Only recently have I started talking about my new health problems publicly. I have a whole post on the process finding out I had Gallstones and as a fun extra health condition, being diagnosed with Adenomyosis. Now I’m 2 weeks post Gallbladder Removal Surgery I’m here to share all the incredible tips and advice I’ve received, as well as tell you about my experience as a plus size person having a laparoscopy cholecystectomy, also known as keyhole surgery to remove my gallbladder.
This was my first ever surgery and it’s safe to say I was extremely worried and nervous but it ended up being a really positive experience and I do hope this post can help someone in the future.
Gallbladder Removal Surgery – What Happens on the Day of Surgery
We headed to the hospital for 7am and were seated next to my bed on the ward. We were with 5 other people who staggered in at different times. Everyone was checked in with pre-op questions, just normal things like who you are, what are you there for, and then my blood pressure and bloods were taken.
Other people who were having surgery before me then got changed into their gowns and dressing gowns but as I wasn’t due down until 3:30pm and it was only 9am, so I didn’t have to change just yet. A few hours later the Anaesthetist came to introduce themself and talk more about the surgery, and then someone else came with the consent forms.
When it was my time to go down someone came to collect me, they asked everyone if they wanted to walk or be wheeled on the bed based on their mobility. When we got to the room, I then walked into the theatre and was greeted by a whole team of friendly faces.
They all turned around to introduce themselves, say what was going to happen, help me onto the bed and get my gown ready. They then carefully put in my cannula (it’s hard to find a vein on me so they wanted to use my wrist and apologised as it’s a bit painful.) They then made jokes and put me completely at ease. One saw I was a little nervous and grabbed my hand to comfort me. I actually fell asleep laughing!
I woke up around 2 hours later in the recovery room and I was sobbing. I was in so much pain it really shocked me and took my breath, but I had a team of people around me, making sure I was getting the right medication and care. They put a hot blanket on my stomach to help with the pain that I had changed a few times as I really needed the heat.
It wasn’t a pleasant experience immediately waking up after gallbladder removal surgery but I could see a clock and the most painful part only lasted an hour. By the end of it I was chatting away and asking where my partner was. I was then taken to where I would stay overnight, as due to being plus size, it meant that additional monitoring was needed but more on that later.
The overnight stay wasn’t as uncomfortable as I thought it’d be. At first no one really checked on me but I was fine and didn’t need anything, my family came to visit, set my chargers and heat pads up, Alfie helped me change as it was close to the end of visiting times and off they went. I made friends with everyone, and ended up helping a few of them with odd things whilst the nurses were busy. I didn’t mind as I needed to walk as much as possible.
During the night they topped up me up with liquid morphine, changed my bandages, and gave me a blood thinning injection. I noticed in the morning my throat was really sore but I had packed lozenges so I started to have some of those and it went off quickly. Discharge takes a little while as you have to wait for the Doctor to come check you over, then prescribe what medication you need, then wait for that to come up from the pharmacy so I didn’t end up going home until 5pm.
For day patients you’re only there for a few hours before and after surgery, they ask that you wee, eat, and drink afterwards and then you can go home after a laparoscopy cholecystectomy (Gallbladder removal surgery.)
Having Surgery Whilst Plus Size
When I first had my surgery consult I was told that I could do with losing some weight beforehand, but it was never said as a condition to whether or not they’d go ahead with the surgery. I’ve heard from a few other people that they’ve been told they won’t operate until they’ve lost weight. As I talked about in my last post, not being able to eat much has resulted in weight loss for me so perhaps at my appointments they’ve been able to see that, I’m not sure and can’t say for definite.
With gallbladder removal surgery when you’re plus size I was asked to do a milk & yoghurt diet for 2 weeks beforehand. I’ve seen other people in different cities be offered a 1000 calories solid food option instead but I wasn’t. As I’ve been avoiding dairy I instead did 8 non-dairy yoghurts a day. It wasn’t fun. This is called the liver shrinking diet, it’s done so your liver is easier to move out of the way for surgery.
Due to this diet it meant that I was extremely constipated so I highly recommend starting and keeping up with laxatives before and after your surgery to help with this as morphine also causes constipation. At one point I felt like I could burst like a balloon.
My weight was only mentioned extremely briefly on the day by the anaesthetist who said that there are increased risks, that was it. I was really expecting the nurses to be rude to me but that’s just my anxiety brain thinking the worse. In reality they were all amazing.
When you’re plus size it should flag up on the system that you need to be in a main theatre and have a bed booked overnight. So if you’re plus size and awaiting gallbladder removal surgery and they don’t mention this, it’s worth asking about. It’s nothing scary, it’s just to make sure you receive the absolute best care and you’re properly looked after.
I was extremely lucky where the waiting list coordinator thought the system was wrong and took it upon herself to find out, she explained that if she didn’t check it would have meant that I would have turned up for surgery, waited my turn, and then be sent home once they realised so I was extremely grateful. Even if it was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster.
Having Surgery with a Chronic Pain Condition
I recently saw that another disabled friend got a fancy bed too when she had a recent hospital stay so I think this was more to do with my chronic pain, but I did get a very impressive vibrating air mattress. So if you have a chronic pain condition it’s worth asking about a comfier bed! After waiting all day on a horrible one it really made such a difference.
Gallbladder Removal Surgery Tips / Keyhole Surgery Advice
Due to them inflating your stomach with gas it means that you are incredibly bloated after surgery. The advice is to walk, walk as much as you can manage. According to my phone I walked more those two days I was hospital than I’ve done in the last 6 months and it definitely helped me so much. My back pain not so much but you can’t have it all!
Wind-eze was highly recommend to me, as well as laxatives that I mentioned above, I was using Lactulose that the hospital recommended too.
Sickness afterwards is incredibly common and lots of people told me to ask for more anti-sickness medication. I spoke to the anaesthetist about it and she said she can’t promise I won’t be sick but she’ll try her best and I really didn’t feel any sickness at all. Not until I tried to eat breakfast and they quickly ran around with an anti-sickness tablet for me.
Save this List of Things You Might Need After Keyhole Surgery:
- Pillows (seriously, it’s worth the effort)
- Compression Socks (if you’re plus size)
- Ear Plugs/Eye Mask (if staying in or if you have a long wait)
- Earphones
- Long Cable Chargers
- Small Fan
- Lip balm
- Face Cream (again more of an overnight)
- Loose easy to get on clothes and shoes (no bending)
- Fabric bra (wires are a no)
- Power Pack
- Body Safe Ice Pack or Heat pad (I used a lot of heat)
- Netflix/things downloaded on your phone (in case of a long wait)
- Long dressing gown (the back of surgery gowns are open)
- Lozenges (sore throat afterwards is common)
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, anti-bacterial mouth wash
To make it easier I’ve done an Amazon list of everything I took with me and used, I hope it helps.
Remember to advocate for yourself and ask all the questions. If you don’t think something is right, speak up, if you’re in pain and need more medication, ask them.
Recovering from Gallbladder Removal Surger
With this type of keyhole surgery there’s no need for a check up at all (that might change, but I don’t need one), my keyhole sites are healing really well. They say it’s 2 weeks before returning to work, but 6-8 weeks to heal inside fully.
I’ve been keeping up with Wind-eze, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Omezapole for pain relief and then I’ve kept taking my pre-surgery diet vitamins of A-Z Multivitamin and Calcium and Vitamin D, along with adding 1000mg of Vitamin C which is meant to help with healing (again on my Amazon list for ease!)
I honestly feel so much better than I ever expected and I can’t thank everyone enough for their well wishes and advice. I’ve followed everything anyone took the time to tell me and it’s all helped so much.
I really wish there was some kind of information out there explaining everything that was going to happen, so that’s why I’ve gone into detail. I just hope it can help someone in the future because I really worked myself so up beforehand with it being my first surgery and not knowing what to expect and I wouldn’t have (not as much as I did anyway) if I knew more about what to expect. Everyone is so different and I’ve been so lucky and had such a great experience but I have so many messages from people who didn’t have it as easy so I do hope some of these tips can help.
If you have any further advice or tips for gallbladder removal surgery then I’d love for you to leave them below!