life after gallbladder removal
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Anonymous
| emergency gallbladder removal this weekend. still trying to process it all. what is life like after removal? medical team says things should be fine, go back to normal etc, but would appreciate hearing from someone who is several months or years removed from the surgery. |
Anonymous
| After a couple months I could barely remember I had it done. Make sure you have someone to help you for the first few days afterwards. My abs hurt from the surgery but really only when I got up from a lying down position. |
Anonymous
| Sending good thoughts your way OP. I felt awful prior to my surgery and then 99.9% better immediately afterwards coming out of surgery. IME, take it easy the first few days and stay near a bathroom (without tmi, very little notice prior to having to go). Rich foods went right through me for first several months. |
Anonymous
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I consider myself a best case scenario case for this.
I got it out during covid (2021), so I had to go alone, cried the entire time until they knocked me out, woke up later, took the pain pills and it was alright. I was WFH and basically just took a day off and then still worked at home the day after. It was painful to sit up, like getting out of bed/using ab muscles, but overall not crazy. The scars were the worst part, which is so shallow of me, but I hate how they looked fresh. So purple and gross. Theyve faded now and its not as bad. I haven't had a single issue since it's been out. No bathroom issues, still able to eat everything. It's been years now and honestly, no issues at all. I'm so so so glad I had it done. |
Anonymous
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Are they able to do it laparoscopically? If yes, it's an easy recovery. While you are still in hospital you might experience the shifting of gas from the are of the surgery up into your shoulder - it's somewhat intense and can be a little scary but it a common side effect of the procedure and passes quickly. Then the recovery is very straightforward and minimal discomfort, maybe wear loose waisted sweats or slacks for a few weeks.
One word of warning: as you recover from the absence of a gallbladder you may experience bile dumping - look it up. You have to manage the types of foods you eat until your body adjusts to the absence of the gallbladder. If you develop chronic loose stool - a common post-surgical side effect of gallbladder removal - don't ignore it like I did. I developed a serious vitamin deficiency with a host of debilitating symptoms because I ignored the loose stool as nothing I couldn't cope with and didn't realize it meant I was failing to absorb critical nutrients with key roles in good health. So if the loose stool persists beyond a few weeks, get in to see the doctor for follow up and they can help sort it before it becomes a serious issue in ways you might not anticipate. |
Anonymous
| 20 years ago. No issues, no dietary changes, nothing. You are good to go. |
Anonymous
| Here's a good resource for post-gallbladder life: https://www.verywellhealth.com/digestive-problems-after-gallbladder-removal-1945193 |
Anonymous
That's lovely you had that experience. Please understand not every human body is the same and it is very well established that a very good sized number of patients post-gallbladder removal suffer health issues related to the loss of the organ and their body's adjustment to bile. So it is silly for you to assert to OP that they are 'good to go'. They need to see how their own body responds and seek help if there are issues because those issues can become debilitating for some patients. |
Anonymous
| Unfortunately I am one whose digestion was never the same post-gallbladder removal. I need to be be very careful to avoid overly rich food. A few years later I'm still trying to figure out what the triggers are. |
Anonymous
Same! Im reading here about loose stools and watching what I eat… I did none of that. Maybe I was lucky. I had it done laparoscopically. I can hardly find the 2 little spots as scars 20 years later. I was back to normal caring for my 2yo a few days later. |
Anonymous
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I had my gallbladder out about 6 years ago after years of horrible gall bladder attacks landing me in the ER.
The only change for me has been -- no more gall bladder attacks. Didn't change my diet or anything, and everything is fine. |
Anonymous
Just to add, I'm frustrated you had that experience of being told by medical team that things should be fine - the same thing was told to me by my excellent surgeon and I wasn't provided any of the information included in the resource I linked for you. If I had been, I would have known that when the diarrhea didn't resolve in short order I needed to seek medical attention. I'm typically stoic and slow to get medical attention so I didn't, and I ended up with a vitamin deficiency and severe neurological deficits for more than half a decade while doctors tested me for MS and a host of other conditions that might explain the symptoms, but nobody thought to look at the history of recent cholecystectomy and work out that I was experiencing that host of digestive dysfunction that can lead to malabsorption of nutrients and serious consequences resulting. Book mark the link and pay attention to how your body responds to being gallbladder free. |
Anonymous
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Again, congratulations to those of you who had a great gallbladder removal experience - I am beyond envious because postcholecystectomy syndrome devastated my health and also my career.
25% of patients who get cholecystectomies suffer some degree of the syndrome so it's not rare. OP just please pay attention to your body and get ahead of anything that arises. I wish you all the best! |
Anonymous
I got mine out almost 18 years ago and needed a follow up procedure a few years later. It’s now been over 12 years since I’ve had surgery and life is good! Never had issues other than some slight reflux/heartburn with red sauce. I take a Famotidine pill now if I’m having pizza or spaghetti and it’s all good. |
Anonymous
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The good:
My horrible reflux resolved, like pp I now only get it with foods the average forty-something might. My cholesterol also dropped 20 points even though I’ve gained weight and have re-introduced dairy The bad: I have some dumping, can be hard to predict. Luckily I can usually feel it coming on and it’s just a quick bathroom trip. Had to get over not using public bathrooms |