Recommended for Gallbladder Keyhole surgery- Confused and scared
Hi All, really appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this or share their experience.
I am 33F, approx 84.5 kg (down from around 94kg this time last year since metformin for off label PCOS and diet changes), 165 cm tall.
Timeline of events
Around Dec 2024, I started experiencing discomfort on the upper right hand quadrant of my abdomen, just below ribs). It wasn’t enough to stop me going about my day, but it was noticeable and never seemed to fully go away (at first I thought it was just trapped wind). The best way I can describe the feeling is it felt like someone always had their hand resting on that area.
Went to GP who referred me to scan- they measured multiple polyps with the largest measuring 9mm in size- this was around Feb 2024.
May 2025 I was referred for consultation f2f appointment with HPB surgery team at Royal free- doc said the polyps looked over measured and largest was 8mm- he said let’s monitor once a year and that it wasn’t of concern.
From late spring of 2025, that feeling has completely stopped and honestly I don’t feel any discomfort at all (whether the polyps were the cause or discomfort to begin with, who knows).
March 2026 I had my next scan and only had appointment to discuss results with HPB team today- spoke to a new doctor this time who said ir has grown to 10mm and he recommends surgery (he said they are cholesterol polyps).
He will book me in for F2F consultation to discuss options , which in short will be surgery or monitoring.
I told him me and my partner will start trying to conceive this summer, so he recommends surgery before pregnancy or I can also wait.
Concerns
Of course, I don’t want to get cancer and want to do everything in my control to stop it, which naturally seems to point to surgery.
However, I am so petrified of this- I have never had surgery under general anaesthetic in my life. The mere thought makes me feel faint and I’m so terrified of not waking up (I have OCD so unfortunately the fear part of my brain over drives logic here).
What has everyone’s experience been with surgery?
Has anyone on here opted for monitoring instead of surgery despite the size? Any words of wisdom for anyone who can relate to fears of general anaesthetic and speak to what it actually feels like?