Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group gallbladder removal...what to expect/what to eat?

i need to have my gallbladder removed. i have a small polyp, but it is growing, and a growing polyp will very likely become malignant over time or so i am told, so advised to have it removed now, i agree. just glad i had the ultrasound done when i was having the gastritis flare back in 2006, or it wouldn't have been caught this early, perhaps not until after i had cancer that needed chemo, so just thankful we caught it this early.

never had surgery before. it will be laparoscopic, still a little nervous about the cutting even if its small, still nervous about the anesthesia, still nervous about spending the night in the hospital, nervous about having increased musculoskeletal problems having to lay in bad positions or not being able to exercise afterwards for a few weeks. wondering about the compatibility of my drugs and the anesthesia (especially LDN). i know i'm being a big baby, lots of people have surgery and survive it just fine. so please share your experiences to relax my anxieties.

also nervous about if i will be part of the 50% that has few symptoms after its removal or the 50% that will have gastrointestinal troubles from it (either bile dumping and thus diarrhea after meals or more common not enough bile production and nausea, gas, bloating, after eating. and then the questions of what to eat as i live life without my gallbladder (i'm rather attached to my body parts ) so please share your diet tips for life after gallbladder removal.

thanks all!

I had a Cholecystectomy (as well as a bowel ressection) in 1990.

No two patients are alike.

For me, I had to kiss deep-fried foods goodbye. Pasta and other refined flour products bother me. I'm careful with red meat as well as dairy.

Aim for your typical wholesome balanced healthy diet, and go from there. I have Crohn's related issues from time to time, but generally am okay with most "healthy" foods without being a fanatic. Everything in moderation.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

thanks edwin!

been doing a bit of reading today. does sound like for a lot of people not too bad. thanks for saying something similar. already don't eat much fried food. just hope i can continue to eat my healthy nuts, beans (read somewhere they are a no no, i hope not! they are very good for my blood sugar). i also don't eat a lot of red meat, but do try to eat the fatty fish a few times a week. also already on a LSD. but do like eggs for managing blood sugar / migraines when i need that. guess it may be trial and error and retweeking my diet yet again. i know it could be a lot worse. i'm sure i'll be fine. just need to get used to the idea.

probably will hold off til end of may, after graduation. i have a masters student who needs to finish her thesis and defend it mid may and an undergrad research student who is giving the student graduation speech, can't miss the first and don't want to miss the second. thus far, asymptomatic, and thus why having the ultrasound such a blessing.

First off, you sound very brave to me.

Ordinarily in laparoscopic surgery the post op recovery period is a couple of weeks or less. The surgeon aims to preserve your abdominal muscles. Makes stab wounds instead of big incisions. It's that abdominal wall stuff (cut muscles, skin incisions) that hurts so much and is responsible for most of the post op recovery pain and activity limitation.

It's important that you tell the anesthesiologist your medical condition, of course - but moreover that you make sure you are put in a comfortable supported position on the operating table. Ask to lay in the position you will be in for surgery and Insist that they put pillows, rolls just how it has to be to be comfortable. That's the kind of thing that should be done for everyone, but isn't always. For us, it's really important. Don't fall for the "oh, we'll position you after you are asleep". How will they know what hurts you? You are not the average patient. I asked them to position me awake, and the surgeon tried to hurry and gave the "oh we'll position you after..." but I have an unstable vertebra and said so. Said I wanted to be sure I wasn't harmed by positioning. The anesthesiologist told the surgeon to wait and they got me just right.

Other thing I did that was helpful was bring pillows from home.

All the best to you! Keep posting, we love you.

thanks nancy!

thanks for explaining the surgery a bit. and the suggestions for positioning. think i'm better than a lot of people, thus far just a little arthritis changes in my spine. and who knows with the drugs they give me, maybe i'll feel even better than normal drugs are good!

and yes, i'll be talking with both the surgeon and the anesthesiologist prior and i'll remember to take my pillows with me, especially my feather pillow for my neck and pillows under my knees and i should be good i think.

and thanks for the love!
so nice to have you here as well!

I've had chronic diarrhea for years, of which is partially attributable not having a gall bladder. I periodically use Questran (Cholestyramine) which is bile acid sequestrant.

Sue

I think you will do just fine.

Ask if the anesthegeologist will be seeing you before you "go under" You may need a smaller mouthpiece if you have limited jaw movement due to AS or any other of his "friends".


Just a guess.... I don't think you have a small mouth.

thanks edwin for the advice about questrin! my stepfather has crohn's and most of his small intestine was removed in the mid to late 80s, and with the questrin and the asacol, has lived very well eating almost anything he wants except for seeds and nuts and corn (roughage that would get caught in his reduced ID intestine). hadn't thought of questrin for me, and the upside of questrin according to my stepfather is because of it, his cholesterol levels are outstanding despite being pretty overweight all these years.

glad i asked the question, you all are coming up with advice i wouldn't have even thought to ask about.

Had to have mine out last year. It was diseased and going south. I had a little trouble with food for two weeks then it was smooth sailing.
ETTE.
Darrel.

thanks jeffery,

as i just said to edwin, advice i wouldn't have even thought of asking about.

and do have to laugh
you'd think my mouth would be larger in size than it is,
but just two days ago, got full xrays at dentist office and even that a challenge,
i asked them how they get that thing in a child's mouth,
and they say, they manage ok,
i just can't even imagine
and hubby is surprised as much as i use my jaw that i haven't worn out that joint yet, maybe its all the exercise it gets!
in all seriousness though, hope the drugs relax the muscles enough that i don't end up with jaw problems, when i go to the dentist, i always take a muscle relaxant which helps, but have to take frequent breaks, if my mouth is left open for too long, the muscles start to spasm. but i bet the anesthesia will help a lot to avoid these things, just assuming.