after surgery...

[Jenn Barrette]

I know there are few people here that had there gall bladders removed. I ended up with emergency surgery on Sunday, and was wondering about recovery. I am feeling pretty good now, I do feel tired and a little nauseous if I over do it.

I was just wondering how long before you felt "normal"? And how long before I could start doing gentle exercise? My surgeon said I could start walking as soon as I felt up to it...hoping that I can start walking a bit next week.

I am impatient.

[Lyd]

Oh no Jenn! No experience to offer, but just wanted to give you HUGS. Hope you're feeling better soon!

[breakingbrie]

I don't have anything advicewise to offer either, but (hugs) I hope you get back to feeling better SOON!!!

[MamaBee]

oh no!!! wishing you a speedy recovery... I don't have any advice either - I do know that those that have had it removed say it's the best thing that they every did!

[Julie Billingsley]

I know I took about a week off work, but it was because I had a reaction to the meds. I will say that about 7-10 days after my gall bladder was out, I had a "phantom attack". It was right after I had some deep fried food for Chinese New Year. So, don't be surprised if you feel a few "attacks" like that if you eat anything oily. Hope your recovery is quick!!

[TeriBeary]

I was off work for 6 weeks. And honestly, I didn't feel normal for months, but that was really only if I tried to wear anything but comfy pants. About 3 weeks after surgery, I jumped off a hay ride - not a good thing. Most pain was gone within a week. I have had the odd issue with greasy food but not often.

Recover soon

[dgreenshield]

Oh no! Well, I had mine out several years ago laparoscopically and it took about a week before I was up and exercising again.
I hope you have a speedy recovery!

[Stacey42]

I was feeling normal within 2 days. Normal for a woman with a 17 month old and 6 week old - really tired, mildly sore, but functioning. I drove my mom to the airport 3 days after my surgery. Carrying DS2 around was challenging but only for 3-4 days.

I contracted a virulent strain on bronchitis during the 12 hours I spent in the hospital and it kicked in full force on day 4 leaving me miserable again. Coughing after surgery is no joy and the bronchitis lingered for 9 months. But the actual surgery recovery was complete before the week was out.

[kscwgirl]

It took me a couple weeks to feel normal. I still have "issues" if i eat too much cheese or greasy stuff but on the whole, i'm so much better than i was.

[*Celeste*]

hugs jenn - hope your recovery is speedy!

[Joana1n]

The third day for me was the worst and I felt fairly normal after the fifth day. I think I started exercising again a couple of weeks later (it was right before Thanksgiving so the holiday had more to do with my not exercising sooner than anything). I wasn't able to RUN for about six months b/c it hurt too much...but walking, riding a bike, and weightlifting didn't bother me.

Hope you're feeling better soon! I don't miss mine at all.

[terrab]

Whatever you do, don't push it. I exercised too soon after my emergency gall bladder removal and reopened the incision. I was feeling pretty normal after about 2 weeks but it took a long time for my digestive system to adjust.

[xboxmom]

Hope you feel better soon Jenn. I can't say I know anything about the surgery but the whole idea of it sounds miserable. Thinking of you.

[Leila]

I felt normal enough to go out shopping with my mother about four days out from surgery. I can't say I felt completely normal, but it was enough at that time. The surgeon told me to wait 2-3 weeks before starting a light exercise routine, 6 weeks for full exercise.

[nonnie]

I am on the I don't have any advice for you but I really hope you feel better soon!!!!

[Andrea Gourley]

I didn't drive for a few weeks, And I was off work for 11 weeks ( my 5 weeks sick leave ran into the school summer holidays which was good because they said no lifting and I teach children in wheelchairs and with extreme behaviour problems so have a pretty manual jobi'd say just go slowly, take it easy and don't try to do too much too early. I was really sore for several weeks and it took mexa long time to feel back to normal

[Jenn Barrette]

Thanks guys I felt pretty good this morning and tried to go grocery shopping...time for a nap now. LOL The incisions don't really bother me much, I think it is just the lingering affects of the anesthesia that have me feeling kinda yucky.

[Sherri Tierney]

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

My mom took about 2 weeks to recover. My MIL who just had hers done week before last is already out and about and feeling great. A teacher at school had hers removed in December and took 3 weeks off work. I saw her after a week and she was hobbling around still fighting the pain.

Just take it easy and try not to do too much even if you think you feel like it! I had that trouble after my c-section. I felt great and over did it.

[Gemma]

I hope you feel better soon, Jenn!

[digideb]

Definitely take it easy. Yesterday was 3 weeks post op for me & I still don't feel back to normal yet. Like Julie, I had "phantom attacks" for about the first 2 weeks. Made me worry that something was still wrong. lol

[Aggie Aviso]

Hope you feel better soon!
I'm no help either, but I hope you take it easy!

[Keely~B]

No experience from me but I sure hope you get to feeling better quickly.

[scrapmonkey]

One of my co-workers just had emergency gallbladder removal last month. She was in good health before she had her gall bladder "attack" and I think it took her a week or so before she felt OK but 2 weeks before she felt good enough to come back into the office, but then she also had kidney stones arrive at the same time as her gall bladder acting up. I know people who have had it have to avoid greasy foods for either a long time or forever. Some have issues with spicy foods too.

[Melissa Bennett]

I was feeling back to normal in about a week. So glad I had the surgery done.

[Leila]

Originally Posted by scrapmonkey

One of my co-workers just had emergency gallbladder removal last month. She was in good health before she had her gall bladder "attack" and I think it took her a week or so before she felt OK but 2 weeks before she felt good enough to come back into the office, but then she also had kidney stones arrive at the same time as her gall bladder acting up. I know people who have had it have to avoid greasy foods for either a long time or forever. Some have issues with spicy foods too.

Good point, Leslie! I've had to reduce the amount of sugar I eat. I ignored it for months, but now I'm doing better with less sugar in my diet. I'm ok with greasy/fried food so long as I don't overdue it. I don't eat a lot of spicy foods, so I can't attest to that.

[Megan Turnidge]

Oh no! I'm sorry you had ot have surgery. I hope you recover quickly!

[LJSDesigns]

Hope you feel better soon Jenn. Everyone heals at different rates, so really listen to your body and take it slow and easy.

[kristijoy]

Oh no! Glad you figured out what was up! I've had other surgeries, but not gall-bladder specifically. MIne was abdominal and the big risk there is creating a hernia. But even with that they recommended gentle walking as soon as you could barely move. You know...like up and down the hallway, to the mailbox etc...

[rach3975]

Feel better soon, Jenn!

[Amber Dixon]

it took me a week or so to get back to normal, but i didn't start actually exercising for about a month (because i was scared to, not because the dr. said to). I hope you feel better soon!!

[color of my heart]

Originally Posted by TeriBeary

I was off work for 6 weeks. And honestly, I didn't feel normal for months, but that was really only if I tried to wear anything but comfy pants. About 3 weeks after surgery, I jumped off a hay ride - not a good thing. Most pain was gone within a week. I have had the odd issue with greasy food but not often.

Recover soon

i was the same way. it took me a LONG time to be able to eat anything that had any kind of grease or fat. i got super sick. still do on occasion. and i was in pain from the incisions for a good month. my only advice is to take it easy. and don't push yourself. it's amazing how many abdominal muscles you use on an every day basis.

feel better! relax a little, it's good for you (:

[Leontine78]

I had it removed three years ago.....I had pain in my abdominals the first two days but was up and running on day three.....and worse....I had a fried snack the day after but no pain at all

[SweetMelissa]

I hope you have a fast & easy recovery!

[ariesfl326]

I had my gall bladder removed back in '99...the surgery was done laproscopically so I was sent home the same day. It was rough for the first few days but then I felt better around day 3. I was only out of work for a week but basically took it easy for as long as I could. That was before my daughter and when I was living all alone so taking it easy was, well, EASIER...LOL.

Good luck in your recovery.

[Sharon Kay]

Hi Jenn ...

It depends on the type of incision(s) they made ... if it was like mine ... it would be easier to recoup from ... but mine technically wasn't emergency ... when I say that ... it took them a WEEK to figure out why I was throwing up even the slightest bit of liquid ... I went to the emergency room for dehydration and the "gall bladder test came back negative" ... so apparently someone in the lab messed up ... a week later I was throwing up still ... and they finally took an ultrasound to find out I had gallstones like crazy ... I would need surgery. I called the surgeon's office and they got me in the same day ... then I BEGGED the girls making the appointment to get me in the SAME DAY for surgery ... I had 1 kid in elementary school and two toddlers to take care of ... I needed to be back up! They worked me in but I kept getting bumped for emergencies ... I think it was like 9:30 at night before they operated!

I can't remember how long it was for recovery ... but it was much much faster than my c-sections were.

Word of warning ... you may end up with very loose stools ... I had them for YEARS after the removal ... I got a prescription for Lomotil and that would control it (OTC didn't) ... and that didn't end until I went on the Inches A Weigh diet plan and that seemed to "normalize" my system and I didn't have to take it any longer.

Just take it easy and listen to your body ... do NOT push it ... if you feel tired ... REST. Don't tell it oh you can do it ... take care!

[Jenn Barrette]

Thanks guys. Feeling pretty good right now, but still taking it easy. Didn't take a nap yesterday at all, and I think I am going to need one today. LOL

[mrshobbes]

Hubs had his out last year and there were some complications because of a tiny blood clot made by the anesthesia, so his recovery was a bit more than the average I think. But yes, until now he occasionally has nausea (but no vomiting, just uncomfortable) if he eats greasier food.

He also had surgery, not a laparoscopy, so I know he was moving really slowly a few days. But after a week he could move about normally. He wasn't allowed to do heavy sports for six months, BUT he went back to his martial arts after about three months. (he was also taking a whole lot of wheatgrass, which contributed heavily to his healing)

I hope you recover quick!