<p>The modern surgeon’s goal is always laparoscopic and as an outpatient. Find a surgeon who performs more than 95% of their cholecystectomies laparoscopically. Also, a surgeon who completes uncomplicated ones in 30-60 minutes skin to skin There has been a growing shift towards robotically assisted cholecystectomies. The reality is that using a robot is expensive and an overkill with no proven outcome benefits.</p>
<p>Normally the liver drips bile into the small intestine to help digest fat. Some of the bile is also stored in the gallbladder to give an extra shot of bile if a high fat meal is digested. Not having a gallbladder can cause digestive issues after consuming high fat meals (low carb dieters, who typically consume high fat diets, need to be careful here).</p>
<p>swimcatsmom, I had the surgery two months ago. I went home a couple of hours after it was over, had to take it easy for a day or so. The surgeon emphasized that I should move around. This meant walking, because pretty much everything else was out - no lifting or straining for a month. I had to follow a restricted diet for a month - very low fat. Since then I’ve been eating normally and I’ve had no problems. My mother, aunt, and sister have all had this surgery. My mother and my aunt have had to be very careful about diet, but my mother has other conditions that cause digestive problems so it’s hard to tell what is due to the surgery. Both my mother and my aunt take a tablespoon of Metamucil every day. They swear by it to prevent bathroom emergencies. My sister and I have not had any issues. </p>
<p>My gallbladder problems started suddenly and the attacks were severe. I spent one particularly bad night in the ER. I was able to schedule surgery with an excellent surgeon who does these all the time, laparoscopically, through 4 small incisions. For me, the surgery restored my quality of life to what it had been before the gallstone attacks started. frugaldoctor’s advice is good - choose your surgeon with care. If you are in NY and would like a recommendation, PM me. My advice is to identify an appropriate surgeon and get in to see him/her as soon as possible. It’s much better to have a scheduled surgery than an emergency surgery.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>My husband had severe pain and needed me to take him to the ER, where luckily the diagnosis was gallbladder problems and not his heart as I feared. He had surgery two weeks later and his experience was pretty much like NYMomof2’s above. I was quite worried during the 2 weeks up to the surgery because I feared complications from another attack but he came through with flying colors and in a week or two, was back to his old self. </p>
<p>If you follow the advice above and have an experienced surgeon who does the laparoscopic procedure it’s very likely that you will not have any difficulty. Good luck!</p>
<p>Unfortunately we live in a small town with choice of just 2 surgeons. I have spoken to several people who have or know people who he has performed this surgery on and they all seem to think he does it well and, based on the few people I have spoken to knowing so many people he has done it for, it seems like he does it often. I haven’t heard any negative reports so far.</p>
<p>Good luck, swimcatsmom. I’m recovering from a different surgery, but I’ll say this. Get your ducks in a row, find a good book, and let your family spoil you. You might even lay low an extra day or two, just to make them appreciate you more :-). Plus, a wise friend once said, it’s an act of generosity to let someone care for you because it makes them feel trusted and needed. Just sayin’…</p>
<p>My husband has been doing a great job of taking care of me. My son wants to come (he lives about 1200 miles away) when I have the surgery. Told him it isn’t a major surgery, but he really wants to be here which warms my heart </p>
<p>I had my gallbladder out in August after putting it off for nearly a year due to lack of insurance. It was a terrible, terrible experience that could’ve been completely avoided. Just get it done ASAP and good luck. (Not trying to scare you in the least- my experience was horrible because of complications due to putting it off.) </p>
<p>I have a long thread on here that details everything I went through. I wouldn’t recommend it lol. </p>
<p>I had mine out over 10 years ago and have never noticed any issues at all…and my diet can hardly be called low fat 8-| Ironically, my first (and only attack) was after losing about 25 pounds, and I had at least two other friends in the same situation. Good thing I did, as I would have thought I was dying if one friend had not recently described her gall bladder attack to me. I did get sent home post surgery after one night in the hospital and ended up back in the ER the next day with what were severe pains, but embarrassingly enough, turned out to be only gas pains. Good luck, I am sure you will be fine!</p>
<p>I had mine out last March. Because I put it off, the doctor said I need a general surgery. I had complications (fever) a few days after the surgery (gaining 30 pounds, all in water/body fluid in the stomach.) Took a lot of antibiotics and required another surgery in the next few months. Finally I recovered from it after more than 4 months. However, occasionally I still had uncomfortable feeling or even pain in my stomach due to lots of gas in my stomach. I now avoid eating too much for my dinner, especially when I eat a late dinner. Otherwise, I will definitely have gas pain in the middle of night or early morning.</p>
<p>Wish you a much better luck than me.</p>
<p>The day after my surgery, when the nurse called to check on me, I was in the midst of preparing lunch because my husband had a cold and couldn’t stand at the stove… three days later I prepared Thanksgiving dinner.</p>
<p>I took digestive enzymes for a couple of months because I had the after meal trots that have already been mentioned, and that allowed me to digest fatty foods better (meaning meat, mostly).</p>
<p>My surgeon said that gall bladder was her favorite surgery because the patients feel so much better so quickly. I had been misdiagnosed for 6 months prior to surgery, so after the first 24 hours I was a happy camper to be rid of the pain. (Former) doctor had done all kinds of tests, ignored the obvious symptom of dark urine and light stool, and told me I was having panic attacks. Never had another “panic attack” after the surgery!</p>
<p>Once I got past the post op recovery and if I avoid fatty foods, I have no residual problems. In fact I feel so much better after having it removed. </p>
<p>I had to have mine taken out when I was 19. I was a sophomore at the time, went to my school clinic complaining that I felt like someone was stabbing me, and they told me it sounded like heartburn. So I spent a week or so popping antacids until one of the attacks landed me in the hospital. It was honestly one of the most painful experiences I’ve ever had (I dislocated my kneecap a year later, and even that didn’t hurt as much). I had to have emergency surgery the next week, and besides being inconvenient, it really wasn’t too bad. My friends and boyfriend took me back to my dorm that same day (I signed a “refused medical advice form” because I felt well enough to leave) , and I resumed my classes the next week. After the surgery, I kind of felt like I’d done 1,000 sit ups, but I didn’t take any pain meds besides ibuprofen. The hardest part was the anesthesia, and I had to watch what I ate for the first six months or so, but now, I’m totally normal (today’s my 28th birthday).</p>
<p>Had mine out about 4 years ago. In at 8:00 am, home by noon. Done with a laproscope. I have not had any issues post op with eating. There is nothing that I avoid. My symptoms never put me in the hospital. Upper right quadrant pain that started 1 hour after eating and lasted about 1/2 hour. Food culprits before surgery mostly included cheese and egg combo or dairy and some fatty meats like a nice grilled pork chop with a little crunchy fat on the edges 
My surgery was on Friday and I could have gone to work on Monday. Hardest part was finding close that didn’t press on the incisions.</p>
<p>No problems for me, easy recovery</p>
<p>Posting before reading thread (ALWAYS a good idea!)
I had mine out last summer (lap) after a year of hell (unconnected to diet). No problems at all. No dietary restrictions at all. ITake your pain pills the first two-three days like clockwork. As I recall the second full day after was my worst pain day. I took a week-plus off work which was nice but I had tons of sick time saved and could have worked some if needed after probably day 4 or 5. </p>
<p>I had my gallbladder out about 5 years ago laparoscopically. Recovery pretty quick as others have described. Back at work after 2 days (though I’ve got an office job that doesn’t require lifting more than a few sheets of paper). Take the pain meds and be sure to move around as the doctor recommends. I haven’t really noticed any gastrointestinal problems, even on the rare occasions when I eat high cholesterol dinners (even our once a year cheese fondue has been OK and I can still have an occasional steak dinner). </p>
<p>On balance I’d recommend having the surgery soon rather than risking that you have another attack on April 2 and have to have emergency surgery, perhaps surgery than can not be done laparoscopically. As with most surgeries you want to go with someone who has done a lot. My surgeon does probably more than 100 per year, but then I live relatively close to NYC in a densely populated suburban area of NJ.</p>
<p>I had my gallbladder out about 18 years ago laparoscopically. Intially everything was ok but then I started having problems again. I had to have a second surgery because somehow they missed some small gallstones and they
got stuck in the duct somehow… anyway after that I did have to take prescription zantac for a while. But now everything is fine.</p>
<p>I’m about 8 years out and have the fatty foods issue. Recovery was fast (was back to work the next week). If you wait too late and the gall bladder bursts then it’s automatic open surgery as opposed to laparoscopic. Mine were as big as golf balls too. </p>
<p>Piece of cake and I’m not kidding. Done by lap, no pain and I really haven’t suffered terrible consequences as long as I don’t eat super fatty foods/meals. It’ll be fine.</p>