Bowel resection NOW Gall bladder op

[cmoc]

Hi everyone. I had a small bowel resection 11 months ago. Was very ill in the theatre (had to stop the op. leave me open for two days in intensive care) then back for another op. Then the wound opened and had to heal itself, took 4 months. The muscles only finally got right after about 8 months, so I have been feeling nearly back to my old self the last 3 months (apart from constipation).
Now they have discovered gallstones with an ultrasound. The sonographer said they will do an operation and remove my gallbladder. I feel I have only just got over the other operation. Has anyone else had gallbladder removal and how did it go.
I am a bit annoyed that they couldn't have done this the same time as the bowel op.
Thanks

 

[AmyIsHere]

Hi cmoc. Sorry you've had such a rough time over the past year!

I had my gallbladder removed 4 years prior to a surprise resection and Crohn's diagnosis. Overall, it was much simpler -- smaller incisions, less recovery time. They did it lapriscopically, although that is not always the case.

For mine, it was an outpatient surgery. I was home that afternoon. First couple days were no fun, but I started to feel better and able to move around almost normally by the end of the first week, if my memory serves me. I was off work for 2 weeks.

 

[cmoc]

Hi AmylsHere,
Thanks for the reply. Glad to hear it is a relatively minor operation.
Have you had any complications since having the gall bladder removed? I keep reading that people can keep having to run to the loo and have the same pains as before the op etc.
Thanks

 

[AmyIsHere]

I did not. However, I didn't deal with long-term ongoing pain prior to removal. I had one major gallstone attack that landed me in the ER, and the next week I had it removed. I haven't experienced that type of pain in that location since! I have read that sometimes gallstones can be stuck in the ducts and not removed with surgery, so there can still be pain trying to pass those.

I didn't experience bathroom issues. I avoided high-in-fat food for awhile, but eventually returned to a normal diet.

Are you experiencing a lot of pain? I know some people who have opted to postpone surgery because they haven't had intense pain. Maybe that is an option if you're not ready to go back under the knife just yet!

I think diet can sometimes control some of the gallstone attacks, however it is my understanding that once your gallbladder is "diseased" it won't go back to being fine.

 

[cmoc]

I have had 3 really bad attacks in 18 months, one was one week after I came out of hospital from the bowel resection, we called the ambulance and he said at the time he thought it was gallstones. I was in agony.
In between its bearable, but I am scared to eat most things, living on mostly fish, mash potato, sloppy or easy to digest food.
It sounds like its best to get it removed sooner than later, I don't really want another emergency operation as the bowel resection was, also I have had burst appendix and fallopian tube removal, all emergencies.
I also would like a little longer to get over the bowel resection too, but will have to make a choice.
Thanks for telling me about your experience, its been really helpful.

 

[AmyIsHere]

I hope you can find some relief, soon!

 

[Switalski]

cmoc,

I agree with AmyIsHere. I had a bowel resection three years ago and my gallbladder removed three weeks ago. The gallbladder surgery was much easier. My recovery followed AmyIsHere's pretty much - outpatient procedure on Monday; back at work Friday. No attacks since. Good luck.

 

[cmoc]

Thankyou Switalski,

That's all very reassuring. My Dr. is ringing me Monday so I hope to get the referral to a specialist soon. I have to say, that since knowing what the weird pains are, it makes me far more aware of them (which is not really a good thing), I want to get this over with now.

 

[The Real MC]

I had both resection and gall bladder removal during the same surgery. I figured while they were in there, do both. Most painful thing I have ever experienced. I don't know which caused the primary pain. That was over three years ago and have been OK since.

 

[cmoc]

High MC, when you say most painful thing ever experienced. Do you mean the initital pain before they operated or after?
Did you have laparoscopy or open?
Thanks

 

[The Real MC]

Pain after open surgery.

 

[cmoc]

Sorry to hear it was so painful but glad to hear you are OK now.
My Dr. rang and wants me to try low fat diet, she says that the severe attacks are gallstones but the other stomach problems are gastritis.
I will try this as I don't want another operation so soon after the resection (I feel energy wise etc. I am still recovering, mine was an emergency and not straightforward).
Thanks

 

[POTTYTIME!]

Cmoc:

Im kinda backwards on this topic. Crohn's cause gallstones for me. I had my Gallbladder removed in November. I went to the ER, and with in 36 hours I was in surgery. I have also been dealing with a bad flare since November. Have a fistula also on top of that. Im awaiting results from my CT SCAN to schedule a resection. From my experience, still had to watch what I ate, spicy or fatty foods. I was out of work for a month. Had a lot of pain for about a week or two. Out patient surgery. Within 30 minutes after I woke, I puked, took a pee, drunk some water, got dressed, and went home. It is an easy surgery.

 

[cmoc]

Hi Pottytime,

Sounds like you are putting up with a fair bit at the moment. My ongoing stomach pain is more on the left side and central, and feels like inflammation under the ribs (so the Dr. thinks that this is more gastritis). I cant sleep with it though. My three severe attacks were the gallstones.
So the surgery was easy for you, but you did have a lot of pain for two weeks after, was that with laparoscopy or open surgery?

 

[POTTYTIME!]

They managed to do the laparoscopy. Yes on the 2 weeks after. I was in sever pain in my right side though for the gallbladder. Started out in my back. Thought I had a kidney stone at first. The I was puking out of both ends all day. Green foam. Nasty but true.

 

[cmoc]

I seem to end up sicking up green crap after every op I have had, I usually have a pile of their cardboard containers ready! Its horrible. The resection they put one of those tubes down me 4 times to stop it.
Really doesn't make me feel like going in for another op just yet! I hope this next op of yours is your last!