Question:
How bad is Lap Gall Bladder removal?

Hello, all. I am just about 9 months post op, down 130 pounds and currently counting down the days until I have my gall bladder removed laproscopically. They found some "sludge" and "gravel" blocking the cystic duct and said I need to have it out b4 the chance of infection. My question is....how bad is this surgery? How bad is the pain? I don't think I could handle what I went through with open RNY again. I appreciate any info you can offer. Thanks.    — Kelly C. (posted on February 28, 2003)

February 28, 2003
This surgery should be pretty easy. I had mine taken out, but it had to be done open because it was so infected the surgeon didn't want to take a chance with it. I was back at work in just over 2 weeks.
   — garw

February 28, 2003
Lap gallbladder removal is nothing. If you had open RNY then you have NOTHING to worry about. Doesn't even compare. These days it's done a lot as outpatient surgery and if not it's only overnight in the hospital. Do not worry yourself about it at all. Some people end up more gassy than others, as they inflate your abdomen with it. It passes, though. 4 tiny little incisions and a little soreness for a few days. Again, don't worry.
   — KelBurt

February 28, 2003
I've had 14 surgeries. The LAP gallbladder was the easiest. This is not to say any surgery is a picnic, but it was the easiest by far.
   — Danmark

February 28, 2003
This surgery is very easy to recover from! I was overnight in the hospital and chucking hay bales a week later. I met my surgeon shopping in the store three days after my return home. He smiled and said, "it's not often I meet my patients out and about three days after surgery"!
   — Bonnie B.

February 28, 2003
I had mine done w/ my LAP. So I sorta really don't know of the pain, however, a nurse friend of mine says it's one of the easiest surgeries to recover from, and now that you've lost the weight it should be a breeze! Good Luck
   — Cindee A.

February 28, 2003
I had my surgery about 6 years ago. I went in the hospital at 7am had it done and was going home by 1pm very easy. I was out shopping the next day. Don't worry it is really painless and quick. Good Luck. Diana
   — Diana B.

February 28, 2003
Just had mine out Lap on Monday. I feel the same as I did about three months out from Open RNY. No comparison. I haven't even had what I would call pain. More like discomfort.
   — Julie S.

March 1, 2003
I THINK IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE PERSON. I HAD MY GALLBLADDER REMOVED THREE WEEKS AGO AND IT TOOK ME ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF TO FEEL NORMAL. I'M STILL NOT ABLE TO SLEEP ON MY STOMACH THOUGH. I HAVE NOT HAD WLS SURGERY YET SO I CAN NOT COMPARE THE TWO FOR YOU. THE DAY OF MY SURGERY THEY KEPT ME DOPED UP ON MORPHINE. I REALLY DON'T REMEMBER TOO MUCH. THE LORTAB THEY GAVE ME TOOK CARE OF THE DISCOMFORT I WAS HAVING AND I DID HAVE TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN THE HOSPITAL DUE TO MY WEIGHT AND POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS WITH MY ASTHMA AND SLEEP APNEA. SINCE YOU HAVE LOST WEIGHT IT SHOULD BE A WHOLE LOT EASIER ON YOU. GOOD LUCK! YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT!
   — KRISTY W.

March 1, 2003
I had mine taken out at 2 months post op. The pain wasn't too bad. The thing that hurt the worst was the incision by the belly button. After the recovery. I felt 200% better. Amazing how a little thing like the gallbladder can effect you. Good luck.
   — jbekke

March 1, 2003
I had lap gallbladder removal feb 14,2000 I was 22 at the time and I am diabetic but the healing process was very quick. I had my surgery on monday and was back to work on weds. I had very little pain just a little discomfort when I was sleeping but other than that it was pretty smooth.
   — harleigh2002

March 3, 2003
Kelly, I think everyone is different, I had my gall bladder taken out about 1 month ago, when I hit my 8 month post op, I would have opted to have had the Open RYN done again, and they even removed my gall bladder laproscopically. It took me 3 weeks to feel normal, the surgeron said I had allot of scar tissue from the Open RYN that he had to manuver around. I would have either opted for Open RYN again, or a tummy peircing. It took 3 weeks for the tummy to actually feel normal, (Really sore) It's been about 5 weeks since then, and I'm finaly getting back into the hang of things. Tummy's not sore, but have a hit weight loss plateau ! Frustrating ! One good thing is that I'm no longer in pain, the rib cage and tummy pain, so that's good. Post op 9 months down 125 pounds..................
   — tannedtigress

March 3, 2003
It all depends on your pain tolerence, doctor, etc. I had my gallbladder removed by lap 1 year and 1 day after my lap rny. My surgery was at 7:30am, was over at 8am, and I was in the car on the way home at 9am. I had surgery on a Wednesday and was back at work on Monday (desk job). I only took pain pills the first day and then the next 2 nights. It was really easy - my only problem was a little nausea the first 2 days, but that is pretty typical with me and surgery. Hope your surgery goes as easily and pain-free as mine did!
   — Stephanie S.

March 3, 2003
I am 3-weeks post op (open RNY) and had my gallbladder out a couple of years ago lap. Like you, I had a stone blocking the duct to my liver, but I didn't find this out until I went to the ER with severe abdominal pain (infection). I had my gallbladder out within hours of checking into the ER. Even with those extenuating circumstances, that lap gallbladder procedure was NOTHING compared with an open RNY. I had my gallbladder out on Monday AM, was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday and went back to work feeling 100% the following Monday. And I have a VERY low pain threshold.
   — Amy W.

March 3, 2003
Like Amy, I had mine removed almost a year to the date of my WLS surgery (both LAP). The GB surgery was nuthin'. I was in and out the same day (as soon as I could pee, they let me go home). I was a little depressed- but anesthesia does that to me. I took a week off, and probably could have done my "recovery" in half that amount of time. I milked it- but then I didn't know how bad it would be; compared to WLS, and needed to be sure.
   — Karen R.

March 3, 2003
I meant "like Stephanie"!
   — Karen R.

March 3, 2003
I had mine removed in May of 2001...and I'm not scheduled to have my WLS till May 19th of this year so I can't compare either. BUT, when I went in, I had been having HORRIBLE attacks and when I finally went to the emergency room, they admitted me and the doctor told me I had peritinitis (sp). I was in the hospital for a week. I had it done lap (first abdominal surgery besides my c-section and up to that time had never heard of lap surgery!) and I was fine just a few days later. HTH....good luck!
   — Jeralyn Merideth

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