Help wanted after gallbladder removal

gretta
gretta Member Posts: 74
edited 28. Apr 2011, 14:12 in Living with Arthritis archive
I had my gall bladder removed 2 weeks ago. Unfortunately I couldn't have the keyhole op & they had to convert to the open cholecystecomy op. Only 5% of patients have to have this op, the other 95% get away with the keyhole op. I had the staples removed last week, I had been dreading having those out but the nurse was very gentle & she changed the dressings. The only benefit there was, was that my osteo-arthritis was helped a lot by the strong medication I was on. Couldn't have coped with both of them. It is supposed to take months for the long opening across my stomach to mend. My question is to those who have had their gallbladders removed by either method is how did you manage eating. I find that my appetite has gone & some foods make me feel very quesy. Good diet for losing weight though. Did you find foods you could eat besides a diet of mashed potato, yoghurt etc. Also how long did it take to move about easily?

Comments

  • jilly
    jilly Member Posts: 503
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Gretta , sorry i cant help with the gall bladder op just wishing you well , i had a burst appendix which was a large cut and made me quiet ill for a while so i can feel for you . I hope you are better soon , it is bad enough having one thing to cope with ...wishing you well .............jillyx
  • border
    border Member Posts: 94
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    It took me sometime to move about freely my biggest challenge was to walk to the local park but eventually managed it before arthur stepped in. I did do some gardening, if I remember a few weeks afterwards and was in agony for a week. Like you I had an open cholestectomy and eventually got back to normal eting but the smell of the local chippy puts me right off anything to eat!.
    Had a lot of pain recently in gall bladder area, but nothing showed up on ultrasound and still have pain. Will eventually get back to gp but not yet!
  • gretta
    gretta Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Border. Thanks for all that info. Sorry you had to go through the same op. I was feeling quite on my own as most people I know have been able to have the keyhole op. Your experience of the op will help me a lot in the future. I too am having trouble moving about freely. Have heard that you can have phantom gallstone attacks after the op so your info confirms that although I don't know if yours is a phantom attack as you have to go back to the GP. It really puts you off going for further treatment doesn't it.
    Love
    Gretta
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh dear, poor, poor you, how very uncomfortable and misery-making that must all be. I know another forum member has recently had her gallbladder removed but was lucky enough to have hers done via keyhole - not much comfort there, sorry! I know not what to suggest apart from rest as much as possible to give your body a chance to heal, take any pain relief that is available to you, and hopefully things will begin to improve for you and soon. Did your surgeon/hospital give you any guidelines about how long things could take? DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • gretta
    gretta Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks dreamdaisy. Think it could take 4 to 5 months for the wound to heal. I am resting as much as I can, clinic suggested this. Appetite has improved a bit now from when I posted my first request. Don't think the things I am eating are all that good for you but anything is better than nothing isn't it.
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Gretta,

    You have been so unlucky there flower and I hope it will soon ease back and let you have healthier food. Sadly these things tend to be anti healthy foods I find. Mine isn't gall bladder though they did think I had stones for a bit.

    The wound you will get there flower and hopefully quicker than you think. Fingers crossed for you. Cris x
  • gretta
    gretta Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks Cris for your good wishes. Glad yours didn't turn out to be gallbladder trouble. Mine was thought to be a stomach ulcer for years because the pain is similar but gets worse as time goes on. Perhaps if the problem had been found sooner I might have been able to have the keyhole op. I would advise anyone who thinks they have gallbladder problems to go to the Doc sooner & make sure that their problem is not a stomach ulcer. They could probably have the keyhole op then.
    love Gretta
  • bubbadog
    bubbadog Member Posts: 5,544
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Gretta, I had my gallbladder and gallstones removed several years ago, I had mine done on keyhole surgery. I found I couldn't bear dairy after, it makes me phyisically sick and have tummy cramps! So I now have to have no or very little dairy. I also found I can't bear caffine as well! It is very strange how it does this to you.
    It was 6/7years ago since I had it done so my memory is very poor.
    I think it took a few weeks maybe 3/4 weeks before I could eat again think major. I had mine done urgently as I had impacted gallstones so the gallbladder had to come out. But much better since they where removed!!
  • gretta
    gretta Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi bubbadog.
    I had gallstones stuck in my bile duct, couldn't pass through because they were so big, plus jaundice & a stomach rash. Had to have the stones removed by ERCP before they could remove my gallbladder. An ERCP is a type of endoscopy done under sedation which besides having a look around also does some work as well. They put the tube down your throat & collect the stones in a little umbrella type basket & then bring them up. I had to have 2 of these done because they couldn't remove the stones in one go. Thanks for your re-assurance that it gets better as time goes on, you hear so many horror stories don't you. Today I managed a tuna sandwich & some yoghurt, so things are improving a bit.
    love Gretta
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Gretta,

    Oh I so confer with you over this ulcer thing.... I was told over and over I had an ulcer.. i have had a few and I kept saying it doesn't feel like one....

    After a year they did find out and my oesophagus is totally trashed! Some ulcer eh?!

    Why is gp's and consultants always jump to an ulcer?

    I probably did have gall stones cus the symptoms were there but the either dissolved or got passed and by the time I had the ultrasound they were gone.. but so was the pain. Oh that was an ulcer as well!

    You hang in there and take it easy and keep in touch. Cris x
  • gretta
    gretta Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Cris

    How I agree with you they try to tell you that it is an ulcer if you have had one originally because the pain is very similar. But the pain gets worse & worse & lasts longer than an ulcer, can go on for days. I kept asking my GP if it could be gallbladder trouble but he just waved the idea away It was only when he was booked up one morning & I saw the lady GP that she sent me straight to the Hospital for tests. Guess which GP I am seeing in the future. Can nothing be done about your oesophagus.
    Gretta x
  • bubbadog
    bubbadog Member Posts: 5,544
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Gretta, Glad you are managing more food, I had a couple of stones blocking the tube to my liver, but the main stones where in the gallbladder. I truely don't know how they got those clear, I asummed they blasted them out! Hope to stay in contact with you. Hope your back to your best soon. Amanda (bubbadog) :smile:
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Gretta,

    Flower the suspected gall stones was horrible and so painful but unlike an ulcer it didn't let up fro hours on end.... so very different but they wouldn't listen to me for weeks... cus... I has an ulcer....

    This oesophagus thing I am cross over cus it was caused by a hernia they didn't bother to diagnose.... that was a ulcer of course....

    I got referred to the gastro's after 6 moths of the pain.... some ulcer eh?! Then waited none months to be seen and they said they would have to do an endo....inside 2 weeks.

    That got down graded by the head of department as he said it was a routine endo cus it was the crohn's or an ulcer I kicked off at that point....

    Got the endo.... the hernia had cause reflux... that was untreated of course, it turned into GORD which lead to Barret's oesophagus.... to me it was neglect but... what can you do?

    Now waiting for the gastro's again but the gp says they are unlikely to mend the hernia, they are even more unlikely to remove the Barret's so its 3 to 6 monthly endo' to make sure it doesn't go to ca.....

    Oh and a bucket of tablets to control the GORD :lol:

    I seriously would rather they removed it! The GP calls it major surgery but to me it doesn't sound major.... I just want it gone flower.

    You hang in there and hopefully you will get that wound mended quicker than you think. leaving a Easter egg and a ((( ))) and nice to see you back by the way. Cris xx
  • gretta
    gretta Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Gosh Cris
    You have gone through as many problems as I had getting it diagnosed. The longer it is left the more likely you are to have open surgery as I had. I feel so envious of friends & relations who just had the keyhole op. They are up & running practically straight away. I had an abdominal scan, 6 blood tests, MRI scan, visit to Consultant, 2 ERCP's. They had none of that. I should have known by that time I wouldn't get the keyhole op.

    Love
    Gretta

    Amanda
    The big stones for me had travelled from my gallbladder to my bileduct & got stuck there. That was what was causing the jaundice & pain. The 2 ERCP's removed the stones but the only way they could get the stones from the gallbladder was to remove it. Feeling a lot better today & have sat in the garden for a while but then one of my 2 cats wanted the garden chair. He is convinced that he has first choice of any seats going. He is the same in the house, it is like musical chairs when he is about.

    Love
    Gretta
  • julie47
    julie47 Member Posts: 6,041
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi gretta

    Just been reading your post, and just want to wish you a speedy recovery.

    Sounds as though you have had a rough time, I am sorry. Good that you are manageing to eat a bit more and that today you managed to sit in the garden. (when you eventually got a chair :lol: )

    Take care and take it easy

    Love Juliepf x
  • gretta
    gretta Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks Julie for your good wishes. I seem to be getting back my appetite now so perhaps at last I am on the mend. Managed to get the chair back eventually.
    Love
    Gretta
  • tweedie
    tweedie Member Posts: 70
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Gretta,
    So sorry you ended up without keyhole , I'm sure you are mending --- I had mine removed last year but luckly with keyhole , as to food , well I would have said no change , but on reflection I no longer can eat ' fatty ' foods , I cannot eat bacon and have become used to eating ' better ' just because the wrong foods DO upset you -- eat wrong = extended loo times ???? and like you say sickly , my appetite is never that good after various stomach problems anyway , the good side of it ( ha ha ) is that I don't need to diet any more, infact I sometimes find it hard to fancy food BUT take my cuppa away I will not be responsable for my actions .
    Hope you soon feel a lot more comfortable,
    Joanna
    xxxxx
    ps it is worth having the op done xxxx
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Gretta,

    Tis unfair that they leave things or misdiagnose things till it becomes a major problem.

    It will be ok though just take longer for you to heal up and get the muscles to work well etc again. You were very unlucky flower and no mistake. This ulcer thing don't half get in the way eh?! Never understand why they have this fixation on ulcers.....

    I am leaving you a heal fast bucket and really hope it will mend up quickly. You hang in there and cats and chairs eh..... I think I might just get a hammock cus they wouldn't like the string :lol: Let us know how your getting on please. Cris xx
  • starspangle
    starspangle Member Posts: 37
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Gretta nice to meet you!
    I will PM you 2moro ...as my experience is complicated.
    (I'm just off to bed)

    s
  • gretta
    gretta Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Joanna
    I didn't think of it that way. Must admit that I needed to lose some weight & over the last few months I lost a stone & a half. Hope it stays off. Theer has to be some benefit from this op doesn't there. Bacon won't trouble me because I am a vegetarian. Thanks for your good wishes.
    Love
    Gretta
  • TJC
    TJC Member Posts: 3
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Gretta

    Had my gallbladder removed 4 years ago by keyhole after the 2nd trip to A&E in the back of an ambulance. Like you I had stones lodged in the bile duct but I'd ignored the problem for years and the gall bladder had started to disintegrate and this contributed to some liver damage. I'm still seeing the gastroenterologist who is monitoring my liver function. Apart from the liver I didn't really have any post op difficulties and enjoy a pretty normal diet. The only real change is that I can't tolerate food with a high fat content, such as pastries and fried food, as these tend to pass through the body at lightning speed :shock: Seeing orange poo for the first time can be a little disconcerting :lol:
  • gretta
    gretta Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi TJC

    Weren't you lucky to be able to have the keyhole operation considering you had gallstones in your bile duct. The first blood test showed that my liver reading was sky high but luckily it came down after some treatment. Seems to affect us all in different ways doesn't it. I seem to be enjoying a pretty normal diet now, I was despairing of it at first as I didn't want to lose any more weight. Will remember to keep off the pastries & fried food as they are causing you difficulties, thanks for that info.
    Gretta

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