Gallbladder Surgery

[joflier]

My dad is going to have a cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) on Friday. I work in the medical field, but I don't deal much with this type of procedure. I know its a fairly simple surgery done laproscopically, but that's all I know. Anyone who's had this done, can you share what he can expect? Pain, recovery time? Did it go well for you, or were there complications? I know its a common procedure, but I am nervous about it. Our family history with operations isn't real great. Seems like something always seems to go wrong.

 

[kenny]

Here''s wishing him a textbook surgery and speedy recovery.

 

[lyra]

My FIL had the old surgery for gallbladder removal, and his recovery time was fairly long, and the scar was big. My MIL was lucky to get the laprascopic surgery and had an easy recovery time. I don''t know specifics, sorry.

 

[karee888]

Date: 9/28/2009 10:10:34 AM
Author:joflier
My dad is going to have a cholesystectomy (gallbladder removal) on Friday. I work in the medical field, but I don't deal much with this type of procedure. I know its a fairly simple surgery done laproscopically, but that's all I know. Anyone who's had this done, can you share what he can expect? Pain, recovery time? Did it go well for you, or were there complications? I know its a common procedure, but I am nervous about it. Our family history with operations isn't real great. Seems like something always seems to go wrong.

I had an emergency removal earlier this year. It was my first and only surgery. ETA - it was the laprascopic kind.

I was taken to the "holding" area before going to the operating room, and they gave me something in my IV, and that's the last I remember. It was so weird...when I was coming to after the surgery, I swear I was SCREAMING "help me! help me!" to all the people walking by, but no one would help me. I remember being really upset. I'm sure I was screaming in my head and not actually saying something...but it sure seemed real.

They took me back to my room, and I remember being in a fair amount of pain. They hooked up morphine, which is supposed to be wonderful, but it turned out I was allergic to it.

So I got nothing that worked. That was not fun.

I stayed for 2 nights. Of course, you have to eat crappy food, mostly liquids. I had to keep blowing in this air tube with a plastic ball [the goal was to make the ball go to the top of the tube] to keep my lungs strong -- they said laying around and not doing things makes you susceptible to pneumonia. It was really difficult going to the bathroom because it hurt a lot.

I had to stay home from work for a week. I had to stay on the soft, liquid-y foods for a week. I got my stitches out a week after that. I still have scars but they aren't very big.

All in all, I can't figure out where the $30,000 bill came from...

 

[mochi]

Lap. Chole is a routine procedure, now a days. But with any surgeries there are complications, which the anesthesiologist and the surgeons should let the pt know.

Before the surgery, the pt will be in pre-operative holding. There the staff will make sure the IV is functional, all the paper works is done, etc., and hang the appropriate IV antibiotics (may start there or in the OR). Anesthesia may order something calming prior to surgery if needed.

Right before the OR, your OR RN and usually anesthesia will come to pick you up to take you to the OR. Usually, we have noticed, that if a pt is very anxious while getting anesthesia, they will wake up this way. So it's important that you are in a 'good place'. Some CRNA (anesthesia RN) will coach the patient to think about a nice place they would like to vacation...etc..

PACU (recovery room), this is the area most people will wake up at, although some will be wide awake when they arrive here. If a pt is having pain, this needs to be told to your RN so that she/he can medicate you as needed. Also, its important to let them know if you're nauseated, we have medications for that also.

If you had a Lap.Chole, alot of the pain that you maybe feeling is from the gas that they put into the abd which travels upward to the shoulder area. That will eventually subside. Walking really helps to get rid of it and that will be done when you are back into your hospital room and get the ok from your nurse. Many people do go home the same day with this procedure, it's really up to the MD/patients.

Hope that helps. This is just a bit of what may/may not go on.

 

[joflier]

Thanks for the info. Its much appreciated.

Karee - $30k! Holy cow! Did you have health insurance to pay for it?? My parents have crummy insurance, so I''m just really hoping that they don''t get stuck with a terrible bill.

 

[karee888]

Date: 9/28/2009 12:17:56 PM
Author: joflier
Thanks for the info. Its much appreciated.


Karee - $30k! Holy cow! Did you have health insurance to pay for it?? My parents have crummy insurance, so I''m just really hoping that they don''t get stuck with a terrible bill.

yeah, crazy right!?! I do have insurance, and ended up paying [well, am STILL paying since I''m a grad student] about $2000 out of pocket.

 

[joflier]

Date: 9/28/2009 12:23:35 PM
Author: karee888

Date: 9/28/2009 12:17:56 PM
Author: joflier
Thanks for the info. Its much appreciated.


Karee - $30k! Holy cow! Did you have health insurance to pay for it?? My parents have crummy insurance, so I''m just really hoping that they don''t get stuck with a terrible bill.

yeah, crazy right!?! I do have insurance, and ended up paying [well, am STILL paying since I''m a grad student] about $2000 out of pocket.

Well that''s not that bad. Still is a lot, but could have been worse! Ugh! Health expenses!

 

[allikatac]

I had galbladder surgery 5 years ago at the age of 21, which is really young. I had been suffering from attacks for a few years before they even determined what it was! They thought I was too young for it and that it was likely heartburn. Finally, after a few trips to the ER for severe attacks and many tests they scheduled the surgery. During the surgery they found that the galbladder had attached itself to my stomach with scar tissue from the many attacks...yuck.

I had it done laproscopically and stayed overnight to recover. Like Karee, I was allergic to the pain medicine they gave me so I did get physically sick from it so they had to take me off of that kind and give me another with anti-nausea medicine. It was a pretty easy and routine surgery and I was only down for about a week. The incisions healed quickly and there is minimal scarring. That entire area was pretty tender for a few weeks though and I remember sit-ups were painful even once I was fully recovered! I remember after surgery worrying about another attack anytime I would eat and it was so nice to remember that I didn''t have to do that anymore! I have had some complications from the surgery involving digestion which are not fun, but this does not happen to everybody.

I hope your dad has an easy and speedy recovery!

 

[karee888]

Date: 9/28/2009 7:50:11 PM
Author: allikatac
I had galbladder surgery 5 years ago at the age of 21, which is really young. I had been suffering from attacks for a few years before they even determined what it was! They thought I was too young for it and that it was likely heartburn. Finally, after a few trips to the ER for severe attacks and many tests they scheduled the surgery. During the surgery they found that the galbladder had attached itself to my stomach with scar tissue from the many attacks...yuck.


I had it done laproscopically and stayed overnight to recover. Like Karee, I was allergic to the pain medicine they gave me so I did get physically sick from it so they had to take me off of that kind and give me another with anti-nausea medicine. It was a pretty easy and routine surgery and I was only down for about a week. The incisions healed quickly and there is minimal scarring. That entire area was pretty tender for a few weeks though and I remember sit-ups were painful even once I was fully recovered! I remember after surgery worrying about another attack anytime I would eat and it was so nice to remember that I didn''t have to do that anymore! I have had some complications from the surgery involving digestion which are not fun, but this does not happen to everybody.


I hope your dad has an easy and speedy recovery!

i was 27. i too had problems for a few years before they figured it out. when i went to the ER, they thought it was my appendix, because the pain was in that exact spot.

yes, i agree, the area is quite tender for awhile. i swear that somedays, i can feel where it used to be if i move just the right way. gross!

and i also have some digestion issues now, but nothing near what they were before they took it out.

 

[Heidi137]

I had lap. chole last year and I had no complications. I was given something to relax me before surgery but it didn't knock me out. I was sent home as soon as I woke up after surgery and I never had to take any pain medications. The gas was uncomfortable for a few days and I walked a lot to help with that. The worst part to me was having to get help to get up for a few days...due to the location of the incisions.

 

[Samantha Red]

Date: 9/28/2009 12:17:56 PM
Author: joflier
Thanks for the info. Its much appreciated.

Karee - $30k! Holy cow! Did you have health insurance to pay for it?? My parents have crummy insurance, so I''m just really hoping that they don''t get stuck with a terrible bill.

All this talk of cost and insurance makes me so glad to live here in the UK, I am having Gall Bladder problems at the moment and should I need it removing it won''t cost me a penny. I know it has lots of problems and issues, but at the end of the day it is there for us should we need it and we don''t have to worry about finding the money.

 

[Novel]

Like allikatac, I had my gallbladder out at 21. It was actually a few days after my 21st birthday, and when I''d gone to the ER about the pain, they thought maybe it was from too much 21st bday drinking!

For me, it was really easy. They knew I was allergic to some pain drugs from an earlier surgery, and like many of the others, I was just in the hospital one night. I have to say, it was actually much less painful than the gallbladder attacks had been, and I was able to lift things up in a week. The scars have healed really well.

Good luck to your dad! The one thing I wish I''d known before the surgery was that I had trouble digesting any fat for 6 weeks afterward. If he does have the same problem (which my aunt did, too, after her surgery) reassure him that it comes back. The doctor didn''t think it was a big deal for me, but I lost 15 pounds in 2 weeks, and I was (was, sigh) quite thin at the time, so I had to be careful.

 

[DiamondSmitten]

I went in for a routine Lap/Choly last September after suffering for years. Everything seemed to have gone well. It was an outpatient procedure so I was home that evening. The gas pain was the worst... until 3 days later when I turned yellow and passed out from pain. Turns out I had Multiple Small Gall Stones.... one of which slipped out during the surgery and lodged in my Liver Bile Duct causing my liver not to function. I was rushed to the ER and was in the hospital for a week before it moved through the duct and I digested it. I was out of work for 3 weeks all in all. It took longer for my recovery as a result. It was a few months before I could eat normal foods and some still give me discomfort but NOTHING like the gall stone pain. Just make sure your doctor is careful so you don''t go through the same hell. It is "routine" to them... but it is an important surgery to you!

 

[mochi]

Date: 9/29/2009 9:25:03 PM
Author: DiamondSmitten
I went in for a routine Lap/Choly last September after suffering for years. Everything seemed to have gone well. It was an outpatient procedure so I was home that evening. The gas pain was the worst... until 3 days later when I turned yellow and passed out from pain. Turns out I had Multiple Small Gall Stones.... one of which slipped out during the surgery and lodged in my Liver Bile Duct causing my liver not to function. I was rushed to the ER and was in the hospital for a week before it moved through the duct and I digested it. I was out of work for 3 weeks all in all. It took longer for my recovery as a result. It was a few months before I could eat normal foods and some still give me discomfort but NOTHING like the gall stone pain. Just make sure your doctor is careful so you don''t go through the same hell. It is ''routine'' to them... but it is an important surgery to you!

I don''t think I implied that it wasn''t important to the patient. And as I mentioned before, there are complications. Sorry I even wrote on this thread. Thought I was just being helpful.