Has anyone ever had gallbladder removal surgery? My girlfriend is having a laparoscopic cholecystectomy in early October. Would like to hear any feedback, personal experiences, etc. Thanks...

 

I have never had anything hurt as much as a gallbladder attack.

About 8 years ago I woke up on a Wednesday morning about 4:00 AM with awful stomach pain. I walked around for about 20 minutes and it subsided; everything was fine. On Saturday morning the same thing happened, but after about thirty minutes of walking around the pain was just getting worse. I woke up my wife and asked her to take me to the hospital.

I was in the emergency room, feeling as if I were being stabbed with a knife, with the nurses telling me that they couldn't give me anything for the pain till they completed the blood tests. All of a sudden the pain shot through the roof--on a scale of 1 - 10 it went from a 9 to a 20--this is technically known as a paroxysm; how quaint. The surgeon determined that my gallbladder had atrophied because of gallstones, and told my wife that it might be gangrenous--didn't that make her feel relieved?

As I was being wheeled into the operating room I asked the surgeon if I could keep the gallstones--something cool for the kids to take to school for show-and-tell. He said, "No.".

The surgery went really well, very little pain afterward, one small scar, and all's well now.

It sounds as if your girlfriend's going to avoid the incredibly painful attack and the emergency room visit. Good for her. The surgery, while not "minor", is routine, and she shouldn't have any need to worry.

Ask all the doctors you can who they think is the best anesthesiologist at that hospital, and try to use him/her; that will have more impact on how she does during and after the operation than any other factor.

We'll keep her in our prayers.

 

magician,

Thanks a lot for the anecdote and kind words...

Btw, did you have the laparoscopic cholecystectomy, or the open surgery?

Actually, my girlfriend was in the ER overnight last weekend...she had some intense chest pains after we ate at a Chinese joint (great move huh), and the ultrasound revealed gallstones. While she was in the ER, she basically said it hurt like a bitch, and was given first Vicodin, and then morphine. They figured her condition wasn't life-threatening, though, so they didn't have to perform emergency surgery. We just attended surgery orientation last night, and that's why I asked about it today.

The girlfriend is somewhat anxious, and understandably so, about the upcoming surgery, so I'm glad to hear a positive experience in your case. I personally have had chronic health problems (obsessive-compulsive disorder, seizure, panic attacks, and gastroesophageal reflux) my entire life, so going to the hospital isn't anything too new for me, but my girlfriend has only recently had these health issues, and she's more worried about it. I will let her know that others like yourself have had good results, and that'll hopefully quell her fears.

Thanks again...it breaks my heart to see her in pain and so worried about the surgery, and any advice is always appreciated.

 

Laparoscopy. The only way to go.

I've broken my hand, my collar bone, my arm--twice--torn ACLs in both knees, had my leg torn open by a twisted-link chain, and had paint sprayed in my eyes. Nothing has come close to hurting as much as gallstones.

 

magician,

DAMN, you've had some crazy stuff happen...you must have a hardcore pain threshold by now. I myself haven't broken any bones so far, but a saw a friend break his collar bone snowboarding, and that looked painful as hell. I can't imagine how painful the gallstone attacks must be.

One last question (sorry so many) - after removing your gallbladder, was there a vast improvement? Were you able to resume eating whatever you wanted, and were there any digestive problems? And did the gallbladder attack symptoms vanish completely and forever?

Thanks a bunch, and sorry to bug you with some many inquiries.

 

Check online for gallstone remedies. She may find that an operation is not the way to go.

 

Before the surgery I ate anything I wanted; I had essentially no symptoms till three days before the surgery.

Since the surgery I've had no more symptoms, and I still eat whatever I want--except for chicken vinegrette, which has a sauce made of reduced red wine vinegar, shallots and butter: my wife complains that making the sauce makes the house smell like vinegar for three days.

 

Good advice.

In my case the surgery was necessary because of the atrophy, but it can't hurt to check alternatives. If you haven't done so already, ask your family doctor for his opinion, given what you know now.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by cyber_x
One last question (sorry so many) - after removing your gallbladder, was there a vast improvement?

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by magician
Laparoscopy.