to all experts on galbladder surgery

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2004
to all experts on galbladder surgery
7
Tue, 03-29-2005 - 5:15pm
Hi, seems ive been on here more in the past few weeks than ever i guess being layed up and off work for 2 weeks ya need things to do so ive been reading alot here. anyway my question is to all of you who have had your gallbladder romoved, do you remember if you were still hurting after one week? im still very sore slow to walking even, got a lot of pain around insissions, pain in naval area and lower stomach, kinda like crampy and feel like im comstipated but im not i had diarreah for 2 days, starting 2 days after surgery and now i go once or twice a day normal bms.dont want to be whimpy and my family tells me im in a hurry to fast to feel better. i thought after 1 week which was yesterday that i would be ready to run a marathon or something. so please let me know how all of you did after surgery.keep thinking something is wrong with me, i go for post op on tues the 5th.
thanks
Donna K
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-06-2003
Wed, 03-30-2005 - 1:03am

After a week, I had some numbing of the gallbladder area and the C02 that was in my belly moved upwards and my shoulders ached for about a week too. The swelling went down after a couple of days.

Of course you may still be sore- you had surgery! A part was removed from you, you're not going to be able to run no marathon. Everyone heals differently, some quick, some not at all quick. I would ignore your family's telling you to hurry up! Get plenty of rest.

Is there a way you can get into your doctor sooner? After mine, I had to see him 3x, once after a week, then 1.5 weeks, then 2. He was thorough. lol Be sure to write down everything you are concerned with so you know what to run by your doctor when you get there. And feel better soon!

Jenn

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2004
Wed, 03-30-2005 - 8:07am
Hi Jenn, thanks for your reply, had a good nite sleep last nite which is rare for me. my family tells me im in too much of a hurry to get better, not them thinking that, they keep telling me to take it easy, my dear sweet husband doesnt even want me doing anything little like little loads of laundry and a few dishes.. so far today im feeling a little better than yesterday, how are your bowel habits. mine seem pretty normal compared to what some people say.i work in day care and do not get pd for my time off since im outta vac time till may so i got to go back to work on monday that will be 2 weeks so hopefully i will be up to it,
thanks again
Donna
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2003
Wed, 03-30-2005 - 9:32am

Hi Donna,

thflowers-hahd23222.gif picture by Wren53B

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-16-2004
Wed, 03-30-2005 - 10:27pm
Don't feel bad, I had great expectation about my gb surgery as well. My mom and brother had both had theirs out the year before and got to go home from the hospital the next day. My brother went back to work the next day after his.
Me, I had to stay overnight in the hospital, then was out of work for a week and even when I went back to work after a week I couldn't wear anything but loose elastic pants for another couple weeks (swelling, sore, especially in navel incision area). It took almost a month before I could move around like normal again. Sleeping was bad, as was getting in and out of bed, our bed is really high, that hurt.
As for bowel habits, I had a probmlem getting back to normal on that as well also with my urinary habits. I had to be cathered after surgery and it took several weeks before I could pee without having to "try" to pee (siting, waiting, waiting). For the first few weeks after surgery almost any large meal had me running to the bathroom. After that any fatty meal and I had to be near a bathroom. Its been just over a year for me now since I had mine out, It takes about an hour before I have to be in the bathroom from a fatty meal now, so that's improving. My scars are still healing (4), 2 went keloid.
I have the notroius phantom gallbladder pains on occassion, but nothing like it was before surgery.
Hope this helps.
Kristi
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-06-2003
Thu, 03-31-2005 - 1:13am

Just wanted to tell you to be careful lifting kids. I was told not to do any heavy lifting after my surgery, for at least 4 weeks.

When I was at the hospital for less than a day, I wasn't able to pee or anything although I felt I needed to. I think it was because I was constantly under supervision and I have a shy bladder. When I got home, I was able to go normally again. My BMs were fine after a couple days of not going.

Jenn

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-06-2003
Thu, 03-31-2005 - 1:36am

I get the phantom gallbladder pains too! It's nice to hear I am not the only one. I only get them when I eat certain foods, and I'm now lactose intolerant since having my gallbladder removed... which is the reason for the pains.

Jenn

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 03-31-2005 - 11:31pm

Hi Donna - I remember wearing elastic pants for 2 weeks. i went back to work (office job) 4 days after surgery - if I had sick benefits I likely would have stayed home.

My incision between my ribs bothered me the most - to this day (14 months post-op) I still have twinges in it.

I've been fortunate not to have had bowel problems. I think if I were to eat something high in fat I'd have trouble - but due to the phantom pains I avoid many foods that I'd love to eat.

Hope you are feeling better soon - we all heal differently - don't try to push things because you think you should - and don't feel guilty for not healing as fast as others. Listen to your body and be kind to it.

Jo