“Hello fellow loo luvers
I found this site because I was looking up details about the drug ‘Questran’. Well now I have the answers to my problems (watery diarrhoea, and high abdo pains mostly where the GB was) and it is a comfort to know that I am not imagining all my symtoms!
I am now 52 and had my gall bladder out about 5 years ago and apart from an increase in heartburn, indigestion and massive increase in the ‘burps’ when eating, I hadn’t had any real problems till last year Jun 2000 when going to the loo became a very very frequent event, enough to send me to the doctors because I thought I had a bug or worse. To cut a long story short (well will try) was sent to a Gastrologist and was examined inside, outside and upside down (doesn’t do much for self identity when you feel rotton already). Original diagnosis was Microscopic Colitis(another elusive condition), so was put on steroids which made the condition far worse and blew me up like a baloon, thankfully I am off them now, but took 3 months to find out they made me far worse.
Had severe pains where GB used to be and round front of diaphram under sturnum, still get these now and again, they can be frightening and was convinced I had pancreatic cancer. Anyway have had more tests including the bile salt malabsorption test which proved very positive, meaning that I was not re-using/storing my bile, does this make sense? Presumably that means more and more is being made and the bile, like acid is causing all the problems. Trouble is that no-one explains anything to you and even when I ask, the answers are evasive. My Gastrologist is not very forthcoming with information (I seem to know more about it than he does, and typically you cannot tell him anything or say that you have found things out, without consulting him!).
Anyway latest is that he gave me Questran to take a couple of weeks ago – and it appears to have stopped my frequent visits to the loo and I haven’t had the pains so much, but that leads me to what I said originally about information on the drug. I also have to take thyroxine because of hypothyroidism and am now worried that the Questran may affect that. Am due to see him in a couple of weeks and possibly to have a barium meal test. Will let you know how things go.
To all that need the GB op, not everyone is the same and mostly things are much better afterwards, also it is always best to get things checked out, just in case.
Best wishes to all and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Regards from Jan ”