Any experience with gallbladder removal?

[Jenny in GA]

After going to various specialists for almost a decade and spending thousands of dollars on tests, my husband has been told he should have his gallbladder removed.

 

Have you or anyone in your family ever had this done? Was it helpful? Was it a difficult procedure? Is "life without a gallbladder" bad or different?

 

Thanks!

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I should have had mine out 10 years ago:D It was a piece of cake and I was home by 2pm the same day:D

[TN Mama]

I had mine removed almost 10 years ago, when my oldest was 8 months old. Easy procedure (lapriscopic), quick recovery & was totally worth it! The attacks I was having prior to surgery were very painful. I've experienced no adverse affects from not having a gall bladder.

[VeteranMom]

I had mine out over 3 years ago. I am much happier without it. I didn't even realize how sick it was making me until it was taken out. I suffered needlessly for years- headaches, a constant feeling of being unwell, nausea, etc. Surgery went well and I had minimal pain afterward. My Mom had hers out 2 months ago and she's happy with the results, too.

[Tarreymere]

I had mine out last summer. It was an outpatient surgery and I was also home in the early afternoon. I did feel like I had been kicked by a horse for a few days since I am not mindful about taking pain medication but no other side effects. I really haven't had any other effects on my life other than not having gall bladder attacks anymore.

[Enough]

I had mine removed almost 10 years ago, when my oldest was 8 months old. Easy procedure (lapriscopic), quick recovery & was totally worth it! The attacks I was having prior to surgery were very painful. I've experienced no adverse affects from not having a gall bladder.

 

:iagree:

 

My circumstances were a bit different- I didn't know I had gallbladder issues until the pain during one of my attacks was so bad I went to ER and it turned out I had gallstones migrating to my liver -BAD!- and had to have emergency stone removal one day and then GB taken out (laparoscopic) the next day, so my time in the hospital was longer than typical for GB removal.

 

In spite of my emergency situation, recovery was a breeze and I was up and walking the day after my surgery, very little pain/only needed ibuprofen for a couple of days, and aside from lifting heavy objects I was back to normal within a week.

 

I had what I thought was "normal" just-learn-to-live-with-it heartburn at least once every.single.month. for like 20 years, and since having the surgery I have not had a single episode of "heartburn" (which were actually NOT heartburn episodes, but gallstone attacks).

[cjzimmer1]

I had one and only one attack before they took my gallbladder out when I was 20. I've since had 3 unmedicated births and they were a piece of cake compared to a gallbladder attack. So if the gallbladder is bad, I wouldn't hesitate to take it out.

 

That said, I didn't have the best recovery but I've talked to lots of people who've had theirs taken out and only 1 had any complication like I had. The gist of my problems were that a stone was wedged in a duct and thus I had to be opened up because they couldn't get the stone out with the lap tools. I then had reactions to the pain meds they gave me because of the large incision. So while I was expecting to be in the hospital 24 hours I ended up being there 6 days as they tried to get things settled down. I was not in any danger just extremely uncomfortable and some of my blood levels were off and they wanted them stabilized before I went home.

 

As far as afterward, I wasn't able to eat greasy foods without an immediate trip to the bathroom. It took about 10 years before I was able to eat pork products because they just upset my stomach (and everything else further down the line) so bad that it wasn't worth eating it. However this is rare and I only know one person who has complained of having to restrict their food choices.

 

So despite all that, I'm so thankful they took it out when they did. I have never had such pain as the initial attack and it's worth just about any sacrifice of food not to have to go through that again.

[NanceXToo]

I had mine removed a week and a half after my son was born (he's 5 1/2 now). I had had a couple of attacks while pregnant but they couldn't do anything then other than tell me to watch my diet and avoid very fatty or spicy foods.

 

I had a consultation set up for after I gave birth to discuss surgery, but then another bad attack put me back in the hospital sooner than expected.

 

Basically, I had a ten day old breastfeeding baby. We had just moved the day before- slept one night in our new place- woke up to a mountain of boxes that needed to be unpacked and a bad gallbladder attack.

 

Ended up in the hospital for five days, had emergency surgery, oh and it was a few days before Thanksgiving and relatives had just come out from two different states to see the new baby, celebrate thanksgiving etc. It was pretty crazy! Anyway...

 

My belly was sore for a while after, and for a while some trapped gas can almost feel like another mini gall bladder attack, but once healed, no problems, I don't feel different etc.

 

I am very glad I never have to face another gall bladder attack, because that was some of the worst pain I ever felt in my life!

[Joyofsixreboot]

Had it out and was home by 5pm. The next day I drove the kids to the mall and went to a ball game. It was so not a big deal. I've never had any trouble and eat what I want without "issues". I didn't know I had a problem until I thought I was having a heart attack.

[JustGin]

After going to various specialists for almost a decade and spending thousands of dollars on tests, my husband has been told he should have his gallbladder removed.

 

Have you or anyone in your family ever had this done? Was it helpful? Was it a difficult procedure? Is "life without a gallbladder" bad or different?

 

Thanks!

 

Mine was taken out 4 years ago and yes it was helpful and since it was making me unable to eat, having it removed very likely saved my life. It was day surgery and the recovery was a couple of weeks and then 6 weeks to really feel 100% again.

 

As to life without my gb being bad or different? That greatly depends on the person. I have friends who can't have a speck of fat without it causing lower intestinal problems and friends who not had to modify their diets much at all. I fall into that group.

 

The first 6 months I had less tolerance for fat, but gradually my body adjusted. Some things never bothered me, somethings stopped bothering me and one or two things still do. Sometimes the same exact food, prepared the same way will "upset me" when it didn't the last time I ate it, and doesn't the next time. Go figure. The result of this is I gave up guessing and just eat normally and if I get "hit" with an episode, I just ride it out.

[lmrich]

I had mine out last year. I had complications because the sludge or stones had gone into my liver. So get it checked out. I think the complications can be avoided. The doctor came out and told my dh it was the gallbladder he had taken out. I was in the hospital 24 hours and rested for 5 days at home. I didn't need pain meds, but had no appetite and that caused me to be worn out. I went to the big homeschool convention at the Galleria Center 10 days later and was just aware that I got tired easily. But then again that is a huge a convention and wears me out every year. Other than that I have had some digestion issues, nothing crazy.

[ButterfliesandBooks]

I had mine out nearly 13 years ago. The surgery was ok and the recovery took a while, but I did have a 3 month old at the time.

 

However, I have had issues since. I have to be really careful with what I eat now - I can't do much fat or dairy. I've also developed food intolerences to wheat - and beans are a no!

 

It might not be because of the surgery, but I've read enough to say I think it was.

 

However, I was in such terrible pain I'm not sure there was another option.

 

Best wishes on your decision,

Bee

x

[Trez]

I had my gallbladder out shortly after having my third child (10 years ago). I have also experienced problems afterwards with greasy food and dairy. I haven't stop eating them....I just know what I will probably have to deal with afterward. :glare:

[ChrissySC]

I am told that afterwards when you have to have a bm you really have to go right away, and that folks have diahrreah (sp?) for awhile afterwards. Things are a bit "looser" shall we say. But it gets better after your body has time to adjust.

 

 

Remove the fat and sugar from your diet for a while. I slowly added mine back into my diet. I had know problems either. I think the people that have problems do not really eat - fast food junkies maybe? I do not like Chinese food now though, LOL.

[Dirtroad]

IN and out in the same day. 3 small incisions on my right side & tummy. Some small amt of soreness. Mine had to go b/c it was causing pancreas problems.

 

My only problem is now that certain foods cause me to have pain "where the gall bladder used to be". Probably bile entering my system in too large a dose. Diet can manage it but I can't eat buttered popcorn anymore. One of my favorite foods on earth.

[lea1]

I had mine out about 5 years ago with no complications. My life with it had been quite miserable for a while but they could not pin point the problem. By the time they finally figured it out, I was in quite a lot of pain.

 

The pain after surgery was nothing compared to the pain before surgery. It was same day surgery and it took me a couple of weeks to return to full energy levels, which was disappointing to me because of people who had told me that were out and about shopping the next day. My surgeon insisted that I was recovering faster than most though.

 

I have not had any issues since having it removed. My body has never liked greasy foods and still does not but I have no issues with needing to go to the bathroom after eating certain foods or having diarreah or anything like that. All things just went back to normal for me after surgery, thank goodness.

[teachermom2834]

I had laproscopic surgery and it was really easy. I was home by 2pm and really felt fine. I was able to walk to the car/ get in and out/ etc. and up the stairs easy just hours after surgery. I didn't drive while I took pain meds but I think that was just one day following. I didn't need them after that.

 

I really encourage anyone having problems to get it done. What pushed me to do it was realizing what would happen if I had to have an emergency removal. Open surgery instead of laproscopic with whichever surgeon is on duty,5 days in hospital, up to 6 weeks for full recovery. My husband travels overseas so I thought it best to just schedule it and have it done.

 

I feel so much better. I'm another who didn't realize how sick it was making me. I swear the sun was shining brighter and a whole fog lifted off me. Gall bladder problems can make you sick in alot of different ways.

 

I say get it done when you can schedule it at your convenience and choose your surgeon. You don't want to end up in an emergency situation.

[JessicaLady]

My story is quite different from the rest of the posts. I had complications. However, I would absolutely recommend he have this surgery. I had mine done in day surgery, but I ended up having to spend the night. Not for pain, but for low oxygen saturation and vomiting. I've had multiple surgeries and haven't had this reaction ever.

 

It also took me longer to feel like I was able to do simple things like drive my son to therapy, do laundry, go to the grocery store. Also, I had horrible and immediate diarrhea after eating ANYTHING!!!! This lasted for 3mos. I knew I would need an immediate bathroom trip, so I kept my meals light, but it was inevitable. I am now 9mos post op, and after certain meals it happens (completely random, sometimes it's after a burger, sometimes not, sometimes after a healthy grilled chicken salad-or not). I hate it. It's terrible and embarrassing.

 

All of this I take because I no longer have pain.

[AnitaMcC]

My situation was not normal... and I mean way not normal.

 

I had my twins 3 weeks before I had my first gallstone attack. Up till this point I never ever had any symptoms of gallstones. When I gave birth to my twins all my blood tests were normal, so no indication there either.

 

When I had the attack it was the worse pain ever. I agree with other posters... it is worse than labor/giving birth. The attack was late Friday night. I was in ER all night before the pain subsided. Blood tests were a bit elevated but not bad. Had another attack on Saturday afternoon but it was short so I didn't go to ER. Sunday late night I had another attack and this time went to ER. And up to this point, I could not eat or drink anything without getting sick. Anyway, this time they called in a U/S tech and I had to wait for him to come in around 4am. Gall stones were found and by then my blood tests were back... my levels were double than two days before. I was kept in ER until my primary doctor office opened at 9am Monday morning. She sent me over that morning to surgeon. He scheduled me for surgery on Wednesday (he happened to have had a cancelation).

 

I went in to surgery Wednesday... another blood test was done, this time my levels for 4 times the normal, and I was jaundiced. Surgery was supposed to last only about 1 1/2 hrs... I was in there for four hours. My gall bladder was solid stones and severely infected. The infection had spread to my liver so they had to do biopsy of liver as well. I was in hospital for three days (had to go on IV antibiotics).

 

Afterwards recovery was slow but steady. I had a lot of issues with eating. I had a very limited diet and had to take medication to bind the bile. I weaned off that after a year or so. It also took nearly a year for my liver function tests to return to normal. For many years I had to take Immodium AD first thing in morning before I could eat or drink anything otherwise I would get bad cramps and diahrea.

 

Then when I had my Ds#2... a month later I had a gall stone attack. Yep, I didn't have a gall bladder but I still ended up with gall stones from my liver. It got stuck in my bile duct. I had another surgery to repair the duct and to widen it also. Apparently pregnancy causes me to get gall stones that formed in my liver.

 

Thankfully after Ds#3 I did not have a repeat gall stone attack. Seems that the bile duct repair/widening prevented any stones from getting stuck if I had any stones formed. I still have to have liver function tests done annually and it has been 16 yrs since the first attack. I still have some issues with eating fatty foods and I must eat regularly or I get diarhea and cramps when I do eat. Every now and then I get slight pain where my gall bladder used to be. It may be mini stones going through bile duct but not sure.

 

But again, my situation was/is not typical. My GI specialists (I saw 4 of them over the years) said that I was a very rare case.

 

And with all that... I am glad I had the surgery!!!!!!!!

Edited June 24, 2011 by AnitaMcC