A general question for PN sufferers. Has anyone had gallbladder surgery with PN and if so were there any issues? Not an exactly a question for idle curiosity since I made a slight detour from work last night directly to the ER, did not pass go and did not collect $200.00 but did remove my wife from a Yoga class to accompany me on the sojurn. I figured after a day long cold sweat and constant pain in the back - sort of like a virtual apple coring and you're the apple that this was not good - same could be said for the last week or so but some of us are slow learners!

Long story short, kidneys and heart are fine - real good news for heart given my history but gallbladder is " filled w/ stones" according to the ER Doc - like this was a prize of some sort. Scheduled a HIDA/CCK exam for confirmation and we'll go from there depending on the results. If it requires surgery just wondering if anyone has had the expereince and how they fared - open or laprascopic?

Thanks for any info

Alkymst

I feel your pain. I had my gallbladder out back in June of 2001. Boy, what a relief! I had laparoscopic. The pain was not too bad after. Especially compared to the pain I was in pre-surgery. Mine was severely infected, not just filled up with stones. On a scale of 1 to 10 I'd say the surgery was about a 3 as far as healing and aftereffects.

I didn't *notice* any issues connected with it. I've had PN in my feet for longer than before my surgery. Maybe the post-surgical pain meds help with any increased sensation that might be experienced in relation to the surgery?

Barbara

In all my readings, I've learned that some folks have really bad reactions to some knock out drops. Anyone with any demeyelinating condition can be 'sensitive' in this area.

Having had 2 surgeries last year, and knowing this, I first made it very clear to the SURGEON that this could be a touchy issue. At the pre-op interview w/the anathes. I make it again very clear that I'd heard it could be an issue and clearly STATE I have a "DEMEYELINATING" condition, such as MS...THEN [and this is kind of fun] You see them re-playing Side effects/demeyelinating Class 101 in their brains..then go..OH, OK.

Also be sure to be SUPER hydrated before and just after surgery. Before to make it easy to 'stick' you, after to flush out the residual effects of the anathesia.

My experience of it all was that even tho I'd been surged, the first few moments of coming-to just after were FABULOUS, as there was no PN pain, nor any pain...it comes back, but I savor those few moments as my overall goal. - j

PS of course, speaking a complete, understandable sentence for a while after is a different story!

Barbara,
First, and most importantly, the picture of your cat is priceless - the expression is incredible and caption couldn't be more apropro - looks like a candidate for America's Funniest Home Videos! Glad to hear that your pain was relieved but as bad as I feel w/ just stones it's hard to imagine what it must feel like w/ an infection to boot. In any event thanks for the encouraging words and the kitty puss picture.
Alkymst

Dahlek,
I hadn't thought about the ramifications of PN and general anesthesia but I can count on you to raise some very timely and important questions -my sincere thanks! Since it seems my diagnosis is turning more to PAIN - painful axonal idiopathic neuropathy - the demylinating aspects and the small fiber component is really important to me.

Now if I can just figure out how many tramadol = 2 gracious fingers of a smooth Tennessee sipping whiskey I should make through another night. Thanks again
alkymst

I'm glad you like her. Or is it a him? Looks more like a her to me. That attitude perhaps.

The pain was horrible. I was in tears before it was all said and done. And I had a high pain threshold at that time too. The surgery was such a relief. The problem with that many stones is one eventually blocks the duct. And infection can set in then.

The surgery itself is really not a big deal. Of course any surgery carries risks. But this is not bad at all.

I'll be keeping you in my thoughts and sending vibes for a good outcome for you.

It was about 7 years ago when I had my first AND ONLY gallbladder attack. I rushed to my doctor (this was before Dr. Fred), and they did a sonogram and he called me up and said "well, you have a gallbladder problem" what do you want to do about it?? I said "Oh, I have a choice?" And he said "sure, you can give up all fat or you can be operated"

Now guess which one I chose???? I lost a lot of weight that year. Well, the day after Thanksgiving (I had a small turkey dinner and a piece of Pumpkin Pie. That's it. (Do you think it was the pumpkin pie that almost killed me??? I'll never know. Well, got sick (you know what happens right?), next day, go to same doctor, he takes one look at me and goes "I'm calling the hospital". They had to wait for Oxford to approve the surgery. Took 3 days. I'm on demerol and won't let anybody touch the gallbladder side of my body. They finally do laparascopy but had to cut me a bit because I had two stones that were so big they fit in a Chinese Soup Container (I took them home with me and showed all my neighbors).

Do you think that's the end of my story??? Hell no.... my gallbladder was stuck to my liver and I began to bleed internally. They had to rush me back into surgery and well let's just say I had 75 staples across my whole stomach.

I don't even know who operated on me. I'm getting senile. But I survived. Best part is that you don't have an appetite when you come home. Boy did I lose weight over this. Couldn't look at food for two weeks.

But when it's over, you feel like a million bucks.

My Aunt Sallie said the first thing she had after her gall bladder surgery was a nice cold beer!!! Never forgot that!!

So hope everything goes okay. Everybody else I know has had the laparascopic thing and went home the same day. My brother in law and my girlfriend's hubby just had it done. Came home the same day.

I believe if I didn't wait the year, I would have had no problems. But the stones kept getting bigger.

All the best,

Melody

It wasn't what you ate but the size of the stones, I'm willing to bet. I'm glad it all turned out OK for you.

Most people go home the same day. I couldn't because I was infected and they had me on antibiotics. I went in later in the afternoon, surgery the next day, about 11:00 and went home the next afternoon. I hate hospitals. It's no place to be to get any rest, that's for sure.

I had mine removed laprascopically at 9:00am and went out to dinner that night, feeling much better.

I did find out a couple of interesting facts about gallbladders. One, if you eat a HUGE Mexican food dinner, and wake up in the middle of the night in screaming upper rt. abdominal pain, which could even radiate around to the back, you may well be having a gallbladder attack, because the fat brings it on... Like you cannot even begin to imagine...

Two, after you have it removed, you still may not be able to tolerate eating a lot of fat, because your GI tract may decide to pass on its contents-like a freight train coming on down the track... This could mean if you love real butter loaded on your baked potato or rolls, there had better be a MacDonald's or a Burger King on your route home, in case you need to make a pit stop, if you get the drift...

My Yorkie is admiring Barbara's cat, although worrying she might become its little midnight snack...
Cathie

one with merely a 'middling' state of PN....the fangs would be showing when it's reellly badd! OR, one having to deal w/marginal neuros?

As for the 'we are not amused' line, well, as you can tell, we aren't always, as we all HURT! At the same time, we sweeten the lemons and make some lemonade - which must account for the weight gain?

Alkymyst...I'll see if I can dig up some stuff on anathesia reactions...I believe it's mostly in relation to MS, but, I'm sure I can find other more obscure but relevant connections. I found the reference to MS worked...mite not if'n a doc really doesn't listen. Key is..to clearly state you [no matter how much pain you're in] WON'T SUCCUMB w/o an INFORMED anathesiologist at the table. I was lucky in my surgery scheduling in that I put it all in the Surgeons' lap and they delivered...You don't always have a choice, especially in emergencies, you know? Don't know about you, but I'm going to start a thread tomorrow about ID bracelets? I mean this is the kind of thing those things are supposed to be for...but how good are they/

When is your surgery? I want to cross my legs and fingers for the duration, and YOU be sure to set up some sort of way to let us know you flew thru it with aces! - j