What is the average recovery time after gallbladder surgery

You need to take the full course of antibiotics. If you have strips of tape on the incision, or cut, leave the tape on for a week or until it falls off. After 24 to 48 hours, wash the area daily with warm, soapy water, and pat it dry. You may have staples to hold the cut together. Keep them dry until your doctor takes them out. This is usually in 7 to 10 days. Keep the area clean and dry. You may cover it with a gauze bandage if it weeps or rubs against clothing.

Change the bandage every day. To reduce swelling and pain, put ice or a cold pack on your belly for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Do this every 1 to 2 hours. Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin. For example, call if: You passed out lost consciousness. You are short of breath.. Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if: You are sick to your stomach or cannot drink fluids.

You have pain that does not get better when you take your pain medicine. You cannot pass stools or gas. You have signs of infection, such as: Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness. Red streaks leading from the incision. Pus draining from the incision. A fever. Bright red blood has soaked through the bandage over your incision. You have loose stitches, or your incision comes open.

You have signs of a blood clot in your leg called a deep vein thrombosis , such as: Pain in your calf, back of knee, thigh, or groin. Redness and swelling in your leg or groin. Current as of: February 10, Even if it is only to make a cup of coffee, getting up and around really does help. Take time off of work. Your surgeon will tell you how long you should take off from work.

If you are self-employed or do not have paid sick leave, make sure your finances are covered while you heal. If you are concerned, call your doctor! You know your body better than anyone else. Powered by. Toggle navigation. Email Me. Log in. You may need to limit how much you lift for a period of time. In general, we advise patients to not lift more than pounds for up to six weeks to allow your incision sites to fully heal and prevent unnecessary injuries. Your gallbladder served as a storage unit for something called bile, which is a substance made in your liver that helps digest fat.

With your gallbladder removed, you may need to watch your fat intake until your digestive system adjusts. Eating fried or fatty foods may lead to abdominal cramping and diarrhea. Instead, fill your diet with low-fat, healthy foods that are high in fiber. We recommend:. There will be scars where the cuts were made in your tummy. These will probably be red and obvious at first, but should fade over time. These problems could be a sign of a complication of gallbladder removal surgery.

Page last reviewed: 03 December Next review due: 03 December In either case, you'll need to arrange for someone to take you home from hospital. Possible side effects of surgery You can live perfectly normally without a gallbladder, so there aren't usually any long-term effects from gallbladder removal surgery. Temporary side effects can include: swollen, bruised and painful wounds — this should start to improve within a few days; regular painkillers such as paracetamol may help reduce the discomfort feeling sick — you may feel sick as a result of the anaesthetic or painkillers you have been given, but this should pass quickly pain in your tummy and shoulders — this is a result of the gas used to inflate your tummy and should pass after a couple of days; painkillers can be taken to relieve the discomfort bloating, flatulence and diarrhoea — this can last a few weeks; eating high-fibre food such as fruit, vegetables, brown rice and wholemeal bread can help to firm up your stools, and your GP may also be able to prescribe medication to help fatigue, mood swings and irritability — these feelings should improve as you recover These side effects are completely normal and not usually a cause for concern.