You’ve made it through gallbladder surgery. Now comes the part most people have questions about: What will next week actually feel like?
The good news is that most gallbladder removals are performed laparoscopically, using several small incisions rather than one large abdominal incision. Many people go home the same day and begin returning to normal activities relatively quickly. Still, your body needs time to recover.
Here are seven things you can generally expect during your first week after gallbladder removal, courtesy of Dr. Mikhail A. Botvinov and the Bergen Bariatric and Surgical Solutions P.C. team in Westwood, New Jersey.
During a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (the medical term for gallbladder removal), Dr. Botvinov makes several small incisions in your abdomen and uses specialized instruments to remove your gallbladder.
Even though these incisions are small, you’ve still had surgery, so it’s normal to experience tenderness, bruising, and discomfort around the incision sites.
Your discomfort should gradually improve rather than intensify as the week progresses. Follow your postoperative instructions for pain management and incision care, and avoid picking at surgical glue, strips, or dressings.
This one catches many people by surprise: Why does your shoulder hurt after abdominal surgery?
During laparoscopic surgery, your abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide gas to give your surgeon room to see and work safely. Some residual gas can irritate your diaphragm after surgery. Your diaphragm and shoulder share nerve pathways, so your brain may interpret that irritation as shoulder pain. This phenomenon is called referred pain.
Walking, changing positions, and chewing gum can help, and the discomfort usually improves as your body absorbs the remaining gas.
Your first instinct after surgery may be to stay planted on the couch for a week. Rest is important, but complete inactivity generally isn’t ideal either.
Walking helps get you moving again and can support circulation and normal bowel function. Start slowly with short walks around your home, and gradually increase your activity as you feel able.
That doesn’t mean you’re ready to hit the gym. Your first week is just about regular movement, not exercise.
Avoid heavy lifting, strenuous exercise, and other activities Dr. Botvinov restricts until he clears you to resume them. Walking and working out are two very different things during your first week.
Your gallbladder stores and concentrates bile, which helps your body digest fats. After gallbladder removal, your liver still makes bile, but instead of storing it in the gallbladder, it flows more continuously into your small intestine.
Your digestive system may need a little time to adjust. During the first several days, smaller, lighter meals may feel better than a cheeseburger and fries. Fatty, greasy, or very rich foods can contribute to nausea, bloating, cramping, or diarrhea in some people.
You don’t necessarily need to follow an extremely restrictive diet forever. As you recover, you can gradually reintroduce foods and watch how your digestive system responds.
Your incisions are tiny, so why do you feel like napping at 2 p.m.? Incision size isn’t the only factor in your recovery plan. Your body is recovering from surgery and anesthesia, and you may also be sleeping differently, eating less than usual, or taking medications that make you drowsy.
Constipation can occur after surgery, particularly because of anesthesia, reduced activity, changes in your diet, and certain pain medications.
On the other hand, some people experience looser or more frequent stools after gallbladder removal as their digestive system adjusts to bile flowing more continuously into the intestine. This is common and can affect 57% of people after surgery.
Staying hydrated, walking, and following your postoperative dietary instructions can help.
If diarrhea is severe, persists, or you’re concerned about constipation, contact our office rather than trying to manage significant symptoms on your own.
Recovery isn’t identical for everyone, but the overall direction should generally be toward improvement.
As the days pass, your soreness should decrease, moving around should become easier, and your appetite and energy should begin returning.
Continue to follow Dr. Botvinov’s instructions regarding work, driving, lifting, exercise, and other activities even if you’re feeling surprisingly good.
Questions? Call our Westwood, New Jersey, office at 201-731-6919 or request an appointment online.
