Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: Ju Ju on December 08, 2014, 05:36:29 PM
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Well as expected, I will have my gall bladder removed, hopefully within 2 months. We discussed the risk of leaving things and trying to manage by diet, which obviously isn't working very well up to now. I asked about dumping syndrome, but was told that is usually a complication with gastric ops, rather than gall bladder removal ops, though diarrhoea can be a problem in a small percentage. They can't guarantee that the pain will go. To be honest, I've had enough. I had another painful attack early Sunday morning. Not as severe, as the volterol pesseries took the edge off, so no drama. I also have been having mild to moderate grumbling pains since October as well. I am always thinking whether I can get help if I get an attack while out. Well onwards and upwards!
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My mum had hers removed and it helped her a lot. She also had a hiatus hernia which was operated on at same time.
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'they can't guarantee that the pain will go' ………. :-\ …...
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Ju ju
I only notice a very slight achey feeling very rarely now and think that is where my gallbladder was - certainly not the amount of pain there was when the stones were trying to push out. Maybe they are just covering themselves by saying no guarantees that the pain will go - you sort of expect it to go once the gallbladder is no longer there with stones in.
I just took things very steady and rested a lot after the op - nurse told me to listen to my body all the time - the lower abdomen on one side was a bit tender for a while - think this is where they pummeled a bit with the laproscopic instruments.
They put me on a morphine thing i could control after the op but was sent home with normal pain relief - had lots of cushions to sit on in passenger seat on the way home from hospital.
Sure you'd much rather be somewhere else than a hospital but i was glad to eventually see two stones given to me in a pot rather than having them inside me.
Take care
Hattie X
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Do whatever you need to feel comfortable.
Good luck Ju Ju.
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Thank you. Hattie, your experience is helpful. I was also given good advice on the low fat diet. I had been using minimal amounts of oil for cooking, but it should be using marg, the synthetic stuff I would normally avoid. And I should be looking with greater care at fat content on ingredient lists. And I thought I was being careful. Christmas is going to be interesting when it comes to food!
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Great that you have an end in sight now Ju Ju. My sis said she was available for a cancellation so was told on the Friday and done on the Monday. She had to stay in overnight due to other health issues (she had a tumour removed from her pituitary so produces no adrenaline) her health issues make things challenging. She would have had day surgery other wise. She was fine and up and back to normal within two weeks.
She has had no pain since but does have occasional bowel issues.
Hope it happens quickly for you.
Have you tried the spray oils...you use so little.
Honeyb
x
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Glad to hear you might have some relief through the operation Ju Ju and hope you manage to get through the Christmas period without too much pain...
Hurdity x
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It going to be done in day surgery, which is amazing. I have heard different stories about the op. My dad had the op at age 85 and hasn't looked back. He recovered quickly. A young friend found the air they pump into you very uncomfortable, but it dispersed within 2 weeks. Another friend was very ill from infection afterwards, following an emergency op. She had become jaundiced beforehand. She was sent home as normal, but became very ill and ended up in ITU for a while, but is fine now a year on and no other ill effects. Bit off putting, as we visited her several times, but I know this is rare.
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Since I had my GB removed in October, I have discovered many people I know have had this op with no after effects and have been able to eat anything without problems. My bowel issues resolved a couple of weeks after surgery, and up till last week I still had some lower abdominal tenderness. I had to have open surgery due to the level of inflammation, but the majority of people can have keyhole and be back to functioning as normal within a 2-4 weeks. :)
CG X
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Thank you CG. That is so reassuring. The sooner I get the op the better. I'm getting more pain, particularly when I am tired every day, though not the intense unbearable pain of an attack. It's so wearing. I try to cope without pain killers as much as possible, as paracetamol preparations make constipation even worse and the voltarol pessaries shouldn't be taken too often, as they can cause blood clots.
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Just had the hospital on the phone. Having the op on the 23rd of yes this month! I shall let everyone else take care of Christmas!
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Sooner the better Ju Ju. Yep everyone else can take of Christmas & you. Fingers crossed for you. :hug:
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Fingers crossed, Ju Ju! Yes, the sooner the better!
Milamam
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You will be able to sit back and enjoy the end of the festive season.
Wishing you the very best of luck. Keep in touch and let us know how it goes.
Honeyb
x
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:foryou: ………. that's Tuesday then :-\
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Ju Ju - Hope it all goes well.
Let other people do the running around at Christmas.
Do you know how long you will need to stay in hospital?
:hug: :hug:
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Hopefully long enough for others to get used to running around after themselves ;) ……..
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Goodness Ju Ju - that is soon! Do hope it goes well and you still manage to enjoy Christmas - can't remember how many people you have at home, but it will be lovely to be waited on I'm sure! :)
Hurdity x
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It's keyhole surgery. Get there at 7.30am (does that exist.....I'm retired!) and out later in the day. Makes you think, it took nearly 3 months to get to see a consultant, then they fit me in as quickly as possible. He indicated he didn't want to leave it too long. For a few seconds, I was tempted to say not till after Christmas, then the thought that it would serve me right if I got an attack on Christmas Day. Plus not too long to think about it, but it has put me in panic mode sorting stuff for Christmas Day. I was so organised!
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You have a few days to make a list, tick off what is required, pack your nightie and ……..
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I hate lists, but this is one time that it helps. Hopefully I don't need a nightie, but I've had a bag packed for a while, just in case things got really bad. Sort of insurance policy, like making sure my phone is charged all the time, so I'm not caught out. I hope I'm well enough to go and see my nephew and his new wife on the 27th, who are over here for Christmas. They live New York.
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Keep in mind that you might not be, but if you manage to go it will be a bonus ;)
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Ju Ju - The lists will be handy to organise what things need to be done by other people when you are resting up. :-*
Please do rest afterwards........
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Good news Ju Ju. No one wants an op but coping with any sort of pain long term is debilitating in itself. My friend had hers out few weeks ago - she is doing great - was quite overweight too but is making great recovery :)
Best wishes to you xx
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Hope all goes well for you. i second what Limpy has said about resting afterwards.
Hattie X
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Good luck Ju Ju
My sister had keyhole surgery to remove her gallbladder all went well. This was years ago and she was one of the first to under go this method of surgery.
She does have to be careful what she eats now and is prone to diarrhoea but no painful attacks anymore.
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Because 1 is starved for at least 8 hours prior to cold surgery the bowel doesn't have anything to push through. So the feeling of needing to 'go' can be a nuisance. When I had 1 lot of surgery the Staff told me I couldn't be discharged until I had 'been' >:( until I pointed out that my gut had nothing to pass due to having been 'starved from mid-night' :poke2: ……… and that I wouldn't 'go' until I had eaten for at least 2 days …….. ::) and don't get me started about the wind :-X
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if you have got a bottle of Port in the house for xmas i recommend drinking a glass at night to help you sleep during the nights in the run up to the op.
when i had my gallstone op it was early january and i drank most of our xmas port beforehand ! - just my way though.
Not long until tuesday - once at the hospital i was glad to be there and get rid of the things - sure you will be too.
Hattie X
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I haven't had port for several years - was 1 of my fav tipples ;)
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Just had a chuckle about the port. Bought a bottle for hubbie. Do you think he might notice if it's not full? ;) I didn't sleep much last night!
I have constipation anyway. Has been chronic for the past 2 years. Had a colonoscopy as was a persistent change of bowel habit, but it was put down to IBS. I use fybogel, which keeps things sort of flowing, every other day instead of weekly. Got some lactulose solution prescribed by the GP for when things get very bad. I'm hoping this might have something to do with the gall stones. I can but hope.
Thanks for the warning. I will ask though. And thanks the encouragement and experience info.it does appear to be very individual how you are afterwards. I think the consultant's comment that it would be risky to leave things would have swung things had I not made the decision anyway.
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Drifts seem to be common here, drifting from one meander to another ::)
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:hotflash:
Now is that what you mean?
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;D …….. where 'er you be, let wind go free, for the want of a f…, was the death of me ;)
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Hi JuJu
My BIL had his gall bladder removed by keyhole surgery last Friday. Operation wasn't until 330pm and they had a backlog of beds so he was a long time in recovery. It got a bit late for him to come home so he stayed one night.
He is making a superb recovery from the surgery, but he suffers from constipation and had not 'been' prior to his op. Things built up and he went back in yesterday to be 'cleared' as he was in extreme pain. Dr said trapped wind is also a big factor and can be very painful.
He is recovering well now.
So the moral of his tale (excuse the pun!) - is try and 'clear' before your op. He was also given cocodamal which apparently can also cause constipation.
Best of luck and I hope your op is as successful as his was. Love & hugs, PN x x
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He was also given cocodamal which apparently can also cause constipation.
PN - Trust me it can........
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Windeze is great for trapped wind. Buy lots of mints to suck and also peppermint tea.
Honeyb
x
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Well I drink loads of peppermint tea, my favourite drink alongside really good white wine. ;) not too much of the latter as I become all unnecessary!
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(http://www.russianscamcheck.org/images/products/mixed_bouquet.jpg)
For you when you get home today Ju Ju.
Hattie X
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Good luck Ju Ju :-*
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Hello Ju Ju and good luck with the op.
Don't forget to let us know how it goes ( gory details optional although as I'm a bit peculiar I actually enjoy learning all that stuff, weird, I know ).
Wishing you well.
K.
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Hope all has gone well today Ju Ju! Thought I'd posted already to wish you luck.
Feet up over Christmas & let everyone else do the running around. :foryou:
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Lots of hugs Ju Ju - Hope you are feeling OK.
:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
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Thank you all. I'm home now; no complications. Will post tomorrow. Hubbie bought me roses, which he never normally does, the old softie!
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Crikey - I wasn't expecting you 2 surface this evening :o :)
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So pleased to see you post and that it's over and done for you.
Enjoy your roses, what a lovely thought.
Feet up and rest.
Honeyb
x
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Well done JuJu, pleased to hear all went well.
Take it easy now, let yourself be looked after
:foryou: (http://:foryou:)
PN x x
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Glad it went well.
Now - take it easy, let yourself heal.
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Ahh bless him Ju Ju. Take it easy. :-*
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Up awake early,but back in bed again. Surprisingly little pain when lying down during the night, but things make themselves known when I get up.
No gory bits though, Kathleen! I was out for the count for anything interesting! I have come home with some interesting artistic red lines drawn around my abdomen, plus very fetching bottle green support socks, so add a bit of tinsel and I shall look very decorative alongside the Christmas tree.
Every time I have ended up in hospital this year, I am impressed with the quality of care from the nurses, despite all the financial pressures. Yesterday, everyone I came in contact with was lovely.
My friend, who works in the hospital came in to see me and was delighted to see me sitting in a chair. She'd had her gall bladder removed last year, but it was all very sudden and she became jaundiced and things became very serious, followed by infection. But she is absolutely fine now. She has been reassuring me all along the way, as she realised her exceptional experience would be in the back of my mind.
Well it's Christmas Eve and Christmas will happen around me. I was prepared as I could be before yesterday, so I shall sit or even lie back and let everyone else get on with it, watch my gorgeous grandson's excitement and not feel any guilt for not doing anything! Oh and today I shall catch up on watching recorded programmes and further my medical knowledge by watching Greys Anatomy! I wonder if anything naughty happens in the supply cupboards in this country? I suspect not....far, far too busy!
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Good morning Ju Ju,
I'm glad everything went well. Enjoy resting up and watching everyone else sort Christmas for you.
:foryou:
Galadriel x
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plus very fetching bottle green support socks, so add a bit of tinsel and I shall look very decorative alongside the Christmas tree.
further my medical knowledge by watching Greys Anatomy! I wonder if anything naughty happens in the supply cupboards in this country? I suspect not....far, far too busy!
Hope you've got some lights too Ju Ju! ;) Glad you are feeling not too bad this morning.
As for supply cupboards, I've often wondered myself. As you say they are way too busy for any shenanigans! ;D
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Glad it has gone ok for you - did they give you the stones ? - i still have my two in a pot they gave me - not a pretty sight.
Happy xmas
Hattie X
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No, didn't see anyone other than nurses after the op. All I know is that the scan showed the gall bladder was full of smaller stones. Don't think I'd want to have them. Glad to say goodbye! :)
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Glad you kept your sense of humour! …….. I would suggest lights round the very fetching socks ;) - make sure that no-one tries to water you when they do the tree ;D