Gallbladder surgery 4 days ago, cut out all meds, feel like I have flu?

[kahhh444]

I'm 27, I have been sick with abdominal pains since last June. I've been on tramadol and norco since. Sometimes I would go 2 months on tramadol 1-2 pills a day, then norco 1-2 pills for a month. Well I had an exploratory surgery and gallbladder removal 4 days ago. I cut out all meds 2 days ago to get a "fresh start", today I feel like my abdomen is burning and my body feels like I have the flu. I have that feeling where you don't wanna hold still because it is so uncomfortable, my legs are even achy. I am just worried it isn't going to get better, I almost wanna just take a tramadol just to get rid of the pain.. but I don't want to risk constipating myself or the possibility that the drugs side effect might be making me worse.

Has anyone ever been through something like this? I was told from the doctors that I should not be suffering from withdrawals because I take such low doses, so now I'm wondering if this is my original abdominal pains that were covered up. It is especially bad when I lay on my right side now, the pain from under my rib shoots up to my collar bone. I am told by the surgeon that this could be irrigation fluid from the surgery. What should I do, and does this sound familiar?

[kahhh444]

Well, I found out the results from the doctor today, It has been exactly one week.  The initial nurse came in and pointed at the pathology report that said I had chronic cholecystitis, they said the pathologist looked at it under a microscope and its confirmed I had gallbladder problem. My fiancee had some tears in her eyes and said "so it's not in his head?" and the nurse said "nope, its not in his head." I got pretty choked up. Most doctors I saw thought I had an anxiety problem causing this.

The flu like pain must have been withdrawal from the meds because the body aches are much better. It took 4 days for those to go away. The only problem now is, that very uncomfortable feeling on the right side is still there.. Its intermittant, sometimes I can barely feel it, sometimes it gets very uncomfortable where it actually makes me angry. I'm trying to stay positive.. I was told it could take a few weeks for that to go away.  Its not as bad as it has been though.  Sometimes, I do feel a burning in my upper stomach, and it makes my middle back ache.. I also still have the orangish colored stools, just softer now and I go more regularly. The pain is definitely more manageable but not great. Anyone experience a right sided pain after the surgery that went away? Is this all normal or could I still have some issues going on?

I notice if the pain gets bad, I can pull under my right rib now (which I probably shouldn't be doing) and can here a "bubbling" that will ocassionally lessen the pain a bit.. but then it will slowly return a few minutes later. I dunno if this is my bile ducts?  This is not severe pain, but very uncomfortable and it affects my mood :(

[Elliot R Goodman, MD]

Does sound like withdrawal
Would consult with a pain specialist - a slow tapering off meds would be better
Rib to shoulder pain sounds postop