Your message was reassuring to me as well, thank you.
I'm in Oregon and my husband and daughter were allowed to stay with until I went in for my surgery and were able to come back when I was in recovery. I saw friends with friends too. Sorry you couldn't have some one with you.
I can't thank you all enough for the reply they are so reassuring and help to no that I'm not alone in this situation especially the worrying stage. I have took the step and rang the doctor and im currently being refered (even the thought of that terrifies me). The doctor predicted that the op will take place somewere around early spring eeeeekkk. Do you no if you can request stitches at all.instead of staples as that's another thing that's putting me off. I no the scares neater with staples but the scar isn't an issue for me.
A few other questions that I was wondering Was if I left the gallstone were it was would it apart from cause me pain be life threatening or cause any other damage to me as I read on someone else's thread that there relation died of an infection of the gallbladder. So that is also worrying to think if I leave it that could have bigger implications than having the op.
I hope you all had a fab xmas and new year and your pains didn't cause you too much bother. I have piggery out a little over xmas and had a few choccy which I was surprisingly ok with but my xmas and new year roast dinner caused me pain which was strange.
Thanks again i really get comfort from these messages xx
Hi I am no expert and can only speak from my own experience. I too was so afraid I thought I could suffer the pain and watch my diet but eventually you realise its only going to get worse. My surgeon said to me " its up to you to decide I can do it while you are relatively well and it will be straight forward or I'll see you sometime coming through a and e when it won't be so easy. From what I researched if you're living with inflammation its not good for you in any respect. Just remember you'll be asleep and from my experience will be taken very good care of and all this will be behing you. If I'm honest recovery took longer than I expected, pain not bad just not running around like some have experienced but glad its over and done with. Take care and think positive :-)
Sorry forgot to say about stitches, I'm in the uk by the way. I had 3 tiny scars that didnt hurt at all and one just above belly button which was about 3 cm as they had a bit of a struggle getting it out (not that I knew) they made it a bit bigger . All were closed with internal disolving stitches and glue on the outside, so no stitches or staples to see. The bigger scar was sore when moving, getting in and out of bed . The tip I was given was to breath out as you move and it did work. I however kept forgetting, by the time id mastered it it had stopped hurting. Don't worry I was worried about looking at it but it was ok, just a bit bruised. Hope this helps.
Hi Sarah
I didn't have staples and as it was a keyhole op there is only a tiny scar. I had the op about 5 years ago and you can barely see anything there now. I had had such a horrible time with pain, sickness and jaundice before I had the op that it was a huge relief to get rid. I recovered very quickly & have had no problems since.
Complications wise, my GP said at the time that people with gallstones can get pancreatitis and it would be much better to have the op rather than get that. I never really read up on it, so I don't know much about it. I just wanted it out asap!
When you go for your hospital appointment, take a list of questions with you and go through them with the doctor one by one. They're usually quite happy to talk it all through with you and put your mind at ease. You won't be the only nervous patient they've had! Before you go for the op you also get a pre-op assessment appointment as well, where they check you out thoroughly and make sure you're ok to go ahead. This is another good opportunity to discuss anything that's still bothering you. Hang on in there! x
Sarah sorry you have to wait so long for your surgery. I was clued and had stitches. I haven't heard anyone else having stitches, but I had stitches when I had my c-section to save my daughters life. They took the staples out before I left the hospital and then they taped it.
I was scared going under, it was my first time. I had my op Nov. 11. Its normal being scared but think of the long term no pain. It will take a month or so to heal up.
Lowfat diet and lots of water.
My Christmas was great. No pain that day. Chocolate can upset your gall bladder. Avoid fried and spicey foods.
Try eating small meals. Let us know how you are doing?
Hopefully it's just stitches then I will mention to the surgeon at the pre op how nervous I am and hopefully he will understand and put my mind at rest.
People who don't have the pain will never understand how horrible the pain is do they. I think when I say about being up with the pain they envisage a stomach ache. It's so hard as my little one doesn't sleep very well so now for example I've got a niggle of pain and there's no signs of the baby sleeping so going to be a long night so both combined are tiring.
I've taken to living on cereal for my 3 meals a day as that seems to be the only think that doesn't start it off. Even homemade vegetable soup started it the other day.
Stuck with that to eat now x
I'm sorry your little one isn't sleeping good, they can pick up on their parents fear and pain. If you calm down the baby might too.
Eat what you can, just small amounts at a time. Don't over eat. Keep it low fat, some veggies will kick the pain in like tomatoes.
You are so right, if people had this kind of pain they are clueless in how we feel. Use ice packs on your stomach.
My daughter was little when I got up to feed her at 2 a.m. and I felt so sick and couldn't walk to good. I ended up in the emerency room with a crying baby wanting her meal, lucky I had some breast milk in the frig. It turned out to be an inner ear infection and I had vertigo, one whole year of hell. I had attacks for many years but less. Last few years no attacks. So I know it is hard to take care of a baby when you don't feel good.
When do you have surgery? My doctor gave me medicine that helped deal with the pain before I had surgery.
Hang in there!
Lori
Sorry to hear youve had such a bad time, we all understand how you feel and send you sympathy. However the suffering in my case made me realise I had no choice in having it done as I couldnt live for ever like that so in someway it took the choice and responsibilty for the choice away from me, (if that makes sense)! as far as eating goes it seems we all have different triggers , I found I could eat bacon of all things but cheese was a no, no! I lived mainly on ginger biscuits, bread sticks and fresh apple juice before the op and first week after. I read a lot about fresh apple juice from the chiller section not the stuff made from concentrates. I still drink it everyday now but no so much, it did seem to help keep things under control. It apparently has a lot of calories but who cares when you are suffering and eating so little else. Hope you feel better soon.
I was terrified and it was constantly on my mind. Had keyhole surgery 11 days ago and I now wonder why I had got myself in such a state about it. Good luck x
Congratulations. That's the type of message I want to hear. I'm waiting to have mine out. All the very best
Hi Georgia read my post from the day after I had my surgery. Hopefully it will give you further reassurance. Good luck with yours and if you want any further info don't hesitate to ask.
So pleased yours went well. Thank you for further reassurance
best
I'm reqlly worried too, I'm having my surgery for my gallbladder tomorrow and I'm really worried about the recovery and how much my life will be affected as I'm only 19yo.
Sorry I just posted a reply here to e99455 but it seemed to be eaten! Anyway the most of it was saying its perfectable acceptable and understandable to be afraid and to tell all staff that you deal with that you are. Its easy to say post operative for me that you will be fine. You didn't say here if you have been suffering a lot of pain but if gallbladder is being removed I assume you must have been, that will all be gone along with your gallbladder. Then you can get on with enjoying your life. Take care and good luck for tomorrow.
Thank you octavia123! I know it's the best place to be in hospital and all, it's iust fear of the unknown! I have to admit that I was suffering a huge amount of pain last easter, but I went into hospital then and they widened the common bike duct opening into my gallbladder so that if stones needed to pass out they could do so then without pain, so I've been pain free since then. The doctors wanted to take out the gallbladder then but found that it would have been too dangerous so they sent me back to university and it has taken up until now to get an appointment together. I'm hoping that once I have recovered I'll no longer have a funny ache in my side and I can have a complete pain and ache free body for once!
I hope you have your surgery real soon. It was my second surgery and first time going under. You don't realize anything is going on. You wake up in recovery and you realize you don't recall going to sleep.
I hope everything goes well. Keep us updated.
Lori
It will be ok. I just had mine removed Nov. 11.
Good luck and take care.
Any questions just ask.
Lori
Sarah how are you doing?