Some time next week, I will be getting my stone-laden gallbladder removed. It was making me violently ill and causing pain last week. It has since been settled with antibiotics and anti-nausea meds, and I’ve been very careful not to inflame it with greasy or fatty food. Saw doc, had bloodwork, got abdominal ultrasound, saw the surgeon today and he says he will take it out. I will have a 23-hour hospital stay.
He already did an outstanding job with my elderly mom’s mastectomy–she made a very fast recovery–so I am not worried about his skills.
I’ll check in here as soon as I am able after the deed is done.
Is this the first surgery you’ve had?
Are they doing it laparoscopically? (I have no idea how to spell that). Good luck.
eleanor: most likely. And I think you spelled it right.
Miller: first since 1984 (tonsillectomy).
Day surgery- easy. Hopefully. Best of luck.
IME, more and more surgeries are being done “outpatient” (fewer than 24 hours in the hospital). Sometimes it’s for the better, sometimes not.
However, having had more than a dozen of outpatient surgeries and procedures, let me tell you this: they will not let you go until the pain is controlled, you have kept down some kind of food and fluids (usually graham crackers and ginger ale, IME), and peed. If they cannot get the pain under control with oral meds, or if you cannot pee (sometimes a side-effect of general anesthesia), they will keep you there.
If, after you get home, the pain is not well-controlled with the meds they give you, call the doctor’s office and ask for something stronger. Also, have the doctor give the 'script for your post-op meds to your after-surgery caregiver before the surgery, so it will be waiting at home for you when you get there!
Best of luck!
No more popcorn, huh, viva?
Listen, if the RT comes in with one of those incentive spirometers for ya? Be sure to use it, okay? Don’t want you to get altelectatic! Plus, the more you can use it (and I know you won’t be able to breathe real deep to start with) the sooner you’ll be outa there.
Also, remember to cough out the “lung butter”. Don’t swallow it!
Heh-heh!
Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
Q
Good luck! Of all the surgeries that I have had (and I have had many) my gall badder was the easiest. I suspect you’ll do well - but none-the-less I’m sending healing thoughts your way!
My gallbladder removal was a breeze, even though they had to enlarge the laproscopic incision a bit to get the biggest stone out. I was up and feeding horses the next day. I didn’t need any pain meds although I was careful how I sat up after sleeping. I actually slept on the couch for a couple days so it was easy to sort of roll off (I have the last waterbed in the US).
Good luck, and I hope you feel a hundred times better after you have it out!
StG
I had my gallbladder out a couple of years ago. The surgery was done in an outpatient surgery center and from the time I walked in the door of the surgery center to the time I got home was a little over 3 hours. Pain meds worked fine, I didn’t need them after the second day, and I just sat around watching TV and resting for a few more. You’ll do fine, I’m sure.
Good vibes headed your way, though it doesn’t sound like you need the jumbo economy size of 'em.
Good luck! I hope your experience is like mine, which was a breeze–more than worth it to get rid of the pain.
Thanks for the tips. I will be glad to get it done and over with; the pain of biliary colic, as some of you know, is horrendous.
Will check back here next week.
It’s not uncommon to be nauseated post op from this op. Go slow, but do take in fluids (water, clear pop–no caffeine or alcohol).
Use a small throw pillow to bolster your incision(s) when you cough or go upstairs or rise/sit. It will help–although most lap choles have such small incisions, but it may help…
I second the pain med advice–take the meds. They’re there to help you. Use them.
Oh yes- I forgot the comfort pillow. Just hold it to your stomach when you have to cough or sneeze. To me that was/ is incredibly painful (Mind you, I had open surgery and an sporting a 12 inch scar down my stomach. I told everyone it was a zipper to make replacing parts easier).
One thing I did find. The medications I was given were narcotic painkillers. I found they didn’t mask the pain very well and tended to make me feel uncomfortable. I took about 6 of them and stopped and even after such a short time I experienced slight withdrawal symptoms.
Again- good luck.
Okay, I’m home, and it went like this:
Woke up in recovery complaining of thirst and pain, got Demerol but no fluid, as I was NPO for quite some time, nothing but flavored mouth swab dipped in water, could not get comfortable in bed, have three incisions with staples in them, went through 2 or 3 IVs, had clear liquid breakfast and lunch, had Toradol twice, now home and very tired and rather sore, but doing okay. I can eat low fat whatever as tolerated and take OTC painkillers. The g.b. was actually inflamed and infected when it was removed. It had big stones and probably would have burst if I’d left it in there.
I am staying home from work this coming week–thank goodness, they’re very good about getting subs to cover for me as long as I need.
Thanks for your advice and good vibes.
Glad to hear it went well!
I had mine out about two weeks ago. ::brag:: Doctor said it was the biggest gall bladder he’d seen in 24 years of surgeries. ::brag:: Four incisions, because there was some concern about my colon and ovaries.
Healing is wonderful. I’d been really sick for weeks before they figured out what it was, but now I can’t even remember what that pain was like. Every day is better than the day before, and I can eat anything.
Glad to hear it went well. Sending get-well thoughts your way.
Take care yo’self, viva. Glad things went well.
It would have burst?!???!??? :eek:
Sounds like a piece o’cake viva. Give us the gory details after its over.