cholesytectomy during nursing school

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Specializes in DD, HHC, Med Surg, PCU, Resource.

I'm not sure this is where this post needs to go, so feel free to move it if it is not in the right place.

My question is who has had a cholesystectomy by Lap? If you have how quickly were you back to normal?

I am scheduled on Sept. 16. I am having a lot of pain almost every day. It seems I have been increasing my use of my prescription Lortab. I have to admit, I have not been as vigilant about not eating bad foods as I could be.

anyway...I digress. So I just began my 1st semester of nursing school. I'm determined not to miss any class time. My next scheduled class after surgery is on the 18th. I have Pharm and Fundamentals lab where we will be practicing skills. I looked ahead and it looks like the skills will be applying restraints, helping pt. out of bed etc...

Is it unreasonable to think I can make it through this class so soon after surgery?

I'm considering waiting and concentrating on my diet if it will interfere and then schedule it during winter break. Which I know is not ideal but... I've worked too hard to get into nursing school to have my gall bladder ruin it for me! LOL

TIA for any insight you can offer

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Specializes in Peds, PICU, Home health, Dialysis.

I had a lap appy my 3rd semester of nursing school. I had the surgery on a Thursday night / Friday morning and missed that Friday clinicals. But I didn't have much time to recover because I had 2 exams Monday morning. I studied while taking Percocet and took my exams Monday morning.

My professors, although empathetic to my situation, were not willing to post-pone an exam for me or let me off of clinicals (with the exception of the Friday clinical I missed because I was in the hospital).

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

I had mine on a Friday AM and was back at work on Monday. I was walking a bit slow for a few days but otherwise was fine. I didn't have to do any lifting or pulling, though.

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Specializes in Psychiatrics.

I was 15 when I had mine.....but I was very very sick before I had it done... I was back in school after a week. I spent that last two days getting caught up with school work....I was in 10th grade at the time. But the day of the sugery I felt 10X better than when I did before.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

Funny thing you posted this. I had a lap chole yesterday. I am quite sore, but otherwise alright. I think you will be alright to go back to classes. I however am taking 2 weeks off work due to not being able to lift or pull. Good luck to you.

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It really just depends on how quickly you heal and how well you handle anesthesia - for me the worst part was by far the carbon dioxide used to inflate the abdomen in order to use the scopes. It ends up settling in your right shoulder and as crazy as this sounds, it was more painful than the incisions. I also had an inguinal hernia repaired at the same time which ended up keeping me laying low for longer (about a week) because they had to do it open after it ruptured, but if it was just the gallbladder I think I would have been fine after a few days, granted taking it easy for awhile.

It might be a bit ambitious to be in class two days later, but if nothing else you can try to go to class since that's just sitting, and for skills lab if you aren't feeling up to it maybe you can at least sit and watch so you won't miss the content. Definitely make plans in advance though with a friend to get notes in case something unexpected happens.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Operating Room Nursing.

Hmmm two days after surgery? to I had a lap appendix and i had shoulder tip pain for a while, had to have a full week off work due to pain and nausea after surgery.

Also theres a tiny chance that it may have to be converted to an open chole as well which you may want to think about.

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Specializes in CMSRN.

I work with many nurses who in last year had a lap choli (including myself)

I did not get to work for three weeks. But I work med-surg and my doc was not going to let me work any sooner. (He wanted 4 weeks total)

Some were back to work in 2 weeks and anywhere in between.

I had surgery Tuesday and went shopping on Friday. I went with my hubby and did not drive nor did I carry anything

If you need to go to class I would think that would be doable but just make sure someone drives you if necessary. Driving did not work for me since I got dizzy easily after surgery for the first week and a half or so. Also I was not to try the first week anyhow.

Of course, ask your surgeon what is best.

Sometimes you never know what the outcome will be till the surgeon gets in there. Anything from the simplest lap choli to an open choli with 2 day stay and a drain.

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