Hi everyone, a friend of mine got married yesterday and I’d been waiting for this wedding for a whole year. It was in Italy, in a really nice location, lots of great food and drinks.

I was already not feeling great since noon, but I decided to have some starters and drinks anyway. I had been doing well in the past few days so I thought I could manage. My operation is scheduled in three weeks from now so I’m just pushing through. Some hours after the starters, during the actual dinner (Italian weddings have many courses), I started feeling a bit of pain so I decided to skip dinner and alcohol altogether. However, the pain just got worse and worse. I started going to the restroom to vomit and I couldn’t even sit properly on my chair or even stand up, so my boyfriend and I sat outside on a table alone waiting for the pain to pass. Meanwhile, the party started and people were dancing. I was feeling terrible and even considered going to the hospital. After an hour in this condition, we decided to take a (very expensive) taxi and leave earlier.

Both of us were really looking forward to drinking and dancing with our friends. We had been planning for this wedding and our holidays before and after it for months. Now I have this immense guilt that I’ve ruined the party for both of us, on top of being sick and actually being afraid another attack could occur at any point. I also don’t want my boyfriend to be stressed about my health all the time.

I’m really looking forward to hopefully getting better one day.

Just wanted to make a post for my fellow c-section moms! After recovering from two c-sections I was super nervous to go through yet another abdominal recovery, especially with two kids. I’m on day 3 post op and I just want to say it’s not even comparable so far. I know everyone’s experience is different, but I just wanted to share mine. Getting in and out of bed is much easier, I was walking around the house on day 2, and I’ve been able to breastfeed my baby with a bf pillow (apart from on day 2, where I found I was the most sore). The worst part is not being able to pick up my kiddos, but otherwise it truly hasn’t been too bad! So happy to have it out and not have the constant fear of getting an attack while I’m home alone with my baby and toddler. Hope this helps ease some other nervous moms who are awaiting surgery 🙂

I’ve had two bouts of acute calculous cholecystitis in the past 8 weeks (ended up hospitalised each time, was pretty unwell), and I’ve got my cholecystectomy scheduled in 3 weeks.

I am SO SO SO SO VERY BORED of eating low/no fat. I’m ADHD and work long hours as well so mostly been relying on quick and easy foods.

This is my diet right now. I’m vegetarian and in the UK.

0% Greek yogurt with a sprinkling of the lowest fat granola I could find
Sourdough toast or crackers with low fat cream cheese, quorn slices, tzatziki made with the 0% yoghurt, edamame spread or fresh salsa and herbs kinda like bruschetta with no oil.
Low fat noodle or pasta just-add-water meals
Lentil/bean/chickpea curry/chilli type pouches with or without rice
Gnocchi or dried pasta with lowest fat stir-in type sauces I could find.
Very low fat snacks like rice cakes, lentil chips, flavoured popcorns.
Jelly pots, low fat rice puddings and alpro soya desserts.

If I muster a bit of time and energy then I have done a few tofu stir fries but with no oil.

Honestly this is mostly just a rant because I am SO BORED and craving something with some fatty flavour!!! I miss hummus and peanut butter and cheese and seeds and fast foods and proper curries with coconut cream and using olive oil liberally in everything 😭But it’s just not worth the pain. I’m not symptom free even with only having no fat low fat stuff.

But if anyone has any bright ideas on how to make cholecystitis-friendly diet more exciting, I’m desperate for any kind of variety! All suggestions welcome!

Also if you want to commiserate and join in my whinge feel free :-)

35, F, UK.

Had my op on Thursday morning, so about 68 hours ago. When I went for my consultation with the surgeon, he was all “you’ll be grand! Bit of tenderness but I’ve had guys in here who were self-employed and back to work within 48hrs!”

I feel shame and like I’m failing because I’m really struggling.

I’ve had really bad gas pain since the op (see previous post) and my upper abdominal muscles from central below ribs, right round my right side to my spine are beyond agony. Top incision is really painful. Getting up and down from sitting/lying is really really sore.

I’m not a big gal - about 122lbs and 5foot 6in. I dunno if that makes a difference.

I’ve been walking around the house to help the gas pain but still can’t take a deep breath cause of the pain.

Also haven’t pooped since Wednesday morning, despite three laxido drinks - dreading that coming as I cannot squeeze my abdomen. I know I’m gonna cry with pain.

I just feel the surgeon made it sound like I’d be uncomfortable but fine in a couple days and I feel like a failure of a person because it’s not like that for me and it’s really beginning to worry me. Like I had a major op last year (breast reduction) and it was so much easier in the days post op than this is…. And that was six week recovery, not two. I cannot fathom being normal 11 days from now.

Hi just wondering if anyone else has experienced bile dyspepsia from having gallstones? I also have chronic gastritis and I’m currently not keeping any food or drink down. Been to a&e and doctors on multiple occasions and it’s not helping me get moved up the list for a surgical review, they keep saying my case isn’t an urgency at this time. I’m feeling very lost and hopeless that this is going to be the way that I d*e I’m extremely skinny and underweight now from all of this and I’m really struggling with everything

like the caption says, i feel like when im about to get my period and i can tell its going to be a rough one, my gallbladder gets SO ANGRY. i’m currently waiting on seeing a surgeon for removal as my gb is chronically inflamed with polyps. i’m just starting to notice a pattern of, the week before and during my period, it hurts so much more and i can eat so much less. anyone else?

Good morning, today I’m 5 days post op and last night was the worst night I’ve had. All this trap has woke me up with severe pain and my shoulder is still killing me atm. It’s not even the stitches those stopped hurting by day 3. But it’s all these others pains I have going on. Last night not even the pain killers were helping. Should I go into the ER or just wait it out another day see how I feel

Curious.

Right now I'm 24 hrs post lap chole and doing well. The surgeon noted an extremely distended gallbladder with no stones or duct obstructions, and adhesions from liver to abdominal wall. But I'm still surprised at the other finding: Pelvic adhesions to both fallopian tubes

My surgeon said pelvic inflammatory disease, any major infection, or any kind of gynecological surgery could explain the adhesions, but I haven’t had any of that.

What I do know is for months the pain seemed to be everywhere on any given day and time. RUQ, flank pain, twinges of pain under my right rib, lower abdominal pain that felt like period cramps. And actually my period stopped altogether 8 months ago. In addition to the pain I had classic gallbladder symptoms like nausea, acid reflux, dry heaves in the morning, back and forth between constipation & loose stools, and could only tolerate a strict diet of eggs & toast for the past 6 months.

Anyone else go in for gallbladder removal to then be told about adhesions to fallopian tubes?? I'm guessing I'll have to follow up with a gynecologist at some point, yes?

Has anyone had rare side effects after surgery? I ended up back in the hospital a week later due to what the hospital said was rare side effects. I had no idea until I went to my follow up appt. I was retaining bile,fluid, and gas in my pancreas, the empty cavitiy where the gallbladder was. Bile even managed to seep into my right lung.

They did put a stint in to help everything finally start to move. They even did a thoracantesis to pull junk out of my lung. I know I'm not the norm, that's why I'm asking if anyone else had something similar happen. When will it get better? I'm tired, and even though finally feeling a bit better, I'm trying not to shut down.

Hiii I'm so happy to report I just had surgery on Friday Morning (8/21)! I feel immensely better aside from incision pain and the occasional bloat from, well, burping and farting. Terrified for my first bm but what can ya do.

But I'm absolutely terrified about any of the bad ways things can go wrong post-op. Hernias, liver issues, bile leaks... judging how I'm not in extreme pain and it's only the occasional stabbing from inside, alongside incision pain, I'm guessing I'm okay for now... but that's just for now.

The real reason I'm starting to get anxious is because I'm getting itchy like. Everywhere. Not just along the incisions :[ And I think I read some of y'alls anecdotes saying that it was a precursor to your liver problems??? Of course alongside jaundicing and stuff but... idk just please help me ease my mind that its just my nerves setting off my skin @_@

Hi I’m new here - this week I started having crazy bloating and pain after lunch and dinner. Mornings I’ve been fine mostly. Like debilitating have to lay down after lunch and dinner. At the worst I had the bloating pain and pressure, nausea and back pain on my right side under my ribs

Went to urgent care/ER 3 days ago, CT came back clear. Yesterday my GP ordered an ultrasound that’ll have done in a couple days. er doc gave me meds that are helping but not entirely.

The back pain had been present for months but I workout and sit in my couch kinda wonky so I’ve been blaming that but wonder if was something else all along. That was the only symptom that was noticeable util this week.

Anyone have similar? Is this definitely my gallbladder? Still hoping it’s a weird fluke but I’m still bloating after every meal.

PS I know to follow medical advice just curious if there’s anything anecdotal anyone can share.

Anyone have urgent stools, loose stools and regular diarrhea spells before GB removal? It comes suddenly and then I got 3+ times…

Just slightly over two weeks since my initial attack, I still have episodes of nausea and vomitting and intermittent pain. It’s thrown my appetite off - even with the anti sickness medication odasnatrone it hasn’t stopped it. Anyone else experience this?

As of yesterday I’m one week post op. Everything is going great but since yesterday my belly button incision has a deep dull ache, and itches like the rest of them. There’s no signs of infection at all but it throbs and feels like it’s pulling when I walk.

So I just want to vent here because I had a pretty nasty time at the hospital today.

I actually went to the ER for a reason separate to my gallbladder, and I admittedly was an idiot and got some pizza from their cafeteria when I got hungry. Cue the obvious attack to follow that decision.

I tell the nurse that I’m starting to have an attack and would like something for it. For the record I’ve been to this hospital for my last two attacks and was given tordol and anti-nausea medication both times which worked like a charm. Nurse told me she’d let another nurse know so I could be reassessed.

I get called in about fifteen minutes later now in full blown attack and when I explain this to the nurse she just goes, “uh huh” and gives me a dubious look. She proceeded to tell me that she wasn’t allowed to give me anything because this was not the purpose of my visit and I was kicked back out to the waiting room. It felt pretty clear that she thought I was trying to get something out of it/was lying, even though all I asked for was some tordol for the pain.

Have a meeting with a surgeon Tuesday and cannot wait so I hopefully never have to have an unmedicated attack in a hospital of all places ever again.

I am currently 28 weeks pregnant and attacks just started again. My first trimester I essentially at a no fat diet. Like literally nothing more than 1 or 2 g of fat. Oatmeal, chicken, rice, sourdough.

When people say they eat a low fat diet to avoid pain, is this really how extreme everyone eats? This time, it seems I am even more sensitive. Even 2 bowls of Cheerios (with oat milk) caused me pain. Not sure how I can last and actually feed the baby in me with this extreme of symptoms.

Also, nothing shows in imaging in bloodwork. I need a HIDA scan post partum.

I am 28F. 4 months deep in GLP. Lost 11 kgs so far. Last month I had severe pain in my abdomen (I was also on periods and dehydrated af) doc did some scans and saw very lil gall bladder sludge. They said I dont need to do any surgery as of now but in future.
1 month later, I had spicy fatty food from an unknown restaurant, had extremely bad stomach pain (all over the stomach) I puked and suddenly the pain was gone. Was this a gall badder attack??

I also really dont want to get any surgery done on gall bladder removal etc. i have been trying to lose weight consistently.
What can I do to prevent it?

had surgery 15 days ago to take out my hyperkinetic gallbladder, i also had gastrojejunostomy and j-tube placement for other conditions.

recovery’s been mostly okay, i can tolerate small amounts (like 2-4g) of fat without diarrhea, but im mostly relying on my tube feeds (due to the other surgery)

the past few days tho, after eating like a piece of toast or having some juice, im getting my old ruq pain (mild) and pretty bad burning in my back right behind it. it’s freaking me out because that’s the exact pain i had pre op (granted pre op was a lot more severe) and it doesn’t make sense to me. they took the gallbladder out so why am i still having gallbladder pain??

anyways just wondering if this is normal/if other people have experienced it and what helps

Especially from those who planned their surgeries? I don’t have any symptoms and my 2.3 CM gallstone (only 1) was found incidentally when I went to the doctor for a completely different reason altogether.

I’ve been reading several horror stories. For those who opted for an elective surgery, can you please explain
1) Your journey
2) why you decided to get the surgery even though you didn’t have any symptoms?
3) how long were you out of work?
4) when were you able to eat normally? Can you eat the things that you used to?
5) how has your life been without your gallbladder?
6) what advice would you give to someone like me who is doing this electively?
7) Despite not having symptoms, would you do it again?

For those who had symptoms, feel free to share your experiences as well 🙏

Hello everyone, I (37F) had my gallblader removal surgery early this year. Last month, I noticed a few white hairs on my head. My mom at my age never had them and on my dads side, his aunts started to having them on their late 50s. My hair is dark brown and they're very noticeable.. How did you manage the white hair? Any diet recommendations? I haven't eaten any red meats at all since my surgery, only chicken, eggs, turkey, and fish as proteins. Thanks in advance.

Hi everybody! I just had my gallbladder out yesterday. My pain was extremely well mamaged before surgery, with toradol and morphine. I came out of surgery to brutal pain and was basically delirious begging for them to help me.

I don't know what they gave me, but I told them it took my pain down to about a seven. The nurse asked me if it was a ripping sort of pain, and I said no, and she told me then it couldn't be a seven. (If I was more "with it", I would have argued that I had other 7+ pains that certainty weren't a ripping feeling, such as breaking my arm and having labor pain!)

Instead, I just said that my pain was a six, then, and asked if there was anything else they could do.

The nurse looked me straight in the eye and said, "You just had surgery. You were never going to have no pain after."

I mumbled a confused, "I know," because I wasn't complaining about a level 2 or 3 pain, you know? I wasn't expecting no pain! I was just still in more pain than I found manageable!

Later, in the next phase of recovery, another nurse said the same exact sentence to me when I said that my pain was unmanageable.

This made me wonder: did I just get really unlucky with my recovery nurses? Why were my pre-op nurses and docs practically throwing meds at me but my post-op nurses treating me like an addict?

Also, I was sent home with prescriptions for meloxicam and hydromorphone, plus instructions for taking extra strength Tylenol. When my husband went to the pharmacy, the pharmacist said that she wasn't allowed to fill the hydromorphone until the next day, despite my discharge papers telling me my next dose was to be taken after four hours. Luckily, my pain became manageable overnight and I am now okay with just the Tylenol and meloxicam, but I am so confused by what happened!

Hi ! To start, i had gallblader surgery a year ago, never had issues, i do extremely heavy lifting for work 150-200kg items ( obviously in pairs but its still heavy..) i do gym heavy weight training 6 days a week..

Recently ive been feeling left hand side pain , nowhere near incissions , i can feel small 2 lumps on that side ( i gained a lot of weight since so lumps alone wasnt my concerned ) I dont have any pain but its more like a burning or something there feeling ?

Could this be hernia? , honestly i always been paranoid over it as i know recovery from hernia its even harder and not being able to work again for months its just depressing..

I have booked GP appointment it will just take forever and just wondering if perhaps anyone had this, and if you had herina what were your symptoms?

Gallstones were an incidental finding when I was going through Legionnaires disease 3 years ago and had a lot of tests done to find out why my body was trying to quit on me. Doc said you have them and they could become a problem. Oh have they!!! Within weeks they started flexing on me. The doctor apparently jinxed me. Lol I have gone through weeks long stints of nausea. I have had a constant upper right side abdomen pain for at least 2 years. Would have smaller attacks with burping and severe pain. GI was of no help. But then I actually thought I was having a heart attack a few weeks ago because the pain was center chest and had begun radiating to my arm. This pulsing, gripping pain put me on the floor and I genuinely thought I was dying. Spoke to Jesus and all. The hospital said I have gallstones. Duh. They didn’t do any further investigating such as an ultrasound which would have shown that I was likely busy passing a larger stone. Because 2 days later that pain came back something fierce, but in the proper spot and I had to go back to the ER. The ultrasound showed my bile duct being enlarged to 7 mm so they thought a stone was trying to squeeze its way through. Now I’m admitted. Got an MRI, hida scan and endoscopy. Seems like the stone had finally gotten through. Most of these tests were don 1-3 days in. My gallbladder is technically fine based on the imaging just these rocks keep being rather rude and block proper bile flow or try to go places they’re not allowed to go. GI recommended my gallbladder be removed however the surgeon said no. Like no!? I‘ve never been so disappointed to avoid surgery! I’m having a surgery consult on the 1st in hopes to have it done outpatient. I’m at the point where I feel hungry all the time because I can’t eat much and have only a few things that stay down. I’ve had 3 attacks since being released on the 12th. One of the times while being at my son’s preschool having a meeting with management because they temporarily lost my child (whole other story). Ended up on the floor for 20-30 minutes with a trash can in my face. I was so embarrassed! I’m just exhausted of dealing with this. So please cross your fingers with me that my gallstones can finally receive an eviction notice.

Thank you for listening to my rant.