I had my gallbladder out last July 14th.

Took me about a week to recover.

You can't hurry your healing. Just take it easy, don't lift anything heavy.

I drove my car with a small pillow on my stomach - seatbelt went over pillow.

My scars are almost gone.

Carol

Better take it easy a little while longer!

Just take it easy. One morning you will wake up and feel great.

Follow doctors' orders about lifting and stairclimbing. My BIL had his gall bladder out , had laparascopic surgery, came home feeling pretty good, so he went out and mowed his lawn. Bad idea! He developed a hernia and had to have a second operation! Take it easy!

Remind yourself that if you really take it easy, you will actually feel back to your old-self faster.

Take care and get well!

Gosh, I had my gall bladder out a few years ago by laproscopic surgery. I was sent home with no restrictions. I was doing laundry the next day and playing golf a week later. Of course, I was taking vicodin, which I guess helped me feel great.

That exhausted feeling is your body telling you that it's spending all its' energy healing. So just pay attention. when your energy returns you'll be ready to run.

Yes, please take it easy and let your body heal. I had to have a kidney taken out by laproscopic surgery and because of the heat here it took some time for everything to heal. one of the incisions wanted to get infected. I spent a lot of time on the recliner in front of the fan. Even then I got a hernia. Not fun because all of my intestines were busting out of that tear and the doctor said he could even see my liver during the surgery to repair it. I had to have a mesh put over the tear. I looked like I was growing a large melon on my side.
{{!gwi}}

You know, it was fascinating last year in our family. DD had hers out in July (emergency--after an attack--her op was done in the hospital), DH had his out in Sept. (scheduled, they found it when doing the tests prior to his hernia surgery--his was outpatient surgery). Both surgeries were done laproscopically.

DD's dr. didn't restrict her from eating after surgery. As a matter of fact, she came back to her hospital room, ordered up dinner and ate everything on her plate. DH's Dr. was emphatic that he NOT eat a morsel for 24 hours after surgery. DH followed those instructions. DD had a LOT of trouble during her recovery with nausea, diarrhea etc. DH did not. Because one was emergency, one was not? Or because one ate right away, putting a strain on stuff and one did not? Or maybe just because their bodies reacted differently to the surgery.

DD had hers done Monday, she came home from the hospital Tues. She lives alone and refused to have anyone stay with her. She was up and about her apt. on Wed, doing crafts. By Thurs. she was bored and headed to the mall. Was back to work the Monday after her surgery (she has basically a 'desk' job, and no heavy lifting) But her surgeon did advise against any lifting of more than 5 pounds the first week, and nothing over 20 pounds for the next 7 weeks. DH's dr. kept him out of work for 2.5 weeks, then had him go back on light duty. His job involves driving and carrying a medium-heavy tool box, and doing light physical work. However, in the meantime, he was hanging around the house, doing all sorts of things he probably shouldn't have--including cutting the grass. Of course, he already had a hernia, so ????

The interesting thing, I found, was how the 2 different drs had very different instructions for aftercare, and the fact that my 2 'patients' healed very differently, and at different rates.

So the point I'm trying to make here, I guess, is to take it easy, let things procede at the pace YOUR body sets, and, of course, feel better soon.

I say take it easy. As Pris said...your body will tell you when you are ready to hop, skip and jump. Take care that you don't over-do it and you don't get an infection. Infections are no fun, I know that from first hand experience.

Take care of you!!

I had my gallbladder taken out lapriscopically on April 14. The recovery is not a breeze - you MUST take it easy on yourself, bored or not. Be sure to eat foods that contain little to no fat - or you'll be in the bathroom all the time and feel like doo-doo. I still am feeling tired all the time and have to remember not to "over do". I believe that is also in part due to anesthesia.

Good luck - and TAKE IT EASY!

Boxie

Well I had mine taken out on May 13th and I still have a place on the left side that there is either gas trapped there or something going on. I was told no more then 10 lbs lifting for the 2nd week on.Low fat and gave a list of foods to avoid.Cannot go back to work until I see Dr. on June 1st. I work 2 jobs and am about stir crazy. So I find things to do and take many breaks. No lifting for me as I do not want to be back in the hospital. Have gotten the best nights sleep since this pain in my side sent me there in the 1st place...Deb

Thanks for sharing your experiences everyone! I am still not doing much here, although Jason went back to work this afternoon so it's just Evelyn and me for this afternoon. I have a new problem in that I can't get to sleep at night. I just lay there awake and toss and turn until I finally doze off and then the cycle repeats. I think I may have gotten three hours of sleep last night. In desperation, I took two Gravol this morning and actually slept from 9am-12:45pm. It was great to finally sleep but now I am drowsy. *sigh* Why am I not sleeping? Is it because I still can't lay on my sides?

I can't wait to get back to normal. When will I be able to lift Evelyn? She's about 23 lbs. I can't remember what the doctor said.

Thanks again everyone!

Danielle

Oh, and Dorothy, what the heck!? I feel so terrible for you! I hope your hernia is all healed up!

Danielle
Please be careful in what you eat.Have you had any problem throwing up since you had the surgery?I had the same surgery.I had to have a Emerency surgery to have my removed.I was very sick before and after the surgery.Even today I still think I am having attacks.I hate you had to go thur this.I hope you heal great and no time be back to your self doing what you want too.But do not rush things.Take one day at a time.Hugs Judy

Hi Judy!

I did throw up once but it was because I was so nauseated after I stopped taking the morphine. Horrible stuff. I think the emergency surgery would be 10 million times worse than mine. (((Judy)))

I feel pretty great after eating anything I've tried so far which is a huge switch from having a constantly grumbly belly. It felt like I had a bag of gravel in my belly which I probably actually did. LOL

Today is a much better day. It's the first day that I didn't have to actually coordinate any sitting that I did. And a good friend brought me chocolate and visited so that was nice.

Thanks for your thoughts Judy!

Danielle

just be glad you didn't have it done in the 1980's like dh! 6 week recovery, scar from here to there...

The anesthesia can really mess up your sleep pattern for several weeks, but that should diminish over time.

I had liquid vicodin after a similar surgery, and it helped with both pain and sleeping.

Like Susan's DH, I had mine out in 1985 the "old way." Long scar is still visible. I was supposed to be in the hospital 10 days, and stayed 11 because I ran a fever. Would have stayed longer but my surgeon was leaving on vacation and told me to just go home and take care of myself.

This was 2 years after my DH's death and I stayed home alone and got along fine. Except I noticed a limb had fallen from a tree in the yard and I went out to move it to the back yard. It was heavier than I thought and I pulled the scar a little and still have a small bump there to remember it by.

Other than that I don't remember how long the "recovery" was.

Just be patient and time will take care of it.

Sue

Believe me, I am so thankful for laproscopic surgery. I know that my recovery is small potatoes next to what used to happen!

Today I feel almost normal. I cleaned the kitchen, watered the garden, and did some laundry (as well as all the other stuff that goes into taking care of an almost two year old) It's a nice feeling.

I am relieved that the anesthesia might be the reason for the sleep problems. Phew! It's still taking me a while to get to sleep and I wake frequently, but I do at least sleep.

Thank you for your insights! It's so good to hear real stories instead of vague instructions from the doctor.

Danielle