Post gallbladder op

[1Foxylady]

It's 4 days after having my gall bladder removed and I seem to be recovering nicely except for a pain on my right side. The pain occurs when I take a deep breath or if I suddenly gasp, for example sneezing.

Has anybody else experienced this pain after a gall bladder operation?
I am due to see my doc on fri so I will ask him, just wanted to put my mind at ease in the meantime.

[shykins]

when i had mine done the dr said to me just because u dont have scars on the outside dont underestimate how big an op this is

bear in mind your right side has been pulled around a lot and its inevitable u will have pain there for some days/weeks after if u do sudden things (sneezing is the worst OUCH!!)

i had a lot of pain also from the gas that is pumped into u to allow the drs room to work

hope u feel better soon
x

[sillyvixen]

your surgery has involved small cuts in skin and muscle, pumping you full of air, inserting all manor of equiptment and moving it about before finally removing an organ. its only been 4 days since your op - no wonder you are still having pain and pulling when sneezing and deep breathing. it does take time and everyone recovers at different rates. settle down and take it easy and let yourself recover ..

i do admit sneezing is the worst - i had an open gallbladder op 3 years ago and went on to develop a heavy cold 3 days post op - stay healthy and keep away from germridden people who have colds!

hope your feeling better soon.

[Penny Watcher]

I had the keyhole form of the op about 12 years ago. Afterwards (whilst still in hospital) I got the pain up and under my ribcage. My doctor told me it was to do with the gas used to 'blow you up' so that the surgeons can see what they are doing. For me it felt like muscle strain or a stitch, rather than anything sharp. It passed within a couple of days.

Hope you feel better soon.

[1Foxylady]

Thank you everyone for your comforting advice, it's amazing how much better you feel when you share a problem.

I must admit, I do think because I don't have major scars on the outside that I am better, but you are right, a lot more has happened inside which I can't see.

I will let you know what the doc says on friday.
Thanks again for your encouraging words :-) x

[1Foxylady]

Well the doc said that it takes time for my insides to heal and the pain will ease in time. He didn't really say what the pain could be but reassured me that it would disappear eventually.

He had a feel around my abdomen and said that everything seemed fine.
I suppose I'll just have to give it time but at least he has made me feel better :-)

[dollydoodah]

I had my gallbladder out at the beginning of September and I was shocked at how long it took me to recover.

Although it was keyhole, I was expecting to feel better within a matter of days but honestly, it took me about a month to feel back to normal.

After the initial pain from coughing, sneezing etc had worn off, my scars began to really hurt me, like a burning sensation. And I was soooo tired all the time.

But honestly, it was worth it. I put off having the op for over 18mths but the sheer bliss of being able to eat what I want without worrying that it will affect me is fantastic.

Hope you recover soon.

[sillyvixen]

glad you have had your mind put at rest ... these things take time to settle down.. i hope you are feeling better soon.

take it easy!

[shykins]

i am sure u will feel much better soon keep reminding yourslf its more serious on the inside than it looks on the out

i remember feeling very tired as well dolly took me about 3months to feel truly better but i was VERY ill beforehand having lost a couple stone so dont let that scare u foxy

look on the bright side u can enjoy yr christmas food and not worry about a gallbladder attack!!
x

[annie_d]

I had mine removed in April and foolishly went back to work 6 days later. I am now listed to have an umbilical hernia repair! Think on

[panpipe]

I had my appendix out (keyhole) in August and can sympathise - it was difficult at first to fathom that although I only had three small incisions, what they'd done to my insides was pretty gruesome! Went back to work after about 2 weeks, that was still a struggle - luckily my annual leave was booked for 2 days later so I got a bit more of a break! The biggest pain I had was in my shoulder funnily enough, this was due to the gas they pump in to give themselves space to work. It will probably be at least a few months before things get back to normal, so don't worry!

[Wolfsbayne]

The removal of the gall bladder is still a very big operation in terms of recovery, etc although it can now be conducted in less than an hour (open or keyhole). In fact, when I was working in recovery it was probably the worst procedure for patients to recover from particularly in terms of pain control.

What you are experiencing is perfectly normal and it will take you quite some time to completely recover. Take things easy. Alternating pain killers helps (so Ibuprofen, then codeine, then ibuprofen, etc) rather than sticking to just one kind and dont be afraid to ring the hospital or nhs direct for advice.

[1Foxylady]

The removal of the gall bladder is still a very big operation in terms of recovery, etc although it can now be conducted in less than an hour (open or keyhole). In fact, when I was working in recovery it was probably the worst procedure for patients to recover from particularly in terms of pain control.

What you are experiencing is perfectly normal and it will take you quite some time to completely recover. Take things easy. Alternating pain killers helps (so Ibuprofen, then codeine, then ibuprofen, etc) rather than sticking to just one kind and dont be afraid to ring the hospital or nhs direct for advice.


I've not taken any painkillers, oh except 2 paracetamol for a headache I had the other day. I worry that if I take some for my pain in my side and the pain disappears temporarily then I'll think I am ok and may strain myself because I don't feel any pain.

Last night I had an uncomfortable sleep, everytime I shifted position it would hurt me _pale_

[ka7e]

Didn't the hospital send you home with suitable painkillers? I had my appendix removed 15/11 and was sent home (after 4 days) with at least 10 days worth of codeine and paracetamol. I did wean myself off them quite quickly, only taking 1 codeine before bed so I could sleep relatively comfortably. Stitches out at 9 days and the op site was still very bruised and sore. My appendix wasn't in the "normal" position, so my scar is somewhere between where a normal appendectomy incision is made,and a gall bladder one - just below waist level.

I think if you restrict your movement in case any action is painful, you actually prolong the recovery process. I can walk and move pretty much normally after 25 days, but still find picking things up from the floor uncomfortable. I've only started to be able to empty the dishwasher and washing machine in the past week, ditto putting on socks!

Don't underestimate the effects of internal bruising, the gas used to fill the abdominal cavity and the residual effects of general anaesthesia. They all combine to make the first few weeks pretty uncomfortable and I'd recommend you take your prescribed pain medications to ease you through them. :smiley:

[1Foxylady]

I slept better last night which is one good thing :-)
I was told to take nurofen and paracetamol for pain relief, the hospital didn't give me any because it was cheaper to buy it at the local supermarket than be invoiced for it by the hospital.
I am just going to take it easy and hopefully by the time I go back to work in jan I will be a lot better and hopefully the pain will have gone or at least eased.

[sillyvixen]

i am sorry the hospital did not send you home with any suitable pain relief, but i can believe it, it happened to me! i had an open choly (should have been lap day surgery but was converted due to complications) 5 days later i was dischaged on a saturday (from a small cottage unit that had no weekend pharmacy) i could not be given any pain relief to take with me as pharmacy was closed - i should have stayed when i realised they gave me a dose of oromorph for the 30 min journey back to my mums. it was a bank holiday weekend and i could not get a prescription untill the tuesday, my dr was horrified i had been discharged if they could not provide adequet pain relief to get me through the weekend.