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Any Freepers who have had gall bladder surgery?
Feb 20, 2014 | Me

Posted on 02/20/2014 9:04:16 AM PST by taxcontrol

I just did a 3 day stint in the hospital for Pancreatitis which may be caused by gall stones. The doctor recommends that I get my gall bladder and the gall stones removed. Considering that I have good insurance, I am going to go through the procedure.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: gallbladder; gallbladdersurgery; surgery
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So my questions to my fellow Freepers is simply this, what should I expect? What can I do to help my recovery? Any other recommendations or considerations?
1 posted on 02/20/2014 9:04:16 AM PST by taxcontrol
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To: taxcontrol

Bookmarking this thread...my wife has to undergo the same thing.


2 posted on 02/20/2014 9:08:06 AM PST by ItsOurTimeNow ("Scheming demons dressed in kingly guise, beating down the multitudes and scoffing at the wise.")
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To: taxcontrol

Had mine removed with three very small incisions. Apparently took 45 minutes. Awoke blissful from Propofol. I had zero post operative pain but spent three days at home recupurating and taking vicodin.
Easy.


3 posted on 02/20/2014 9:08:58 AM PST by daniel boob (TEA Party Patriot)
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To: taxcontrol

I did the gall bladder flush at home. Passed all gallstones. Subsequent test showed I had none. This was 16 years ago and I still have my God-given, functioning gall bladder with no problems.

I would never have gall bladder surgery myself. It sets you up for a life of poor fat digestion - despite what doctors tell you. According to them, the gall bladder is unnecessary. God, apparently had parts left over and doled them out to fill the extra space in the human abdomen.

BTW, it cost me a total of about $8 to treat at home. I’ve also had a sister do it successfully and two other friends. Same result for us all.

... but that’s us. You will have to make your own decision.


4 posted on 02/20/2014 9:09:54 AM PST by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: taxcontrol

I had gaul bladder surgery a few years ago. There was no other complications so my experience might be different.

The surgeon did it as an outpatient procedure. He cut three slots about 3/4 inch long and removed the gaul bladder through one of them. There were no complications and I went home within a couple of hours.

I just took it easy for a couple of days and healed rapidly. The 3 cuts were closed by staples and they were removed in maybe a week. All in all a piece of cake.

They do put you under tho. When I awoke the surgeon was sitting beside me and he explained that everything went fine.


5 posted on 02/20/2014 9:10:13 AM PST by yarddog (Romans 8: verses 38 and 39. "For I am persuaded".)
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To: taxcontrol

... forgot two things...

1. Good luck, whatever you decide.
2. If I can help steer you to info, please pm me.


6 posted on 02/20/2014 9:11:58 AM PST by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: taxcontrol
Usually it is a simple procedure(unduly expensive by the way)I have noticed no ill effects from the removal of my gall bladder. If your surgeon is conservative you may stay overnight for observation. If you had inflammation of the pancreas do the gall bladder surgery NOW!

There are risks from any surgery which your physician will explain, such risky events rarely occur.

7 posted on 02/20/2014 9:12:28 AM PST by AEMILIUS PAULUS (It is a shame that when these people give a riot)
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To: taxcontrol

I didn’t have the surgery, but both my husband and son did. It is an outpatient procedure, now. Do it. Pancreatitis will return, you can count on it. It is very serious and painful, as you know.


8 posted on 02/20/2014 9:14:45 AM PST by Eva
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

What did you use for a gall bladder flush?


9 posted on 02/20/2014 9:15:08 AM PST by Tired of Taxes
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To: taxcontrol

These days they can remove the gallbladder “laparoscopically”, meaning they just make very tiny incisions. Be sure that is how they plan to do it.

This also leads to less stress on the system and a faster recovery of maybe a couple of weeks, instead of some 6 weeks recovery after a “traditional” surgery, the way they used to do it in the old days.

Laparoscopic surgery has been around for quite a while, as in quite a few years, so it’s a fully accepted procedure and many if not most surgeons are proficient in performing it.

Here is some info from WebMD.

http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/laparoscopic-gallbladder-surgery-for-gallstones

I recommend you discuss it with your doctor and make sure to have the surgery laparoscopically, it is performed under general anesthesia and would also recommend you discuss with your doctor to stay in the hospital at least a day or two — at WebMD they say it could be performed so they send you home the same day, I think you should stay in the hospital to make sure everything is fine, before they send you home.

Good luck — there is nothing to be concerned about.


10 posted on 02/20/2014 9:16:04 AM PST by Innovative ("Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." -- Vince Lombardi)
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To: taxcontrol

It’s really not bad, as far as surgeries go. Your abdomen will be covered in bruises and you’ll look like you swallowed a basketball until the gas goes away. No big incisions, no real pain- just discomfort from being inflated. You’ll probably get liquids and soup for a couple days and work your way back to normal food. You might find that grease doesn’t quite agree with you the way that it once did.


11 posted on 02/20/2014 9:17:54 AM PST by SoKatt ("Change" is not a strategy!)
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To: aMorePerfectUnion; taxcontrol

Glad to hear that your gallbladder flush worked out.

But if the gallstones are large and there are many of them, it may not work.

Gallbladder surgery these days is pretty safe and straight forward.

The notion that you can’t eat fatty foods after your gallbladder is removed is a myth.


12 posted on 02/20/2014 9:19:16 AM PST by Innovative ("Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." -- Vince Lombardi)
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To: Tired of Taxes

http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/flushes.html


13 posted on 02/20/2014 9:19:49 AM PST by Dick Vomer (democrats are like flies, whatever they don't eat they sh#t on.)
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To: taxcontrol

My Mom landed up in the ER with pancreatitus several years ago. They took her gall bladder out with the new less invasive procedure and she went home the same day. Three little puncture holes and they just sucked out the gall bladder and in a few days she was fine.


14 posted on 02/20/2014 9:20:06 AM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

True about the digestion. Mine is not the same but at the time, my gallbladder was inflamed & needed removal ASAP.
Wish I would have known about the flush, I’ve always had a tempermental stomach & didn’t realize was gallstones until too late.
Had mine done 5yrs ago, outpatient & recovery was more soreness than pain. Was home same day & few days for recovery. Have tiny scars from the laparoscopic surgery & yes, anesthesia is required.


15 posted on 02/20/2014 9:23:20 AM PST by rainee (Her)
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To: taxcontrol

I had mine removed subsequent to pancreatitis. Beyond a couple secondary infections caused by having so much tissue damaged and killed by the powerful digestive juices spilled into my gut by the ruptured pancreas, no problems, no life lifestyle changes needed.

Simple operation, 3, maybe 4, 1 inch scars (can’t find mine to count...)


16 posted on 02/20/2014 9:27:43 AM PST by null and void (<--- unwilling cattle-car passenger on the bullet train to serfdom)
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To: taxcontrol

I had mine removed in 2005. Basically I was so sick and throwing up that my wife took me to ER. They admitted me and scheduled the surgery for the next day. They put me out and did laproscopic surgery to remove the gall bladder. After that they leave a drainage tube in you to drain out what’s left inside. I was in the hospital a couple of days as I recall. Then I was released to go home still with the drainage tube stuck in my side. I had to go back about a week later to have the drainage tube yanked out. Yeah, you heard it right, yanked out. That felt like a kick in the gut. When it was over it healed up and now I just have some small scars. No problems since then with that.


17 posted on 02/20/2014 9:29:24 AM PST by fulltlt
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To: aMorePerfectUnion
According to them, the gall bladder is unnecessary.

LOL, Mine said the same thing.

Everything from snails to whales has a gall bladder, it must serve some crucial function for it to be preserved through so much evolution!

18 posted on 02/20/2014 9:32:01 AM PST by null and void (<--- unwilling cattle-car passenger on the bullet train to serfdom)
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To: taxcontrol

Like the majority here are saying, it is an easy out patient procedure. I was sore for about 24 hours, but lots of pillows and drugs helped a lot.

The only thing that has changed in the last five years is that fat likes hanging around on my body more ~ ‘course that could have something to do with age & lack of exercise.


19 posted on 02/20/2014 9:39:19 AM PST by TheMom (Stressed spelled backwards is Desserts!)
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To: Innovative

“But if the gallstones are large and there are many of them, it may not work.”

Oh, you’d be amazed at the size of what came out! Large and small.

“Gallbladder surgery these days is pretty safe and straight forward.”

Yes. But almost always unnecessary.

“The notion that you can’t eat fatty foods after your gallbladder is removed is a myth.”

You will need added bile salts with each meal to digest them correctly. You will need to be the new gall bladder - or not get correct nutrition.


20 posted on 02/20/2014 9:43:33 AM PST by aMorePerfectUnion
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