Hi was wondering if anyone had had there Gall bladder removed if so what was it like and did it hurt afterwards. ? Just been diagnosed with having umpteen gallstones and the only way to cure is by removal of the gall bladder.  If it was Kidney stones they would blast them with laser but not these little blighters.  I have 3 very big ones also.
Not looking forward to it whenever they can fit me in.
will have to put up with the excrusiating pain from now until my appointment.

I may be wrong but I think it is done through key-hole surgery now which is far less invasive and the recovery is alot quicker. Good luck, try a good stiff drink to help with the pain, not that I condole drinking or anything!!! :-D

In hospital for 3 days not looking forward to the food!!!!!!!!
Yesnormally key hole 4 incisions but as I have some big stones it may have to be open surgery!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Bella,

I had mine removed by keyhole surgery about 2 years ago - I had been told there was a waiting list of around 18 months but because of unbearable pain my GP sent me to casualty and when I had a scan they decided my g/b was so badly infected by then that I needed the operation as an emergency (I b####y knew that myself )  They warned me that they may need to do open surgery and would decide on op table how best to proceed - thankfully keyhole was possible though so I was home after 5 days :)   I can honestly say the relief is SO worth it.   I've never experienced pain like pre-op it made labour pains seem like a breeze.  I even got morphine which had my head away with the bees but still didn't take the pain away - when I got out they gave me the stones - I was expecting them to be like beach pebbles :rolleyes: I had no idea just how small even a grossly infected gall bladder actually is :D  

Just to say good luck and really, *please* don't worry about the op.  Just don't let the dogs pile onto your tummy in bed of a morning - that was the only scary part really :P
very best wishes, Teri   

Sorry havent had the operation but do have gall stones and the pain is horrendous especially after eating the only relief if you can call it that is to lie on my stomach and try to sleep and it eases of by morning ,I have been told that it is best to leave them alone for now.What sort of pain are you in does it affect you after eating too?

Had umpteen major operations for different thing but cant be of any help with this one sorry, the way I deal with it is to talk about it have a winge but try not think about it, it has to be done and thats it, the more you worry the worse you feel.
Think of all the things you can do when its all over.

Good Luck

Roni

I had gallstones diagnosed by a scan, but was able to control my diet (low fat and low spice) until they dissapeared.  For pain relief, I found the relaxation breathing techniques taught in pre natal classes helped no end......

Yes  digger low fat always remember that one after eating a bar of cadburys!!!

Hi Bella,

Poor you, I know exactly what you're going through.  I had my gallbladder removed when I was 21, I was producing the little sputniks too (didn't have any big ones)    I had to have open surgery because some of  mine were in the duct from the liver and they wanted to remove all of them.  It turned out that I didn't really have a working gall bladder, it was just a tiny shrivelled thing.  I found that the best diet was ultra low fat ;) even smelling fat cooking could start an attack of pain and sickness lasting for days :( :( 

Re the op, if you have to have the full op it will be more painful than the keyhole surgery, but then if you have sputniks you will probably not think it too bad and they do give excellent pain relief. 

Aren't they giving you anything for the pain??  I was given Pethidine tablets with a warning not to let anyone know what they were, as I'd be mugged for the drugs Have to say tho, they only dulled the edge of the pain and did nothing for the vomiting - I was the Olympic Champion :rolleyes:

Edited to say - sometimes Galllstones can be caused by constant stress and have less to do with diet, but ultra low fat diet can reduce attacks.

Hope you get the op soon (could you go on a list for late notice?? ) and it all goes well

H i Bella I had mine removed back in 1982 i was almost 22yrs old i can truly sympathise with you i had never known pain like it.the operation back then was different to todays technology ie key hole surgery. I had to have the gall bladder removed due to it being perforated when the surgeon was doing the op and spent almost ten days in hospital. I know someone who has just had hers removed with keyhole surgery and she was home the day after looking very well indeed though she had a little discomfort.
good luck with your operation I still have my gall stones that was removed in my bedside cabinet just as a reminder of what they put me through

Thanks guys,yes pain excrucaiting and can only get rid of it by making myself sick lying in a bath of hot water and taking prescribed painkillers equivilant to Morpheine.  Will go on the cancellation list as soon as the op app comes through.  I first thought it was a wheat allergy but not until they were scanned last week loads of the little buggers in there!!!!!!  The pain is caused when one of them moves and blocks the hole, will try and stand on  my head next time see if that works LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
will have to wait and see what this wnoderful NHS comes up with can't afford to go private!!

You may find this of interest???  I've not tried it myself!!
http://www.curezone.com/cleanse/liver/huldas_recipe.asp

I had my gall bladder done 2 years ago after a month long stay in hospital with pancreatitus as well, it was great to get rid of them, I had an epidural through the op and after it was not painfull in any way after it was gone it was a relief, the epidural was taken out after 5 days, but I was on morphine and saw mice running round the ward and thought one night that I was in a cave instead of the side ward, is funny now but then I just gave the rest of the ward entertainment, shouting there a mouse and something about pirates but there you go.

Hi all,

I too had my gall bladder removed about six years ago.  I had keyhole surgery and the relief of knowing that I'd never experience that pain again was amazing.  I'm yet to experience child birth but as happy to read above that someone thinks gallstones pain is worse - I'll know what to expect now! :D

Your surgery will be over in no time, and if you don't like the hospital food, think of all the lovely 'treats' you can have once your gall bladder has been removed for good!

Good luck!! 

Hello Bella my niece goes into hospital tomorrow to have her gall blader removed ,i will let you know how she goes on.   Sheila.

Re. the above link.

I don't think anyone with diagnosed gallstones should even think of trying this one!  The more fat you eat, the more bile you produce!  If one of those stones shifts and blocks the bile duct,  then you will go a lovely shade of yellow.

I have experienced a blocked bile duct, its the reason I was diagnosed.  I collapsed with what was thought to be Hepatitis and liver failiure when the test came back negative for hep bacteria I was sent for an x-ray and scan, where it was discovered the bile duct was blocked!!

Really ! - you do not want to experience this, its more unpleasant than the pain of gall stones :( :( :(

It looks like total quackery to me Dill :), half way down the page they fling in a cure for HIV and Aids :rolleyes:

How did it go today??  Hope she is O.K. and not too sore!

Thing is Isabel, I came accross a lot of "cures" like this one when I was suffering with the gallstones and the pain is so severe you would be tempted to try anything.  Luckily for me just reading it brought on an attack (all that olive oil :( :( ) but I know loads of people with gallstones who can still eat some fat and get away with it.

I must admit I did continue eating fat, although in a far lesser quantity.  I never particularly found that a fatty meal the night before brought on an attack of pain, but I think all the fatty meals just clubbed together at one point and nearly killed me with agony!  It's just that sort of 'always there' pain that got to me the most, I spent entire nights up just pacing the room, and although I was lucky and never vomited, I was so dehydrated when I was finally admitted to hospital I had to go on a drip for over 8 hours!

Hi Bella ,Gemma my neice is absolutley fine ,she ended up having keyhole surgery,went down for her op at 10am,she slept all day tuesday,came home yesterday doesnt feel 100 per cent ,a bit sore and tired they removed the gall bladder and 3 stones,i think they should of kept her in another couple of days ,they needed the bed.

Sheila.x

PS.They gave her exellent pain relief after the op.

Good to hear she's got it over and done with  :)

Hope she's back to normal soon (better than normal :) :) )

Am awaiting my appointment I should think I will have to wait  a while knowing the NHS but will let you know!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had mine out about two years ago.  At first the pains only lasted a little while and were initially brought on by fatty foods, but over time (while I was waiting for various appointments from the good old NHS) they got more frequent (every day / every other day) and lasted longer (could be 48 hours at a time).

After 10 months of suffering and many days off work - having had a 'clean' sickness record - my company speeded up my process for joining the private health plan and I had the endoscopy and gallbladder removed within a month.

With hindsight, I think I should've gone to casualty when I was having a really bad attack as I've since been told of someone who did this and they were operated on as soon as the attack ended.  Although not really life threatening, there is a danger of a gallstone getting into your kidneys or other places they shoudln't be.

It is the worse pain I've ever experienced and I spent many nights curled up on the kitchen floor trying to make the pain go away, so I know exactly how you're feeling.

I meant to add, the op itself was absolutely fine.  I was operated on at 6 pm and home the next day by lunchtime (my choice, my OH and mum think I should've stayed in another night).  I had keyhole surgery and once I'd got over the tiredness of the anaesthetic, the only awkwardness was where the bandages were from the surgery.

I plan to do this on my next attack and will wait there till something is done as cannot put up with the pain any more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So casualty watch out!!

Hi Bella Gemma only had to wait 6 weeks for her op,she lives in the Isle of Man though,you really have to fight for your rights and either go to A and E,or tell your GP you can not wait any longer the pain is unberable,Gemma is well but still tired.

Bye for now Sheila.

I had an emergency op - it only took nine months, after they lost my x-rays and they had to be repeated :(  in the end I phoned and asked for any cancellations and was willing to go in at very short notice ;)

I had two gallstone attacks and on both occasions I made my way to A&E. I am sure they knew what was wrong, as its pretty common however they discharged me on both occasions after a shot of Morphine. On my third visit to A&E I was scanned and gallstones were found. Op was scheduled in with a 6 month wait.

The Op was Keyhole and the anticipation was far worse than anything else. Admitted on 6th April at 16:30, no food after midnight, and no water after 06:00am then off to theatre at miday.

There is no pain to speak of at all and I was released the next morning.

Post op I have four holes in my abdomen that are very small, and when I had completed the course of pain killers (3 Days) I expected to be writhing in agony. Again there was no pain whatsoever, and I am a complete pain freak so would be sure to tell you if there was some.

I would thoroughly recommend getting yourself in for the OP. The pain I had on my attacks was something I have never experienced before and it went on for hours, in fact I actually thought I had something really really bad.

I would put going to the dentist for a filling, way way above the worry and pain stakes for having the Gallstones Operation.

I'm 24 and have suffered with gall stones for the last 2 years now. They have just recently found that it was gall stones making me sick and causing so much pain. I am on a waiting list for surgery. I found that i could get relief from the pain by standing bent over a table. Best position i could have found. When the pain hits it's usually at night and i spend hours awake waiting for the pain to pass. I do not recommend trying any of the home remedies you might find on the internet. I was advised by doctors that they usually make the problem worse and can cause quite a serious problem. The best thing to do is just find a position most comfortable for you and sit on that darn waiting list. I'm definatly looking forward to my surgery and am quite scared by the whole thought but afterwards i think it will all be worth it.

I have also found that soup is my new best friend. it is about the only thing i can eat without setting off an 'attack'.

The only relief I get is sitting in a hot bath and that sometimes relieves it, and making myself sick!   Have been given some strong painkillers and had an attack last week and took 2 of these. I have never taken drugs but the feeling I got from these were awful.  Lost feeling in my face trembling, halucinating and just fell asleep to get rid of the side affects.  I could probably make a mint in selling these!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  They are morphene based but at least the pain went away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Waiting to see consultant then am asking how much private cause I can,t bear the pain any more.

I find wheat based thing trigger it off more at first I thought it was a wheat allergy so staying off that until after the op.

LOL Bella,

I was given those tabs by my doc and told to tell no-one as I'd be mugged for the drugs!!!

Had to take them 20 mins before pain got really bad, on one occasion the pain went away and I was left watching little green critters jumping out of the carpet and running around :D :D reading was impossible - letters and words running around the page and sparkling and the book changing shapes :D my supervisor thought I should have gone back to work (clerk in a public office) - yeah, right, I could see how that was going to work :rolleyes: and what the public would have thought goodness knows :D :D :D

Hope those of you who are waiting get your ops soon.