Hysterectomies and bad gall bladders don't mix

Hi everyone. I'm just home from my second surgery and hospital stay. This time I was 11 days in the hospital.

I sure hope this doesn't happen to anyone else! After I was home one week from my TAH, and recovering very well, I managed to have a gall bladder attack. It landed me right back in the hospital, and earned me a second major surgery, since they were unable to take the gall bladder out laproscopically. I had to be opened up again, and still have a tube connected to my bile duct that I'll have to keep in for a month!

I am finally home again, but this recovery is much rougher, I'm afraid. I was so depleted, that I had to be fed intravenously in the hospital. I'm eating now, but finding an appetite is very difficult, as is trying to get my stomach to stretch so it can comfortably hold an entire meal. I have a feeling that as long as that tube is still in me, it's the appetite is not going to be great. But at least I'm eating!!!

I've been very surprised by how different these two surgeries have been. Initially, the hysterectomy was much more painful, but recovery from this gall bladder surgery has been much more difficult, and I'm still having to use pain meds.

I have about three or four appointments throughout the rest of this month...hysterectomy surgeon, oncologist, and gall bladder surgeon. Luckily, my husband has been wonderful, and aside from doing almost everything for me, and gratifying every whim, he's also acting as my secretary, so I don't lose track of which doctor to see when!

I now have a visiting home nurse as well as a physical therapist who will resume visiting my home this week. I'm up and around less than I was after the first surgery, but I'm listening to my body, and it's telling me I'm tired much of the time. I am doing as mucyh as I can and getting up as often as I feel up to it, though, as I know that's the road to recovery.

I hope to build up strength, energy and more appetite real soon! I'll keep working on it!

(((BW3)))

I am so sorry!!!

I have had a couple women tell me that the gallbladder sometimes messes with ya after a hysterectomy?!?! How weird.

I am so glad you have a visiting home nurse and a physical therapist.

You sound to be in good spirits! I'm SO proud of you! You know what you have to do to heal and sounds like you are in great hands overall.

DON'T overdo it though!!! I know you want to heal fast, but you'll heal faster resting girl!

Hugs
Jess
XOXO

I am thankful I had my gall bladder out several months before my hyster.
I do know what you mean, that it is harder. I was in much more pain and restricted movements after my gall bladder surgery, and I had it done laprascopically.

I am glad you are doing Ok. Up and talking. Hang in there, I know it is rough.

wow I can't believe I came across this post I had a TAH a week and a half a go and about a month before my surgery I started having right upper quadrant pain. The surgeon said just watch your diet. Now that I am taking less pain meds. from the TAH, I can feel that this pain is still there. They did a ultrasound and did not find any stones only a small polp in the gallbladder. So I am schdeduled for a hida scan at the end of July. I heard that excess estrogen can cause fibroid tumors(that is why I had the TAH) and it can also cause the formation of gallstones. So maybe these 2 things can go together in that way. I am interested in anything you all can tell me, and also if u know of any natural treatments for the gallbladder.

This is so weird to hear this information. My doctor wanted me to have hyst
last year and i put it off. I had polycyst and fibroids on ovaries and uter, so it all came out. But I also have a sluggish gallbladder which began giving me trouble in Jan. I havd hyst on June 30 and I am scheduled for gallbladder surgery on Sept. 23. I will just watch what I eat until then and hopefully I can last until then.