UPDATE (it won't let me update my OP)-

It's currently 10:45pm. I got to hospital at 10:30am this morning. I went in for surgery at 12:30pm. I woke up in recovery ward at 3pm. I just have 5 little bandaids on my stomach. I actually feel so much better than I was expecting. I was a bit nauseous tonight, but that has settled. I had panadol at 6pm, but I'm actually in no pain really, I am going to keep on top of it with pain relief though - just in case. My tummy is a little bit tender, and when it starts to get sore I just take a few deep breaths and it goes away. I am missing DS like absolute crazy ? but I know he's in good hands, lol. And it won't be long before I get to go home and see him :) I should be catching up on lost sleep, but of course I can't. I'm actually in maternity ward for the night, these newborns aren't making it any easier on missing my baby, but gosh they are so adorable ?

Got mine out 4 years ago when my daughter was 1 month old. It went well

I had mine removed a month after my daughter was born, for me I was abit uncomfortable because my SO had to work after I was home from the hospital. It took me about a week to start feeling better.

I'm also getting my gallbladder removed next month. ?

Got mine removed almost a year ago. The surgery went well the couple hours after was the worst just because your trying to wake up fully and the pain meds start to wear off but after that I did ok. I was taking care of my one year old the next week! Just be careful you aren't suppose to pick up anything over 10 lbs til your first check up appointment and you get released! That was my first night away from my son also I think I was more worried about him then anything else but he did ok:) good luck

Omg Melissa I'm so sorry! That sounds so awful.

I remember my gallstone attacks pain. I remember it because I would tell my husband that I would gladly go through the feel of birth contractions than these gallstones. It was awful.

I had mine out laparoscopically last year and they accidentally left a bile duct open and sliced my liver in the process. I was in so much pain after surgery but they kept telling me it was just gas pains from the lap surgery. Every day for a WEEK I called my surgeon to tell him how much pain I was still in. He finally told me to go to the ER but the ER was too busy to keep me over night and sent me home w just some heavy duty pain meds and told me to come back the next day for an MRI. I showed up the next morning, got the MRI and it showed something liquid was filling up in my belly, so they thought I had internal bleeding. They gave me blood tests which ended up proving there was something wrong...really wrong. I was septic, my liver was failing and the liquid they saw was bile filling up and surrounding my other organs and I had jaundice. As soon as they got the results, they called me in for emergency surgery and had me on an operating table within 10 minutes of showing up. They put in a drain grenade to drain the bile, but then I had pancreatitis, I then had a third surgery to put in a stent to seal the duct. 2 weeks later the duct clogged and bile backed up into my liver. I had a 4th surgery to have another stent put it, But I ended up waking up during surgery with tubes down my throat, and they couldn't finish. 2 days later they tried again w a stent for a 5th surgery and that stent ended up migrating into my liver, had a 6th surgery to have the stent just removed entirely. And the drs just gave up and told me to heal on my own. I still have pain to this day. :/

Ps not trying to scare you. My case was like 1 in a 100,000 especially w all the other complications. Usually gall bladder surgeries are successful and don't have any complications.

Mine went very well. Post op pain was not pleasant and we had to switch my pain meds but after that it was smooth sailing. First day you will probably be super groggy, and you'll feel great, no pain or hardly any. Don't let it fool you, if you need pain meds take them. Don't let the pain build till its pain control not pain management. Don't make my mistake and be like "oh this is nothing! I don't even need tylenol!" Then wake up at 3 AM in a butt load of pain.

I had mine out at 16 and still have issues with eating many foods.

Mine was outpatient went in through the er for horrible pain and vomiting and dehydration they ran the tests and I apparently had at least one stone the size of a baseball. So it came out the same day. I had some pain from the gas they fill your body with for a day or two but was back at school the next week

You need to be careful with carrying baby as it can cause damage. I couldn't lift mine for 2 weeks. Good luck with your op.its the best feeling knowing you'll never get another attack ? xx

I had mine removed by keyhole at 16 weeks pregnant. It was a painful recovery for me. Keyhole means they only give you one incision which is nice. My incision is just above my belly button. The gas they fill your stomach with actually is what hurts more than the actual surgery. My best advice is to drink lots of hot peppermint tea to help move the gas around. Some other drinks that helped move gas out are warm prune juice or flat warm dr. pepper. I know it sounds gross but trust me you will want the gas gone. Don't use straws as they bring more gas into your sensitive abdomen. The best thing for the pain is walking. I know it sounds weird but walk as much as you can because that also draws the gas out of your body. Walk every hour for at least 5-10 minutes. You aren't going to want to walk because your stomach is going to be bloated and sore but once again, it really does help. Finally, bring a pillow for the car ride home. Use it as a crutch for your belly when going over speed humps and such. You can also use it when coughing or getting up from laying/sitting. You don't realize how much you use your stomach muscles until after surgery. The first two days after surgery were the worst but after that the pain got better and better with each day. Good luck OP and hope you feel better soon!

Never venture too far from a bathroom! And don't try to do too much too soon!

When I had an appointment with the surgeon, he told me there are no restrictions as to what I can and can't do after the surgery, just to go at my own pace.

This is great, thanks everyone! Just goes to show how different everyone really is!

I'm getting mine out due to heaps of stones - so they say. Last fortnight I had 5 attacks in 9 days. ? I'd rather give birth again than have another gallstone attack lol.

Had mine taken out due to it functioning too much for my body. The gas they pump in you is what made it the most uncomfortable. I found that a heating pad on my back or shoulder helped alot. Made the air rise out.

Mine became so gangrene I was in the hospital a week. I also lifted my 6 week old and all that went with him too soon and got an umbilical hernia which resulted in another surgery. My problem was they left stones in the common bile duct so I had multiple pancreatitis attacks which led to me have chronic pancreatitis.

I was bf but only twice a day as my Ło was starting to wean. I just pumped and dumped for the next feed and gave her a bottle of pumped milk.

I had mine removed after some serious complications involving a stone stuck in my bile duct shutting down my liver and pancreas. Recovery from the actual gallbladder removal was super easy. The first couple days I had some pain from gas build up. After that I was barely sore, and I could immediately eat whatever. It's been a little over a year and I don't have problems with greasy food or alcohol like some do, no gastrointestinal changes at all.

I will say, the only hiccup in my otherwise easy recovery was that I didn't listen to my doctor's lifting restrictions. I lifted a big box of cat litter and ripped open the incision in my navel and now the scar there is twice as big and ugly as the other three. And it HURT! So yeah, even if you're feeling great, pay attention to the restrictions.

I have. It was an outpatient procedure. I went in, they got me in a bed, gave me some sort of drug and told me that it would make me black out and I wouldn't have memories of much after that point. I think I made a "rufee" joke to the anesthesiologist. Lol. The last concrete memory I have is waving to my DH as I was rolled away to the surgery room. I have a fuzzy memory of going into the OR and having to move to an operation table, but it's so fuzzy that I can't remember if I dreamt it or if it was real. Then, I woke up in the recovery room. Once I was totally awake, they had me try to use the restroom and then sent me home. I have 4 small scars on my abdomen from it.

The first 3 days after the procedure were the hardest. I slept most of them. Although, I think I only took painkiller for the first day. I only took 1 week off from work and then I was back into full swing.

After surgery, I had no significant complications. I live a very normal life. I try to eat low fat, but I can really eat anything I want, just fine. The only side effects I really have are slightly looser stools for some of the time, more often after a large meal (lunch more than any other meals).

I feel very normal though.

Had my surgery, woke up, and after about an hour of being watched I was released. I was sore, but wasn't bad at all.

And I can't eat certain foods too. If I do I immediately need to go to the bathroom.

I got mine out like 5 or 6 years ago. From what I remember it was like a week recovery for me and I was in alot of pain. I think I even asked for stronger pain killers. I don't want to freak you out but I don't know how I could have picked up a baby or breastfed while I was recovering. But I was like 15 or 16 so maybe different. And the meds just made me loopy and high. The co2 or whatever they put in your abdomen travels to your joints. My right shoulder hurt like if I fell on it for like 2 days after and I burped alot, they said that was normal? Anyway, I'm not sure why you are getting yours removed but mine was because inflammation I think. They staple off a vain thing to store the bile your gallbladder usually holds making like a new one. But for me I still have problems when I eat some foods or get stressed.

Good luck op, I would suggest having a helper with your baby for at least a week.

@meg, that's great to hear!

@mummyroo, I've already gotten into the habit of a food diary, so I guess that'll be handy :)

Was anyone breastfeeding? I am, and wondering how that will go. I feed in footy hold at home, so that'll help - I assume, as he wont be laying across my stomach.

I had mine removed 4 weeks ago. Prepare yourself to be sore.dont rush yourself with recovery and try and get as much rest as possible for the first couple days.

I've also learnt I can't tolerate some foods anymore or you get awful toilet problems! So you may want to start a food diary once your out ! Xx

Had mine done while I was 15 weeks pregnant. It wasn't too bad. Make sure to take GasX though. My shoulder hurt way worse than the actual surgery. They use gas to distend your abdomen so that they can work. Well that gas for whatever reason tends to settle in your shoulder when they are done. The GasX will help get that out. That and where they put the tube down my throat were the only things that bothered me.