Has anyone else had there Gull Bladder taken out?

Hi I was just wonding if anyone out there has had there Gull Bladder taken out. I have to have it done 11-21-02 and would like to know what to expect during and after my surgery. Thay think it will be laser but not sure. If you can give me any info I would appreciate your help.

[robbgin]

I had my gallbladder out last July 2001 and it wasn't bad at all. You can hardly see the little marks on my tummy anymore. I stayed overnight and came home the next morning. A little sore but healed up well. Am on prednisone for lupus and sjogrens so my belly button incision took longer to heal than usual, but everything went well. Not bad at all for all the worrying I did. Give it to God and let it go. I'll say a prayer for you! ginger

[Katnhat]

Robbgin,
Hi I am Kat and I have Lupus and Sjogrens' also. Have you ever been on the AOL Lupus board? I am a regular on it. :-)
Nice to meet you.
Kat

[lonyar]

From my experience, I was sore for a couple of weeks but felt like a different person immediately following the surgery! :p I was able to eat things that I hadn't been able to eat without hurting for a long time and it was wonderful!!!
No pain no gain, right?

[robbgin]

Kat please email me at robbgin@yahoo.com and tell me about the lupus/sjogrens boards you are on. I haven't heard of either one of them. Thanks so much. ginger

[deeaggie]

I had my gall bladder removed many years ago, the "old" way before laser surgery. Actually, I had double major surgery...removal of my gall bladder and a total hysterectomy at the same time. I remember being uncomfortable from the gall bladder incision for about 24-48 hours, and being a little nauseous. Actually, the worst part was that the nurse brought me an extra pillow to hold on my abdomen during the required coughing therapy. I don't remember exactly what that was about, but that was the first day while I was still in bed. The nurse did not seem to think I put enough gusto into my cough and would proceed to instruct me on a proper cough.

After that, it wasn't so bad. And the whole thing was no where near as bad as the gall bladder attacks I had been having for years before they diagnosed what the problem was!

You'll be okay whichever procedure they use, and will feel so much better afterwards!!!

[SweetContraryMry]

Hi, sound like you are getting great advice. I had gall bladder surgery in April of 2000. The surgery was fine, no complications and recovery was pretty easy. The only trouble I had was that I got tired really easy for about a month. I had some memory trouble and what I call a foggy brain! My doctor said it was effects of the anestisia, that and I was trying to go full speed after a major surgery! lol Oh well! Other than that the surgery was a breeze. Good luck and take care of yourself.
Mary

[Raggedymommyof2]

I had Gall bladder surgery, the laproscopy (sp?), about this time last year, in the second week of December. It hurt the first week, but then I was able to get around and all, and although it took about 3 weeks to fully recover back up to my normal speed, it wasn't that bad. I do still have problems with my scars itching and hurting, although I've talked to other women who have had the laproscopy and they said they have it too, and it's the weather changes. I know it's annoying. Anyway, best of luck for you. Oh, and I was in and out of the hospital in about 4 hours, it was an outpatient surgery for me, but I wasn't allowed to lift anything more than like 10 pounds for at least 2 weeks, which was really bad because I had a 4 month old baby at home and I couldn't lift her till I got past that point. And my attacks stopped immediately after the surgery and although they told me to eat a bland diet for the first 3 days, after that I could eat anything again. I"m soooo happy I don't have those attacks anymore!! Oh those are awful!!

[Middleagedmommy]

I had my gall bladder removed about 2 years ago. It was done by laproscopy. I was surprised that it was much harder on my body than I expected it to be. (not meaning to scare you). my son was two at the time. I was lucky to be able to have my son stay with someone for a week afterward.

My biggest suggestion is get yourself some housedresses that are easy to slip on. You dont want to be in your nightgown all the time and you cant put on pants for awhile. I got some cute denim dresses that are made for lounging but they looked more like a dress and I felt much more normal wearing them when people were around taking care of me or visiting. I also recommend button down fronts on the dresses if possible makes it easier to take care of the wounds during the day.

OH and take one of the dresses to the hospital to go home in. They usually get you in and out in a few hours. You're groggy and stiff and cold and in pain. You will want something easy to put on that you can leave on when you get home and sleep in too. Cause thats all you will be doing for the first day after the surgery.

The first 2 days I could only sit. To lay down was difficult because of having to used my stomach muscles to sit up. So I slept in a recliner and had to have help to get up and down to go to the bathroom.

0n the 3rd day I started to be able to move about again. I felt much more normal. I was able to shower then ( couldnt wait to have a shower by then)

Also on day 3 I was also able to eat solid food again. They dont let you eat the first day or two. I was lucky to have two wonderful ladies come and make me soups to eat for those days.

By the end of the week I was still on pain killers but was able to go to a wedding and even danced a slow dance.

My scars at much larger than I thought they would be. Especially the on on my navel. That may be because I am overweight. If you are more proportionately weighted you might not have bad scars. they are just now after 2 years starting to fade.

My biggest problem was that my son at age 2 loved to slam into my belly just for fun. It was like his way of hugging me. When he came back at the end of the week I had to really be careful of him.

He also was horribly upset that I couldnt lift him and carry him too. He got really hurt every time I had to say no. If you have small ones be prepared. Showing him my boo boos helped him to understand why I couldnt lift him or let him slam into me. He would ask me to show him my boo boos. So I would show him just enough he could see the bandages. He even tried to kiss them to make them better once. *s* It was so cute.

Also bending to change them if they are still in diapers is impossible at first. My son was not potty trained yet and I had a heck of a time trying to bend to diaper him for a few weeks.

I would suggest lots of easy to nuke dinners for the first couple of weeks. You may not feel like cooking for awhile. I know I didnt.

I had to force myself off the painkillers when my son came home. They made me so drowsy and I felt I couldnt take care of him with them, but the pain made it hard to take care of him anyway. I think the pain finally went away dramaticly at about 3 weeks.

The stitches lasted a month or so till they were finally all gone.

You may not take as long to heal as me. I probably would have done better at a normal weight. But we are who we are.

I am glad I did it. I just wish I had been more prepared for the reality of it. Everyone told me how easy it was. How painless. How fast the recovery is. I think I was expecting complete normalsy in 3 days. I was so misguided.

I would do it again though. I never want to have to feel pain like when I had the gall bladder attacks.

Hope this helps some. Good luck on your surgery

[fumasmom]

As a nurse that worked a surgical floor for years ,my advise to you is to WALK ,especially if you have laporscopic surgery.It will help get rid of the gas that they use in the OR while they are doing the procedure.
You'll be so much more comfortable and don't be afraid to take your pain medication the first few days.