Sludgy Gallbladder Surgery Questions

[Juju]

I am interested in your experiences with gallbladder removal. Maybe we can establish a record of senior gallbladder removal experiences that other seniors can find without an exhausting search of the internet that may or may not accurately reflect senior experiences.

1. What symptoms did you have that led to removal? Please list all, both minor or major.

2. Was one of the symptoms a chronic soreness above the chest, but below the right shoulder? If so, are you male or female.

3. Since removal, have your symptoms stopped?

4. Have you developed any new issues or symptoms related to removal?

5. How old were you when the surgery was preformed?

6. Did you have to change your diet after surgery?

7. What was the length of your recovery after surgery?

I am 75. Symptoms are diarrhea or loose stool, pain above right chest, and lack of energy. An ultra sound revealed a sludgy gallbladder. Surgery is scheduled.

 

[hollydolly]

I was around 50 when I had my gallbladder removed.. I had keyhole surgery..stayed in hospital overnight..

I had the usual classic symptoms leading up to the surgery. They found ''dozens' of stones.. which is how they described it to me..

recovery took about 3 weeks.. people had told me before I had the surgery that they went back to work in a couple of days.. so I was thinking there was something wrong when I was just too sore to go back to work.. but it was all normal...it does take a couple of weeks to not feel sore

After surgery I could eat anything I wanted that I hadn't been able to eat for a long time.. high fat foods etc.. but you have to be careful, because as you can eat these things again, you can easily put on a lot of weight, which is what happened to me..

 

[Juju]

I was around 50 when I had my gallbladder removed.. I had keyhole surgery..stayed in hospital overnight..

I had the usual classic symptoms leading up to the surgery. They found ''dozens' of stones.. which is how they described it to me..

recovery took about 3 weeks.. people had told me before I had the surgery that they went back to work in a couple of days.. so I was thinking there was something wrong when I was just too sore to go back to work.. but it was all normal...it does take a couple of weeks to not feel sore

After surgery I could eat anything I wanted that I hadn't been able to eat for a long time.. high fat foods etc.. but you have to be careful, because as you can eat these things again, you can easily put on a lot of weight, which is what happened to me..

What were those "classic" symptoms? Any pain or soreness in your right shoulder?

 

[Lewkat]

I was 85 when my gall bladder was removed. Only required a laparoscope to take it out. Went home the next day. My symptoms were like those of someone having a major heart attack.

There were no stones at all. Just a lot of hard packed sludge in the cystic duct.

I ate what I wanted, but not all foods agree with me now.

 

[jujube]

I had mine out in 1992. The symptoms were incredible pain in the abdomen followed by horrible vomiting and then exhaustion. The first one was brought on by eating a Blooming Onion at Outback Steakhouse. All that grease.

I had a couple more attacks, all aggravated by something I ate.

I had scheduled surgery, but first had a cruise to go on. I was so, so good about what I ate but I got tripped up by an absolutely gorgeous midnight buffet that I could not resist. 2 a.m. and I am walking the deck trying to decide whether to throw myself overboard and go down to the kitchen and ask for a steak knife that I can use to perform surgery on myself.

The surgery was a whiz. I was supposed to be in by 8, out by 4. Unfortunately, because of a back-up in the hospital, I didn't get into the operating room until 4. I was very hungry and pissed-off. Then I had to spend the night, which I hadn't prepared for. Laparoscopic surgery, four little holes, didn't even have stitches. I remember when my dad had his gallbladder out in the 1950, they diced him up dreadfully, all the way around his side from front to back. Back then, it was supposed to be one of the most painful surgeries you could have.

Recovery was quick, too. I had the surgery at 4:00 on Thursday and was back at work on Monday. I can't say I was ready to ride a horse or run a marathon, but I got through the first few days just fine.

No ill effects. They told me to watch my diet for a few months until my body "learned" how to deal without the gallbladder. My body apparently was a fast learner.

 

[oscash]

About 10 years ago I had terrible pains in the abdomen followed by bouts of vomiting. I rang the hospital, and a nurse asked me if the vomit had little bits that looked like coffee granules, and I said "Yes" she told me to get to the hospital immediately. After more tests and x-rays I was immediately sent to surgery.
I asked the doctor if it could be cancer, as the x-ray showed a small mass, he said, "Not sure", "Will I need a colostomy bag?" "Not sure". came out of surgery about 2 hours later and one of the nurses came over to me and said she had assisted at my operation. I asked, "What was it?" and she showed me a photo on her phone which was a 4cm Gall stone, the size of a squash ball which was stuck in my small bowel. She said it was very rare as she had never seen one that size. I'd never suffered gall stones so don't know how this came about. Never had a problem since.
/

 

[terry123]

I just had a bad hurting under my right breast. felt like someone hit me hard. called 911 and went to ER. Took out the gall bladder and went home the next day. very easy. never had any problems before that day the hurting started. I was 74.

 

[George1959]

I should not have read this thread. But fortunately gall bladder problems seem to be much more often in women. I am safe

 

[Naturally]

I am interested in your experiences with gallbladder removal. Maybe we can establish a record of senior gallbladder removal experiences that other seniors can find without an exhausting search of the internet that may or may not accurately reflect senior experiences.

1. What symptoms did you have that led to removal? Please list all, both minor or major.

2. Was one of the symptoms a chronic soreness above the chest, but below the right shoulder? If so, are you male or female.

3. Since removal, have your symptoms stopped?

4. Have you developed any new issues or symptoms related to removal?

5. How old were you when the surgery was preformed?

6. Did you have to change your diet after surgery?

7. What was the length of your recovery after surgery?

I am 75. Symptoms are diarrhea or loose stool, pain above right chest, and lack of energy. An ultra sound revealed a sludgy gallbladder. Surgery is scheduled.

I had mine removed sometime about age 60. There were only five little incisions that did require stitches.

To answer your questions ...

1. Severe abdominal pain. Almost unbearable at times. Sometimes I'd wake in the night in a sweat. I'd have to walk it off and interestingly, for some reason, drinking a coke would help. The doc that viewed the ultrasound of my gallbladder said it was packed with what one might describe as sand.

2. The only area of pain was below my diaphragm. Mostly in the abdomen but felt like the stomach sometimes also. I'm a guy.

3. Since removal, symptoms have stopped completely and I can eat those foods that may have previously triggered the symptoms but my bowel movements are usually looser than before the gallbladder removal. It's not unusual these days to have a bowel movement soon after eating. Eating triggers bowel movements more so now than before gallbladder removal.

4. New issues might be associated with the more frequent loose bowels I mentioned.

5. 60yrs old

6. Haven't changed my diet after surgery.

7. I was discharged shortly after gallbladder removal surgery. They kept me for half an hour after surgery and that was it. Of course, I had to have someone with me to drive me home because of the surgical anesthesia effects.

Picture after I got home from gall bladder surgery ...

Picture after stitches were removed ...
It's been 10yrs and today I can't even find any scars or discolored spots.

EDIT: I THINK I had stitches ... maybe just a little bandage on each spot for a while. Can't remember for sure.
The incisions weren't large at all. Nor were those areas painful.

 

[Juju]

I was 85 when my gall bladder was removed. Only required a laparoscope to take it out. Went home the next day. My symptoms were like those of someone having a major heart attack.

There were no stones at all. Just a lot of hard packed sludge in the cystic duct.

I ate what I wanted, but not all foods agree with me now.

Thanks for the informative reply. My ultrasound shows lots of hard packed sludge also. I have no pain other than above my right breast below the shoulder. I was surprised when I was sent to the women's clinic and the lady surgeon said she sees that pain in women with sludge filled gallbladders, frequently.

 

[Juju]

I had mine removed sometime between about age 60. There were only five little incisions that did require stitches.

To answer your questions ...

1. Severe abdominal pain. Almost unbearable at times. Sometimes I'd wake in the night in a sweat. I'd have to walk it off and interestingly, for some reason, drinking a coke would help. The doc that viewed the ultrasound of my gallbladder said it was packed with what one might describe as sand.

2. The only area of pain was below my diaphragm. Mostly in the abdomen but felt like the stomach sometimes also. I'm a guy.

3. Since removal, symptoms have stopped completely and I can eat those foods that may have previously triggered the symptoms but my bowel movements are usually looser than before the gallbladder removal. It's not unusual these days to have a bowel movement soon after eating. Eating triggers bowel movements more so now than before gallbladder removal.

4. New issues might be associated with the more frequent loose bowels I mentioned.

5. 60yrs old

6. Haven't changed my diet after surgery.

7. I was discharged shortly after gallbladder removal surgery. They kept me for half an hour after surgery and that was it. Of course, I had to have someone with me to drive me home because of the surgical anesthesia effects.

Picture after I got home from gall bladder surgery ...

Picture after stitches were removed ...
It's been 10yrs and today I can't even find any scars or discolored spots.

EDIT: I THINK I had stitches ... maybe just a little bandage on each spot for a while. Can't remember for sure.
The incisions weren't large at all. Nor were those areas painful.

Thanks for the informative reply. A day surgery is what is planned for me.

 

[Juju]

I just had a bad hurting under my right breast. felt like someone hit me hard. called 911 and went to ER. Took out the gall bladder and went home the next day. very easy. never had any problems before that day the hurting started. I was 74.

Thanks for the interesting reply. Your under right breast pain is what my PCP says is most common in women, but she was surprised that my pain is above and the women's specialty surgeon said it is radiated pain and not uncommon.

 

[Eupher]

Mine was removed in 2000 when I was 43. I had had recurring pain in my stomach for a couple of months and the initial diagnosis was excess acid. Doc told me to take Prilosec. Did so, but the pain never went away.

One Sunday afternoon, I once again had stomach pain and after my wife called the same doc that had recommended the Prilosec, he told her to get me to the ER.

I walked into the ER, which was conveniently mobbed and full of people. I thought, "Yep, I'm gonna be here all day just to get seen." That turned out not to be the case, because when the head ER nurse looked at me, she told me to come right in.

I was jaundiced, evidently, so much so that they wanted to look at me right away.

So they parked me in the hospital overnight. Monday morning I went in to see if they could take out my gall bladder laparoscopically - yes, they could and yes they did on Tuesday.

The worst part about the whole thing was the catheter. The best thing about it was they've got some very nice drugs these days.

Thursday I was back to work.

No changes to diet necessary.

 

[Juju]

I had mine out in 1992. The symptoms were incredible pain in the abdomen followed by horrible vomiting and then exhaustion. The first one was brought on by eating a Blooming Onion at Outback Steakhouse. All that grease.

I had a couple more attacks, all aggravated by something I ate.

I had scheduled surgery, but first had a cruise to go on. I was so, so good about what I ate but I got tripped up by an absolutely gorgeous midnight buffet that I could not resist. 2 a.m. and I am walking the deck trying to decide whether to throw myself overboard and go down to the kitchen and ask for a steak knife that I can use to perform surgery on myself.

The surgery was a whiz. I was supposed to be in by 8, out by 4. Unfortunately, because of a back-up in the hospital, I didn't get into the operating room until 4. I was very hungry and pissed-off. Then I had to spend the night, which I hadn't prepared for. Laparoscopic surgery, four little holes, didn't even have stitches. I remember when my dad had his gallbladder out in the 1950, they diced him up dreadfully, all the way around his side from front to back. Back then, it was supposed to be one of the most painful surgeries you could have.

Recovery was quick, too. I had the surgery at 4:00 on Thursday and was back at work on Monday. I can't say I was ready to ride a horse or run a marathon, but I got through the first few days just fine.

No ill effects. They told me to watch my diet for a few months until my body "learned" how to deal without the gallbladder. My body apparently was a fast learner.

Thanks for the reply. My surgery is in a month so I will cancel the bloody Blooming Onion dinner date at the Outback lol. Thanks for the heads up, it may have saved me a heads down in the loo.

 

[Juju]

About 10 years ago I had terrible pains in the abdomen followed by bouts of vomiting. I rang the hospital, and a nurse asked me if the vomit had little bits that looked like coffee granules, and I said "Yes" she told me to get to the hospital immediately. After more tests and x-rays I was immediately sent to surgery.
I asked the doctor if it could be cancer, as the x-ray showed a small mass, he said, "Not sure", "Will I need a colostomy bag?" "Not sure". came out of surgery about 2 hours later and one of the nurses came over to me and said she had assisted at my operation. I asked, "What was it?" and she showed me a photo on her phone which was a 4cm Gall stone, the size of a squash ball which was stuck in my small bowel. She said it was very rare as she had never seen one that size. I'd never suffered gall stones so don't know how this came about. Never had a problem since.
/

Thanks! Your experience certainly fits in with the common classic symptoms. Did you have your gallbladder removed or just the stone from the small intestine?

 

[Juju]

Mine was removed in 2000 when I was 43. I had had recurring pain in my stomach for a couple of months and the initial diagnosis was excess acid. Doc told me to take Prilosec. Did so, but the pain never went away.

One Sunday afternoon, I once again had stomach pain and after my wife called the same doc that had recommended the Prilosec, he told her to get me to the ER.

I walked into the ER, which was conveniently mobbed and full of people. I thought, "Yep, I'm gonna be here all day just to get seen." That turned out not to be the case, because when the head ER nurse looked at me, she told me to come right in.

I was jaundiced, evidently, so much so that they wanted to look at me right away.

So they parked me in the hospital overnight. Monday morning I went in to see if they could take out my gall bladder laparoscopically - yes, they could and yes they did on Tuesday.

The worst part about the whole thing was the catheter. The best thing about it was they've got some very nice drugs these days.

Thursday I was back to work.

No changes to diet necessary.

Thanks. Catheter fear and experience seems to be more of an issue with guys, lol.

 

[MaidMarian]

I had my gallbladder removed 2 months ago… June 14 th. My symptoms were bloating, nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss, pain under the right ribcage radiating down the whole right side.
A CT scan showed gallstones and my doctor recommended surgery. I had to get on a waiting list for a few months in order to have the surgery.
I had robotic, laparoscopic surgery. 4 tiny incisions were made like the pictures shown. I had no stitches . My incisions were glued. The glue came off by itself about 2 weeks after the surgery.
The check in, prep for surgery, etc. all took about 2 hours. I went home shortly after I awoke.
I was given oxycodone to take home for pain. The doctor told me to alternate it with Tylenol if possible. He told me that I could eat anything after the surgery. I only wound up needing 1 oxycodone the night of the surgery. The rest of the time, Tylenol did the trick.
There was pain for 3 days, getting in and out of bed only. I was told to walk around as soon as possible to prevent pain in the shoulders caused by the gas they inflate you with to do the surgery. I did as I was told and had no pain from gas.
I ate very lightly for a week after the surgery. Coffee was a problem and still is for me. I no longer drink it.
I felt nearly normal within 5 days. I began walking outdoors.
I still can‘t eat everything. I totally stay away from fats. My bathroom habits returned to normal. I am 69 years old. Best wishes to you!

 

[hollydolly]

I had mine removed sometime about age 60. There were only five little incisions that did require stitches.

To answer your questions ...

1. Severe abdominal pain. Almost unbearable at times. Sometimes I'd wake in the night in a sweat. I'd have to walk it off and interestingly, for some reason, drinking a coke would help. The doc that viewed the ultrasound of my gallbladder said it was packed with what one might describe as sand.

2. The only area of pain was below my diaphragm. Mostly in the abdomen but felt like the stomach sometimes also. I'm a guy.

3. Since removal, symptoms have stopped completely and I can eat those foods that may have previously triggered the symptoms but my bowel movements are usually looser than before the gallbladder removal. It's not unusual these days to have a bowel movement soon after eating. Eating triggers bowel movements more so now than before gallbladder removal.

4. New issues might be associated with the more frequent loose bowels I mentioned.

5. 60yrs old

6. Haven't changed my diet after surgery.

7. I was discharged shortly after gallbladder removal surgery. They kept me for half an hour after surgery and that was it. Of course, I had to have someone with me to drive me home because of the surgical anesthesia effects.

Picture after I got home from gall bladder surgery ...

Picture after stitches were removed ...
It's been 10yrs and today I can't even find any scars or discolored spots.

EDIT: I THINK I had stitches ... maybe just a little bandage on each spot for a while. Can't remember for sure.
The incisions weren't large at all. Nor were those areas painful.

OMG why do you have so many incisions ?... I have a tiny incision scar underneath my breastbone, and that's all...

It's so small that during a medical last year about 15 years or so after the OP.., the doctor asked me if I'd ever had an operation.. I told her I'd had the gallbladder removed, and she said.. she'd not even noticed the scar, it was such a neat incision..

 

[JustDave]

Abdominal pain and vomiting. It was worse after eating fatty foods. I was 54 at the time. A total surprise, but my primary care doctor diagnosed it after a short interview. So he sent me for X rays and ultra sound, where I had a much bigger surprise. During the ultra sound there was a hushed conversation between doctors, who informed me of a growth on my kidney. It was Renal Cell Carcinoma.

What a find! Renal Cell is rare enough that no one ever looks for it, but they spotted it while checking my gall bladder, and it hadn't metastasized. I had one operation where my kidney was removed by a urology guy who stepped aside for an internal guy to move in and take out my gall bladder. It was a twofer. I had a little longer than usual recovery, but both problems were solved in one operation, and I have had zero complications from any of it. It seems one kidney is as good as two, and the gall bladder? I have no idea why it's even there in the first place.

 

[oscash]

Thanks! Your experience certainly fits in with the common classic symptoms. Did you have your gallbladder removed or just the stone from the small intestine?

Didn't have the gallbladder removed, just the stone.