Gallstones...

[draftsmann]

This thread brings back some nightmares...

Two years ago, started getting chest pains while in Malta running around and burning the candle at both ends while setting up a new office. Went to the local quack who kindly confirmed my heart wasn't giving up but I had high blood pressure. "Take some of these" he said, and gave me some blood pressure pills that are banned in most of Europe on account of their rather alarming side-effect of damaging liver function.

Of course, the chest pains were really the enormous gallstone blocking my main bile duct, which was already compromising my liver function, but with the dodgy meds on top of that I got very ill indeed and when I flew back to London after a few weeks of taking my pills like a good boy my piss was the colour of coffee, my turds were like white ghosts and I was a lovely shade of bright yellow all over. There followed several months of recuperation, two periods of being hospitalised, emergency surgery to remove the gallstone followed by gallbladder removal when I had recovered sufficiently, by which time my infected gallbladder had succeeded in fusing itself to my liver and duodenum.

When I expressed surprise to the surgeon that I took so long to recover he told me that had I been significantly older or not generally robust and healthy it could have been life threatening - quite sobering.

[rabbitinheadlights]

I had mine removed 8 years ago (aged 38) after suffering for a few months and a particularly bad episode one night around 3am.

Ultrasound was done which showed the little buggers, fortunately I have BUPA through work so my doctor recommended a good surgeon and one week later I had it whipped out. I had some complications and the keyhole surgery made my whole body swell (unpleasant) which meant I was in for 48 hours rather than the normal overnight. I was off work for 4 weeks due to the complications, however all good since then. I have not noticed any affects other than being free from pain.

[amnesia]

I hope you get fixed soon... it's not pleasant, is it ?!

Apart from eggs (of any kind) I can eat anything. Not noticed any long-term side effects.

Good luck

Time to update the only thread on TZ-UK that contains the word cholecystectomy.

That really was a rather unpleasant 10 days or so. It began at about 11 pm, with symptoms that to begin with felt like very bad food poisoning. However, my partner ate the same as I did and had no symptoms, which puzzled me somewhat. Much vomiting and a sleepless night ensued, followed by my first day off work sick in years. In the morning I felt slightly better in some ways, but I was getting a lot of pain. Initially, this seemed to be all around the upper abdomen and, more so, in the mid and upper back. I was still hoping for the best at this stage, got through the day, and then had an extremely uncomfortable night. I then went to work, although it wasn’t great and I left early. Unable to eat; guts felt as if they were in lockdown. Pain started to ramp up further, so the next day it was off to A&E. Dealt with quickly, as my blood results showed that my inflammatory markers were through the roof. Abdo and chest X-rays and an abdominal CT en route to the ward. The pain was really excruciating at this stage - it was impossible to find a comfortable position. IV antibiotics commenced - I had terrible trouble with venous access and failed cannulas throughout. It was only after these IVs started that the runs began - the worst I have ever had, for about 48 hours or more.

Ultrasound showed a polyp and a 3mm stone in the gallbladder. It took ages and a change of IV antibiotics before my CRP etc. started to come down. My temperature was up to 38.8 - 38.9 at some points, along with low blood pressure, and I really was rather worried at times. No painkiller made much difference until the infection started to resolve.

A&E was great, but care on the ward less so. I had 2 nurses who seemed to think it was normal to connect IVs without gloves, which I found fairly shocking. A couple of the doctors were great, but I rarely saw the same doctors two days in a row and the only contact was a rushed doctors’ round each morning.

Anyway, home now, pain free for quite some time, eating a low-fat diet, and expecting to receive an invitation for a cholecystectomy in 6 weeks or so.

I must admit to having had my confidence knocked quite a bit. I’m 50, fit and well, not overweight, and was under the impression that my diet was fairly good. I don’t really fit into the usual high risk groups for gallstones.

Bah.

[Si]

Thanks Amnesia.

I must admit to being a bit worried. The fact that there is a polyp in there, as well as at least one mobile stone, means that the GB needs to come out, no getting away from it, and of course I never want to go through that again. But when you google “post cholecystectomy”, the proportion of those who have problems afterwards, to some degree, is quite alarming.

[amnesia]

Thanks Amnesia.

I must admit to being a bit worried. The fact that there is a polyp in there, as well as at least one mobile stone, means that the GB needs to come out, no getting away from it, and of course I never want to go through that again. But when you google “post cholecystectomy”, the proportion of those who have problems afterwards, to some degree, is quite alarming.

Two other people at work have had the same procedure since I started this thread, and both of them are fine. We all have that one food that is unadvisable to eat (eggs in my case) but apart from that we're all good.

You will be fine. I wouldn't wish that amount of pain on anyone.

Daniel.

[Coot]

Sister had her gall bladder removed on Friday.

Operation was a success but she didnt come out of the anaesthetic - been in intensive care since but came round last night.
Just one of those things the Dr said, nothing to do with the procedure...

I'm a cheery bugger on Monday mornings.

[valleywatch]

I posted on here a few years back!

Since then I've had my gall bladder out (18 months ago).

Basically I went in for keyhole surgery, to take the bugger out! I woke up a few hours later, to find out, they couldn't do it with keyhole surgery, so they ended up cutting me open.BUT!!! Apparently it's still inside me?

The surgeon told me she'd never seen one that bad before? It was all messed up and broken? So she stitched it back up and left it in there?! She told me she had removed 3 golf ball sized stones .she said I must have been in some " considerable pain"? When the attacks happened?

Unfortunately ( for me!) I was still feeling the effects of the anaethetic/painkillers etc. ( this was shortly after the op!).

"Considerable pain"? Says I?? No love it was **********g agony.. Luckily she saw the funny side of it!! I went from pale to scarlet in a mili second.!!

All was fine after the op (apart from a big scar on my fat belly!!). The scar is bigger than the scar I had when I had my prostate removed!!!


Still it's all history now!! I'm sat in terminal 2 in Heathrow waiting for a plane to take me to Thailand for six weeks!!

[Si]

Two other people at work have had the same procedure since I started this thread, and both of them are fine. We all have that one food that is unadvisable to eat (eggs in my case) but apart from that we're all good.

You will be fine. I wouldn't wish that amount of pain on anyone.

Daniel.

Thanks Daniel.

I'm a cheery bugger on Monday mornings.

Yeah, thanks for that, coot! Hope your sister is ok.

[wildheart]

My mate had his Gall bladder removed on Friday, poor sod had been suffering big time, good luck with your recovery.

[J3w3ll3r]

I had it done and as soon as you are over the initial few days, you will realise it's one the greatest things you will ever have done

[Zephod]

This brings it all back I went through something very similar two years ago the pain was the worst I had ever experienced , I was I. Hospital twice on IV antibiotics and painkillers Had an MRI and then went in for the operation about three months later
Unfortunately they had waited so long my gall bladder was almost disintegrated and the operation was more complex and I awoke in consderable pain and had to be kept on morphine.I then developed and internal leak and bleed meaning a CT scan and a guided drain being inserted while I was concious.Ended up being off work for three months I guess I was just unlucky as most gall bladder operations go with out a hitch.

Since recovering I have been fine so good luck with yours as I wouldn't wish the pain. On my worst enemy

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[Xantiagib]

My brother-in-law had keyhole surgery done to remove his gall bladder - he was home next day - in bed for the next couple of days to take it easy and back to work.
Apart from being more careful with eating fatty/rich/spicy foods etc... he's much better than he was before.

[Si]

I think I might call in the private health insurance on this one. While the A&E I attended was excellent, subsequent care left me feeling somewhat unconvinced. Any recommendations for a good gall bladder specialist in London?

[PJ S]

I think I might call in the private health insurance on this one. While the A&E I attended was excellent, subsequent care left me feeling somewhat unconvinced. Any recommendations for a good gall bladder specialist in London?

Have you looked in the Yellow Pages?

[pacifichrono]

The surgery is a walk in the park compared to the pain leading up to it. I was pacing the floor with tears in my eyes!

[Si]

Have you looked in the Yellow Pages?

Harsh. But fair.

I have of course tried to look at surgeons’ ratings, however, as you can see here, every single one is listed as “OK” which is not terribly informative.

I also note that when you enter a speciality (e.g. upper GI surgeons) you end up with a list entitled “oesophago-gastric cancer specialists”. A bit odd.

https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/co...r=&PageSize=10

I am due to see a GP on Friday and I’ll see if he / she has any recommendations.

[PJ S]

Harsh. But fair.

Not really…merely a bit of facetious humour.

[Si]

So far, so good. No recurrences (touch wood) and thanks to the changes in diet I have not regained the 6 or so kg that I lost when this happened in early January.

I’ve had an MRCP (non-invasive form of an ERCP) - result unknown so far. By way of other pre-op checks I have had a myocardial perfusion scan which was normal.

As long as the MRCP hasn’t revealed anything untoward I should be saying goodbye to the gallbladder in mid March.

[Si]

It’s out, as of yesterday. Feeling ok - a bit of right shoulder pain and some discomfort around the incisions, as expected. Now to see what difference it makes in the longer term. In the meantime I am going to continue to be more careful with my diet than I was prior to this all kicking off.

Has anyone who does Pilates or similar had this surgery? Or any cyclists? How did you find getting back into your normal routine? Advice has varied but I think it looks as if I should wait for a month.

[72bpm]

I was told it's normally done as a day patient, I don't think you will need two weeks to recover?

3 holes cut in you, gas blown in to make room, the gall bladder cut off and pulled out of one of the holes...saying that if you can get 2 weeks of sympathy you would be daft to turn it down!

Lets know how you get on.

DWP evidence based recovery times is 2 to 3 weeks. Can return to work before depending on occupation.

[Si]

DWP evidence based recovery times is 2 to 3 weeks. Can return to work before depending on occupation.

Yes, that approximates to the advice I have been given re work, but I was thinking more of time to return to exercise, time taken for the abdominal muscles to fully recover and such like, if anyone has experience of this.

[Estoril-5]

Bit of a thread resurrection folks - not wanting to start a new thread.

Anyone had their gallbladder removed recently? How did the op go and more importantly how is life after gall bladder removal?

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[CardShark]

Not recent recent though I had mine done 4-5 years back, keyhole surgery, went in in the morning and out in the afternoon.

I had 3 weeks off from work though that was only because I have a relatively physical job, anyone who spends most of the day at a desk could probably be back within a week. From memory I was driving 2 days after, as well.

I only had minor discomfort, in fact I stopped taking any kind of painkiller on the 2nd day. I'm a bit wary of eating anything extremely fatty, pork scratchings for example are a no no for me now, other than that I do what I want when I want, only the 3 small and insignificant scars remind me of the op.

Oh, the relief of never having a gallbladder flair-up again is a life changer!

[draftsmann]

Bit of a thread resurrection folks - not wanting to start a new thread.

Anyone had their gallbladder removed recently? How did the op go and more importantly how is life after gall bladder removal?

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I posted earlier in the thread- at the time two years after a “gallbladder with complications” episode. I’m fully recovered but strangely I don’t now like too much very fatty food. I do still eat real butter, use cream in cooking and occasionally have fish and chips but my body doesn’t want deep fried food now. Generally no issues at all for me, anyway.