So, I got my date for surgery - 3rd June! I am excited/scared and would appreciate any advice for how to prepare and any tips for immediately afterwards? What did people find helped/hindered their recovery?
I just kept focusing on how wonderful it would be to not have so much pain whenever I ate! It was worth all the discomfort and I do not regret having it removed at all. I would say to eat very lightly after surgery. I pretty much had jello and broths for a couple of days. Definitely don't want to overeat for a bit. No real restrictions at all. Just rest and I kept a pillow with me for support when rising from laying or sitting. Best of luck to you! Best decision of my life!
Things that helped me were standing and walking as much as possible the first couple days to get the air out, sipping lots of water after surgery once they allowed me to which got most of the air out, drinking lots of vitamin water the first day for energy, eating protein with each meal and staying hydrated, minimizing bending and taking magnesium to aid with digestion. I found that my stomach felt grumbly each morning until I had something to eat. Best of luck on your surgery.
Thanks for replying. I will have an 8 month old, very active baby to look after too so I'm thinking that could be fun! (Hoping my husband can get a few days off work to help me out!)
My baby is 7 months. I had a helper for the first 9 days and then I was on my own but I managed. I'm sure you will too. She's 18 lbs so I wasnt supposed to lift her but I did the day after I got home from the hospital. Could definitely feel my muscles working but it wasnt too bad
Get a lot of rest after surgery. Keep hydrated, no haevy lifting of course and eat soft foods the first week. Surgery will go good and just because you feel better, do not over do it! Good luck and keep us posted! 
OK I had my gallbladder removed 3 weeks ago. Keyhole surgery.
Recovery period is 3 weeks if keyhole and 6 weeks if you have the bigger operation.
They do not know if they can get gallbladder out with keyhole surgery until you are in theatre, so before yu are put to sleep yu have to sign a form to say if they cannot get it out with keyhole they can carry on with bigger operation. Over 90% have kyhole surgery.
As for afterwards, no lifting for at least 3 weeks or 6 weeks if bigger op.
You will probably get diarrhoea though this will settle down.
My stitiches were dissolvable. My big dressing was on for 2 weeks. This just depends on how wound heals.
You will be tired and have a bit of pain but if you are anything like me you will feel hugely better than you were before.
Be careful what you eat for a bit and do not go back to fatty food straight away.
You should hasve a pre op assessment at the hospital about a week before op where you will be able to ask any questions.
Good luck with all this you will be fine.
Take care and keep in touch
Praying for you
Love Sarah xxx
I had my keyhole surgery 10 days ago and my surgeon released all the gas so I felt normal afterwards. I have not had diarrhea but constipation instead which I am dealing with by taking allbran and I've started taking psyllium husk which is apparently good for sorting out both diarrhea and constipation. I have been told to stick to a non fat diet for a month and then gradually introduce fats into food so I'm eating what I ate before surgery like weetabix with light soya milk, semolina made with soya milk, jelly, white bread and marmalade, tea without milk and fruit. Chicken broth is also good, mentioned by one of the other posters, You will have to rest a lot and not lift anything. As I felt so well I decided to do some gardening and the next day felt really unwell, so be careful for the first couple of weeks. Hope you have help with the baby, at least for the first couple of weeks. Good luck