Gallbladder/stones removal ... Anyone had this surgery ??

[Mother Goose]

Hi all,

I have surgery on the 28th of January to remove my gallbadder with gallstones (which i ended up in hospital a few weeks ago in severe pain therefore found out what the problem was through an ultrasound).

In the meantime i once in awhile am getting the pain which rises to my chest mostly at night and i only take the medication ' Tramedo ' provided when absolutely necessary when the pain is getting too much.

******** I have quite a few questions ;

With surgery what will i expect straight after ?? (they say i might be in hospital one or two nights) , for example is it easy to shower on own those first few days, etc ...

What's it like to eat afterwards when the gallbladder is removed ??

What kinds of food to keep clear of ?

How long did it take to heal ?

DP is unsure as to how much time to take off work to help look after our 3.5year old DD (what do you suggest ??)

... and has anyone taken the medication Tramedo for the pain i get in the meantime before surgery ? ... I was also given Panamax & Rafen but when i took it with the Tramedo i felt like a zombie so haven't taken them together again (only taken the Tramedo when absolutely needed !!)

Also the surgeon said to be careful with what i eat as after having a gallbadder removed it's common to put on weight (which i would dread) ... Has this happen to anyone, putting on weight after ??

TIA for any helpful advice, tips or suggestions

Hi Hon,

Who is doing your Surgery?

Let me answer as many Q's as a I can. I had mine done in 07.

What to expect straight after - some people have a drain tube put in (a lot of the time it comes down to surgeon's preference). It won't be any more or less uncomfortable with it in but it isn't very nice when they take it out. You may have some pain - I did. I had everything they could give me. But whether or not you have pain will largely depend on YOUR pain threshold. My pain was not gall stone pain. I don't actually RECALL having pain but I do recall being awake in recovery (for about 30 sec) and the nurse telling me he couldn't give me anything else. Next thing I was on the ward trying to rub my nose off my face because I reacted to the morph. Showering was easy - no drama's at all. I staid one night - I did have the option to stay 2 but DD was only 8 weeks old and I wanted home! I was also a private patient.

Eating afterwards was fine. No problems at all. No dietry restrictions. Some people find they are more sensitive to certain foods even after the surgery but you won't really know until you try. Weight gain post this surgery is usually related to the person eating foods higher in fat content because those foods no longer cause pain.

To heal it was about a week before I could hold DD as close as I would have liked (she was FF so I was lucky to not have to deal with BF and the scar on my bra line!). I was walking 3Km a day within 1.5 weeks. I don't imagine you will be able to lift your DD easily for a few days so maybe if he takes a week off and some flexibility for the second week?

Tramadol is, as MD said, very strong. It can and does make people a wee loopy. I have it for back pain and only take it as a last resort. HOWEVER, at work it is one of the first things we give (IV). If we can give oral panadeine forte or tramadol, we're guided by the strength and type of pain. If it were, for example, 8/10 and felt like gall stones, we'd give tramadol. If it were 8/10 but not spasming, we'd give pan forte. MD is right, buscopan will help a lot. I actually found I could control my attacks with buscopan and stemetil (anti-emetic AKA anti-nausea). You CAN take panamax and tramadol together... panamax.

The pain you describe you're getting at night sounds like it could be one of the following;
reflux
gall stones travelling through the bile duct and causing a spasm because it is grating the sides of the duct (most likely cause).

Try buscopam when this happens.

HTH and ask any questions you might still have.

MG

[smiles4u]

Oh i couldn't thank all you lovely ladies enough ...as you have given me such great insight as to what to possibly expect (yeh i'm not one to like hidden surprises) ... so for your honesty i really do truly thank you all too

Yes, i forgot to mention it's key hole ... and yeh 2 on each side then 1 on belly button.

The GP i saw (as i couldn't get into mine) at my regular medical clinic to see about my ultrasound results said he recommended this surgeon (Dr.Deutcher) as if he was the one getting it done he would chose this surgeon himself ...

He was a lovely surgeon as he was very informative & patient and had a high level of warmth & compassion ... sadly very much unlike some surgeons i have had in the past

... and YES i need to ask about the Trampeod in when & how to take (i DO feel unsettled to not know more about it).

********** DO YOU ALL THINK " ONE WEEK " WOULD BE ENOUGH FOR DP TO ASK TAKE WORK ????? (DP works IT in CBD Melb, his boss is really good, so could offer to work from home if need be) *********

Thank you to you ALL from the bottom heart once again

P.S - MG, yeh that certainly sounds like the reason at night, thanks for offering to be on hand for anymore questions i ' may ' think of, i greatly appreciate that

[hj1981]

I would say yep a week off for you DH would be pleanty of time

[Mother Goose]

There is most likely going to be a 4th hole hon. There is usually two on one side (depending on which side the surgeon likes to work from), one in the belly button (which is where the gall bladder is pulled from) and one inline with the sternum on your bra line.

Tramadol is 4-6 hourly. This should be clearly marked on the packet. You should take it when you feel you need it. As a nurse, I would recommend you take it if the pain is 6 or above out of 10. However, I would also educate you to NOT let your pain get that high. The higher it is before you take anything, the longer it takes to get under control and the need for a higher dose. I would suggest the panamax and some buscopam as soon as you notice the pain starting - wait 30 min and then if the pain is increasing, take the tramadol. Having said that, you don't always get that nice little warm up of pain - sometimes it starts at a 10!

1 week should be enough for DP to have off - I came home on a Fri and mine was back at work that afternoon (but my DD was also only 8 weeks old!).

[AnyDream]

Weight gain post this surgery is usually related to the person eating foods higher in fat content because those foods no longer cause pain.

YEP! I chewed my way thru a whole packet of mince pies that DH had saved for me because I coudn't have any at christmas LOL.

MG's advice is very good. You are such an asset to the BB community !!

Smiles, a week should be plenty, but if your DH's work is pretty flexible, and you find a week is not enough, then it sounds like he'll have no problems organising a few more days. You need to feel like you can cope ok before he goes back to work and don't forget to ask for help from friends etc if you need it!!!

[smiles4u]

......... Hi lovely ladies, just wanted to say thank you to you ALL again

My surgery is this Thursday !!

On one hand i can't wait so no more pains and on the other i'm dreading the recovery straight after the surgery (i guess the drain as i've never had one before and i don't know what to expect with it).

I'm a tad concerned as DP won't be there to see me when i awake from recovery so he could help me in the shower if i feel weak or aid me in someone (like hold a bucket if i throw up) as he will be home with DD (we have no one we can ask to look after her, as the only people i could ask can't due to other commitments).

So i guess i will just have to wing it and hope the nurses are there to help me when needed.


**** HOW LONG LATER DO YOU THINK I COULD WEAR MY UNDERWIRE-BRA ???? ****

[AnyDream]

L, YAY for your surgery...the recovery won't be hard, honestly...just imagine you're on vacation, sit in your armchair and watch lots of DVDs and get your DP to run back and forth fetching you cuppa teas LOL. If they are anything like my hospital they will probably give you loads more painkillers than you need a

Seriously don't fret about the drain...it's basically a narrow soft squishy tube that hangs out of a tiny hole in your side...feels weird when they pull it out but that's it really. I had one in for TWO WHOLE WEEKS after my mastectomy...was glad to see it go but they wouldn't leave them in for that long if there was any drama to it, kwim? ALSO don't worry about your DH not being there in hospy...mine wasn't either but not a problem as you get more attention from the nurses when you're straight out of surgery and they are only ever a buzz away. They keep you in recovery for 2 hours so you'll be going pretty well after that time anyway. If you are feeling nauseous tell the nurse as they have very good drugs for it. Don't be afraid to ask for whatever help you need.

Re the bra...I was still wearing mat bras but my highest incision was a good 1.5 - 2 inches away from my bra line & I don't remember any bra-wearing issues at all.