Gallbladder out !!
#68952 - 05/10/04 06:53 AM
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ColbySD
Reged: 06/09/03
Posts: 70
Loc: San Diego, Ca
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Morning all, I had my gallbladder surgery fri. morning, everything went well. Still feeling sore muscles this morning, but only had to take 3 pain pills over the weekend. Thank you all for making me feel better before the surgery, like all had said it was no big deal.
Have one question for all who have had the surgery laproscopically, ....right shoulder pain??? why? Out of all the places to have pain, my shoulder and neck are the worst, what causes this?
Colby
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There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
--Bern Williams
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That pain is probably from the air they pumped in you to make the surgery easier for them. It may take a while for is all to dissipate, I had the same kind of pain too!
Glad to hear all went well!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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Glad to hear you are feeling well. I agree with Michelle about the gas as the source of the pain. I had laproscopic surgery about 8 years ago, not for my gallbladder but for some random ovary thing (I'm fine), and my shoulders ACHED like someone was squeezing them. I could deal with the sore incision and the sore muscles, but man did my shoulders kill. Well my parents' next door neighbor is an OBGYN and the chief of staff at the hospital where I had it done, and he said it's definitely from the gas they use to kind of inflate you a bit while they are in there. It will absorb back into your body in a couple of days and you will feel fine. In the meantime, continue to go easy on the pain killers. Most of them are not great for our tummies! When you abdominal muscles are sore already, the last thing you want is to get sick!
Feel better and milk this for all it's worth from anyone who will take care of you!
AP
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Amanda
I live in the Big Apple, but I don't eat the skin
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PS --
#68967 - 05/10/04 07:36 AM
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Fun fact -- my grandmother doesn't have her gallbladder, appendix OR spleen, and she got these out about 60 years ago, way before laproscopic surgery. Her tummy looks like tic-tac-toe ... so be grateful for tiny incisions! Did they go in your bellybutton? They went in mine and I swear it's looked like a raisin ever since (but really only I notice these things).
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Amanda
I live in the Big Apple, but I don't eat the skin
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Re: PS --
#68999 - 05/10/04 09:57 AM
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ColbySD
Reged: 06/09/03
Posts: 70
Loc: San Diego, Ca
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that's funny about the tic tac toe, my mom was the same way, she had everything out the old fashioned way.
Yeah, they did the belly button, I have 5 "stab wounds" in total. The belly button and right below the breast bone are the two that are sore and bruised.
This shoulder pain is crazy, can't wait for it to end. As far as milking it goes, I was left alone today, but was waited on hand and foot all weekend, I think I was being annoying, lol. Oh well back to work tomorrow.
Colby
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There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
--Bern Williams
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Gas!!!
#69012 - 05/10/04 10:26 AM
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Kandee
Reged: 05/22/03
Posts: 3206
Loc: USA, Southern California
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You got pumped full of a bunch of funky gas to blow you up so they could see things inside. It creates pains in the strangest areas. The more you can move the more it will work it's way out. Walk around a little whenever you can. It'll just take time so be patient, ok?
Glad all went well for you. You'll heal in no time!!!
Remember, you have to be super careful about fats now. You can't process them as well with the GB out. You may become more "D" too. I didn't but many do.
Kandee
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Hello!
Glad to hear that your surgery went well  Sorry about the shoulder pain, that's the worst part of laparospic surgery in my opinion, that awful gas pain. It should pass soon enough though.
I've actually got a question for you if you don't mind. I've been posting a bit here lately about potentially having gallbladder problems and just thought since you just had yours out you might have some advice. Bascially, I've been having a lot of symptoms of Gall Bladder Disease and about two months ago I had what I think was a gall bladder attack. I just had an ultrasound which showed sludge in my gall bladder and thickening of the gall bladder walls. My primary doc (who ordered the ultrasound) wasn't really sure what to make of it, so he said my GI should look at it, but my GI doc won't let me have an appointment because he didn't order the test! Did you have any similar problems? Why was yours taken out?
My primary symptoms include severe indigestion, gas, bloating and diarrhea, as well as upper right side abdominal pain and cramping.
Thanks!
Kelly
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Hi Colby!
Had my gallbladder out the same way as you did when the new procedure had just came out. I asked to go home the same night, which I did but I was up all night with pain in my left shoulder. The surgery itself didn't bother me too much but the pain in the shoulder was terrible. Know how you feel. If I remember correctly the doctor had said it was due to the procedure as they actually almost vacuum it out after it has been surgically removed with microscopic instruments. I think it lasted only a couple of days but the first night was the worst for me!
Kandee is right!!! Most everyone I know suffer bouts of D after the surgery and sometimes for months after. If you do notice it goes on for longer than 2 weeks let your doctor know. Back then they didn't say not to eat fats but that is the biggest culprit! The doctor told me that most people get their gallbladder attacks after eating Chinese food and the second was Sub sandwiches.
Hope you feel much better soon!
Pat
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Hi,
I think I have posted this before but my son had sludge in his gallbladder, too. It was hardly even functioning. He had terrible pain and even had to go to the emergency room several times. Finally, he had his gallbladder out and feels great. Hope this helps.
Barbie
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Colby, during surgery they put air into the body, sometimes this air will work itself up into the upper chest and shoulder area. The pain comes from the pressure of the air. But, to be sure, it would be a good idea to call your surgeon and let them know, they might have a different explanation. Hope it gets better soon. You will be up and around in no time. I did.
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Dont tell God how big your storm is, tell the storm how big your God is !!!
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Barbie
#69130 - 05/10/04 02:49 PM
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Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Hey Barbie,
Yes, I think you have mentioned that before...so thank you for the information. Did he have gall stones do you know? Or just sludge? Because they (the doctors) didn't seem to think it was that big of a deal that I had sludge. I should have gone to emergency when I had what I assume was a gallstone attack, but I was too embarressed to go in so much pain (dumb eh?) so I didn't.
Any info you have would be great!
Thanks!
Kelly
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Hi Kelly,
Not sure if I can offer any advice, but I can let you know what happened with me. My symptoms were severe debilitating nausea with some D and (this is gross), undigested food in my stool,also had some red blood in stool. Doc did a flex sig and stool tests along with lots of blood tests. After not finding anything wrong, I have been diagnosed with IBS. I began the diet and was doing well then I got this pain right above my belly button (figured I pulled a muscle) which lasted about 6 weeks, was a steady pain which hurt worse when touched. Then my very first gallbladder attack, which had me on the bathroom floor curled in a ball with pain I can't even descibe. After the ultrasound 2 weeks later, I was diagnosed with gallstones and waited 4 months to get the sucker out.
The doc told me I had one very large stone that was blocking the entrance and exit to the gall bladder and the bile that did get in there ended up trapped, which is what caused the pain. Even though I only had one major gallbladder attack, I would never want to feel that pain again and am glad that it is gone. This should help my nausea alot, as for the rest of my bowels, well they will be another story, lol. Am looking forward to less nausea tho, will make a great difference in my life
Colby
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There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
--Bern Williams
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Re: Gas!!!
#69138 - 05/10/04 02:59 PM
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ColbySD
Reged: 06/09/03
Posts: 70
Loc: San Diego, Ca
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Thank you for the advice, I have been trying to walk around alittle more today. I have been very tired since Friday, it's funny I can sleep all day in front of the TV but put me to bed and I'm ready to jump around.
Thankfully I didn't take enough Pain meds to cause constipation, I was able to go Sunday and today, was not D just alittle loose. Hopefully that will get better, I think it will as soon as I can get something other than soluble fiber in me. Just water and soluble fiber can make for D on it's own.
All in all I feel pretty good and am happy I survived my first surgery  
Colby
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There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
--Bern Williams
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Re: Barbie
#69145 - 05/10/04 03:22 PM
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Kandee
Reged: 05/22/03
Posts: 3206
Loc: USA, Southern California
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Kelly, I do believe there is a prescription medication you can take for "sludge" in the gall bladder. Do a google search or maybe someone else here knows about it, or ask your doc. Then there is the home remedy you don't even want to know about but people who do it swear by it.......it involves olive oil and lemon juice. Personally, it makes me want to gag just thinking about it. It is suppose to not only get the sludge out but get the stones (if they are little) out as well.
I had a stone, just one, the size of a golf ball. That was enough to give me an attack I will never, ever forget. It's a wonder they could pull that big thing out thru one of those tiny holes but they did.
You probably should have gone to ER with your attack. At the very least they'd given you some "feel good" meds to break the pain cycle.
Kandee
Kandee
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Thanks Kandee
#69150 - 05/10/04 03:41 PM
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Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Thanks for the info Kandee,
I have heard of the meds for the sludge, however, I'd just as soon have it out to avoid the possibility of never having to have another attack. I have a lot of risk factors for gallstones, namely the fact that I take continuous cycle birth control pills and I've been losing weight really quickly (more than 3lbs/week) which apparently increase your risk of stones.
Plus, my family has a very severe history of digestive cancers, so I figure, if something isn't working right, let's take it out!
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Re: Sludge
#69157 - 05/10/04 04:49 PM
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barbie
Reged: 04/22/04
Posts: 2435
Loc: Texas
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Hi,
My son did not have any gallstones to my knowledge, only sludge and his gallbladder was hardly functioning. His attacks were so painful that he went to the emergency room. He was not the least bit embarrassed. Why suffer needlessly if you can be helped. They gave him morphine which really helped the pain. After several of these severe attacks he decided he had enough and that's when he had his gallbladder removed. Now he feels great. I will be talking to him tonight and if I get any more info I'll let you know.
Hope this helps
Barbie
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Hi,
Hope I'm not butting in here but since I've had my gallbladder our as well as almost all members of my family wanted to chime in.
I waited until my 4th attack to have mine taken out. would never advise anyone to do something so foolish. After my sister had her first attack I had her go to the abdominal surgeon who did mine laprascopicly. She had to have hers take right out and did great after!
A friend of mine was suffering the same pain (which you are also describing) and was tested for her gall bladder. They told her she had no stones, just sludge and let it go at that. She continued to have pain so I sent her to my abdominal surgeon also with the pictures that had already been taken. She not only had the sludge but also had a stone they had missed in her bile duct. She had hers removed a few days later.
The sludge usually will turn into stones eventually but it can also block the bile duct which is what causes all the pain and problems. I think I remember Kandee also mentioning the sludge to you.
If your doctor doesn't want to do it because he didn't take the tests I would still get the pictures and take them to his office and have him hold them up to the light and read them for himself. If you don't get anywhere with him than I think you may want to get another opinion. As times goes on not only does the gallbladder get infected but in my case the spleen also became infected.
My husband waited to have his out also and had to stay in the hospital for 4 days before they could clearn up the infection to take his gallbladder out. At that time they did it the old way.
I know after each attack the pain was worse than the last. I would not wish that on anyone. Hopefully you get another opinion so you don't suffer needlessly.
Sorry for going on and on but I do get aggravated a some of the doctors out there.
Take Care,
Pat
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Please excuse my typos on the previous post. I couldn't get in to correct them. Must need to take typing lessons over again.  ha ha!!!
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Surgery Aftermath
#69277 - 05/11/04 07:55 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Colby, what kind of diet did the doc put you on? I assume no fat anymore, right? What about sugar? Any idea whether the removal of your GB will ease any of the IBS symptoms? Or maybe not having any fat will do the trick?
Did you return to work today? How are you feeling now? My little 16 year-old friend had her GB removed; she described terrible pains like you endured (until the surgery of course). She had to lay off all fat, but she wasn't very strict with herself, I'm sorry to say.... still she did well. Makes you wonder why we have those GBs anyway?
Bev
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Hi Bevrs,
I didn't work today, still taking it easy . The doc suggested that I eat what I was able to tolerate before the surgery ,for about a week, then to start adding food I was comfortable with. I had some D when I woke up this morning but it was not painful and was over as quick as it started. I was told to expect that as I heal. My doc was optimistic about my IBS symptoms improving, but he said he wasn't guarenteeing anything. He thinks there is a chance that my gallbladder blockage caused alot of my problems with the D and the nausea because of how sudden it began, it was an overnight thing , day before thanksgiving 2002 i was fine, thanksgiving day was the end of my world as i knew it.
I would like to beleive what he has to say, but I am not getting my hopes up to high, will just wait and see.
I am feeling much better today, the shoulder pain is almost all gone, and my "stab wounds" are barely noticeable. I ate a small veggie (little lettuce, mato, fat free sour cream) taco in a flour tortilla for early lunch, so far so good.
I wasn't restricted at all for sugar, but was told not to eat pizza (as if)  . No matter what happens to my gut, I will not go back to eating over 20% fat in a day EVER, may taste good, but it's not healthy.
Hope some of this made sense....I was only eating breads for the last couple days, makes my brain foggy, hopefully the matos will kick in soon
Colby
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There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
--Bern Williams
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SWEET HOME "SAN DIEGO", WHERE THE SKIES ARE SO BLUE... Hi! I grew up in San Diego. I hope having your gall bladder out helps your IBS...hope, hope, hope. I had mine out in 2002. Yes, you can get pain up that high from gas. Oh, it is NOT comfortable! Good luck to you!
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Kandee
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