Well, THE most embarrassing day in my life was yesterday!!! I had lunch in the lunch room with some co-workers, went back to my desk and started feeling a really strange pain in my stomach (right up under my rib cage)! Stupid me, I thought I had gas or had to poop, so I make my way to the ladies room, where the pain intensifies and I break out into a cold sweat! Thankfully, someone found me writhing (God, on the gross floor!!!), and called an ambulance! Then, it was like a comedy... how many people can you fit into a one-stall ladies room??? Well, me, two co-workers, 3 large, really good-looking firemen, 2 not so large but kind of cute policemen and 3 ambulance people!!! Mortified!!!

Anyway, I have to have my gallbladder out!!! Anyone ever had this done? and how is it??? Be Honest! I can take it!!! Because really, I thought yesterdays pain was way worse than labor pains!!!

By Emily7 on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 01:59 pm:

I have not BTDT.
When are you having it done? I am glad it was nothing more serious.

By Colette on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 02:02 pm:

I had mine out a few years ago as an emergency. It's a much smaller deal than it used to be. It's laproscopic surgery so tiny scars. But it took longer to recover than they said. I felt very drained for about 6 weeks. I also had no idea that the pains I had been suffering from was gallstones.

The gallstones are much more painful than the surgery (which really doesn't hurt at all).

By Lauram on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 02:06 pm:

I have been having so many problems in the past six weeks (very simialr to this) and have had so many tests (including u/s and hida scan of my gallbladder) but it's not the problem. I almost wish it was because it's still happening!

By Amy~moderator on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 02:33 pm:

Wow! You must've been mortified! I don't have any experience, but I'll be thinking of you.

By Momoffour on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 02:34 pm:

I had mine out in 97 and it wasn't to much I went in that morining and had to wait and wait to have it done finely they came in around 10 pm and I was out a few hours later. I had some problems gangreen had set in and they had to do some other things and I also had something on my liver. but all in all it wasn't to bad. I did get to leave the next morning. I have 3 very small scares the only one that hurt the worst was my belly button. and when they came in the morning and took out the drain tube that hurt pretty bad. I am so thankful it is done I have never been in so much pain in my life I would go through child birth any day.

By Trisa on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 03:02 pm:

I will also be thinking of you.
Yes its always the good looking men who
come to our aid in the very worst of times!!

By Kaye on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 03:20 pm:

I had mine out when my dd was 3 weeks old. Yes gallstones can be worse than labor pains! As for the surgery, it was not bad, it did take at least 3 weeks for me to not be so tired, I didn't hurt, I just got tired really quickly and could over do it easily. There was some pain the first couple of days. I had just given birth, so my recovery time might not be normal. I will say I have had huge issue since then, ugh!

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 03:36 pm:

Never BTDT but wanted to give you {{{HUGS}}}.

By Cat on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 03:39 pm:

Dh had his out a couple years ago. I know his pain before surgery was awful. The surgery went well and recovery wasn't too bad. There were four little incisions and he just a couple months ago had to have two of them repaired because they herniated. Big hugs to ya.

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 04:28 pm:

I just have heard that gallbladder "attack" pains are pretty bad. I think that the laparascopic cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal with a scope) is much easier to recover from, than the traditional open surgery. Fortunately, I have not BTDT! 2 c-sections is enough surgery for me.

By Luvn29 on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 04:55 pm:

I had the surgery done three years ago. The surgery is not bad itself. I didn't have the pain beforehand, I was just throwing up constantly. I didn't have gall stones, just a diseased gall bladder. My body was so weak from months of not being able to eat and keep it down, that I had a difficult recovery. And I was very sick the entire day of the surgery and they had to keep me very medicated.

But my mom had it done, and had no problems at all with recovery and such.

LauraM!!! It may still be your gall bladder. With some people, tests never show up that it is the gall bladder. I tested for four months before I was finally sent to a surgeon for his opinion. I had had two u/s and two hydascans. Neither showed much evidence it was my gb. But the surgeon was convinced it was, so he opted to do "exploratory" surgery in which he went ahead and removed my gall bladder since he found it to be diseased.

By Karen~moderator on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 07:29 pm:

Angela, one of my best friends just went through exactly what you went through in May. In fact, I took her to the ER on one occasion, she was so sick, in so much pain. She had laparoscopic gall bladder surgery for removal of her gall bladder, and recovered quickly - in fact she went on her planned cruise vacation 2 weeks after surgery. She is fine and feels MUCH better now.

By Tink on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 08:24 pm:

I went to the ER twice with the pain from my gallstones. The surgeon couldn't get me in for 10 weeks and the attacks were 100 times worse than the surgery. I also had the laproscopic surgery and I was in and out of the hospital within about 4 hours. It really wasn't a problem at all. I think I took it easy for the first 2 days but I had a 3 month old and a 2 year old so there wasn't much down time available. I only have 2 small scars, each is about 1 inch. Apparently there is one more in my bellybutton but I have an "innie" so it doesn't show at all. I do have a more sensitive stomach now. I can't skip meals now. I can't eat greasy foods like pizza or really high fiber foods without having intestinal problems the next day. {{{Angela}}} The surgery is MUCH easier than the attacks.

By Jayne2 on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 08:26 pm:

I had mine out a year ago May. Let me tell you my experience. I was having pains here and there. Went to the dr. fit the criteria (Female/Fat/Forty/Fertile) had some kind of special test to check that the gallbladder was functioning proper, can't think of the name right now. Anyway the test came out fine...Well a few weeks later we had dinner at Friendly's, ate all the wrong food - very greasy, and fatty(chicken quesdilla and ice cream). That night I woke up with the worse pain I have ever felt. I actually woke up dh because I thought I was having a heart attack. I did finally fall back to sleep until morning but when I woke up I was in horrible pain. I call the dr. He said that if I didn't feel well after taken some over the counter meds to go to the ER. I went to the ER and waited 3-4 hours for a bed. I was doubled over in pain and I was p***ed off that they allowed me to wait so long in pain and my poor children had to witness my agony. When I finally saw a dr. he said it was probably my gallbladder. Now this was a Saturday and they had to do emergency surgery the next day. My white blood count was very high, severe infection. The surgery was over before I knew it. I have 1 large incision right below the middle of my breast and two small incisions on my right side (I look like I'd been shot!). The pain relievers were fabulous....but they do scare me, I only took them for 3 days or so. I was fine. No problems since. I even stayed an extra day in the hospital for peace!!! I could have gone home the day of surgery, but I told the dr..."I have 3 kids, can I stay until tomorrow!!!LOL!" My middle scar is big because my gallbladder was very enlarged from infection. My girlfriend's scar is much smaller.

Good luck and you will feel so much better after it is removed.

By Rayanne on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 08:30 pm:

(((((HUGS))))) Never BTDT. Sorry, I hope things get better.

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 09:28 pm:

Yes, gallbladder pain is really bad - right up there with kidney stones, which is a 12 on a scale of 1-10. My ex had his out, and it was not fun surgery. Today they do the surgery with one of those tubes that requires a very small incision (can't think of the name right now) and avoid the large incision my ex had.

One question to ask the surgeon is - how often do you do this procedure and how many have you done in the past year. You want a surgeon with lots of experience. And when you sign the consent form, cross out the part that says Dr. X and anyone he appoints or directs, and put Dr. X only. If you are choosing a surgeon you want the one you choose to actually do the surgery.

Also, my strong recommendation is that a family member be with you from before the surgery until you have recovered sufficiently to be able to find and push the call button yourself and think clearly. Even the best hospitals are often short on nursing staff and you will be much better off with someone who can go get a nurse for you, holler when you need pain meds, etc.

And make plans for how you will handle things at home when you are discharged. Used to be that after surgery you were in the hospital 5 - 7 days but now it's in and out quickly (insurance driven, by and large). You will not be feeling great when you get home, and should not be doing housework, picking up children, and all the rest of that stuff, so plan ahead.

By Sue3 on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 09:53 pm:

Never BTDT ,though I will be thinking of you.Hope you feel better soon.

By Renee on Thursday, September 2, 2004 - 07:38 am:

I had the extreme pain like you. I thought I was dying of a heart attack. It also made me throw up and get diarreah. I had quite a few attacks and thought maybe it was heartburn until a friend said it sounded like my gallbladder. I went to the dr and he took xrays and an u/s and sure enough, I had lots of stones.

So last Nov. I had surgery to remove them. I had 4 incisions. 2 - about 1 inch length (in belly button and a few inches above belly button) and 2 very small ones off to my right side. I was just a little uncomfortable afterwards. I did stay the night in the hospital. I was supposed to take it easy for a few weeks.

All in all, its not that bad and it will be so much better afterwards. I've had no problems eating anything although some people still have a few problems digesting fats. Your surgeon will go over everything beforehand. Ask lots of questions, like how it will affect you afterwards..

Good luck.

By Angellew on Friday, September 3, 2004 - 01:45 pm:

Thank you all SOOOOOOO much!!! I was so afraid thinking of all of this. But, reading all your replies has made me feel better. Everyone is in agreement that the surgery is much less pain than the attack, and with recovery being so good... I've been though a C-Section and this sounds like a piece of cake compared to that! (Ohhhhh, a piece of cake... mmmmmm... can't eat that for awhile!!!! )

But, again, thank you all so much. I have an appointment with a surgeon on Tuesday, and I'm going to tell him "I want it out ASAP!!!" I'm sooo afraid to eat anything, because I don't know to chance another attack!!! I'm such a BABY!!!

WAAAAAAA!!!!!!

By Insaneusmcwife on Friday, September 3, 2004 - 05:40 pm:

{{{{hugs}}}}

By Pamt on Friday, September 3, 2004 - 05:44 pm:

Glad you found out what the problem is. Good luck with your surgery!

By Happynerdmom on Friday, September 3, 2004 - 05:49 pm:

I'm glad you've got an appointment. Hopefully they'll be able to take care of you quickly. (((hugs)))

BTW, You're not a baby! I don't blame you for not wanting another attack! (Of course, if you do, maybe you could arrange it in a better place!LOL)

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, September 3, 2004 - 10:07 pm:

Here is a link to a brief article about laproscopic surgery for the removal of the gallbladder. I read it and it sounds like everything I have been told by doctors and read in articles.
http://vava.essortment.com/laparoscopicgal_riwj.htm

In the meantime, I suggest strongly you go on a low protein low fat diet, and that also means the butterfat in milk, so switch to skim if you are a milk drinker. I'd also stay away from dietary irritants - coffee, caffeine generally, spicy food - in other words, bland, low fat, no red meat and probably no eggs, at least until you see the surgeon - at which point you should ask specific questions about what to eat or not eat until you have the surgery, and also what things you should watch out for in your diet afterwards.

I'm so sorry you had that excruciatingly painful episode. But, my ex had years of unexplained belly aches - to the point where I thought he was faking stomach aches to avoid whatever he didn't want to do - until finally he had a "real" gall bladder attack (which the ER docs at first thought was appendicitis). And he had almost no stomach aches after he recovered from the surgery. So while you had some terrible pain, you didn't have years of problems before a diagnosis, and that's good.

By Colette on Friday, September 3, 2004 - 10:16 pm:

Good luck Angela! It's really not that bad, nothing like a c-section. I hope you are feeling better soon.