.
Good luck! You'll be fine!

Answer 4

The surgery for GB stones removal is very safe & is minimally invasive with laproscopic removal of stones it is only 36 - 48 hrs stay at hospital usually . And even if it is to be removed by open surgery it is 7 -10 days period & is quite safe. It is not pain ful & after words no residual pain remains.

Answer 5

Gallbladder surgery is considered the most successfully of all procedures today. I had my out at 11:00am and got out of the hospital at 5:00pm same day.