Gallbladder Surgery

[tgray649]

I am going to have my gallbladder out and was curious if anyone else has any experience with this...pain level, recovery time, etc?

[cartman]

My parents both had their gall bladders removed back in the 80s. From what I remember they were back up and moving around within a week. I'm sure that modern techniques make the recovery even faster.

[Eaglesfan27]

I had mine out about 5 years ago. It was done laparoscopically. I had moderate pain the first day and took pain meds for it and rested all day. 2nd day I took less pain meds and rested. 3rd day I just did ibuprofen and was functional. All pain gone by 4th day.

[Eaglesfan27]

Dola... I probably could have done stuff and not taken the pain meds the 2nd day if I really had to but it was the weekend and I decided not to push it.

[Suicane75]

It's easy man. By the 2nd day it wont feel any worse than if someone punched ya.

[klayman]

I had it out about 10 years ago. Spent a week in the hospital waiting for it to be done (I guess, cause it wasn't essential?). Even with complications from the surgery (it had become so inflamed they couldn't pull it out through the side incision, had to go through the belly button), I was out of the hospital in 2 days, and generally pain free on day 3.

One thing I had a problem with, and I'm not sure if this is isolated just to me or a general problem with gallbladder surgery, is that I had a hard time adapting diets after the surgery. 10 years later and I still have 'issues' if I eat fatty foods or high fibre foods. Your body is supposed to adjust, but I guess mine never did.

[SteveMax58]

Had mine taken out about 4 years ago. Laproscopically(?) And went home the same night. Though the doctors advised me to stay overnight, I could feel myself recovering by the minute and the feeling of intense boredom made me want to GTFO.

I rested for about 3 days and was generally fine the whole time. They prescribed pain meds but I didn't need them. The feeling for me was like I just did 1000 situps...for somebody that never did situps. I took the antibiotics and definitely refrain from anything strenuous for a good week if not 2.

I have been great ever since. Can eat whatever I want now with no pain (sometimes a bad thing) and very happy not to have that pain ever again.

I tell you the worst part was the ancillary effects of having a catheter in you. It took a day before I could urinate without any burning. Thats the part nobody warned me about...so consider yourself warned. :)

[VPI97]

My experience echos the above...had it done laparoscopically about 3 years ago and didn't even finish the prescription of pain-killers before not needing them anymore. I also had to make the same change to my diet as klayman...no more drive through Krystal burgers for me as fatty foods will go right through me. It's not as severe as it was a few years ago, but I eat a lot healthier now as a result of the surgery.

[Bobble]

Gallbladder is the new tonsils. Make 'em give you a bunch of ice cream.

[tgray649]

Thanks for the feedback everyone, appreciate it. That catheter part does not sound fun...The guy I'm going to does it lapriscopically (sp)

[Eaglesfan27]

Thanks for the feedback everyone, appreciate it. That catheter part does not sound fun...The guy I'm going to does it lapriscopically (sp)

I never had a catheter and I don't think that is the norm...

[SteveMax58]

I never had a catheter and I don't think that is the norm...

Yeah its possible it wasn't typical since nobody mentioned it. Happened while I was under thankfully.

[SnowMan]

I was down for about 3 days...went back to work the next week (surgery on Monday night). No catheter here, thank the gods. Worst part was the drain they left in for a few days.

[AgustusM]

had mine out last year and was mostly no big deal. well except for the infection I got that knocked me out for about three weeks. but the gallbladder part was easy and recovered quickly.

I am interested on how much it solved the problem for others? was I recovered from infection all of my stomach problems went away, for about 3 months. But are now back with a vengeance. I already do everything I am supposed to (small meals, pro biotics, vegetables, vitamins, exercise...) but still getting crazy bloating on everything I eat.