It has been twenty years since I was diagnosed with gallbladder problems. The pain from this was the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life and this includes having had four children. The pain was so excrutiating, I would end up everytime on the floor. I couldnt even speak, and thrown into bouts of profuse sweats of hot and cold. Each time I thought I would die then ended up passing out. The pain is still imprinted in my mind, it seems like only yesterday. Anyway, after ultra sound tests, it was revealed I had a gall bladder filled with stones. I was told there would be no option but to have the GB removed. This operation happended a month or so later. From being wheeled out of recovery, I thought I would die. In the lift back up to the ward, I remember trying to let the nurse know something was wrong, I was forcing myself to moan in order to be heared, and began tugging at her uniform. I remember this having no effect, and then the porter wheeling my trolley saying, ‘whats up with her? The nurse replied to him. ‘oh she’s only reacting to the aneasthetic’. On the ward, I was in agony. It took me hours of agonising pain, and a game of charades, to get the nursing staff to get me a pen and paper so I could slowly write down how I felt. I was quickly seen by the boss of the young surgeon who did the operation, and he ordered immediate xrays of my abdomon, afterwhich I was phsically drained of pints of bile from the drainage tube they had inserted, and was inserted with a shunt which contained morphine, with intrevenus antibiotics etc. Although, this operation was a long time ago, I remeber vividly the pain and trauma like it was yesterday, so much so I have had many , many nightmares. Since my gallbladder removal, I have been left with an hiatus urnia and have divicular desease. I know this is all as a result of neglect and incompetence in carrying out the operation, but then these situations, seemed to be swept under the carpet and everyone closed ranks. Since the gall bladder operation, everything is wrong with me, I am fit for nothing, suffer from fibromyalgia, have no energy or interest in anything. Does anyone have any idea what could have happened to me and why I have suffer with so many illnesses since. Sometimes, being told by someone who understands where I am coming from, could be an aid to the recovery of at least my mind. It is true what someone said earlier, they dont really know what happens to the rest of your body function when the gallbladder has been removed, all I know is it left from being a physically and mentally strong happy woman – to a weak ailing depressed wreck. Maybe things are different now and more is understood about the operation, however, anyone considering having this operation for whatever the reason, should make their decision based on the very best medical information and a choice of technique which suits the patients ‘needs’.