Anyone who has/had Gall Stones.. and had to have Gall Bladder removed?

I have recently been having terrible pains in my stomach the last 2 months, when I have eaten cheese or icecream, so I first thought that I had become lactose intolerant, so I have been avoiding all dairy. But now if I put soya margarine on toast, eat a few fries or eat any meat except steamed chicken or fish I get terrible stomach pains. I went to the doctor's and they are having me get a blood test and an ultrasound done to check for gallstones.

My question is, if I do have to have my gall bladder out what should I expect? How long did it take you to get back on your feet? How long in the hospital? and so on..? I have never been in the hospital very long before... had my tonsils and adnoids out when I was like 7, and pretty much in and out in a couple days after giving birth to my 2 children, but no real surgeries before. I'm a little nervous about the whole thing...

I had gallbladder pain for almost 3 years, the doctors at first diagnosed me with an ulcer, it wasn't.  After the pain finally got so bad the doctor did more tests and found my gall bladder riddled with stones I had surgery.  It was laparoscopic, I went into the hospital on a Friday morning and was out by the next morning.  Up and about and back to university on Monday. No heavy lifting for 3 weeks, then I was fine.  I have no regrets. The surgery is almost painless.

Lap

I had this same symptoms about a year ago. It would happen whenever i eat anything particularly greasy. I thouht it was a gall stone too. Got a few tests done on it, but nothing came up, Eventually it went away on it's own.

So, it could be nothing.

I hope that its nothing, but I can hardly eat anything right now except bread (no margarine), fruits, veggies, chicken and fish. I'm having a hard time getting in my 1500 cals a day without eating something that will put in me bed with pain.

Edit: Doctor also told me that I fit into the category to develop gall stones:

1. Female
2. Fertile (under 40)
3. Previously overweight
4. Large weight loss (50lbs)
 

During the 8 month of my pregnancy, I kept getting sick at night.  The dr. noticed that I had gallstones during my ultrasound and told me I would have to have the gallbladder removed 3 months after my csection.  I stayed in the hospital overnight and it was basically no heavy lifting.  I have really not noticed anything about missing my gallbladder in relation to food.  Good luck.

Hi there!

I had gall bladder problems and saved my gall bladder by doing a Gall Bladder Cleanse.  It really works too. 

CT scan showed stones when I went to doctor but the docs didn't think I needed gall bladder surgery at the time, then 3 months later I was so sick that my feet were swelled up and was so nauseated that I couldn't eat.  

After the cleanse, I felt so much better and a CT scan that I had to have for another reason [ovary cyst] showed that the stones were gone.

You have to be the judge if the cleanse is for you but take a look at the article. My gastroenterologist was impressed with it.

I had my gallbladder removed mid-weight loss and the recovery was easy.  My first attack was so painful I went to the ER, then 10 days later I had another and the stones were causing a duct blockage so I had to have emergency surgery. Even with it being an emergency, the recovery was super easy and much less painful than the gallbladder attacks.

My surgery was a day surgery, went it in the morning and got out in the afternoon.  I never really had any pain from it, and the scars are very small.  As to any follow up problems, I notice that my tolerance for excessively fatty foods isn't there (not that that's a bad thing) and I have a higher tendancy toward looser stools than before.

mischiefdm, I'm glad the cleanse worked for you, but I'm feeling the need to say that the website you've linked to has some info I know is out of date (descriptions of the surgerical scars), stuff that's flat out silly (the nonesense about realizing they shouldn't eat deep fried potatoes and the attack stopping), and other stuff that I'm pretty certain is also nonesense (I just don't have the medical knowledge to pinpoint what's fishy.)

From what I do know, what's most likely working with 'the cleanse' is that the oil is stimlating the gall bladder, and it's expelling the stones.  You could seriously hurt yourself doing this because you could force a problem into an emergancy.

 A lot has been said but here are my two cents on the topic:  I had several 3 total VERY severe attacks on the second had an ultrasound showed the gall stones and one near the track duct (can be very serious), well I was told just about anything can bring on another attack like salad dressing, and with every attack they can get worst, needless to say after the third....and I thought I saw stars I was done!  I had laposcopic and even had my tubes typed at the same time....it was so easy!  Honestly, barely could tell I had surgery!  And the best part I can eat whatever I want!   My advice find out for sure it is gall stones by an ultrasound and if so.....have them removed.  No one should live like you are and afraid to eat!  Good luck!

Scars from surgery still can occur if one cannot have laparoscopic procedure.

"the nonesense about realizing they shouldn't eat deep fried potatoes and the attack stopping)," Stuff like that was written, printed and distributed by 2 different gastroenterologists that I went to. It's common sense but they still stress it.

Don't know what cold be fishy about it as I'm living proof, among others, that it worked but they do have:

"WARNING!

This cleanse may not be for all people."

Reading the article thoroughly, I drank vinegar water for a month before I did the procedure to make sure the stones would be soft.

Thanks everyone for replying. It puts my mind at ease knowing that the surgery shouldn't be too rough for me! Thanks all!

I had mine out when IW as 8 weeks pregnant with my 2nd child. I had several severe attacks and ended up in the ER 3 times in a matter of weeks. Turns out my case was very bad, with involvement with the common bile duct and I ended up with pancreatitis while they were trying to flush my system with fluids to get the stone dislodged. I was SO relieved to have the pancreatitis pain gone that the surgical pain was fantastic! I even turned down post-surgical pain meds.

The only side-effect I have experienced after having it removed was that fatty foods give me the runs. It was way more sensitive at first but now it's only very fatty foods that get me. Before it was almost anything.

BTW don't eat lettuce. It causes attacks, too.

My ex was having gall bladder problems about 10 years ago. We went vegan, and the attacks stopped almost immediately.  He's never had a problem since.  Cut out eggs, dairy and meat from your diet and it's likely it will resolve on its own. 

I had my gallbladder removed 6 years ago and I can honestly say I didnt realize just how sick I have felt for the years leading up to my removal. I feel like a different person. I always had massive attacks esp after eating anything with large amount of fat or grease. When I was pregnant with my oldest child I had the worst attack on earth, I almost completely stopped breathing, my liver started shutting down, I was passing huge stones that were causing these problems and as a result I ended up giving birth 7 weeks early, when my daughter was 3 weeks old they went in and did emergency gall bladder removal. I was in the hosp for 4 days only because I had just given birth but my doctor said a normal smooth gall bladder removal is an outpatient procedure and if you are doing well during recovery you go home that same day if not the very next morning. I was only down for about a week after getting out of the hospital and to me it just felt like I did a TON of crunches and I got sharp stabbing pains if I took a deep breath in, that lasted for about 6 months. You should request to have bloood work done to test your liver enzyme levels that is usually the key indicator of gall bladder issues (as told by my doc) they can also do different procedures to see if you have stones. Just request a full work up to check for gall bladder issues or you could have  a very bad attack if you start tryin to pass gall stones.

I remember one morning when I was 24 that I came home from work (3rd shift), picked up my son and made us breakfast...eggs and sausages and went to bed for a nap.

Woke up with the worse pain I ever felt. (I had two c-sections and never uses painkillers afterwards so I have a high tolerence for pain) I couldnt get comfortable. Finally I broke down and called my mom to see if she had anything I could take. She brought over a vicodin and it did Nothing for me. she left and not long I called her to come pick up my son because I couldnt not be upright long enough to take care of him. She decided to take me to the Immediate care. After a week of tests, 3 trips to the e.r. and pain still there a dr. took the chance and went it. It was laprascopic and it was exactly that...my gallbladder, ridicously filled with gall stones. Surgery was at like 9am and I went home by 4pm the same day. Was off work for a week and then went back full duty to a physical-have to lift up to 100lbs and was fine. Only thing was adjusting to a new eating habits...low fat, no greasy food or I was in the bathroom.

I had my gallbladder removed 16 years ago (when I was only 7 years old) and I haven't missed it.  I was in the hospital for a long time because no one suspected a 7 year old would have gall stones.  But, once they finally performed the surgery I went home the next day.

Get that sucker out of there! You'll never regret it. Most folks are in and out the same day or surgery. Don't be scared, it's a very minor surgery, and you'll feel so much better for it.

I have a lot of other GI problems, and was in for three days due to complications. It took me the three days to get out of bed - my middle and organs were sore and swollen in the first place, from the disease and bile back-up, that jostling them in a surgery caused extra pain and swelling. Nevertheless, I was up and about within the week, and I don't miss having evil stabbing pains every time I eat!

I did have the problem where fatty foods make be go to the bathroom in a speedy manner post-surgery, but even that has lessened since my operation last year. I also had to start running indoors, because jogging seems to make my go to the bathroom, too (there was no place to go on my outdoor route!)