Waiting for gall bladder surgery just feel generally lousy is this normal?

Been waiting now 15 months for gall bladder surgery. Feel generally unwell most of the time. Never know what to eat half the time feeling tired. Vondidering its an unimportant little organ that you can live without it sure has a hell of an impact when its not working properly..

I know how your feeling i been waiting to have gb out for 6 minths and got to wait another 6 months 2 have surgery. I feel really ill all the time its unbearable i have 4 toung kids to look after which is a struggle, been to docs cause i got depression cause of the gb and i have nearly lost 4 stone. All i can do is go back and 4 the docs ao the can write letter 2 surgeon to have op quicker. Can i ask what painkillers do u take x

Hi Tasha sorry to hear, I take dihydrocodeine and buscopan now, are you in the UK

Yes im in the uk i take tramadol paracetamol buscopan thwy take the edge off but dont get rid of the pain totally x

Hi Linda,

Textbooks do not mention this general malaise which many gallbladder patients seem to experience, based on my own symptoms and what ppl say on these forums.

Have you a date for surgery? Mine has been bumped forward several times.

I sought a second opinion as I wondered if it was entirely my known gallstones causing my somewhat  untypical symptoms. more chronic 24/7 unwell than acute shorter attacks and nearly all foods causing problems for months.

I wonder too if we are already living without a functional Gb by this stage. I have been trying to get fitter within the limits of feeling so awful as I have not even felt well enough at times to endure surgery and the prospect of horrible after effects some report. But it is not a great way to live lif we do not take the chance of surgery, is it?

I do think the medical field should take our continued suffering more seriously as so many are waiting and struggling, it affects your work and all of life. Hope you soon get sorted and hope we both get back to better health, take care.

Hi Linda

I felt lousy too before my surgery the constant nausea was quite debilitating. I was also I'll for around 15 months prior to surgery but it took approx 10 months of that time to actually definititively find out it was actually my gallbladder. I started feeling unwell last Feb following a bout of pneumonia and pleurisy and for some months they thought my illness was down to an ulcer following the meds I'd been on. I didn't have the telltale pain in my right side I was just very nauseous, struggling to eat much, lack of appetite and very upset bowel issues.

In October I had what I now know was an acute biliary attack with the intense pain in the right side under my ribs at which point my gp started thinks gallbladder. I had a scan which unfortunately didn't show any stones so was referred to gastro but he explained without evidence of stones there was no point seeing a surgeon as they wouldn't act without evidence of gallstones. I saw the gastro consultant in Jan who referred me for a scan with a radiologist who specialises in this type of scan. Initially he also found nothing but then he asked me to roll over on the bed throughout 360 degrees really quickly ( I thought he was mad) and then he rescanned and could see the stones moving around as I'd shaken them up. I was then referred to a surgeon as an urgent case and saw the surgeon in April and he wanted to operate immediately. We only waited until jun as I'm a teacher and I had year 11's to get through their GCSEs.

I really hope you get your date soon as I understand fully how miserable and debilitating it is whilst you're suffering.

Did you have loose bowels? Mine are never normal either mush or loose

Why do they have you waiting so long?

Hi sorry guys had problems getting back into this forum

Ive been on 2 waiting lists because I relocated. The first one I was on 6 months which I now know I should have been operated on 18 weeks from the day of referral. And Ive been on this new list for around 15 weeks so theyve only got the next 3 weeks to call me in if not I will be on that phone every goddamn day asking for a date...

Oh wow I hope you get your surgery soon. I know at this point it's bad and you just want it out. They rushed me to get mine, I didn't need it yet, and really didn't want to, but I was sick of the neasuea, and feeling crabby. Are you eating light?

I definitely think mine has stopped working now thats for sure..and its affecting my job...I can normally get rid of the pain within half an hour but the last attack lasted all day into the nect morning with horrible stabbing pains as though my was being knifed

I do think it upsets your immune system as I was just constantly ill with virus after virus

my bowels are never the same on any given day sometimes its like toothpaste..

Have you been referred to a consultant? Because if you have youll be on a pathway from the date they get the referral which means they have to treat within that 18 weeks or they have breached it and themust do something about this. It must be so tough for you at the minute...

Are you in the UK?

Fingers crossed you get your date soon

Been eating calorie controlled and still had an attack..makes no difference what you eat...sometimes it can be stress..

Well as I work in the nhs rest assured Ill be roaring at them down the phone l! 😀😀😎