Early pregnant and surgery under general anastesia

[Anya1984]

Hi everyone,
I have to have my gal bludder removed ASAP and I am 5 weeks pregnant..Im very concerned because the surgery is under general anastesia!!! Does anyone have any suggestions? Is it going to harm my baby? ( I already had one m/c at 5 weeks before...)
should I wait till 2nd trimester (i might not because attacks happen every week and so docs are concerned for my health).....Anything would help!!

[peekawho]

Your OB should be the one to advise you on this question.  Your OB knows all your info, your medical history, and he/she will know if its critical to do this now, or later.

Good luck!

[cantwait4baby]

I had to have a laporoscopy done at 4 weeks gestation and they assured me the baby would be fine - I woke up and the baby was fine - at 9 weeks I had to be put under again for a cardio-version - (my heart had to be shocked back to a normal beat) I woke up - was spotting but baby was fine - my daughter is now 18 months old.  Those were the only two times in my entire life I had been put to sleep - bad timing but if I am an example - it is safe.

Good Luck to you!  Ask for u/s after the procedures to help ease your mind.

[Anya1984]

Hi, my RE told me that if the surgery is needed, do it, he said that many women undergo surgery and they are fine, no harm to the fetus. My surgeon said to wait if possible for 2nd trimester, but my attacks have been very frequent and I am afraid that waiting 2 more months might not be possible. Nor doctors tell me something useful. My RE doesn't care whether Im going to lose the babyI feel....he says that my health is more important and he is right....but....I struggled so much to get preggo and want to avoid any anastethia...doesn't look like I have much choice....
but in your professional opinion, how bad it is for the baby?

[peekawho]

I'm only a nurse, so I have no professional opinion on it.  

I can only say that your doctors have to give you some help in this...if they are feeling that it is necessary and should be done now, then their professional opinions should be followed.

I wish I could give you more than that.  Many women have surgery early in pregnancy...IF it is clearly needed and their health would be jeopardized without it.  As long as the surgeons and anesthesiologists know you are pregnant, they will choose the route and medications that are least likely to be harmful.

[cantwait4baby]

PS.  My cardiologist told me the same - I come first and I told him flat out no I do not.  They had me in the hospital for 9 days having meeting after meeting with specialists and my OB doctors and they really had a hard time trying to decide what to do with me.  IN the end they assured me the baby would be fine - I went right down for an u/s after the procedure and the baby was there heart beating away - but I did bleed after that scaring the you know what out of me.  

My first procedure I was too early on to be able to check on the baby!  Be sure that your OB is in the loop with your doctor who will be doing the surgery.

[addysmom]

Hello!  I actually found out I was pregnant with my daughter due to presurgical blood work to have my gallbladder removed.  The doctor canceled my surgery...saying that with my history of miscarriages he didn't want to chance it.  I agreed...and actually my twice daily gallbladder attacks STOPPED until 4 months after I had my daughter.  They came back pretty bad and I ended up having it removed when she was 4 months old.  I hope this helps you!

[Anya1984]

Thank you all for your suggestions.
cantwait4baby - did you have your gallbladder removed? How many weeks were you?
My OB is not going to coordinate with surgeon, he just said, let them know you are preggo and hope for the best :(
Anyway, I will look for another surgeon anyway..I am doing a very strick diet but it doesn't help, i still have attacks every week..I want to try to postpone at any cost till my secod trimester (that is if I will see the heartbeat next week (will be 6 weeks )...
Wish me luck...
Im just concerned - from one hand, I need it out, need the surgery
from another hand, don't want to harm the baby....

[Anya1984]

Sorry, I didn't see your first post -thanks!!! So your baby was fine after they put you to sleep two times in your first trimester?
Wow!!
I already had one m/c so I don't wan to risk it :(

[Anya1984]

Hi there!!
So when you were in your early pregnnacy, they had to cancel the surgery....but how did you manage through the attacks for all 9 months? What about complications? Mine happen every week so far but doc says there could be complications if stone goes in bile duct.....were you treated with painkillers? I mean...i didn't get when your attacks stopped?
Im at 5 weeks now and I had 2 attacks already....hoping to avoid next one in 2-3 days (exactly one week from last one)...I am managing the attacks with pain killers, but doc says that it is better to take it out to avoid complications..what do u think?

[cantwait4baby]

yes, my baby was fine after two and the laporoscopy did cause pain afterwards in which I had to suffer through so I am not sure what they would do for you since yours would be major surgery?  You will be in a lot of pain after the surgery I would be more worried about that then actually being put under.

Your OB said what?  Does he not care?  OMG I would have flipped out - they need to work together.  My heart was in A-Fib and I saw my OB more then my Cardiologist during my 9 day hospital stay.  Some doctors just are too routine - oh hope for the best.  Well guess what this is my baby and I am not going to loose him or her - Put your foot down.  They will wise up.  I will keep you in my prayers.

[Anya1984]

yeah...it is hard..it is not a major surgery, it will also be laporoscopy to take a galbladder out...the surgery takes about 1- 2 hours, and I am worried as hell for the surgery itself but the baby is more important at this point!!!! Cuz we tried for 3 years to get preggo, and lost one baby already...
My OB or RE(specialist in fertility) just told me that if the pain comes back and you develop complications, do it without hesitating, and pray for the best..
my surgeon said (and I will change him ,get a second opinion) that we should wait for 2nd trimester unless attacks will be very consistant...anyway, there could be major complications that's why it is best to do it asap...
yeah, it sux...
btw, your laporoscopy, how was it? did your scars hurt afterwords?

[lhughes]

I would be concerned about the OB's attitude.  I'm so sorry.  My OB was wonderful with the surgery thing.  I had to have a mastectomy at 8 weeks and did the major freak out after having the consult with the anesthesiologist the Fri before the surgery.  Called my OB after the appt and he called us in for a quick visit, talked to both me and hubby and assured us that complications are rare, but can occur.  Then Monday morning, a different anesth... gave me a textbook oration on how some drugs can cause harm, blah blah blah, etc... he said he's handled a number of pregnant women in surgery and would do all he could from his end to make sure that both of us came through.  He waxed on for about 10 minutes...didn't know if it made me feel better or not, but I figured he knew what he was doing by the time he shut up about it.

SO!  Talk to the anesthetist/anest.... the dude who puts you to sleep and see if they've ever dealt with pregnant women before.  Make sure they know your history of anestesia and such.

And my OB was kind enough to call in an ultrasound tech afterwards.  They tried to dopler the baby before, but it was too early for an external doppler.

Good luck...many women have gone through this and have been find.  Just be INFORMED and inform the docs!

[addysmom]

My gallbladder attacks were happening about 2 times per day until I hit the 12 week point in my pregnancy....I don't know what made them stop, but they did.  It very well could have been the diet that my surgeon ordered nutritionist put me on...but I am not sure.

[cantwait4baby]

the laporoscopy is not painful it is the gasses that build up in your shoulders that hurt really bad.  Sounds weird I know but OMG it hurts so bad.  The laporscopy is a simple recovery.  

[AlwaysWorriedMom]

Your doctors know best. The surgery is very standard and laporoscopic involves minimal incisions. I think you are much better off taking care of it now rather than later. The pain will likely get worse as your pregnancy progresses... thanks to the increased spike of estrogen in your system.

I went through my pregnancy in excruciating pain and assumed it was hearburn. The attacks would happen at any given time and even when eating the leanest of foods. For some reason, McDonalds didn't set off my gallstones but a lean turkey sandwich (No cheese or mayo) would.  It wasn't until a few weeks after my child was born that I discovered I had gallstones and scheduled the surgery.

The surgey was very easy but recovery was much more tough as my body had not recovered from childbirth and caring for  a newborn made it that much more challenging to recover.

The best advice I was given for recovery.... hug a pillow when getting up and down from bed, chair, etc. The pressure alleviates the pain. A friend who is a nurse gave me that advice and I have passed it on to many others -- everyone agrees : - ) The feeling of dependance on others was tough for me so this was a great stepping stone back to recovery : - )

Good luck with everything and definitely chose your surgeon wisely!

[Anya1984]

hey..what a weird pain you are describing...your shoulders? omg....horrible....how did you deal with the pain? Were u able to go back to work in a week?
and the baby was ok......well, I guess I will wait my longest, try to get to 2nd trimester and then have it removed.......maaan....

[Anya1984]

so how did you manage the pain until 12 weeks? Why didn't you have surgery earlier, didn't your doc say that you could have compliations?

[Anya1984]

Hi, thanks for responidng
My RE is pretty good but he just told me straight out, that many women did fine with babies after the surgery...and that it is beter to do it then wait....
I know that general anasthesia cannot be good but in my case, if attackes worsen, then I have no choice :( I want to wait as long as I can...but every day is such emotional pain and awatining for the attack to occur...which makes me take painkillers....
Once I do decide, I will talk to surgeon thoroughly to make sure that they do everything in order to prevent risks...

[Anya1984]

Hi...I know, I was on strict diet and still, my attack reoccured a week later!!! Its like, what else can I do in order to prevent it?
I am still only 5 weeks and have to wait another week to see a heartbeat (Whih I pray I will see) and then see how often my attacks occur...in your case, your surgery was after the delivery, in my case, it will be during pregnancy...so I am very concerned..I am very scared to have it done anyway.....omg....its horrible and makes me cry..

[addysmom]

In all honesty....it was horrible....and I was on a small dose of Darvocet to handle the pain.  However, I did not have gall stones but rather gall disease.  I would have gall attacks...but the dr's were not worried about "complications" of waiting because there was really no risks other than me being in pain.  

[Anya1984]

yeah, I hate that kind of pain, it is very very bad...unlike you, I have stones and there are horrible complications that can occur if I wait...so Im just hoping to see the heartbeat and hten go from there...