How long does it take for jaundice to resolve?

[busy946]

I've just got out of hospital after having a gallstone blocking my bile duct for a week. The ERCP procedure was Friday, in my mind the jaundice would resolve really quickly, but it hasn't. On Thursday my bilirubin level was 138, I'm still yellow, itchy and light-headed 2 days after the stone being moved.

Can anyone give me a reasonable expectation of how long it will take to feel a bit better?

To complicate the matter I'm currently covid positive, so gallbladder can't be removed just yet.

Thanks for any help.

[Hidden]

Hi Busy946 I can't say how long as each person will be different, but I was back to normal shade of pale lol after about a 3 weeks my skin was the last thing to get back to normal, I also have have gallstones like yourself but they won't touch me due to my liver unless its an emergency. I hope you get well soon with your positive covid diagnosis sounds like a rough time for you at present but I and many on here are here to help anyway we can. Take care.

Ashley

[busy946 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you and thank you for the advise. I hope you stay well.

[Palpman]

My skin took about a week to totally clear to normal.

[busy946 in reply to Palpman]

Thank you, that's good to know. I expected it to be much sooner, I will be more patient.

[Hidden in reply to busy946]

It all depends on the individual and the circumstances. 👍

[Hidden]

Blimey I’m glad I didn’t go yellow...yet! Was in agony for 4 months with gallstones. In hospital 3 times. Last blood test was bad with everything raised sky high.. I did a stool test and there was stones in it, the next day the pain all but disappeared. Sadly a CT scan showed there are still more left. Having another bloods tomorrow so hope my liver test might look better as the pain has eased massively.

I’m on emergency list to have the bladder removed. I truly feel for you if you’ve suffered like I have... If I passed stones then the pain was them stuck in the bile duct and for months. I felt like I was rotting inside, lost 6 stone!!

Have to say even if you didn’t have Covid they may not have operated as I’ve cried begged and pleaded and my bloods show it’s affecting my liver badly yet still no word on the op!

[busy946]

Oh bless you, that sounds horrific! I hope you get relief soon.

Are you UK? The consultant told me best practice is for the gall bladder to be removed within 2 weeks of a blocked bile duct. They told me I wouldn't have gone home until it was removed normally.

Hope you get yours soon.

Best wishes

[Hidden in reply to busy946]

Yes I’m in uk. Finally got results today and I have acute on chronic Cholecystitis and large gallstones. It’s also says I’m on the list for the operation and there may well be large delays due to Covid. So even though this could be life threatening and my bloods are deranged it’s still not deemed emergency!

[busy946 in reply to Hidden]

Oh no, that's awful. I hope you get it sorted sooner rather than later.

[Kakey in reply to busy946]

That's what happened to me, I was in hospital for 2 weeks until I had the surgery. Pre COVID.

[busy946 in reply to Kakey]

Oh blimey, glad I got home after 5 days then. Thank you

[micaphoo]

Sorry to hear you are not only recovering from gallstones but have the wretched virus as well.

I had jaundice and high billiruben levels for 9 weeks and the billiruben finally came down to a normal 13 but took ages.

I don't think anyone told me it would take a long time so yours may be much shorter, I hope so.

take care.

[busy946 in reply to micaphoo]

Thank you. No one gave me any time frame, so I thought it would immediately resolve. Thanks for sharing your experience, I'll have more realistic expectations now.