Gall Stones and Playing

Jeremy K. · Post by **Jeremy K.** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 9:36 am

Greetings Everyone!

So I have to get my gall bladder removed soon because I have gall stones. The doctor tells me that there's an easy way (4 small incisions) and a hard way (one big cut) to take it out. Unfortunately he doesn't know which he will have to do until I'm actually on the table.

Anyways, the recovery time for the easy way is 6-10 days while the recovery time for the hard way is 3-4 weeks. Apparently its so long for that one because your stomach muscles are completely separated.

So my question is (and here's where it ties into tuba), how does this affect tuba playing? Has anybody had this done to them, either way? It seems to me that it might be even more of an issue just because when you inhale deeply your lungs are pushing against your stomach muscles.

This question is actually freaking me out more than anything else, since the Christmas season is coming up, and it's a good time to get gigs. And since I decided I wanted to be a decent player, I haven't gone more than about three days in a row without playing.... If I can't play for 3-4 weeks or longer, I can't even begin to imagine what that would be like. I'm afraid I will totally lose everything I have been working towards.

Anyways, thanks for any replies y'all have.

Jeffrey Hicks · Post by **Jeffrey Hicks** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 2:02 pm

I just had my gallbladder removed on October 11th. I am finally able to do everything that I could prior. If they do the big cut on you do not try to hurry back. You will not be doing yourself any favors. Even if they do it laproscopically do not try to hurry back. You will not be able to bend at the waste for a few days maybe a week. I found that trying to take heavy deep breaths caused a lot of pain and discomfort also. Do not try to pick up your horn till you are medically cleared. If you have any questions send me a note.

Haugan · Post by **Haugan** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 12:22 pm

Speaking to the fear of "losing evrything I've been working towards" by laying off: DON'T WORRY. It will ALL come back in less time than you thought, and this might be a "great opportunity" to drop any residual traces of any "bad habits" you may still carry with you from your past. Ever wonder how much easier "starting out" might have been had you known what you know now? Now's your chance. Avoid the temptation to play too much too soon. Start with "easy" stuff in your middle register, and apply the knowledge you've gained over the years to "start over" again. It won't take you long at all to be playing at (or probably better than) the level you're at now. Good luck!

tubatooter1940 · Post by **tubatooter1940** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 1:55 pm

Jeremy K,either procedure sounds like it's gotta hurt a lot. Your tubenet buddies are praying and pulling for you.
I overdid it when I was walking to recover from heart bypass sugery. When they opened me up to replumb my ticker they cut the membrane that holds things still when the lungs expand. I attempted walking up hills
when the recovery schedule said I should be walking three miles but didn't specify walking on level ground or hills of any grade. I set myself back at least a month and had a breathing problem last longer than it should have.
If I had it to do over,I would have asked many more questions.

trseaman · Post by **trseaman** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 3:41 pm

Hey Jeremy,

I had my gallbladder removed about 18mo ago with the four small holes and I have to say that for me it was a pretty easy recovery. Just take your Dr's advice and don't lift anything heavy, you don't want to strain those muscles. If you have a tuba stand you can still play your horn but just play softly and don't blow forcefully. Don't try to rush anything and because everyone is different it could take a little longer for you, you'll just have to wait & see... I wish you a speedy recovery & happy holidays!

For me, the surgeon also discovered fatty tissue on my liver which led to a diagnosis of "Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease" I'm in the very beginning stages of "cirrhosis of the liver" and I was not a heavy drinker. To cure this issue I have to eat better, loose weight and start exercising. This has already started to help as far as my blood work numbers show. For me It'll be an on-going process for the rest of my life!

Cheers, Tim (knowing what I know now, I should have drank more!)

You can seach the Internet for Fatty Liver Disease and read more about it at this webpage:
http://www.medicinenet.com/fatty_liver/article.htm

trseaman · Post by **trseaman** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:42 pm

Jeremy,

Just following up... How'd your surgery go? Back to playing as usual? Hope so...

Tim

Jeremy K. · Post by **Jeremy K.** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:25 am

Tim~

Thanks for the concern!!

I, unfortunately, did have to have the big cut, but since I am still relatively young, my recovery went a lot faster than the surgeon expected. I had my surgery the Saturday after Thanksgiving, was back to work by December 10, and was back to playing about a half an hour a day by Christmas. I had a tuba quartet rehearsal on NYE that last for about an hour and a half and was fine, although a bit sore the next day.

I have had an orchestra concert and a band concert since then, and tonight I am starting a run of playing trombone in the pit for "Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Forum".

I do have a pretty wicked scar, though.

If anyone ever has to go through this, just listen to your body. About a week and a half after the surgery, I did started doing some "Breathing Gym" exercises. I took a day off after the first day to see how I felt. Then I did them about four more days after that before I picked up the horn. When I decided I was well enough to hold the horn, I started with just 10 minutes of long tones and slow lip slurs. Then I took a day off to see how I felt. It was good, then the next time I played I did the same thing but for about thirty minutes. Then I took another day off, and from there I slowly ratched it up and got back into playing every day. Again, just listen to your body!! What worked for me might not work for you. I took it slow, and in the long run it helped. Right now my lip slurs and accuracy still are not always where I want them to be, but with a good daily routine they will be there soon, I am sure of it.

Again, Tim, thanks for the advice and your concern!!

Hope all is well with you!!

trseaman · Post by **trseaman** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:39 pm

That's great news...

To follow up on my liver issue, I have lost about 10 lbs over the past year and I'm exercising a little. That was enough to put my blood numbers on the positive side... In comparing blood numbers over the past few years you could see that as my body weight would rise, the bad blood numbers were also rising. So the bottom line for me is keep the excess weight off and exercise more.

I must say that I'm not that much overweight (6'4" @ 220lbs) but that is enough to make the blood nummbers reflect in a negative way...

Here's to good health!!! Goodluck to everyone!

Tim

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 1:29 am

In the past ten years I have had a kidney infection, had kidney stones (two years after the infection), lost most of my teeth due to another illness, had tetanus, and suffered through the minor sniffles we get from time to time. I think the kidney stones, while it hurt to pass them (yup, I got rid of them with no surgery), had the least amount of pain of anything I'd been through. The tetanus was the worst. I know now why they call it lockjaw. It's one of the most painful diseases I can think of--I never had shingles, so I can't compare it.