Discussion
Hi,
Would be interested to hear your experiences with gallstones.
I was awoken in the middle of the night friday before xmas with the most awful pain in my chest that would not go away, eventually went to hospital and given morphine for the pain and discharged the following night after a xray. They thought i might have a stomach ulcer and wanted to keep me in for a scan but it would have been a couple of days as xmas.
I returned for a scan last week as a outpatient and was told i have several gallstones and are awaiting a appointment with the hospital doctor to discuss the results, i did not ask any questions re how many, size etc as i was not really sure what gallstones were.
A couple of people i have spoken to have said that they had to have the gallstone bladder removed and was laid up for 6 weeks off work and could not even drive.
I am not in any great pain at present, just feeling a little uncomfortable especially after the prodding from the scan and have stopped my fitness training at present.
On my mind is in may i have a 400 mile cycle ride over 4 days with 22 other guys at work that i do not want to miss and a couple of weeks later visit the Isle of Man for the TT.
Any experiences you have re this i would like to hear from you, slightly worried as i have never had a operation before,
Regards,
Martyn....
Would be interested to hear your experiences with gallstones.
I was awoken in the middle of the night friday before xmas with the most awful pain in my chest that would not go away, eventually went to hospital and given morphine for the pain and discharged the following night after a xray. They thought i might have a stomach ulcer and wanted to keep me in for a scan but it would have been a couple of days as xmas.
I returned for a scan last week as a outpatient and was told i have several gallstones and are awaiting a appointment with the hospital doctor to discuss the results, i did not ask any questions re how many, size etc as i was not really sure what gallstones were.
A couple of people i have spoken to have said that they had to have the gallstone bladder removed and was laid up for 6 weeks off work and could not even drive.
I am not in any great pain at present, just feeling a little uncomfortable especially after the prodding from the scan and have stopped my fitness training at present.
On my mind is in may i have a 400 mile cycle ride over 4 days with 22 other guys at work that i do not want to miss and a couple of weeks later visit the Isle of Man for the TT.
Any experiences you have re this i would like to hear from you, slightly worried as i have never had a operation before,
Regards,
Martyn....
My wife had gallstones and had her gall bladder removed a few years ago. Prior to the operation she went on an almost fat free diet which stopped her getting any pain from the blocked gall bladder. The operation was done as a key hole surgery procedure, they kept her in one night and sent her home at 7.30am the following morning, she was off work for a couple of weeks only.
I had it done and had slight complications and was in for a few days but was ok after that, However I dont want to alarm you but my Dad had the same op a few years after me and nearly died from internal bleeding but this was down to him leaving it for years which made it worse and the resulting complications from this. He was in hopsital for 10 weeks.
It is by in large a fairly simple and straight forward op, If you need to have it done then get it done because if you leave it it will possibly bite you on your backside later on in life.
It is by in large a fairly simple and straight forward op, If you need to have it done then get it done because if you leave it it will possibly bite you on your backside later on in life.
iPlod999 said:
A very straight forward Op and the most common carried out by the NHS.
most common operation.....after cataract surgery.... 
complication rate of cholecystectomy is about 2%:
Bile leak
Bleeding
Blood clots
Death
Heart problems
Infection
Injury to nearby structures, such as the bile duct, liver and small intestine
Pancreatitis
Pneumonia
- but I'd have it done if I needed it, although I'd pick my surgeon
iPlod999 said:
Had my gallbladder taken out about 9 years ago.
Key hole surgery. In hospital at 10 am out by 6 pm.
I think I had 2 days off work.
A very straight forward Op and the most common carried out by the NHS.
Good luck.
Pretty much the same, except I had to take two weeks off (Council rules)Key hole surgery. In hospital at 10 am out by 6 pm.
I think I had 2 days off work.
A very straight forward Op and the most common carried out by the NHS.
Good luck.
I had mine out via keyhole surgery. As I had it done late pm I was kept in overnight. The way I was treated at The University Hospital of North Durham was absolutely fantastic. They even kept me in mugs of hot tea, on request, during the night.
If I hadn't been retired I would have felt fit enough to return to work the following day.
I haven't looked back since I have had it done!
If I hadn't been retired I would have felt fit enough to return to work the following day.
I haven't looked back since I have had it done!
Had mine taken out by keyhole surgery in December 2011. Op was late afternoon and was discharged mid-day the next day, no heavy lifting for about six weeks but no other restrictions. Only problem now is that I can't stomach eating eggs (poached, boiled, fried or scrambled) as they give me a terrible feeling in my gut like indigestion, shame as I used to love eggs. Spoke to somebody else and they had the same problem after gall bladder removal.
Update is that before i have the gallstone bladder removed i need a ERCP which i am told is basically a camera down your throat under sedation and a grabber is then used to remove some stones i also have in one of the tube (CBD?). This is being done next week.
I tried to do a little gardening yesterday for the first time this year and had to stop after 10 minutes as i could feel pain in the right hand side of my stomach. A few weeks ago i had to call a paramedic out when i swept the snow from the drive and a hour later thought i was dying in so much pain, i don't want to go through that again.
Will be glad when it's all over.
My cycle trip with 22 pals from work (Solihull to Paris) in May over 4 days is looking doubtfull,
Martyn....
I tried to do a little gardening yesterday for the first time this year and had to stop after 10 minutes as i could feel pain in the right hand side of my stomach. A few weeks ago i had to call a paramedic out when i swept the snow from the drive and a hour later thought i was dying in so much pain, i don't want to go through that again.
Will be glad when it's all over.
My cycle trip with 22 pals from work (Solihull to Paris) in May over 4 days is looking doubtfull,
Martyn....
The ERCP is in many ways worse than the gall stone op - its an endoscopy so sedation not general anaestethic (SP?!) but they go a bit furthe rbasically. I was quite lucky - they sedated me to the max and I can only remember the mouth guard fitment. What they found when they did that made them take me straight off to theatre to excise gallbladder straight away (it had formed abcess which burst) and I had remains of septicemia so wasn't in best of states.
I think my stay was about 10 days. A lot of pre op pain, remember begging for more morphine non stop, but much easier post op, tho bloating to belch for - disgusting! Ask for peppermint water for the wind - it's horriby expensive so some wards don't like using it but the most effective aid by far to the bloat. Take with half cup hot water as often as possible.
No ill effects since losing - some say that they can't eat certain things - I've had no problems.
Good luck
Nina
I think my stay was about 10 days. A lot of pre op pain, remember begging for more morphine non stop, but much easier post op, tho bloating to belch for - disgusting! Ask for peppermint water for the wind - it's horriby expensive so some wards don't like using it but the most effective aid by far to the bloat. Take with half cup hot water as often as possible.
No ill effects since losing - some say that they can't eat certain things - I've had no problems.
Good luck
Nina
I know your pain. I ignored it for months. Consequently had quite serious problems. I had mine out about 8 years ago. Bit tricky walking out of the hospital after but after a week I was driving, 6 weeks and I was back at work and gym. Took at least a year before I could feel under where the cut is. I still have a bit of a weakness under the scar which is causing a hernia. When I signed the consent form the doc told me there was a 50:50 chance I wouldn't come out of the operation alive. Here is a pic of me just after.
A good percentage of people actually have gallstones without ever noticing.
At 28 I was diagnosed with 2 of them, a few mm in size. Doctors didn't feel the case was so bad to need to operate.
I started a rather strict diet (avoid fatty foods as much as possible) intially and started taking Ursodeoxycholic acid capsules.
After keeping them under control (1 ultrasound a year) I eventually managed to get rid of them. Not sure how that happened, either by dissolution thanks to the medicine (it basically has no side effects either) or by most likely passing them.
After a few years, I got a couple of them again, so just need to watch what I eat, keep taking the medicine and so far so good, they are manageable.
Mind you mine run in the family where my sister and my mum have had them, one of which had to have the gallbladder removed.
At 28 I was diagnosed with 2 of them, a few mm in size. Doctors didn't feel the case was so bad to need to operate.
I started a rather strict diet (avoid fatty foods as much as possible) intially and started taking Ursodeoxycholic acid capsules.
After keeping them under control (1 ultrasound a year) I eventually managed to get rid of them. Not sure how that happened, either by dissolution thanks to the medicine (it basically has no side effects either) or by most likely passing them.
After a few years, I got a couple of them again, so just need to watch what I eat, keep taking the medicine and so far so good, they are manageable.
Mind you mine run in the family where my sister and my mum have had them, one of which had to have the gallbladder removed.
It took upwards of 10 months for them to be diagnosed in my wife, during which time we had three or four blue light runs due to the pain she was in.
As a result she developed pancreatitis, which you don't want.
It really shouldn't be that difficult - and seriously undermined my confidence in the health service.
As a result she developed pancreatitis, which you don't want.
It really shouldn't be that difficult - and seriously undermined my confidence in the health service.
First time I had THE pain I drove myself to the hospital. The receptionist thought I was having a heart attack as I was clutching my chest and in agony.
I was rushed in to resus and given an EXG. Thankfully everything was 'normal' and I was directed back into the waiting area. Still in absolute angony!
Waited for about 6 hours and the pIain had gone by the time I was seen.
The disinterested doctor I saw could not diagnose the symptoms I have him and told me to go to my local doctor if it happened again.
3 days later the wife fed me chicken kieves and THE pain came on 20 times worse. I was an absolute mess. The noises I will making did not sound like the noise that a human should make.
Wife called 999 and I was blue lighted back to hospital.
Again ECG, all good and then given a huge dose of morpheme. Man that s
t is good!
Diagnosed correctly this time and back to my GP with the operation booked.
The only side effect I have now is that if I don't eat something every 6-7 hours I get the start of the pain again. It used to happen 6-7 hours after sleeping and I would get a biscuit and a drink. It goes straight away.
I've only been caught out one where I have not been able to get something quick. About 20 minutes of the slight pain starting I was doubled over. However, as soon as I get something to eat it went as soon as it started.
Had a couple of scans soon after and they say they can't see why I get this new pain.
I have now learnt to love with it and keep a spare choccy bar with me at all times.
I was rushed in to resus and given an EXG. Thankfully everything was 'normal' and I was directed back into the waiting area. Still in absolute angony!
Waited for about 6 hours and the pIain had gone by the time I was seen.
The disinterested doctor I saw could not diagnose the symptoms I have him and told me to go to my local doctor if it happened again.
3 days later the wife fed me chicken kieves and THE pain came on 20 times worse. I was an absolute mess. The noises I will making did not sound like the noise that a human should make.
Wife called 999 and I was blue lighted back to hospital.
Again ECG, all good and then given a huge dose of morpheme. Man that s
t is good!Diagnosed correctly this time and back to my GP with the operation booked.
The only side effect I have now is that if I don't eat something every 6-7 hours I get the start of the pain again. It used to happen 6-7 hours after sleeping and I would get a biscuit and a drink. It goes straight away.
I've only been caught out one where I have not been able to get something quick. About 20 minutes of the slight pain starting I was doubled over. However, as soon as I get something to eat it went as soon as it started.
Had a couple of scans soon after and they say they can't see why I get this new pain.
I have now learnt to love with it and keep a spare choccy bar with me at all times.
After a further scan it was confirmed there was also a stone in my CBD which had to be removed before i could have my gallbladder removed.
So last monday i went in for a ERCP which was basically a camera down your throat and some sort of grabber inserted down to the same tube to remove the stone, I was to be awake but sedated during this.
So there i was lying on the op table with all these machines around me and the surgeon and assistants all masked up and i must admit got a little scared. I recall shaking and going very cold and lying on my side with a mouth guard in and next thing i know i am waking up in the recovery room, i think they must have upped the doseage to help me sleep which i am glad about.
I was then told that the stone was no longer there in the CBD and must have cleared itself but they enlarged the opening of the bile duct by making a small cut. This has made me feel so weak and are only really feeling a little better now, i have been off work 6 days now instead of the expected 2 days and still feel a little sore in my stomach.
I have now been given a date for the keyhole surgery to remove the gallbaldder, not looking forward but needs to be done,
Martyn.
So last monday i went in for a ERCP which was basically a camera down your throat and some sort of grabber inserted down to the same tube to remove the stone, I was to be awake but sedated during this.
So there i was lying on the op table with all these machines around me and the surgeon and assistants all masked up and i must admit got a little scared. I recall shaking and going very cold and lying on my side with a mouth guard in and next thing i know i am waking up in the recovery room, i think they must have upped the doseage to help me sleep which i am glad about.
I was then told that the stone was no longer there in the CBD and must have cleared itself but they enlarged the opening of the bile duct by making a small cut. This has made me feel so weak and are only really feeling a little better now, i have been off work 6 days now instead of the expected 2 days and still feel a little sore in my stomach.
I have now been given a date for the keyhole surgery to remove the gallbaldder, not looking forward but needs to be done,
Martyn.
Edited by Martyn-123 on Saturday 9th March 11:56
Edited by Martyn-123 on Saturday 9th March 11:57
Had keyhole surgery yesterday morning, managed to get out of bed a hour later to go to the loo.
Very relaxed when i woke and feeling good , i ate two meals no problems at all and was discharged 8pm last night, needed a wheelchair to the door though.
Good nights sleep at home lying on my side with 4 plasters covering the stitches and feeling good, doubled up and shuffling along to walk but 100 times better than i thought i would be, hope it continues this way.
Lots of work to do on the Marcos but will have to wait a little i think,
Martyn...
Very relaxed when i woke and feeling good , i ate two meals no problems at all and was discharged 8pm last night, needed a wheelchair to the door though.
Good nights sleep at home lying on my side with 4 plasters covering the stitches and feeling good, doubled up and shuffling along to walk but 100 times better than i thought i would be, hope it continues this way.
Lots of work to do on the Marcos but will have to wait a little i think,
Martyn...
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