Have you had your gall bladder removed?

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JDMopar

JDMopar

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I am interested in hearing your experience after having your gall bladder removed. How much does it alter your diet? Do you take medicine to counteract the after effects of the gall bladder not being there? The reason I am asking, is that I have 2 different doctors urging me to have my gall bladder out. I have a stone sitting in my gall bladder, and they are both worried that if it comes out and gets into my common bile duct, that it will cause big time problems. They say the surgery to remove a stone from the common bile duct is much more risky than a common laproscoptic gall bladder removal. I just spent several days in the hospital with a mystery illness that they finally traced to an infection in my blood. They say it was caused by my gall bladder acting up and triggering the blood infection named Klesbella. I am fine now, but the docs are worried about it returning tomorrow or 10 years from now and being much worse. I really just want to hear how your life is after gall bladder removal. Dr. Charles..... please feel free to chime in if you see this! Thanks to all in advance.
 
JDMopar said:
I am interested in hearing your experience after having your gall bladder removed. How much does it alter your diet? Do you take medicine to counteract the after effects of the gall bladder not being there? The reason I am asking, is that I have 2 different doctors urging me to have my gall bladder out. I have a stone sitting in my gall bladder, and they are both worried that if it comes out and gets into my common bile duct, that it will cause big time problems. They say the surgery to remove a stone from the common bile duct is much more risky than a common laproscoptic gall bladder removal. I just spent several days in the hospital with a mystery illness that they finally traced to an infection in my blood. They say it was caused by my gall bladder acting up and triggering the blood infection named Klesbella. I am fine now, but the docs are worried about it returning tomorrow or 10 years from now and being much worse. I really just want to hear how your life is after gall bladder removal. Dr. Charles..... please feel free to chime in if you see this! Thanks to all in advance.
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Hi JDMopar, I had a gall bladder removed about 8 years ago now. It was quite simple with Laparoscopic. They had to do testing to make sure that the Liver was able to take over the Bile function. Anyway, get it done. I was having stomach cramps like I was delivering a baby. LOL. Hospital stay is only a day or 2 if needed. Thanks Richie
 
My wife had hers out a month ago. It took a couple weeks after surgery to feel well enough to go back to work.
No she does not take a daily med and so far no side effects.
She watches what she eats staying away from high fat or spicy foods.
Last weekend we ate out BK and Mexican with no problems.
She was having a lot o pain with hers. Glad she had it done.
 
I had my Mother In Law removed and it was painless... The pain in my neck is gone, I'm much happier now and I can still eat whatever I like.:rofl:
 
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Had mine out about 4 years now.
Was in intermittent pain for about 5 years prior before I found a doctor willing to listen to me. It took him all of 30 mins to diagnose me.
I don't take any type of meds for the removal. For the 1st month or so, you'll have watery movements, don't trust a fart, but things get back to normal quick enough.
No special diet, but I could stand to be on one.
 
See, that’s the thing that has me just a little bit skeptical...is that I have zero pain. They are just worried that the stone is too large to get out of the drain hole in the common bile duct, that dumps into the intestines. It makes sense when they draw it out on paper, but the fact that I have no pain now, nor any before all this is making me pump the brakes on this deal. Thanks for all the comments so far, mother in law crack not withstanding.
 
No change in diet here. That little bastard can really put the hurt on.
 
The thing about surgeons is they make their living cutting on people. Roofers make money roofing and mechanics are always on the look-out for easy money. Sounds like removing a gall-bladder is easy money. If the stone is too big to pass, wouldn't it be too big to get into the duct in the first place? IDK, jus saying. Whatever your decision, All the best to you.
 
Had mine removed, very simple procedure. No stay in the hospital and just a small scar around the navel. My diet hasn't changed on bit.
 
I really appreciate the comments so far, and they have eased my mind somewhat. The 2 doctors that are showing the concern are not surgeons. One is an infectious disease specialist, and the other is a gastroenterology doctor. They were the 2 that seemed to be working the hardest to figure out what the heck was wrong with me last week in the hospital. I had blood drawn to check liver function today, so I guess the results of that will let me know if I'm really getting better or not. I have been feeling great and eating like a pig since I got out of the hospital last Wed. In the month and a half before that, I lost over 30 lbs because I didn't want to eat.
 
You certainly have nothing to worry about. This is a very minor procedure and like I said no change in diet. My wife also had hers removed but they couldn't pinpoint what was wrong with her, she had a gallbladder attack and had to have an emergency procedure. Mine was much less traumatic.
 
Had mine out about 12 years ago. They wouldn't let me go back to work for two weeks. Second week off, I built a new porch on my house. Doctor told me my body would tell me what I can't eat. So far I eat anything I want. Get it done. From what I understand, once you have a problem, it's never going away, it will just get worse.
 
'73red-duster said:
Had mine out about 12 years ago. They wouldn't let me go back to work for two weeks. Second week off, I built a new porch on my house. Doctor told me my body would tell me what I can't eat. So far I eat anything I want. Get it done. From what I understand, once you have a problem, it's never going away, it will just get worse.
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That's pretty much what they have told me. They got the blood infection under control with antibiotics, and that is why I am feeling so much better. They said my gall bladder is kind of like a ticking time bomb.....and who knows what the timer is set at. You guys are helping me more than you know, and I appreciate it! :)
 
Friend of mine had an attack. Scheduled surgery, but got to feeling better so canceled it. Second attack, a little worse so scheduled surgery again. Again, got to feeling better, so he canceled it. Third attack was a ride in an ambulance, and emergency surgery. You don't want that.
 
JDMopar said:
I am interested in hearing your experience after having your gall bladder removed. How much does it alter your diet? Do you take medicine to counteract the after effects of the gall bladder not being there? The reason I am asking, is that I have 2 different doctors urging me to have my gall bladder out. I have a stone sitting in my gall bladder, and they are both worried that if it comes out and gets into my common bile duct, that it will cause big time problems. They say the surgery to remove a stone from the common bile duct is much more risky than a common laproscoptic gall bladder removal. I just spent several days in the hospital with a mystery illness that they finally traced to an infection in my blood. They say it was caused by my gall bladder acting up and triggering the blood infection named Klesbella. I am fine now, but the docs are worried about it returning tomorrow or 10 years from now and being much worse. I really just want to hear how your life is after gall bladder removal. Dr. Charles..... please feel free to chime in if you see this! Thanks to all in advance.
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I am what the doctors call a stone farmer. I have had 15 kidney stones and as of now I have many laying in the kidneys waiting to mess up a perfectly good day. My gall bladder was also full of stones, surgeon said it looked like a gumball machine. It caused me major discomfort. I had it removed and never regretted it. I eat anything I want but fried food at times does not set well. I take no medication for the lack of the gall bladder.

One thing to be aware of. I was told I could create stones in the duck left after the surgery. This would require going down the throat into the stomach to attemp removal.
My advice do it.
 
My dad just had his gall bladder removed, and they said if he had waited, it would have probably ruptured and it would have been a lot worse inside, and longer recovery time. Has a bag with a tube, he gets to measure and record the discharge, fun. No mention of him being in a lot of pain.
 
LocuMob said:
My dad just had his gall bladder removed, and they said if he had waited, it would have probably ruptured and it would have been a lot worse inside, and longer recovery time. Has a bag with a tube, he gets to measure and record the discharge, fun. No mention of him being in a lot of pain.
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My wife had 3 of those drains after her double mastectomy (cancer) I tell you it is true love when you have to strip tubes and measure body fluids.
 
had mine out 40 years ago, long before the laparascopy option - couldn't drink beer or eat popcorn for about a year after, no probs from then on.

get it done - having a full-blown blockage will make you wish you were dead. :(
 
Had mine removed about 5 years ago. Had pain working in Nigeria, waited till I got home to have it removed. Only thing different for me is not the diet, but can not ride roller coasters anymore. More prone to motion sickness.
 
JDMopar said:
See, that’s the thing that has me just a little bit skeptical...is that I have zero pain. They are just worried that the stone is too large to get out of the drain hole in the common bile duct, that dumps into the intestines. It makes sense when they draw it out on paper, but the fact that I have no pain now, nor any before all this is making me pump the brakes on this deal. Thanks for all the comments so far, mother in law crack not withstanding.
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I hope to goodness that you never have a gallbladder attack. It can last a few moments to hours on end. You may go days without problems, then boom! It'll hit you like a ton of bricks. The pain is so intense that nothing will help.
I went for years having mild short attacks, then it got so bad I was praying for the sweet release that death would bring.
The fact that you were hospitalized means the hell is coming.
 
AJ/FormS said:
The thing about surgeons is they make their living cutting on people. Roofers make money roofing and mechanics are always on the look-out for easy money. Sounds like removing a gall-bladder is easy money. If the stone is too big to pass, wouldn't it be too big to get into the duct in the first place? IDK, jus saying. Whatever your decision, All the best to you.
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Sorry buddy I gotta disagree with you on this one. I had a good friend of mine dad die because of a gall stone. He was only 47. He refused surgery and it poisoned his body. It ended up killing him. Stuff like that is nothing to play around with and chance.
 
Had mine done, was causing me sooo much pain, making me throw up whatever I ate and it brought me to tears one night, I didn’t cry once when I took shrapnel to my face....but the gall bladder kick my ***! My doc said it took 4 hours to get out cause my body was already in process of cutting it off, ie., my body was forming tissue around it to save me. Anyway, I lost 30 in 1 month due to not eating of substance, mostly sliced chicken sandwiches or chicken soup. The following morning after surgery, I ate everything they brought in for breakfast. I did find spicy foods made me take a crap as soon as I was done eating and that lasted for about 2 years (your results may vary) but now that I’ve had it out for 4 years, I’m almost back to “normal”. Get it done, it’s a easy operation and very easy on the body, your stomach muscles will be sore for a few days (similar to stomach muscles sore from doing thousands of sit ups).
 
Both my inlaws had theirs out within a year of each other. MIL was having pains, etc. and the docs said take it out. FIL had an attack that put him in the hospital, he thought it was a heart attack, the pain was so intense. Both were fine very soon after the surgery.

FIL has had onion and pepper allergies all his life, and was always very careful about what he ate, within the last few years, it seemed he could eat nothing but white bread and water without having to take something for his stomach. After they removed the gall bladder, he could eat a lot more foods without upsetting his stomach.

MIL, on the other hand, could eat almost anything before the surgery. Now she's really sensitive to fatty meat. I made ribs one night a few months after her surgery, and she was in the bathroom blowing chunks a half hour after dinner. But other than the meat issue, she feels much better. She realized she had been living with varying degrees of pain for several years that is now gone with the gall bladder out.
 
Ok here you go forgot this little detail in my last post.
A year ago my wife had a co-worker who had a bad gall bladder for a couple years.
It didn't bother him either until one day. He went to the ER and they admitted him.
His bad gall bladder had ruptured and he was dead within 24 hours.
Find a good surgeon and go talk to them. Its a body part you can live without.
 
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