i have had almost 7 years of excruciating pain that i was told was down to IBS, after several visits to A&E in agony i was told it was my gallbladder, i got booked in to have it out. i went and was immediately told when awakening that there had been complications and that my gallbladder was stuck to my liver, they pulled it off and it ruptured, i had to stay in overnigh on an antibiotic iv drip, with a drain in my right side, i was allowed to go home the next day. Since then i still need to run to the toilet when i have eaten, the hole where the drain was was never stitched and got infected which i sorted myself, now my belly button is infected where they cut through, none of the dissovable stitches have gone, so it feels like i have fishing wire stuck out of me that catches on all of my clothes. Worst of all is i don't think all is well inside, if i move a certain way it feels like something is popping out (a bit like a baby kicking for the mums reading this) and all 4 of the incisions still hurt, this is about 4 weeks on. What can i do? i was never given an appointment to go back or any offer of aftercare. I thought this was going to get better, now i am in more pain than before, not the severe outbursts of it but the ongoing pain. If anyone can advise then please do x
Wow! You poor thing. I would definetly go see a doctor
Call your GP, health advice line or go to A&E, sounds like you had normal stitches which need to come out. If a wound is infected it needs to be treated and checked in case you've picked up something whilst in hospital.
It's normal not to have the hole where the drain was stitched, normally it closes up fine. Whilst it's common to have pain etc you need to be examined, I saw my surgeon four times over seven months before I was discharged from his care.
You should have been given an appointment to be checked before you left hospital, or told they'd be sending you one. You should also have been given care either by your practice nurse or visiting district nurse along with details of how you should care for your wounds with an emergency number to call, often the ward number, if you have it then call that number.
Hi
sounds like you had a rough time 😞
i like you had no aftercare nhs Cornwall . But everything sorted out ok.
If you are concerned go to your gp and get referred .
but to try and put your mind at ease I had a smooth operation but my stitches just ibetween by boobs didn't dissolve for well over the 6 weeks I thought they had gone wrong too and then they suddenly disappeared. And I had terrible soreness and irritation in the same stitches read on hear it was a reaction to the glue they use ..
basically I took 6 weeks for all my wounds to stop aching being sore etc and 3 months before I got my energy back and stopped feeling liked I had been kicked by a mule.
So time is the healer and get down the gp if worried.
Just to quantify my 80 year aunt who is mobile and very young for her age and holidays abroad etc ..has gallstones but her heart is weak had open heart surgery etc so they don't want to operate ...her gallbladder burst and emptied in her they made an incision for a drain all on local anaethetic to go in . said it will ooze ....5 years on still oozing and she still has ruptured gallbladder in her ... She is regularly monitored by specialists ..who are quite happy . She has a constant hole with a micro pore dressing on it.. Now that's not normal and is quite horrific but she says she is ok ....and enjoys life ... Because they know an operation would be too dangerous ....so try not to overly worry but get checked at your gp ...it will reassure you .
Yvonne are you in the UK? If you are you should be receiving a letter from the hospital who do did your op for a follow up appointment its usually six weeks after your op. Did you not go back to have stitches out? You must go to your GP asap and get him to check your wound! I still had pain from the incision places (I had four). But please go tomorrow to your gp but if your in really bad pain go to A&E straight away!
Thank you everyone, yes i am in th UK but i was told when i left hospital that if i had any problems to just see my GP which is what i will do. I don't have any follow up appointment with them at all. I am more concerned about the strange popping feeling inside than anything, i have no idea what that could be. I will make an appointment first thing tomorrow. Thank you for all the responses, they are really appreciated x
I have never heard anything so dreadful Yvonne! I don't know where you are but that hospital needs to be reported!! Even after a small operation I have always been called back after 6 weeks and always given a number to ring if I had any queries or worries in the meantime. Please let me know how you get on tomorrow and please make sure you see a Doctor tomorrow dont be fobbed off about there being no appointments left you have to insist that it is an emergency and dont move until they give you an appointment! Try not to worry too much love xxx