Gallbladder Removal Surgery???

[careybirdwell]

I have read the Gallbladder thread start to finish. From my teenage years til now, about 1-2 a year, I got what I was thinking was gas cramps.I could take some gas-x and about 30-45 minutes, the pain would be gone. This Easter we had a big lunch, and I just felt bad all day. I didn't even eat dinner. Later that night, I had the attack, except it would not go away. After about 8 hours, I decided to go to Urgent Care place close to the house. After they got through running all the heart test that my insurance would pay for. We got down to business trying to figure it out. I did cat scan, blood work, and ultra sound. The overnight doctor came in and basically said that my Gallbladder was enlarged and I had gallstones. They were waiting on one remaining test, but thought I would be going to the hospital for emergency gallbladder removal. The day doctor came in and basically said there was nothing wrong with my gallbladder, I had a few gallstones, and sent me home. I follow up with my doctor and a surgeon and they are telling I should basically have it removed. They also are telling me there is no side effect of having it removed. From the people I talked to & researched, it seems to leave a good chance for some bad stomach & diarrhea problems.

For the people, who had theirs removed, that was an emergency, Was it worth the afterwards problems? Thanks

[boy wonder]

I had mine removed about 15 years ago. The only issues I have had is a hernia at an incision site, but I didn't listen and thought I could resume normal activity the next day. And, needed to be near a restroom after eating, mostly lunch. But, after a year or less it got better.

[blfx4]

My uncle had his removed in February. He had very similar issues like you have. One night for no apparent reason he had terrible pain and went to the Er and the next day they removed his gallbladder. They advised him to adjust his diet and stay away from spicy food, but other than that he said he should of had it removed years ago. He was out of work for two weeks and said that was the hardest part, sitting at home. I hope everything works out for you because gallbladder issues are horrible.

[RedBear78]

Mine was only working 9 percent and had given me all kinds of hurt and sickness.I have a few dietary issues and fantom pains but all in all I’m way way better off now.I wish I had done it years sooner.

[Sika]

I had my gallbladder removed back in March.

I had NO idea how MESSED up I really was before I had it taken out. I guess when you have chronic pain like that you just learn to live with it until it becomes something you can no longer ignore.

I basically had heartburn every day for almost 2 years, occasional severe stomach pain and vomiting that would last from 15 minutes to 2 hours (this happened five times in 1.5 years.) What finally got me in the ER was 2 severe attacks within 24 hours that had me curled up on the floor and vomiting. It felt like being stabbed from the inside.

The ER doctor saw gallstones on the ultrasound and one week later I was having that sucker taken out. The surgeon said the biggest was almost golf ball size and the others were big too.

Now I am completely normal. COMPLETELY. I eat whatever I want. No heartburn, no stomach pain or diarrhea. I don't run to the bathroom after meals. I go once a day, sometimes twice.
Getting rid of that diseased gallbladder has improved my quality of life significantly. I would urge anyone to do it if that was the doctor's recommendation.

I'm not going to lie, the surgery was a lot rougher than they said it would be. They told me I would be "up and back to light activity the next day." I couldn't even stand up straight for 2 days. The gas they inject in your abdomen caused a lot of back, side, stomach and chest pain for almost a week. So much that I couldn't sleep at all the first few nights. I finally just started sleeping sitting up because it was too uncomfortable to lie down. And I was taking the max dose of pain killers. I took off a full week from work and really it was really 3 weeks before I was completely back to normal activities.

Good luck with it. My surgeon told me most of his patients are able to eat a better variety of foods after gallbladder removal and so far that's been my experience.
I just ate really bland food at first and slowly added things back in to my diet over the course of a month.

[ThisLadyHunts]

After several months of on-again-off-again GI distress--the taste and even the smell of food made me terribly nauseaous--I had mine removed about four years ago.

The surgery was as easy as water off a duck's back (outpatient, as I recall), and recovery was short and simple. I had no dietary restriction, was told there would be no foods I'd need to avoid (fats, for example), and no need for digestive aids, probiotics etc.

What I did experience was a brief period of GI "atypical behavior" while my stomach and liver recalibrated themselves. As I understand it, after your liver produces bile, the gallbladder is the organ where it is stored until you stomach needs it for digestion. With nowhere to store the bile, your liver has to learn to amp up bile production and secrete it straight to the stomach in order to digest the food being ingested.

This may be an oversimplification of the process. If so, I hope someone will correct me but, basically, once your gallbladder is removed, your body makes adjustments and learns to live with out it quite well.

Good luck to you, sir. I hope this takes care of your problem. Feeling crappy all the time is no fun.

[Geezy Rider]

Mine was removed in emergency surgery around 24 years ago. Three small incisions and back in my easy chair at the house in less than 15 hours. Really easy for me. A lot better than it used to be. When my mother had hers out back in the late 60’s, they opened her up from sternum to belly button. Seven days in the horsepistol and six weeks recovery. My how times have changed.
I have some digestive issues but I don’t know if it’s from a lack of a GB or that I’m just old.

[careybirdwell]

Looks like no regrets

[kerrbow]

Had mine removed after an attack like you had. Dr, said mine was full of stones. You don't want one to get into your bile duct and cause issues. My dad had his gallbladder rupture and that turned out to be very serious, causing emergency surgery to clean all the nasty stuff out of his insides. Nice to not worry about spicy foods like I used to.

[smokeless]

I had mine out in 2000. No regrets.

[Aggiebush]

I had mine out about 5 years ago, from emergency surgery after it got plugged up with stones. Mine was 3x normal size and getting septic, they pulled it day I went to emergency room. Had a few months of issues after fried food, then my body kind of reset. Other than some acid reflux, which I had before the surgery, I eat whatever I want. It’s hereditary in my family, dad and sister both had theirs out at the same age as me, at 46. Unrelated, my mom had hers out later in life at 60.

[Dale Moser]

Gallbladder Removal Surgery???

I had mine removed about 3 years ago after several bad episodes. They started like you mentioned 30-45 minutes, but within a month were lasting hours. The last one was about 10 merciless hours of excruciating pain before I went to the ER around 5AM. They took it out before lunch and I was able to get out, and get to my sons baseball game the next afternoon. The surgery is a snap, but A LOT of things tear up my stomach now. Seems like it’s getting a little better.

For whatever reason, lunch is the worst. Gotta plan ahead for lunch. Lol

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[Kossetx]

I had mine removed 44 years ago when I was 17. Never noticed any problems from it.

[SJP51]

Had mine out 10+ years ago. Out the same day. Back to work the next. Easiest surgery I've had, and I've had too many!

I never noticed any issues. Eat any food I want, no biggie.

[Tony Pic]

Don't worry. My wife had it done, it worked well and she can still wear a bikini .
No more BIG scars.
It is usually done laparoscopicly today. They make 3 small incisions, two on your abdomen 10 o clock and 2. Then one in your belly button. One hole for tools, one for the camera and the belly button hole is for a removal path of the bladder. For after they cut it up to remove it from your body.
Small scars so you can get back into that speedo
It made a big difference in her daily activities and life going forward.
Good luck with your issue and get well soon.