Did anyone else have to have their gallbladder removed?

I didn't know that gallstones commonly form during pregnancy. Color me surprised. My OBGYN never said that this was something to look out for. I don't know if it is just my town, but after I asked for prayers for my surgery today, so many people said they had to have theirs removed too. I feel like of it is that common, an OBGYN should probably quickly mention to watch out for it. I still love my OBGYN though.

I want to share the symptoms to look out for:

-Pain in the abdomen, specifically the upper right abdomen.

-The pain can occur after eating, especially after eating fatty food.

-The pain doesn't get better when you try to change positions.

-It can radiate to your back, especially between the shoulder blades.

-It can hurt more when you try to breathe, especially if you breathe deeply.

Let me tell you, I first felt the horrid pain at about 2 weeks post partum or so. It would make me cry, shake, and vomit. I thought it was gas, because it felt like an intense pressure. I kept feeling it on and off, and dreaded eating. Well, it happened again right when I returned from maternity leave to my career as an elementary school teacher. I sat through the whole day in pain. Another teacher suggested it might be my gallbladder, because it happened to her. Well, I went to go pick up my daughter from my Mom's house after work, and when I realized that the pain was so bad that I couldn't care for my daughter as well as I KNOW that I am capable of, I decided to go to the ER for unbearable, unmanageable pain. I was admitted for surgery that night, after six hours in the ER. They told me that my gallbladder was really dilated, had a lot of stones, and a rather large one. My liver enzyme was also elevated. They told me it had to be removed because if a stone passed, it could cause major problems in the function of my liver.

I was sooo terrified, even though it is a day surgery. I asked if I absolutely had to be put under. They said yes. I cried.

Y'all...I REFUSED an epidural, or any pain management because I was afraid of the side effects, but to be put under?! Forget it. I cried so much, because I had not seen my beautiful baby daughter for nearly a whole day. I was afraid of the worst. I was afraid that I would not get to see her again.

Thank God, because everything went well, I got to come home to my baby, and I get a few more days off with her, lol, albeit they'll be spent in some degree of pain.

Anyway, I thought I'd spread the word. Who knows. Maybe it is common knowledge and I was just uninformed. Maybe my story will help someone out there.