If you get your gallbladder removed and your surgeon says it could cause diarrhea for a while but your discharge papers say take stool softener because of the pain medication? Listen to the surgeon.

It hasn't been a fun couple of days.

Thank you for reading my very short rant. Back to the bathroom!

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[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I appreciate the advice. I spent a couple of years on various opioids at various dosages due to a shitty neurologist trying and failing to treat a nerve disorder, so I'm pretty aware of what withdrawal is like. It helps that I don't really like any of the effects of opioids apart from pain relief. I'll be okay taking it for only 3-4 days and only for pain.

And yeah, I'm doing a follow-up soon after Christmas. They said 1-2 weeks.

My issues were not gallstone issues. I had low function in my gallbladder based on certain metrics which led to mild dyskinesia. But even the surgeon said he only gives it a 50/50 chance of working.

Basically, I have had no solid food since August. I live on Ensure and Gatorade. This is the second time around for that because I couldn't eat solid food for about six weeks starting in February of this year either. It's not nausea, it's a total aversion to food. My doctor described it as like anorexia except with a physical rather than a psychological cause. I also dry heave most mornings when I get up, but nothing has ever come out.

The good news is I haven't heaved in two days. The bad news is that the aversion to food has not abated even slightly and I've gone two days without heaving before. So we'll see what happens. If this doesn't work in 1-2 weeks, it's off to the Mayo Clinic.

[–] flooppoolf@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (3 children)

Awe, best wishes to you mate. It seems to me that you’re on your way to recovery ❤️

I never asked why I do constant forearm movements to pull on my shoulder, I was visiting a back specialist to see what the heck was up with my shoulder and neck, steroids would help but then it would come back even harder. I can also relate to the dry heaving. I used to think it was an anxiety dry cough that would turn into a dry heave after a while. Later learned it was just gallbladder stuff. I think it’s crazy just how interconnected these things are

I had to take a really difficult test a week after surgery. Usually studying would kick my anxiety into full throttle and that’s when the coughing and heaving would start for me. Add a couple of hours past my lunch and it would turn into full nausea battles.

Thankfully the need to cough and heave never came back a few weeks after surgery.

I’m still struggling to get my neck and shoulder to stop twitching and tying itself up but that I’m sure takes more time. Everyday gets a little better.

Edit: Ask your doctor about Marinol, it’ll possibly make you munch your heart out. :) (it’s legal THC, and your condition seems chronic enough to warrant the use)

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago

Good luck to you! I hope every day continues to get better!

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago

Edit: Ask your doctor about Marinol, it’ll possibly make you munch your heart out. :) (it’s legal THC, and your condition seems chronic enough to warrant the use)

Re the edit- I just use the real thing. It's illegal here in Indiana, but it's legal in neighboring Illinois and I'm very close to the state line. It helps with my trigeminal neuralgia (the nerve disorder) but it hasn't done anything about my appetite. The only thing it does in regards to this problem is help settle my stomach after the morning heaving.

If you are a heavy cannabis user, they have to use stronger anesthesia on you, but I seem to be able to tolerate anesthesia without any long-term effects, so that wasn't a concern.

[–] v_krishna@lemmy.ml 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Marinol is not thc and is absolutely garbage compared to full spectrum cannabis products. Assuming you live in a sane state, go get yourself some RSO if you want to see if cannabis can help (I don't think it will, it doesn't sound like your symptoms are nausea related lack of appetite)

[–] flooppoolf@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Well yes, it is sucky compared to full spectrum. But it would be safer for them to talk about it with their doctor first as they have an ongoing condition. Also yes it is d9-thc.

[–] v_krishna@lemmy.ml 2 points 11 months ago

Ahh the more you know, I didn't realize it was actually delta 9.