How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

I'm told you only have to stay one night, but how is the post recovery?

Also, can you recc. your surgeon and what hospital they are affiliated with?

thanks.

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

I am in NJ so I can't recommend my surgeon. But for me it was emergency surgery. I was admitted for two days, but my friend's husband had it as outpatient surgery. I could not lift anything (kids included) for a few days. I felt so much better after the surgery. Feel better!

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

I had mine out 6 weeks after having DS. It was 2 months ago and it was an emergency surgery. I was only suppose to be there overnight BUT the stones in my gallbladder escaped into my bile duct so I had a procedure called an ERCP 2 hours before the gallbladder surgery. During the ERCP the doctor accidentally lacerated my pancreas leaving me with a hematoma and pancreatitis. I was in the hospital for 2 weeks in extreme pain and eventually transfered from Good Sam to Mount Sinai in Manhattan and was still in pain for 3 weeks after the hospital stay. It was horrible. The gallbladder surgery went very smoothly though and I loved the surgeons who performed it. They were very nice, did a great job and kept coming back to see me even though the pancreatitis thing was not their fault. I would recommend the surgeons, Dr. Jho and his group in Bayshore on Park Ave but I would never, ever get an ERCP or anything endoscopic at Good Sam again. Oh, and the room it was in was like a utility closet where they also did endoscopic procedures, the drs were complaining the whole time they didn't have enough room, maybe that's why the f'd up my pancreas.

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

I had mine 2 months after dd. it was an emergency surgery and I stayed in the hospital overnight. The recovery wasn't bad- the next 2 days after I it home I stayed in bed and rested. I was a little sore after that but was walking around and feeling okay the surgeon I used was out of peconic bay. Feel free to fm me.

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

I had mine 5 weeks after DS. I had my gall bladder out and went home the next day, but had another attack. I had to go back into the hospital and have the ERCP procedure done (just like the previous poster) because a stone was in my bile duct outside of the gall bladder. I was in the hospital a total of 5 days.

If they mention doing an ERCP, I would recommend it because they take a camera and make sure (or take out) any stones in the bile duct. If they don't, you can have a "gall bladder" attack 10 years later because of that stupid mis-placed stone!

**ETA: I used Dr. Vitolo from St. Catherines in Smithtown and he was AWESOME! I think he is a truly great guy AND a great surgeon. I would totally recommend him!

Message edited 7/6/2012 9:03:57 PM.

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

I had mine out Junr 1st, it was planned and I was SO nervous!! It ended up being much easier than I had anticipated. I used Dr. Shinbrot in Massapequa, the surgery was outpatient at Plainview LIJ. The surgery was at 7:30am, was out of surgery in an hour and was home by noon! The recovery was easier than my c-section recovery. The 2 days after the surgery were the worst of it....maybe just from the anesthesia wearing off, i'm not sure, but I was very sore and still had bad gas pains from the air they fill you with. Once the gas went away I felt much better!!! By day 3 I was taking only tylenol, no vicodin and was walking around slowly. I took about a week for me to feel like eating anything other than jello and saltines, but SO glad I did the surgery. I'm not in pain anymore and I don't seem to have a problem digesting anything. Sorry this is so long!! If you have any question don't hesitate to ask me

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

I had mine out 5 months after DS was born.
It was laproscopic and the recovery was pretty easy. I was in the hospital 2 nights because, in the words of my surgeon, my gall bladder was "very sick".
He wanted to keep me for observation.
It was also done emergency.

Dr. Joseph Patane on Park Ave. did my surgery at Huntington Hospital. He was great. Dr. Zingale assisted. (he is also a great surgeon. My brother and FIL used him).

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

I had mine out in November. I did not stay overnight (I had it doing laproscopically). I did have a lung issue afterwards but that was due to asthma/ allergy issues. If not for the long issues I would have been back to work in 5 days (I had the surgery on a Friday was planning to come in on Tuesday). I ended up staying out of work till the following Monday because of Thanksgiving. I used a Dr. Huston from Stonybrook. Very thorough.

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

I had mine out 5 weeks after having my baby.
I had the surgery around 11 am and was released from the hospital by 7 pm- I could have left by 4 pm but didn't feel ready.

It wasn't bad at all if it's done laproscopically- and 99% of them are done that way now.

The recovery wasn't bad- I was sore for about a week, then felt pretty much 100%.
To give you an idea- I went out to dinner the next night.
I was STARVING from the 2nd I woke up from surgery.
The worst part was the shoulder pain from the gas they use to pump up your abdomen during surgery. That hurt worse than the incisions. It felt like someone was karate chopping my shoulders for a week.
Other than that- it was a breeze- and I am a HUGE baby.

I used Dr Lee at Good Sam.

Message edited 7/9/2012 1:07:16 PM.

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

thanks everyone..I need to go to my GI this week to find out if it def. needs to come out...

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

I'm having mine removed Wednesday!
I'm using Dr. Reiner at Pro Health in Lake Success.
Mine is outpatient

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

Just to update...I had mine removed yesterday, got there at 6:30am, surgery started around 7:50, was over by 8:20 and I left at 10:30am.

The only real pain I have is the gas trapped inside of me. Other than that, I feel pretty good

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

Posted by november12003

Just to update...I had mine removed yesterday, got there at 6:30am, surgery started around 7:50, was over by 8:20 and I left at 10:30am.

The only real pain I have is the gas trapped inside of me. Other than that, I feel pretty good

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

Posted by november12003

Just to update...I had mine removed yesterday, got there at 6:30am, surgery started around 7:50, was over by 8:20 and I left at 10:30am.

The only real pain I have is the gas trapped inside of me. Other than that, I feel pretty good

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

Posted by Seta

Posted by november12003

Just to update...I had mine removed yesterday, got there at 6:30am, surgery started around 7:50, was over by 8:20 and I left at 10:30am.

The only real pain I have is the gas trapped inside of me. Other than that, I feel pretty good

just saw lake success...did you have it across from lij hospital?

Message edited 7/12/2012 5:29:21 PM.

Re: How is the recovery for having your gallbladder removed?

I had it done at Pro Health Ambulatory. It's 2800 Marcus Ave. I still can't get rid of this gas, but once I do I'll feel great!

Mine was done by Dr. Dan Reiner. He was great!

Message edited 7/13/2012 10:48:15 AM.