I don't want surgery!

[Tait]

***DISCLAIMER: This is a vent, NOT a request for health information.***

So for the past few months I have been experiencing frequent and unreliable nausea, substernal pain blah blah blah.

Ok so my GI doc did an ultrasound and of course...I have a gallstone. 1.4mm.

"Well find a surgeon and have a chole, oh and see me in three months for a rerun on that lipase level"

Wait...what? ERCP? Lithotripsy? Voodoo gallbladder cleanses? Psychic readings? Something?!?!!?

Yeah, so here is the deal. I have a minor stone, with no inflammation, but I want to have a baby and there is a pretty high risk I might get in even more trouble once my hormones start to change.

But man, I just can't get MRSA, bile leaks, hemmorhage, sepsis, morphine PACU overdoses and a myriad of other things out of my head.

And I really don't like Ativan.

*sigh*

Sometimes knowing healthcare from the inside makes me REALLY never want to be in the hospital.

Bah. Tait

[lpnflorida]

Having the lap chole was the best thing that ever happened to me. It was quick it was easy . I went back to work 4 days later.

The surgery was so much easier than feeling as sick as I had pre surgery.

[KaroSnowQueen, RN]

My lap chole was outpatient, quick and easy. The discomfort was minimal, I had four little puncture wounds, and was back on the floor working 12 hour shifts within two weeks (but this was after having had multiple kidney surgeries earlier that year -- extra rest after all the other stuff I had gone through). And this was spring of 2007.

I cannot begin to imagine the misery of gallbladder problems (pain and puking -- oh how I despise vomiting!!!!) on top of pregnancy!!! Do yourself a favor, get an ERCP if you like, but definitely get it out now rather than later.

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

I could not get mine out fast enough! I put off surgery until I finished nursing school, and by the end of it I could not eat a grape without pain! My anesthesiologist called me a "rock star" because he had never seen so many stones in one pt. No one could believe I made it through the whole semester with that many. My surgeon said he had only seen one other case as bad a mine. I guess I was lucky it didn't rupture!

For me, knowing more about the body and healthcare made me more at ease. Before NS, I was terrified of anesthesia and would rather have teeth pulled with only aspirin than "go under". Now, I have faith in the docs and surgeons that I (carefully) choose to care for me and my family.

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

Tait,

I had gb problems off and on for years. Everyone kept telling me it wasn't gb. Oh boy was it. I was taking fertility meds to try to get pg. I had just stopped them (I wasn't progressing) and was waiting to start another cycle the next month. I woke up one morning with RUQ pain that wouldn't go away. I went to the ER and had a u/s and they found sludge and some stones. I was immideately given a referral to gen surgery. I had it out within the month (becuase I didn't want that on top of pg symptoms and the hormones I was taking were going to be making the attacks brutal). I was in and out the same day. I was back at work in 2 weeks. I haven't felt better. I am pg now , 6 wk along and couldn't imagine having the pg symptoms with gb symptoms. I have 4 puncture sites as well. I was sore for a few days, but feel so much better.

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

i had my gallbladder out about 4 years ago. i'll tell ya , i got there the started the iv and i felt like jumping out of the bed and running for the door. that thought crossed my mind many many times.. but i had my gallbladder out and yes i threw up on the way home and the gas pains were murder , but it was worth it in the end. it was , it just gets better by the day !! you'll be fine !!

[Jolie, BSN]

I have no gallbladder wisdom to offer, but do understand your hesitancy regarding surgery. My fear related to "elective" surgery is anesthesia complications. I tried to talk my surgeon into repairing my shoulder with a local. Needless to say, it didn't fly. But I was fortunate (as a hospital employee) to be able to choose my anesthesiologist.

[Tait, MSN, RN]

Well I am scheduled for a little over a month from now (trying to give my manager time to do the next schedule and I am currently a little late on my period, which isn't terribly abnormal for me, but just in case).

At least my surgeon laughed when I requested Ativan...for a week prior to surgery and when I threatened to disrupt his sleeping routine if anything went haywire! (I work nights and they are one of our primary doctor groups on our floor and they take call for their own patients.)

I was ready to throw something though when one of the other surgeons walked by and said "You are letting him operate on you? Well call me when your biliary leak kicks in and I can fix that one for you!"

Tait

[Batman24]

I'm sorry you need surgery. I'd be scared too but I really think you will be just fine. Reading everyone else's experiences probably will ease some of your stress. Feel better soon. Hugs!!

[Gr8Dane]

I just had a PLIF done 1/29 and wasnt to bad. I must admit tho I now look at some of my coworkers differently since I had to be straight cath'd twice and had an indewelling cath placed after the third time of urinary retention lol :)

And needless to say once I am better I will be having a discussion with a few of them on pain management, had a few of the nurses being lazy/too busy to restart my IV (1 day post op) to give me my morphine (Also was getting IV Abx and fluids), and they felt a few lortab was acceptable for 10/10 pain while being moved after back surgery.

[Tait, MSN, RN]

Just an update, I got my gallbladder out today and I am home and feeling a lot better than I expected!!

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Just an update, I got my gallbladder out today and I am home and feeling a lot better than I expected!!

Glad to hear it!

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

Yay! Take care of yourself.