Gall Bladder Torture

I had my gall bladder out in april 04. I am sorry, but I have to be honest. It was the most excruciating thing I have ever suffered, including a natural (no epidural, no narcotics) birth, a lumpectomy for early stage breast cancer, and a myomectomy (removal of uterine fibroids). Those things were a piece of cake next to this supposedly "easy" outpatient surgery. In examining my patient records, I found out my liver was "torn" during the removal--we were never told about this. I woke up in recovery after about 45 minutes of surgery, gagging with nausea and sobbing with pain. I got one dose of painkiller (demerol, which made me sick to my stomach) that lasted maybe 15 minutes, then the pain returned. I was told I had to be discharged (hello, we have very good insurance) and could have no more pain medication. I was dry heaving into a basin and clutching the sheets in agony. I could not void, although I was keeping down small sips of clear soda. I was sent home about half an hour later (only 3 hours total from walking in to staggering out) with only some lorcet pills, and this horrid pain continued for 72 hours despite taking the pills every 4 hours. A call to the doctor got us a "deal with it, quit whining" in response. It took 6 weeks for the pain to gradually subside, along with diarrhea and nausea. I even went to a 2nd doctor for a consult, and she reluctantly admitted that these things can and do happen with this kind of surgery, and not much could be done. Now, 18 months later, I still have occasional pain very similar to gall bladder attacks--under the rib cage, up and around my side and shoulder. I still have to be ultra careful what I eat--switching to a mostly vegetarian and low-dairy diet has helped a good deal. I have frequent diarrhea and abdominal cramps. I can "pop" the area under my ribcage where the gall bladder was a few times a day--almost like massaging away a cramp. I have been checked and had all kinds of tests done--nothing is wrong. If I had known about any of this, I would never have had this surgery performed. The occasional gall bladder attacks were painful, but they were only every now and then, usually triggered by rich foods. Nothing compared to the stuff I went through after the surgery and even until now. I am very, very bitter about the whole thing. I wrote letters to the hospital and the joint accrediting commission, telling them what happened and filing a complaint about the care I received--nothing ever came of it. I can hardly go near a hospital without having panic attacks and flashbacks, not to mention extreme nausea. I have had two friends who had the surgery since then, and I have given them this mantra--make sure your surgeon and hospital will not let you go until the pain is manageable, you are not nauseous, and you can go to the bathroom. Refuse to have the surgery otherwise. Be aware of the possible lingering aftereffects, which may or may not occur. Be aware that you will possibly have to change your diet. Luckily, they made sure of all these things and their surgeries went well.