Gallstones

I've had a dodgy digestive system for some years, and have been prescribed Ranitidine (aka Zantac), which is a proton pump inhibitor, to control the production of stomach acid.

Over time though, I have an increasing number of episodes in which a painful 'ball of something' seems to move slowly from my stomach and through my intestines. Eventually, these episodes become more frequent and painful and I'm laid low with severe pain coupled with what, from the symptoms, would seem to be gout in one shoulder and one knee (joints that have previous damage).

If you've ever had gout you will know that it is excruciatingly painful.

So, off to the GP. Immediate suspicion of gallstones (although the gout symptoms are 'odd') and I have blood tests which confirm the likely diagnosis. A scan at the local hospital confirms that I have gallstones and these are way too big to be expelled naturally. (The blood rests indicated impaired  liver function which might explain the gout symptoms, but that remains a bit of a mystery).

Removal of my gallbladder is the only recommendation. I see the potential surgeon and am given a very clear explanation of the problem and also why the stones cannot be dissolved or disintegrated as is done for kidney stoned. Good detail on what's removed, clipped, etc. So I agree to the operation, which is billed as keyhole surgery (turns out to be 4 large keys!) on a day ward.

Pre-op assessment done and passed, I arrive at 8am for the operation and am given heavy-duty paracetamol to take, dulls the edge of post op pain, I'm told. I'm not informed of timing but when I ask it seems I am second on the list, about 10am. The paracetamol sends me to sleep. I wake up at 1030, nothing happening, no contact beyond the initial induction. Just after 11 I'm wheeled off to the surgical area.

I'm in the room where anaesthetic is administered. Suddenly 4 people come in and start doing stuff. They are talking to each other but not to me, unless they are about to stick something in my hand. Very impersonal. I go to sleep......

.... and I wake up back where I started in the day ward, feeling woozy and sick, very thirsty. No-one around and no button to press.  Day ward nurse eventually comes round. I ask for a drink of water. This arrives but I am then left but do now have a button to press. Still feel very dozy.

Eventually the ward nurse comes back and encourages me to get up and walk around. I ask for another drink - my throat is dry and sore (tubes down it during the op?) but my kidneys are not working... lots of liquid sloshing around my stomach. I try to explain, but body language from the nurse basically says "I'm just waiting for you all to go home so I can get away".  Much rolling of eyes and sighing when I ask for another drink - I'm informed that drinks are available "down the corridor".

So I get out of bed, no help provided, and shuffle around, get a drink, eventually go to the loo and start to feel a bit more human. Eat a sandwich which just about stays down. There is no follow-up visit from the surgical team. The nurse calls by again with discharge notes, takes my blood pressure and says I can go - 'any problems call your GP'. So I get dressed, phone my wife and shuffle along, alone and carrying my bag, to the waiting room.

A rather painful few days, no problems and I start to get more mobile. Absolutely no follow up from the hospital or GP.

Dear NHS - the day of the operation gave me the impression that I was on a conveyor belt. very little human interaction and minimal attention and care. It may only be day surgery, but it is still a tad traumatic and you feel pretty sore and woozy afterwards.

A few months on, my body has got used to the new flow of juices. I have to be so careful with what I eat, and when, as it takes much longer now to digest meat and fatty foods. But much better in terms of stomach pain, which was the point of the exercise. No recurrence of the gout symptoms, thankfully.

Update after 18 months, all is well. I still need Ranitidine for stomach acid and have to be *really* careful what I eat, but my general health is better.