# Gallbladder removal

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallbladder-removal/660653>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [June 10, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallbladder-removal/660653 "2013-06-10T20:10:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Steve100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Steve100](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve100)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallbladder-removal/660653/1 "2013-06-10T20:10:03Z")

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I had mine removed 12 days ago. I was pretty nervous, both about the surgery and the after-effects. I found it strange to feel s healthy and to plan to “self-mutilate” voluntarily. I flew to Cape Town (I live in Kenya) and used a surgeon that was recommended to me. After having a good tete-a-tete with him, i felt more comfortable, and resigned myself to the surgery.

Thankfully, everything went very smoothly, with no complications. Post-operative pain was not insignificant, but was manageable. I cannot feel 3 of my 4 incisions (although can feel it internally when I bend over, as they punctured the muscles), but can still feel the larger incision slightly above my navel. I flew home after 6 days, which was sufficient time to wait.

I am eating 100% as normal, and the new “plumbing system” works perfectly.

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**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallbladder-removal/660653/2 "2013-06-10T20:52:21Z")

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Since this had nothing to do with e-cigarettes (which is where it was to start with) I have moved it.

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**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallbladder-removal/660653/3 "2013-06-14T13:59:30Z")

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Congrats! It can be “minor” as surgeries go. It’s long enough post-procedure that this is probably not useful now, but I remember being surprised at how wiped out I was 2-3 days afterward despite not being in all that much pain.

And be careful when eating high-fat meals for a while until you learn how your system responds - you can go from 🙂 to 😕 to :eek: fairly quickly. I use the term “clench-cheeked run-waddle” to describe those moments.