Post-op Gallbladder removal

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Post-op Gallbladder removal
10
Sun, 10-08-2006 - 7:40pm

Hello! I had my gallbladder removed via laparoscopic surgery this past Wednesday. I promise I will try not to gross anyone out with my questions!! I just know that IVillage is the best place to go for support!! I used to be a CL on a few of the boards!

I was doing ok, but had not had a bowel movement in a few days, so on Friday I took a Dulcolax laxative. I only took 1 (the box showed the recommended dose as 1-3). I had a normal BM on Friday night, but started having problems after eating breakfast on Saturday. 20 minutes after I ate my dry cereal (corn pops) I had abdominal cramping and diarrhea. I barely had any time to get to the bathroom! I had 4 episodes Saturday and 4 episodes today. Each one occurred within 20 minutes of eating. So far I've eaten very light foods, such as baked chicken, rice, etc. The weird thing is about an hour after each episode I feel ok.

I am supposed to call the surgeon tomorrow to schedule a time to get my staples taken out, so I will ask him about this also. But I wanted to get your input, too.

Also, the reason I had my gallbladder taken out was due to severe pain under my right rib area. They did a HIDA scan and it showed that my gallbladder was functioning at a very low rate. The pain under my rib is gone (which is great!!) and I'm hoping that the diarrhea is just a minor setback to my recovery and it will go away soon! I'm just a little worried about all of this!

Any advice or support that ya'll could give is much appreciated!!

Mandy

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-04-2005
Sun, 10-08-2006 - 9:24pm

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Glad you found us Mandy and hope we can allay your concerns a bit.


I don't remember having diarrhea after having my gallbladder removed. In fact, I couldn't go at all and do recall sitting in the bathroom for what seemed like hours, stripping off all my clothes because I got so warm from exertion! Thank goodness I was at home, eh? lol


Keep a food diary to bring along to your next appt. and see what the surgeon has to say. He/she might not be very helpful, since their job is to remove stuff, not really care for the patient afterwards...at least that has been my experience with most surgeons.


Baked chicken and rice might be too harsh so soon after surgery. I know, you are probably ravenous, but maybe should try more bland foods, like oatmeal and other 'softer' foods. See how those effect your tummy and like I suggested, keep a food diary and maybe a pattern will emerge.


Keep us updated and glad to hear that the main culprit that was causing the pain under your ribs is gone!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Mon, 10-09-2006 - 9:17am

Thanks for the reply! The dr. said to eat whatever I wanted to after surgery, but maybe I should have done the liquid diet for a while. I drank some Ensure last night as a snack and it seemed to stay put.

It is now day 5 of recovery and I feel ok except for some pain and soreness. My stomach is just having issues. I will call the surgeon and check with him today.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-04-2005
Mon, 10-09-2006 - 5:54pm

Did you have 'stomach issues' before surgery? I didn't realize that I did and not all of my 'issues' went away after having my gallbladder removed. Darn, I had hoped that one surgery would take care of many things, but it didn't.


Be sure to ask your surgeon any questions you think of...start writing them down because if you are like most of us, your mind will be a total blank, the minute he/she walks in the door!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Mon, 10-09-2006 - 6:31pm

Hi! Thanks for the reply!! I went in to the doctor with severe pain under/around the right rib area. It just started all of the sudden one day and got worse each day. So they did a HIDA scan and it showed that it wasn't functioning.

It's so weird that all of this started so soon after surgery. I've read that it can be normal and then again I've read horror stories about the post-surgery complications such as PCS.

I am hoping the dr. can ease my mind a little tomorrow.

Thanks,

Mandy

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-04-2005
Mon, 10-09-2006 - 8:47pm

Good luck Mandy and please let us know what the doctor tells you. Hopefully everything you are experiencing is within normal range and you will continue to improve each day. Even getting the staples removed will help because they do begin to 'pinch'.


As far as PCS or any other syndromes, I have to tell you that none of those was heard about back when I had my surgery. In some respects, computers have caused problems in that people can get too much info. I never heard of any of this stuff and dealt with whatever pains and discomfort I had and I guess I learned to live with it and adjust. Now people have access to things and possibly worry too much and are sure they have all of the mentioned problems. I am not saying that you are doing this, but be careful that you don't read too much into all these symptoms and problems that you have access to.


Healing takes a while, people are released from hospitals the same day as the surgery is done in many cases and expect recovery to take much less time than it really should be. Give yourself time to heal and let us know what your doctor suggests.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Mon, 10-09-2006 - 9:12pm

Thanks! I'll let you know what the doctor says!!

Mandy

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-12-2006
Mon, 10-09-2006 - 9:46pm
Mandy hi i'm Lisa and i had my gallbladder taken out two weeks ago and i have had the same diarrhea if does get better cause i have diarrhea for a week and a half and it did get better so hang in there.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Mon, 10-09-2006 - 10:06pm

Hi, Lisa! Thank you so much for your reply! Knowing that it's normal makes me feel so much better! Although I am sorry that you've had to go through it, too.

Did you do anything to help it go away? I've slowly incorporated small amounts of food into my diet today, but the majority has been just drinking Ensure. Were you able eat any solid foods?

How are you feeling now? Any pain? If you work, how long were you out of work?

Thanks again!!

Mandy

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-12-2006
Tue, 10-10-2006 - 8:59am
Mandy it just goes away on its own when your body adjusts back. When i got out of the hospital i ate what ever i could handle which i ate alot and yes i ate solid food. i feel great alot better then i did.No pain and no i don't work.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Tue, 10-10-2006 - 11:13am

Thanks! You were right! I went for my post-op appt today and had the staples removed. The doctor said that it was normal and that my digestive system should get back to normal in a week or so.

Thanks for all the advice!!

Mandy