Gallbladder issues and surgery

[Tiffykins 673]

I just wanted to post a recap of my eventful week.

Saturday night - out to dinner with a group of my girlfriends. Indulged in 4oz of chicken satay with peanut sauce, and 2oz of creme brulee. YUMMY right, yeah not so great by the time I got home (2 hours after eating). Explosive diarrhea and dry heaving.

Sunday- Felt puny and kind of lethargic but otherwise "okay".

Monday- with every sip, swallow my stomach ached, and cramped, with a pain radiating up to my left collarbone shoulder area called surgeon left message.

Tuesday- was hellbent on eating so I ate through the pain, but knew something was not "right"

Wednesday - no response from surgeon, called again left yet another message. Still hurting, but managed to eat about 300 calories

Thursday- pain is worse, head to the ER at 9pm, got a bag of fluids, 2 percocets (didn't even help with the pain), iv Levaquin, and a diagnosis of a UTI. Lovely civilian contract doctor at a military ER. It's a stickler subject with me.

Friday - called my bariatric surgeon's nurse direct line, left message, called me back within 15 minutes, and got me in for a gallbladder ultrasound, and abdominal CT with contrast. GB u/s revealed 1/3 of GB is full of stones, cancelled the CT because they wanted me to drink 32oz of contrast Fluid in 30 minutes, yeah that's not going to happen considering I've been lucky to get in 20oz of fluid a day for the last week.

Surgeon's schedule is booked until February 22nd. I told the nurse there is NO way I can tolerate this pain for that long, and I want the surgeon to call me.

Saturday- 10am, cell phone rings, unfamiliar number, sugeon calling from his cell phone. He hadn't received my 2 messages, wanted to know who I spoke with, and to come in on Tuesday at 10am to get me on the OR roster to have my gallbladder removed.

Least to say, it's a been a week from hell for me. Not mention the weight loss from the previous week, but now the constant pain I get when eating and drinking anything.

I haven't felt this bad since early out in my recovery. I have a prescription for cipro for the "UTI" that the surgeon wants me to go ahead and take, and some phenegran that I'm taking before eating to keep me from puking up my guts.

I'm hoping to have surgery on Thursday or Friday. I knew it was my gallbladder all along, but I was hoping it was related to the Wellbutrin, or something trivial.

If you wouldn't mind saying a quick prayer, sending some good thoughts, some good ole' cajun voodoo or even slinging a chicken around my way would be appreciated. I'm petrified of another surgery. I told the surgeon that's the only reason I refused to see another surgeon. I'm not willing to have a Captain operate on me. My surgeon is a LT. Col, and has 20 + years experience. I'm not willing to just let any "joe schmoe" cut on me. He just laughed and said " well, I can't blame you, and I'm sorry I didn't get your message." He knows I'm a demanding patient, and he understands the reasons behind it.

So, if I go MIA for awhile, please keep me in your thoughts. These next 2 days, I'm going to be cooking and cleaning. John is home and off stand-by (THANK THE GOOD LORD ABOVE). I'll be preparing some meals for them so they don't have to eat out a bunch. I have to get the house completely cleaned because I won't want to come home to a dirty house. I just need to tidy up. John can run the dishwasher and washer/dryer, but scrubbing toilets and cooking is not his forte.

Thanks for all of your support and encouragement. I'll try to either text or update someone via email so they can let y'all know what's going on. I won't have my laptop, and the web version/skin of VST on my Iphone sucks.

For those of you on my Facebook, I'll be able to update there easily once I'm out of recovery and in a room.

[WeekendWarrior 0]

Sorry to hear your aren't doing well. My wife had her gallbladder out a while back. She was in utter agony and we rushed her to the ER as we had no idea what the problem was.

They rushed her up to the emergency OR and removed it immediately. Once it was out, she was up and around the next day. I think they only made a tiny incision to remove it.

I wonder if I should have mine out when I get my surgery? I don't know if they do that or not?

Did you take actigall (Ursodiol) at all after your previous surgeries?

I read somewhere that there is a 30% chance of getting gallstones after WLS. Taking actigall drops it to 3%.

I hope everything goes well, and you out and about soon.

[3636millie 3]

Tiffykins, I am so sorry to hear of your troubles. I will be praying that you have a quick recovery.<<<<<HUGS>>>>>>>>>>>.

[Tiffykins 673]

Thank you both.

WW - I read up on Actigall, and found it to can be toxic to the liver. Also, the side effects of nausea, vomitting and stomach pain was going to possibly hinder my recovery.

I've read where some surgeons do remove the gallbladder during sleeve and RNY surgeries. The reason it was not removed during my revision is because I had zero history of having GB problems, and the fact that I was revising from band to sleeve. I found out this week that I was in surgery for about 5.5-6 hours for the initial revision and another 6 hour operation to repair the leak 2 days later.

Now, of course, I wish they would of taken mine. I'm trying to prepare mentally for another surgery. Good news today is I was able to eat about 12 Reduced fat wheat thins with some Peanut Butter, and it didn't leaving my abdomen aching.

[loser 0]

Our thoughts and prayers are with you Tiffykins. You should be able to feel the positive vibes from all of us on VST soon. You have been such a help to so many of us, wish there was more we could do. You are strong, you are positive, this too shall pass and you will feel better than ever.

[Lee 19]

Oh Tiffy,

I was wondering what happened to you! I'm so sorry to read about this glitch in your journey. I'll send lots of good thoughts your way for a really fast recovery. I had my gallbladder removed on 11/2/09. If I had known then that I would have a 2/8/10 Sleeve date, I would have waited, but I really thought my Sleeve would take months and months. If you have a TiVo, load it up and really pamper yourself after surgery. Now that John is safely home, let him take care of you. Please take it easy and you'll be up and your usual perky self before you know it.

Sending healing thoughts, prayers and heck, I'll swing a chicken if ya want!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Tiff, you know I am pulling for you. Having had mine out just a couple of months ago, I know very well what you're going through.:-(

I hope you have a quick recovery. Please let us know how you are as soon as possible.

[i1Linda 15]

Oh man Tiffy, that stinks

Lots of prayers and hugs headed your way. Please try to keep us posted when you can. We will be thinking of you.

[mountain_lover 3]

Hello Tiffykins,

You are in my thoughts and prayers. Hope all goes well for you and you have a speedy recovery.

[denosia123 0]

I am so sorry that happened. You will feel much better when the get it out. My prayers are with you. take care.

[TexasT 99]

Tiffy - had my gall bladder out when I did my revision on 1/08 so I feel your pain. It took me almost a year to get someone to take my pain complaints seriously. I'm so sorry you're going to have another abdominal surgery. If you're like me that's the last thing you want after all that band to sleeve business.

You might be surprised at how sore you'll be after having the GB removed. That area has been more sore at times than my sleeve area is. My surgeon also said I had tons of adhesions all over my gall bladder too, which I'm sure didn't help matters.

Good luck and I'll send some Reiki healing your way (I'm a Reiki II practitioner) along with lots of prayer. - Tara

[MidwestGirl 8]

Hey Tiffy! Sorry to hear you're having to go through the GB surgery. My thoughts are with you for a quick and easy recovery! Keep us posted!

[cajun 46]

Tiff,

I am so glad you finally got to talk with a surgeon, and have an experienced one. It's laparoscopic surgery usually, and you've been there done that...you will feel so much better once it is out. Beware of any foods containing fats until then!

Did they check you liver function tests? (see my other post)

If I lived closer I'd come clean house for you...but I'll settle on sending some "positive cajun voodoo" for your quick recovery. The Reiki will help you too...great gift!

Hang in there girl!

[Tiffykins 673]

Thank you all so very much.

[LAN2k 18]

Tiff I am in disbelief that you now have to undergo gallbladder surgery. I have been so wrapped up in my own anxiety and depression that I'm barely functioning. When I read this my body went weak. I thank God that you connected to the right surgeon and that your husband will be home for you. You have been through so much and that really hurts my heart but it also will give you the strength and courage to get through this. Please know that I am praying for you to the great physician, that his hands are in your surgeons hands every second during that procedure...and there to comfort and ease you through your recovery. You are like a sister to us all and if I were able I'd be there with you to help in any way I could.