I figured I could ask you since you went through this a month ago.

What type of things bothered you after the surgery? And for how long?

I can't tell whether I'm getting stomachaches or it's just soreness from the surgery. I'm scared to death to eat anything b/c of the stories I've heard about people having diarreah after every meal. So far that hasn't been the case with me. I actually ate a small amount of steak for dinner last night, with some salad and a few sips of a margarita (couldn't resist). I didn't have any problems last night, except for the mild stomach discomfort. Is that probably from the surgery or the food?

Also, how long before your stomach strted to feel "normal" again?

My stomach is still very bloated and swollen, to me anyway. After having 4 children within the past 12 years, I'm proud to have a nice flat stomach again and this makes me feel fat.

Hi! Ummm...the foods that bothered me tended to be anything with fat in it. Macaroni and cheese was the WORST!! Not the boxed stuff, but it was Stauffers I think. Yeah, that was rough. Also, I wouldn't try for the fried food yet. I still have problems with fatty foods, but I just started eating meats again. I had some extremely bad problems with being able to digest anything. I haven't had the problems with diareah (sp??) that most people seem to get. Instead I got extremely constipated, and still am, but part of that is being on narcotic pain relievers (I now have kidney stones).
I was told not to eat salads for a little while, but I haven't actually had a problem with eatting the salads. I even used whatever dressing I wanted (which normally was ceasar). So, salad for some people may be bad, but for me it was ok. For me, I couldn't eat meat after surgery, because it would cause stomach pains, because I couldn't digest that.
Ummm...I didn't start to feel normal again for like 2 or 3 weeks after surgery. That was when I finally got off of the nausea medication. I did go back on them when I got the kidney stones, but for a week I went without them. I don't know what the normal time to feel better is, just because my surgery wasn't really normal. The doctors even doubted that I would get better afterwards, but I have, so my gallbladder was the issue.
My main advice would be to stay away from stuff with a lot of cheese, because cheese is really greasy, and when you do eat meat make sure it is lean, and doesn't have much fat on it. Fried food was really bad when I tried that as well. I was never really given a diet to follow (well, at one point htey tried to stick me on a liquid diet for a month a couple weeks after surgery, because of how dehydrated I was, and how constipated), so I don't really know the foods to stay away from, except the foods that I tried and they made me sick.
I hope that your stomach pain goes away soon. Yeah, I felt really bloated and stuff for about 2 weeks as well. My sisters laughed at me and told me I looked pregnant. I have always been overweight, but this just made my stomach really poof out. Are you still having the pain from the gas? That took a few days for me.
Good luck with your recovery!! Hope this helped! If you have any more questions just let me know.

Just thought I would let you know I also had my gallbladder removed on the 8'th and am still very bloated and am having the occasional stomach pains. I also have periodic stabbing pains in my right shoulder / ribs/ and chest. I am assuming this is from the gas they use to blow you up with. I also have a difficult time wearing a bra for more than a few hours at a time. It causes my right chest and ribs to ache. Anyone else have this problem? I am wondering how long it will take for this to go away??

I felt great yesterday (Saturday the 12'th) and went about my normal routine and diet- but I think I overdid it because today I feel awful and my incisions hurt!! I have three small children so it is difficult to take it easy for very long.

Hope you are feeling back to 100% soon!

jjm95 - I'm still bloated in the belly as well. I feel like I look pregnant again. I'm starting to feel better with every day. Since saturday morning things have really gotten better. I am not hunched over in pain like I was. I only took the Percocet for 2 days and have only taken Motrin since. I'm eating pretty much my normal foods but I stayed away from the man-n-cheese yesterday just in case. I have 4 children (ages 2, 6, 8 and 12) so I know the feeling of trying to run a household but not being able to move real well.

Thanks Bananarama. Sorry you're going through so much discomfort and pain. Hopefully you will feel better after the kidney stones are gone.

I was wondering if anyone can say what is considered "high" fat? I mean anything over 4 or 5 grams? There's fat in just about everything and it's hard to know whether to try some things or stay away. I know the obvious like fried or real heavy and rich foods.

Hey ForensicMom! I am not really sure wha is considered high fet. I basically just stay away from teh foods you mentioned-fried, rich, greasy, stuff like that. You are doing much better than I was after surgery. I took Percocet for a week, and then Darvocet for another week. I am a big baby when it comes to pain though (probably why I feel like I am dying right now). Actually, I went to the urologist again, and I am having surgery on Thursday to remove the stones. Yay! Apparently my kidneys are starting to get swollen, so I have to have a stent put in for a few days as well, but I am just so excited that there is finally an end in sight, and I will finally be pain free again. I have forgotten what it feels like!
Hopefully your recovery will continue going smoothly! Good luck!!

jjm95- I hope that your recovery goes smoothly as well. I had difficulty wearing a bra as well, but since I refuse to go without one, even to bed, I went to wearing sports bras. It made it better. Still not comfortable, but I just can't stand going without. The stabbing pain does sound like it is from the gas. I only had the pain in my shoulders. Hopefully it will all get straightened out soon!
Good luck both of you, and keep me posted!!

Good luck on thursday Bananarama. I hope it helps you feel better.

I'm pretty good with pain, at least I think.

I can literally go without a bra, unfortunately. I haven't had any pain or discomfort from one.

A quick "funny" story while we're on that subject. When I woke up after the surgery, I was in recovery and the nurse came over to me to ask how I was feeling. I looked down at my chest and said "I think they did this wrong, where are my double D's?" The nurse started laughing so hard.

That is hilarious!! I can't believe you felt like joking that soon!! OMG!! Yeah, hopefully this surgery will be much better. I thought that they wouldn't have to cut me open at all, but apparently when my mom had it, she did, so now I am bummed, but still excited that the kidney stones are going to be gone!! Well, at least the one that hurts. The doctor said he isn't worried about the rest. I am!! But, maybe I can talk his nurses into having him take them all out when they prep me. Tell him to take my appendix whiles he's at it, so I won't have to go back later. Anywho...hope you are feeling better!!

Just a follow up - talked to my surgeons office today and they said the chest and rib pain and the not being able to wear a bra is from pluralsy (sp?). They said the scopes they use can irritate the lungs and cause fluid build up for a few weeks. They said it should be gone two weeks post surgery. (I hope they are right!!)

Thanks for the input!

Bananrama - hope your surgery goes well and you feel much better afterwords.

I'm so glad you found out a cause.

I had that happen to me last year after a couple of very active days bike riding, etc with my kids. I felt like I was having a heart attack and couldn't hardly breath without being in extreme pain. I was a chicken and refused to go to the hospital b/c I figured if it was my heart, it would take me up. The next morning, a friend (an ER dr) came over for a house call. He told me it was pluracy(?) and to make sure I take deep breath every so often or I couldn't wind up with pneumonia or a collapsed lung.

Hang in there.

Bananarama - Sorry you have to get cut but hopefully it will help the pain.

Thanks both of you. I had never heard of pluracy. Hopefully it ends soon! Hopefully we will all be better in just a little while!!!