Not everyone recovers in the same fashion after gallbladder removal surgery.

But in general, many patients who have their gallbladder removed are surprised when they experience many of the same symptoms they had before their operation.

Doctors know this phenomenon as "postcholecystectomy syndrome," or "after gallbladder surgery syndrome." "Cholecystectomy" is a medical term for a gallbladder removal procedure.

As many as 4 out of 10 people who have gallbladder removal surgery may have this happen following their operation. This is due to the fact that the bile duct is not normally removed in a gallbladder removal operation. The bile duct, which carries bile back and forth from the liver to the gallbladder, continues to accumulate bile.

Here are some things to expect in the days after your gallbladder removal surgery.

The area around the location of the surgery will become somewhat swollen, and bruising will appear. This is easy to understand. No matter what type of surgery you have, there is some trauma to the body, and it will react with bruising and swelling.

Shortly after your surgery, you may also feel some discomfort caused by the air that was inserted into your abdomen during the operation. The reason this is done is to give the surgeon room to manipulate his or her instruments. Certain pain medications prescribed by your doctor will help ease any discomfort this causes.

Moving around may become somewhat difficult - especially sitting down or getting up. Using the bathroom isn't likely to be easy for a few days. Abdominal muscles will need at least several days to heal before soreness fades.

It's also likely you'll have an unusual amount of gas, bloating and some diarrhea in the days after your surgery. This is typical. Instead of diarrhea, some patients get constipation. This is relatively unusual, but you shouldn't be concerned if it happens to you. If bowel movements become somewhat distressing, check with your doctor to see what he or she can recommend to help.

Keep in mind, it's completely normal for your digestive system to be somewhat unpredictable. For this reason, it's a good idea to follow your doctor's dietary instructions. Low cholesterol foods and cholesterol-free foods tend to work best for most people.

Most people who have had gallbladder removal surgery do better if they eat smaller meals for a while. Large meals, especially cholesterol-rich, fatty ones, are difficult for your digestive system to handle at first. But be sure not to skip meals. Your body needs good nutrition to speed along your recovery.

You can experiment with heavier foods. It's probably best to use a trial-and-error approach.

Getting some exercise is usually a good idea, but be careful. It's important to use discretion. Keep in mind that you have stitches, and exercising too much and soon would not be good for them. Talk to your doctor about this.

Generally speaking, it's important to keep your stitches dry, so talk to your doctor about baths and showers.

In most cases, your doctor will want your first follow up appointment to take place in approximately a week to ten days. He or she will probably want to see you a month or so after that.