# anyone had their gall bladder removed?



## wilks (Jan 15, 2004)

i have some big time gall stones and need my gall bladder out..doc wants to do it sooner rather than later but we have a trip to moab planned over labor day week - since i live in nj this is probably a once in a lifetime trip - i.e. next year we go somewhere else - so my question is has anyone had theirs removed and how quick were they back to normal on a bike? thanks in advance/


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## SpartyBiker (Mar 31, 2008)

No, but I've had a root canal!


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## swampboy62 (Feb 10, 2009)

Yeah, I had mine out a couple of years back. It was a quick in and out deal - not even an overnight stay at the hospital. This was before I was riding, but I was kayaking 80 to 90 days a year, so I was itchin' to get back into action. The doctor told me to take four weeks off before I got back in the boat. By the end of two weeks I felt fine except for a rare brief pain at the incision sites. I think I managed to wait about 2-1/2 weeks before I got back into a boat and got back on the whitewater - with no problems either. YMMV!

Steve Z


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## CharacterZero (May 19, 2004)

Have you tried a gallbladder flush?

Do you know that gallbladder removal causes CHRONIC DIARRHEA in 30% of patients? What, your doctor didn't tell you that? Hmmm...


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## ecox (Apr 7, 2006)

wilks said:


> i have some big time gall stones and need my gall bladder out..doc wants to do it sooner rather than later but we have a trip to moab planned over labor day week - since i live in nj this is probably a once in a lifetime trip - i.e. next year we go somewhere else - so my question is has anyone had theirs removed and how quick were they back to normal on a bike? thanks in advance/


Yeah I had mine out about 4 years ago. It's more involved than you think. I had it done laproscopically but stayed overnight in the hospital. I had a drainage tube in my side for just under a week or so afterward. That sucked.

Will you be ok to ride 3 weeks after surgery? Maybe. Ask your doc. It will depend on how complicated your surgery and recovery is.

Here's my gallbladder in the OR right after they took it out of me.









Here are my stones...I had 10. Hospital kept one to biopsy, I got the other 9.









Imagine trying to pass those stones. Hurt like nothing else I've ever felt.

-Erik


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## rikbar (May 22, 2008)

I got mine cut out about 2 years ago now. I was in and out in 1 day and feeling pretty good about 2 weeks later.
Make sure to have a good diet plan ready to go, if you eat like me(junk) it will not be a good match in your stomach.


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## wilks (Jan 15, 2004)

Thanks guys - I just booked surgery for this Monday coming - I experienced some more pain again today and I don't want t be in the middle of slickrock trail looking for an ER. Hopefully the recovery will be speedy and I'll be good for the trip.

ecox - thanks for the pics (I think)


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## Hellrazor666 (Oct 27, 2008)

I will all depend how bad your gallbladder is. If this just started then I'm sure it won't be that bad. By the looks of those pics I'm willing to bet that that just didn't come out of no where   My wife had hers removed and she was good to go in about 2 weeks.


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## nuggets (Jul 7, 2008)

Hi, I had mine removed laproscopically and rehab was about 2 weeks. Your doctor will tell you what you can and can't do.


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## wilks (Jan 15, 2004)

A quick update - I had the gall bladder removed August 10th - the gall bladder had shut down and a stone was blocking a bile duct. The first week after surgery was tough but by mid way through the second week I felt well enough to participate in a 24 hr race on a 2man team. I am probably 95% now and off to Moab next week and very happy I got it done.


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