Got Any Tips For Post-op Lap Chole ? Want To Share Your Experience? Any Tips ?

ashlynurse · Jun 26, 2006

I had a lap chole one yr ago this month. One of the best things that ever happened to me. The surgery went fine, had some SVT in the PACU, but that was some reaction I had to the anesthesia. I stayed overnight because my surgery was late in the afternoon. I only took about 6 of my prescribed pain pills. Aside from general soreness in my abdomen, I felt great. I did stay out of work for 5 shifts (which was 2 weeks), just because of the demands of our profession. After all its not like we sit at a desk all day. The MD was concerned about me lifting patients, repositioning, etc. I just took it easy, and it was a piece of cake.

GOOD LUCK !!

~ashley

evbella · Jun 26, 2006

I had mine out a little over 3 years ago. It wasn't too bad. I could have stayed overnight, and wanted to, but I had a 5 week old baby girl at home who was breastfed- so I was needed at home.

I cannot remember exactly how long it took me to get back to 100%- but it was quick. No problems for me since.

Good luck to you

Carol

banditrn · Jun 26, 2006

I had mine done 3 years ago. surgery was done on a Thursday and back to work on Monday. the only immediate complication I had was vomiting (continous) due to a reaction to the anesthesia. I have to watch what I eat though! If I eat anything extremely greasy or high in fat, within 20 minutes I am bolting for the nearest bathroom hoping I can make it in time!!
Wendy:eek:

You are SO correct with the greasy food thing! :uhoh3:

I had mine in 1990, and stayed overnite - was back to work in a little over a week.

Later on I worked in post-surgical, and they did a LOT of lap-chole's. I saw very few problems, but I did always tell my patients about the greasy food issue. Our surgeons were all great - and if a person did have problems with post-op nausea they admitted them.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Jun 26, 2006

You are so right,, and there are a percentage that do have some post op conditions that may never go away. You have to learn what to do and what NOT to do to control them. Some have problems with greasy foods,, for some its sweet foods, for some its just a problem with not having any food for a number of hours,such as eating breakfast after a nights sleep can set it in motion, you can call it a type of dumping syndrome,, but it is called

Postcholycystectomy Syndrome. You can google it. Not everyone develops it, some have symptoms prior to surgery but it is attributed to the gallbladder problem.

Ive delt with this for 14years since i had a open choly, had jpdrains and a t-tube for 2 weeks post op. Just understand that IF you do have issues following, you arent the only one,, and if you dont,, your cured!!! congratualtions....

purplemania, BSN, RN · Jun 26, 2006

THe procedure was no problem. But in spite of the fact my surgeon said I could "eat anything" I found it not to be true. Evidently the gallbladder was there for a reason (duh). Anyway, I found that fried or greasy foods make me ill. I also found out I can live without them.

fergus51 · Jun 26, 2006

I've not had any problems eating anything I want. I had to eat really bland low fat foods for months while saving up the money for the surgery and really missed good food. So I went on a fattening food rampage about a week after the surgery and had no problems at all. My liver seems to be taking over for my gall bladder nicely.

bethin · Jun 29, 2006

From others responses I guess I'm the minority that had a bad experience. I was in extreme, extreme pain. I spent the night in the hospital to get IV antibiotics for my mitral valve prolapse. This was in 2000, before I started working at this hospital and before I had changed my major to nursing. I met with the ansthesiologist before surgery and was promised that I would not wake up while intubated. What a lie. I woke up with a tube down my throat. Felt like I was suffocating. No nurses around so I try to pull it out myself. Then they come running in. Pain was so unbearable I could only moan. I receiving morphine IM q 10 mins and they kept sticking me in the same spot on my leg. To this day I have sciatica and a numb spot where they injected me. Years later when I decided to get a breast reduction I was terrified because of this experience. The experience was wonderful. Ansthesiologist explained they hook you up to a brain monitor to determine how much ansthesia to give you. That way you don't receive too much and wake up nauseous. Also, he gave pain medicince right before I woke up. That really helped. I had no pain with this surgery.

I work at the hospital now where I had my lap chole. I learned that the surgeon who did it does not always maintain a sterile field. I would definitely question the ansthesiologist before surgery regarding the intubation and if you will recieve pain meds before waking up. Also, another possible reason for my bad experiece could be due to the fact that I had gallbladder attacks for a year before I had surgery. I was VERY sick, sick to the point that a drink of water would cause severe stomach problems, i.e., coming out of both ends.

bethin · Jun 29, 2006

I've not had any problems eating anything I want. I had to eat really bland low fat foods for months while saving up the money for the surgery and really missed good food. So I went on a fattening food rampage about a week after the surgery and had no problems at all. My liver seems to be taking over for my gall bladder nicely.

I never passed the gas that they put in you. Don't even remember the nurses asking me about the gas. After a week I felt much better and ate jalapeno poppers from Arby's. That's when the gas passed. What a mistake to think I could eat something like that. I was hunched over crying in pain. Also, didn't help at the time I had irritable bowel syndrome which up to that point I had had no problems with.

Now, I have Crohn's and ulcerative colitis so any fatty foods bother me. Hard to say if my gallbladder plays a part in any of it.

Fuzzy · Jun 29, 2006

I had mine out last August. It was a cakewalk. I was sweating when the surgeon told me that I might have to be opened up. I was dx'ed with gallstones over 10 years ago so I may not have been a good candidate for a lap chole. Went in on a Friday, went home the same Friday, went back to work the following Tuesday. I had restrictions like lifting

Fuzzy

mitchsmom · Jun 29, 2006

Best thing I ever did (after being misdiagnosed for about 13 years)!

My recovery was also easy (I had open thyroid surgery in the past before that and it was way, way easier than that). I told anesthesia that I always got really nauseous and whatever they did for the choly worked, I wasn't nauseous and the pain wasn't too bad. Also, I think my doc tried not to overdo the gas in the abdominal cavity so I didn't have problems there either. I was up and around in a couple or few days and the best thing never another attack again!! I guess I do have a little of that postcholy syndrome occasionally but I can prevent that and I'd trade it any day for no more attacks.

Good luck to you, hope it goes well!

Justhere, BSN, RN · Jun 29, 2006

I had mine out 10 years ago, the pain from the lap chole wasn't bad, but the gas was. I stayed over night and when I turned to my left side it went under my diaphragm and I guess pushed it up. I could not breath I was only able to take in little tiny breaths. I pushed the call light and my husband ran out in the hall hollering "Come help my wife can't breath". The nurse entered the room and the first thing she said to me was "It's too early for your pain meds." Couldn't talk but I mouthed back to her "F*** the pain meds." I guess she understood because her eyes got real big and then she started saying "Just take in slow deep breaths." All I could think was this girl is going to let me die, get some o2, get an ambu bag or something. I began moving about in bed and the gas finially moved again and I was able take a deep breath.

The doctor had me off work for 2 weeks because he didn't want me lifting, but five days later I was out raking my leaves.

tridil2000, MSN, RN · Jun 29, 2006

had it done 2 years ago as well. the surgeon took the time to investigate and clean out every duct in there and even took pics (i know him from work of course.) i have had no problems since.

nausea after fixed with zofran

pain for about 2 days

couldn't eat high fat foods for about 6 months

returned to critical care work a month later

no gas

was very tired though for about a month after

good luck!