05-30-2017, 07:51 AM
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#1 | | Junior Member (female)
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 40
| How long after surgery are you COMPLETELY healed?
I had my gallbladder out a little over 6 weeks ago and I am still finding myself getting really sore/having pain in the surgery area if I "over do" something.
Is this normal still at this stage? I keep thinking I'm finally healed and feel 100% back to normal, then I do something physical that pushes my body and the next few days I will have pain/pulling pain where the gallbladder was.
My husband thinks I'm prolonging my healing by doing things I shouldn't, which then irritates the surgery site, and the healing process starts over.
Anyone have any insights/similar stories?
Thanks!!
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Titchou (05-30-2017)
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05-30-2017, 01:54 PM
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#2 | | Facilitator (female)
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 18,775
| Re: How long after surgery are you COMPLETELY healed?
Actually after 6 weeks I just ignored any of that. Yes, you are still going to be sore but you are about as "healed" as you are going to get. Lack of use is more likely the issue.
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05-30-2017, 03:25 PM
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#3 | | Senior Veteran (female)
Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: USA
Posts: 11,160
| Re: How long after surgery are you COMPLETELY healed?
Hello aBrown!
I was asking the same question of my surgeon today when I saw him in the hallway at the hospital. He said it takes up to 16 weeks for the muscles he cut to really heal.
I told him I am tired of doing cardio and want to start working out with weight machines...he said "Not if they involve your core". Meaning, no sit-ups, no sitting down and using my core for support, no heavy leg pushes...
Right now, I am running, doing elliptical and stairs and only using ten lb dumbbells and only sitting down..mostly shoulders and arms. I have noticed too that when I run too far or push myself too hard, I am really sore in the area of the gb...and also UNDER it, feels like under my ribcage.
I'm a week behind you...and although many things are much better than they were, I am too afraid of getting a hernia (he has had a patient recently who did too much too fast and wound up with one) and I am not a big fan of pain..so Im trying to take it easy. I dont think you are imagining things- I think they really do cut your muscles inside which take longer than the outside to heal.
That being said, its good to exercise, but not good to hurt. Hurting is your body telling you that you are overdoing it.
I hope you feel better soon.
hugs,
Nik
__________________
RRMS- dx 05
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05-30-2017, 04:04 PM
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#4 | | Junior Member (female)
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 40
| Re: How long after surgery are you COMPLETELY healed?
Thank you both for replying!! I've read that 6 weeks is usually what is considered "healed"-so when I get pain in that area that is obviously muscle related, it starts to worry me a little.
MSNik, It's hard for me not to use my core too much (even when I'm not working out)...my 1.5 year old weighs 26lbs so he's basically my daily workout! This weekend I carried him for an extremely long walk (why we didn't bring his stroller, I will never know!) and he wasn't in a mood to walk himself so I thought I'd just carry him on my left side. Whew, that was tough. We then went to a farmers market and when I took my son out of the cart, his foot got stuck and I had to pull UP pretty hard and I felt pain immediately. Then that night he fell asleep in our bed watching a movie and I woke up around 3 am to him kicking me VERY hard right where my gallbladder was. Sooo I think between those 3 things, that's why I'm having some pain issues.
You're lucky you see your surgeon randomly so you can ask him questions without getting billed for it  My F/U appt was so short and said all restrictions were lifted, but I knew better than that thanks to this site.
Hopefully you are doing good otherwise!! Time is flying by postop.
Hugs!!
abrown
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05-30-2017, 04:37 PM
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#5 | | Senior Veteran (female)
Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: USA
Posts: 11,160
| Re: How long after surgery are you COMPLETELY healed?
abrown,
That sounds painful!!  You definitely either pulled a muscle or simply overdid it with carrying him around.. Give it a few days and you should be good to go.
Yeah, my job has its perks....but only sometimes! If I see him and hes in a bad mood, he simply nods at me and keeps going and I know not to bother to even try to talk to him.
I think we all have had basically the same questions...and we have been able to help each other pretty well through this...thank goodness!
I'm eating a lot better than I was, but still have the big D every morning after eating a normal dinner meal. I haven't gained back much weight...only about 3 lbs...what about you? Are you eating everything you want to be eating? Have you gained back any weight? Im tired of people telling me I look too skinny!
Hugs back at ya. Get better!
Nik
__________________
RRMS- dx 05
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05-30-2017, 07:30 PM
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#6 | | Facilitator (female)
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 18,775
| Re: How long after surgery are you COMPLETELY healed?
Yeah - my restrictions were lifted at 6 weeks. I had some time before my surgery so I had upped my jogging miles, ran a couple of 5Ks in order to be in prime shape. I also was bench pressing 80 pounds at that point - 5'2" and weighed about 110 -so I was in really great shape at the time. And I only had 3 incisions with a really simple removal. I jogged 2 miles a week from the day I had mine out. Surgeon said I could run whenever I felt like it so I did!
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05-30-2017, 11:02 PM
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#7 | | Newbie (male)
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 7
| Re: How long after surgery are you COMPLETELY healed?
Interesting, I've seen a surgeon after only a week after my surgery and she said me I can do and lift whatever I want. However, I still don't lift more than 10 pounds. I did some exercises for the lowel back few days ago that involved abdominal muscles and I had a similar pain at the place where gallbladder used to be for couple of days.
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05-31-2017, 09:11 AM
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#8 | | Junior Member (female)
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 40
| Re: How long after surgery are you COMPLETELY healed?
Quote:
Originally Posted by MSNik  abrown,
That sounds painful!! You definitely either pulled a muscle or simply overdid it with carrying him around.. Give it a few days and you should be good to go.
Yeah, my job has its perks....but only sometimes! If I see him and hes in a bad mood, he simply nods at me and keeps going and I know not to bother to even try to talk to him.
I think we all have had basically the same questions...and we have been able to help each other pretty well through this...thank goodness!
I'm eating a lot better than I was, but still have the big D every morning after eating a normal dinner meal. I haven't gained back much weight...only about 3 lbs...what about you? Are you eating everything you want to be eating? Have you gained back any weight? Im tired of people telling me I look too skinny!
Hugs back at ya. Get better!
Nik |
Yes I'm basically eating everything I want to eat-however, I'm too afraid to eat red meat. My in laws grilled out this past weekend and had ribeye steaks and I made the mistake of looking up the fat content in them. Over 60 grams of fat in a ribeye steak!! So I opted out. I'm actually only averaging roughly 30-40grams of fat per day. This whole experience has been very eye opening on what I was eating before.
I have gained back 4-5 pounds. I'm averaging 125/126. I started at 138 and dropped down to 121 a few weeks after surgery. I'm 5'8" so I still get the "You look too skinny!" comments but honestly, I feel much better about myself now than when I was 138. I would just like to get some definition back in my abdominal muscles but I have no idea when I'll be able to do that!
Still no D for me...only constipation issues like before. I have not noticed a difference at all from before surgery to now, even when I eat something fatty. The only thing I notice is I get much more bloated/gas pains but if I drink enough water that seems to help.
All in all, this surgery was a great success for me! And I am so happy we have everyone on this site to talk to and ask questions |
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05-31-2017, 10:40 AM
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#9 | | Senior Veteran (female)
Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: USA
Posts: 11,160
| Re: How long after surgery are you COMPLETELY healed?
Me too happy to talk to you and everyone else!
Look into Bison. I get Bison shipped to me from Montana...been doing it for years! The average 8 oz sirloin has only 7 grams of fat...a ribeye has about 8...
Its better than cow and its so much healthier! No cholesterol either. Ive found that I am tolerating bison much better than cow, and I only tried a hamburger.
Thats because I too was at a cookout.
I buy ground bison to make my own burgers and I buy the steaks and even roasts for stew and roast beef sandwhiches. You cannot tell the difference in the taste- I promise!
Im only 5'6 and was up to 124 lbs, now I am down below 110...it seems to waiver between 109-111...Im not loving this. Everything is smaller! lol. I know I need to gain it back, but until I can tolerate butter and chocolate- the two fattiest things I eat, its not going to happen. I tried butter the other morning when I cooked a feast for my family..I was sick all day. Im back to using Pam cooking spray for awhile.
Have a good rest of the day.
Nik
__________________
RRMS- dx 05
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