Complications from recent gallbladder surgery

After turning in all of my paperwork for insurance approval, my Lap Band has been pushed back by 3-months due to the following: I recently had my gallbladder removed on September 14. I thought that I was going in for a simple gallbladder surgery but things changed once my doctor got in there. She removed my gallbladder but I began losing blood so after getting things under control, a drain was placed in the middle of my chest. It was the size of a grenade but made out of rubber of course. The drain was to stay in for 2-3 weeks to prevent infection. Since the surgery took longer than normal and I was also losing blood, so they kept me in the hospital for a few days. On September 25, my surgeon decided to remove the drain. However, I had been running a fever for the past two days. She told me that it appears that I am having a reaction from the tubing being in my chest and sent me home with a post-op visit of 4-6 weeks. Well, the very next day my temp went up to 103, so I called her to see if maybe I needed to be on some antibiotics. She told me to go back to the hospital through the ER so that they could perform a CAT-scan on me to see what is going on inside. Sure enough, I had an abscess in the location where my gallbladder used to be. I was immediately admitted back into the hospital so that they could evaluate the best way to handle this. I had a surgical consult in the ER and was told that the less evasive way to go would be to take me to Radiology and put in an abscess drain using the CAT scan to locate the abscess. I was told that it works 85% of the time; but if it fails then I would have to go back into surgery. I was also told that I could die from this because Sepsis could set in if they don't control an abscess right away. I was prepped for surgery and on Thursday morning, I was taken to Radiology to have the abscess drain put in. I remained in the hospital through Saturday because my fever was still high and my blood work was unstable. Currently, I have a hole in the middle of my chest from the first drain that is not closing very well and I have my abscess drain in my right side until October 11. The entire trunk of my body is in pain from this set-back. Not to mention that I have and live with Systemic RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) I noticed that the hole in my chest gets worse in the evening. It feels like a straw or tubing is stuck inside. That is the best way I can describe it. It is probably healing inside but I can tell you first hand that I am not allowed to do anything therefore I have not been overdoing it. Has anyone ever had complications like mine with your Gallbladder? If so, what kind and how long did it take for everything to heal?  I'm also having dry heaves with some diarrhea Any feedback would be appreciated……Marie

Sorry I can't be of much help.  The doc took out my gallblader at the same time as my WLS. Everything was done open and no complications at all. My advice is to KEEP up your protien shakes that will help with the healing. Good Luck,  Robin

I did not have complications from my gallbladder removal.  I had it taken out a couple of years ago, so when I had WLS it was already gone.  My WLS takes the gallblader for RNY and DS patients if you have one.  However, my gallbladder surgery was not planned.  I had a severe attack (no prior symptoms) and ended up in the hospital.  It was very infected when they took it out and it took me a long time to bounce back, longer than my open DS WLS recovery.  The GB was taken out lap.  I felt horrible for weeks after.  I went home with the J-tube and it drained constantly for quite a while.  I don't think I have ever felt worse!

Good luck on your recovery.  I hope you start feeling better soon.

Caroline

Marie, i had a horrible problem after my gallbladder removal by a SHE surgeon as well, here in Columbus, may i ask if your surgeon was Dana Frazier?

Marie, my surgery was at Grant Hospital and i too developed an absecces( 2 to be precise)  and had it drained via radiology. They left a tube in on intermittent suction, i ended up in the hospital 7 weeks. The tube did not drain all the fluid and i had a second surgery 20 days after the first. It ruined my self paid TT and i ended up. I did not eat for over a month and my protein dropped to 2 so be careful of this, i ended up with a PIC line that fed me intravenously for 2 months. I almost died it was the worst experience of my life never ever use Dr. Dana Frazier, she ruptured my gallbladder during an open surgery...not even laproscopic and then did not tell us this happened, so we had no idea why i would suddenly end up in ICU 1 week and then be discharged only to come back 15 hrs later with pain and looking into the eyes of death. With the second surgery she cut my bowel and failed to tell us as well.  I still have resisual pain from abdominal scar tissue and it has been almost a year

Hi Meltingmel, I am so very sorry to hear about all of the trouble you had with your gallbladder surgery.  I guess mine wasn't that bad after hearing what you have been through.  Are you doing better now?  I sure hope so.  Just an FYI regarding problems with your surgery:  In Aug/Sept 2000, I had Endoscopic surgery on both of my heels due to Plantar Fasciitis.  I began having problems almost immediately after my second foot was done.  When I called the Orthopedic surgeon (Dr. Charles Lowrey), who did my surgery to let him know that something was wrong, I was told to go back to work, wor****il you can't work anymore, and then stay home.  I was appalled by his lack of concern over what was happening to me.  I went to 3 other physicians for another opinion and help with my pain.  I found out that I had RSD or Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy.  This is caused by surgery.  So I knew that the Orthopedic doctor had hit my nerves while he was doing my surgery.   I went through hell during the next two years.  I was on numerous medications, physical therapy, and had 12 Epidural blocks.  This disease started in both feet and legs.  It spread into my lower back after the first year.  In 2004, the RSD had spread through-out my body.  The pain is unbearable at times, especially when it attacks my internal organs.  That is the worse.   I don't know if you are planning on taking any action against your surgeon or not for what happened to you but if you are, the key thing to remember is that the Ohio Revised Code only allows you to file a medical malpractice suit within one year after the cause of action accrued.  I'm only mentioning this because you said that it had been almost a year.  I feel that the law protects the doctors instead of the victims because during my first year all I could think about was trying to find a physician who knows what RSD is and can treat it accordingly.  I was in so much pain that a medical malpractice suit was the furthest thing from my mind at that time.  I was very discouraged when I found out how the law worked.  There was nothing I could do at that point. As for my gallbladder surgery, I had my surgery at Mt. Carmel West and my surgeon is Dr. Patricia Choban.  She is a very good surgeon, who always lets you know what is happening or is going to happen.  Dr. Choban's main area is Gastric Bypass/Lap Band surgery.  She is very well known and respected by all of her peers, past patients, and current patients.  She took very good care of me right from the beginning.  I was actually going to have my Lap Band surgery in September but my gallbladder problems postponed that.  I'm hoping to reschedule this before the end of the year. I really hope that everything goes well for you.  Thank you for sharing your information with me.  I wish you the very best.  Regards, Marie