But ever since my last attack, back in March, I’ve only had the odd small amount of intermittent pain or discomfort… I’ve felt the best I have for many years, all due to a major diet change (the removal of occasional pizza and daily almond milk)…
Just some history about my gallbladder: When I did see a GP last July, we booked an ultrasound test to see the extent of the damage. The results showed some thickening of the wall, gall stones (Obviously) and two small polyps (Which the surgeon I saw in November seemed to shrug off as nothing until they reach around 1cm in diameter)
So, after reading the many horror stories in regards to people finally having theirs out and said removal causing major annoyances/problems, do you think I should go through with the surgery whilst I am enjoying what appears to be a very good period of my life without too many GB issues?
hi Anton,
The decision regarding the removal (or not) of your gallbladder should be based on discussions with medics who have considered all scans and tests, but I will share my experience with you.
I had my gallbladder removed 6 months ago. I only suffered about 6 attacks which where spaced out, so it was like living with a ticking time bomb, not knowing when the next attack would strike. Constantly having to worry about what I ate affected my quality of life. In between attacks, like you, I felt fine. I was also scared reading about some negative experiences on forums such as this. I spoke to several medics about my condition and about surgery. All of them, without exception, told me it was better to have it removed whilst it was uncomplicated, because, In some cases, things can escalate and require emergency and more complex surgery. Indeed the last attack I had before I had the surgery was the most intense and made me realise that the gallbladder had to go! I was also advised to make sure that if I went ahead with elective surgery that it should be carried out by a surgeon who has a high frequency rate in carrying out these operations. Not all surgeons are equal, despite what you are led to believe! My personal decision was to go ahead with the surgery ASAP as I felt delaying was just putting off the inevitable and putting myself at increased risk as time went on.
It is true, there are some horror stories out there, but equally there are many, many people, myself included, who had positive outcomes and have not looked back. I had an excellent high frequency surgeon carry out my operation which included a cholangiogram to check for any retained stones. The operation went really well and I went home on the same day. I had a good recovery and life has returned to normal. I am fortunate not to have any negative issues to deal with. I can eat normally, but as a matter of course I steer clear of unhealthy fats and have found that I am naturally eating smaller portion sizes, so this is a good thing. I honestly have not looked back since having the operation.
So you really need to have some discussions about your own specific condition and situation with medics, and then weigh up the pros and cons of having the surgery over taking a wait and see approach.
Best of luck.
Hi Livvy, nice to read about your stories. i just want to ask you didn’t get any problems at all after several months after gallbladder removal? like diarrhea? or IBS?
Hi Jeff,
I have not experienced any diarrhoea or IBS thankfully. The only things of note were a slight tugging pain around incision sites about 5 weeks post op, but this passed after a couple of days, and I guess was just part of the healing process. The other thing was a gurgling/churning in my stomach after eating something which contained mayo but that is something I can live without! Immediately after the surgery I had some constipation for the first couple of days but drinking fresh orange juice helped with that and everything returned to normal. Apart from that all good and back to normal.
I was worried prior to my surgery that I would face all sorts of other issues post op, having read the experiences of some people. Thankfully, for me, my experience has been very positive. I did not even have any of the post surgery neck/shoulder pain from residual gas used during surgery which many people described, and which I expected. I do attribute a lot to the skill and experience of the surgeon.
I share my positive experience by way of trying to balance out the not so positive, as I remember all too well reading so much negative stuff prior to surgery that I got myself worried sick! With this surgery people appear to have a diverse range of experiences post op - some more positive than others. It’s important for people to know the potential downsides but to also be reassured that many times, there are also very good outcomes.
Best wishes.