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Old 12-29-2002, 02:36 PM   #1  
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Default Gallbladder surgery, anyone?

I won't go into all of the details. Let's just say that I had a very looong day in the ER Saturday and learned that my gallbladder will need to come out soon. Like this Tuesday...that soon.

Anybody here had their gallbladder removed? How did you fare? I'm really freaked out as I generally avoid all doctors like the plague and have never had any sort of surgical procedure. I'm really uneasy about being put to sleep, etc. Any advice? Will this help, hinder, or have no effect on my weight loss efforts?

Thanks for any information you can offer! By the way, if any of y'all are the praying kind, send up a few on my behalf, please. Having surgery--even though I know this one is pretty routine--is like my ultimate fear.

Shaking,
Christy
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Old 12-29-2002, 03:39 PM   #2  
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Hi, I had my gallbladder removed in May of 1999. I had been very sick with the gallstones for over a year before I was rushed into emergency surgery one morning. My problem was that I waited too long to go in and see a doctor about it, and I got to the point where I was in so much pain that I couldn't hardly function anymore.

The surgery itself was very short, I think only an hour, if that. When I woke up, the only pain I felt was in my shoulder. I had the laparoscopy (sp?), and afterwards, there is sometimes some air left inside you, and that's why my shoulder hurt. Once I moved my shoulder around a bit the pain went away.

I had lots of Tylenol 3s afterwards, and pretty much slept for 23 hours a day for the first few days. I was back to work after 12 days, and I was out driving around after 4 days lol. The stiches came out, and you can't even notice the scars anymore really either.

I haven't heard anything about not being able to lose weight, or gaining a lot of weight after having the gallbladder removed. Personally, my weight stayed the same until I decided to do something about it, and it hasn't been any harder than normal to lose the weight.

I'm sending you lots of hugs, feel free to email me if you have any other questions or need to talk
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Old 12-29-2002, 04:05 PM   #3  
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I had mine removed in 1986....

surgery was nothing compared to the attacks I was having. It reallly wasn't a big deal at all. Within a month I was back to school (I was 16 years old at the time).

All the best to you.


Dana
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Old 12-30-2002, 08:36 AM   #4  
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Best wishes to you. I'm facing the same thing but just not sure when. Oddly, my Dr. said that losing weight further irritates gallstones so it's like I'm in a "can't win" position.
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Old 12-30-2002, 09:05 AM   #5  
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I had a laproscopy 10 years ago ... I'm glad you're doing it, because I have known a couple of people who had to have emergency surgery where they were unable to do it lapriscopically, where it's more like a cesarian and much more invasive, therefore more painful!

I can still see the scars, but only one of them is a little bit prominent (not too bad!). I went in one morning and was checked out the next afternoon (would have been earlier if the surgeon hadn't come in to check me out so late). I went through a bit of pretty nasty pain, but it was mostly because the surgeon was one of those who refused to give me any good drugs to help me deal with it. Looking back, I might could've avoided that by taking "larger" quantities of Advil. I had a fairly cushy part-time job and went to work 3 days later ... I was still in some pain, but if I remember correctly, I was significantly better in the next day or two. I hear that a lot of people are feeling fine within a week. (the intrusive surgery can take 6 weeks to recover from)

I agree with Dana -- the pain was perfectly acceptable after the attacks I was having!

As for the weight issue, my internist told me that I probably developed the gallstones because of yo-yo dieting. I did not try to lose weight myself at that time, but I do recall a man who had been very large when he had his removed, and afterwards he lost of lot of weight ... afraid I don't know the details about how he did it! But I don't see how it would have much if any effect on your efforts - except for not being able to exercise for a bit!

Good luck - try to relax. It is very routine, and the worst that could probably happen is a reaction to the anesthesia, which some people can have a problem with.

Pen
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Old 12-30-2002, 09:31 AM   #6  
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Crissy...hope everything goes well and you heal very quickly. Here's to a New Year for you. *HUGS*

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Old 12-30-2002, 09:46 AM   #7  
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Pen..
I had mine done the "old fashion" way. It was still no big deal compared to the attacks. Because I was so young it didn't take me as long to heal.

My sister had the surgery when she was 8 months pregnant - no fun at all.
I'd still rather get the surgery then get my teeth done.

I don't believe surgury had any impact on gaining or losing weight. Just we warned some foods might "go through" you a little faster, if you know what I mean. I have a hard time with fried foods - bacon and eggs - just make sure you know where a bathroom is. Besides.. you shouldn't be eating those foods anyhow
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Old 12-30-2002, 09:47 AM   #8  
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Pen - I've heard that if you have your gallbladder removed, you're not able to process fatty foods as well. Is that true? If it is, that might be why the big guy lost so much weight; he didn't eat as many fatty foods.
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Old 12-30-2002, 01:58 PM   #9  
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My memory is not that good anymore (I believe that's a temporary disability due to having two small children!), but I believe I did have some of those problems mentioned about fatty foods going right through you, but eventually I didn't have that problem ... of course, ya'll are right, shouldn't be eating a bunch of fatty things! (though I tend to watch out more for complex carbs).

I thought not eating fat might be the deal with that old friend of mine, the big guy -- but now I remember I asked him about that, and he said he didn't have problems with it ... He works (worked? He's getting kind of old now I think, I don't live in the same town anymore) in radio, and I recall at least a couple of times where he did those on-the-air ad deals with weight loss places, where he would follow their program and report his progress on the air ... He yo-yo'ed all the time, and no doubt that's what wrecked his gall bladder. In fact, I had gone on NutriSystems 6 months or a year before I started having my attacks, and I discovered that there were LOTS of reports of people who had done their program and ended up with gall bladder problems!
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Old 12-31-2002, 12:53 PM   #10  
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HEY THERE,
I had mine removed in November, ans I was scared to death. I've never broken anything, or been seriously injured, and like you, avoided the docs, like the plague. Although they did come in handy, when I had my kids. Try not to worry, I was in at 6am and out of there by noon. A few days later I felt normal and a week later I was able to drive 16 hours to Utah, and vacation.

Gotta go.....kids are getting on my nerves. Good Luck
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