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Post Gallbladder Surgery Complications – First 150 Testimonies
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GIGI, I DONT THINK IT GETS BETTER I HAD MINE TAKEN OUT OVER 7 YEARS AGO AND MINE IS NOT ANY BETTER. IM JUST LIKE YOU I GET GASSY, INDIGESTION. STOMACH PAINS SO BAD I HAVE TO GO LAY DOWN. I STILL GET SICK WITH CERTAIN FOODS ., CANNOT EAT ANY LEAFY FOODS, ONLY ONES THAT ARE ANY GOOD ARE THE HIGH IN FIBER.AND I DID THE WEIGHT LOSS THING THERE FOR AWHILE AND STILL NO CHANGE… IVE HAD ALL THE MEDICAL TESTS JUST LIKE YOU AND ALL THEY DO IS MAKE ME FEEL LIKE IM CRAZY IN THE HEAD… I GET THOSE SAME PAINS IN MY RIGHT SIDE ALSO , I FEEL IT IN THE FRONT AND IN THE BACK, IT FEELS LIKE IT SQUEZZING MY RIBS,,,,,, ITS SO PAINFUL AT TIMES….. I DONT KNOW HOW IT IS WITH YOU BUT NOW THAT SO MUCH TIME HAS GONE BY IVE GOTTEN TO WHERE I GET THOSE PAINS DURING SEX AND ITS SO BAD I START SCREAMING WITH PAIN. ITS HORRIBLE. ALSO IT HAS MADE SUCH A DAMPER ON MY LIFE THAT WHEN IM OUT IN PUBLIC AND WE EAT SOME WHERE I HAVE TO BE NEXT TO A BATHROOM . NO BATHROOM I DONT EAT, WHEN I DO EAT EVERYTHING COMES OUT UNTIL THERES NOTHING LEFT. TRY WORKING IN THESE CONDITIONS, AT WORK I DONT EAT UNTIL I GET HOME……. ALSO I LIKE CAMPING AND BECAUSE OF MY CONDITION IVE BROKE DOWN AND BOUGHT MYSELF A POP UP BATHROOM TENT BECAUSE OF IT…. I WANT TO SEE ONE OF THESE DOCTORS LIVE IN THESE CONDITIONS,…… I FEEL SO OLD AND I CANNOT LIVE A NORMAL LIFE BECAUSE OF IT…..
“I had my gallbladder removed in Dec after having pain on my right side, back & side for over a year. I sometimes would get nauseous like a car sick feeling. Nothing really triggered it, it just came & went. My ultra sound showed no stones, but my hidascan showed my gallbladder was only contracting 6%. What a shock. Anyway, since my surgery Dec 17, 1999, I still have pain on my right side. Back & side,and now it radiates some into the front. I had a IVP to check my kidneys, which showed normal kidney function. My doctor told me it’s myalgia. Which is a fancy word for muscle pain. I doubt this seriously, but I decided to wait and take the muscle relaxers for a while to see what happens. I can’t beleive my pain is worse now, than before the surgery, but I’m glad I’m not the only one who has experienced this. It’s very frusterating. I can’t sleep because of the pain, and of course, now, the muscle relaxers should help with that too, but so far, there’s no relief. I guess I’ll give it a while and see what happens. I feel like I’m at a loss.
I’m glad I found this sight, since there’s no one to talk to, who understands my pain, and hopeless feelings. “I had my gall bladder out 1/2/08. It’s been 4 months. I still feel very swollen. My stomach is so big… I have pain almost When I have a bowel movement my stomach feels like there’s something pulling inside and afterwards I have bad cramps and sometimes I have to lay down. I’ve been to the gastroenterologist doctor and I have a colonoscopy scheduled for June. I couldn’t believe I have to wait that long. I also don’t have any energy. The one thing she said was that sometimes a stone gets stuck in the liver. I just had blood work done and my liver enzemes are up. They are going to run the tests are again in a few weeks and see if they are still up and go from there. I’m so glad that I found this site to talk to other people that are suffering too. If I find out anything I will definitely let everyone know.
“I’m 18 and had my gallbladder removed 3 months ago through a laproscopic cholecystectomy (spelling is most probably incorrect). The week afterwards I had no problems, I was on a low-fat diet but still ate dairy and red-meat etc. just small meals and nothing high in fat. However, the week after that I strangely felt as though i was having a gallbladder attack – the pain resembled that anyway. Symptoms included: painful nausea, back pain, queasiness, loose bowel movements but not diarroea and the upper abdominal pain/nausea hit climax at night – ALL through the night which meant tossing and turning. The morning isn’t fun either.
I thought it would pass but after two nights of unbearable pain I ended up in ER getting tested for various things. They gave me some pain relief and said to come in for an ultrasound the following day to determine if I had any stones caught in ducts or a bile leak. The ultrasound found everything as normal but I still felt substantial pain! A few days later I met with my surgeon who said i could just be ‘adjusting’ as he claimed during surgery they checked my ducts for any stones. Luckily, this pain and other symptoms passed, that time. So I agreed with him, it must have just being my body adjusting. However, it’s now 3 months later and I’m experiencing the same ‘relapse’! It’s unbearable and I’ve seen my GP who sent me for another ultrasound to check for any problems but that was this morning and the ultrasound was fine. Since my first relapse ended I’ve been on a normal diet as I found I could tolerate all foods – high fat and high fibre. However, now I’m wondering if I can’t handle them all of a sudden ? Is it possible to suddenly have an intolerance eventhough it was fine for the past 3 months ? My doctor suggested a CT scan if I’m still worried – I don’t know what to do because I don’t really want any uneccessary harmful damage fro mthe scan.
Any similar experiences ? Any advice ? Both would be greatly appreciated.
Katrina ”I had my gallbladder out laprascopically 12/19/08, since then ive been in the hospital twice with a small bowel obstruction caused by adhesions supposedly…i too havent been right since before my surgery. I have a lot of bloating after i eat and a constant sharp pain where one of the incisions are on my right side. It’s not anywhere near as bad as the attacks i used to get prior to surgery but it is annoying and does interfere with my life. I was on meds for about 2 1/2 months after surgery for naseau, thankfully that problem has stopped, but i still have bloating and pain. The only thing i have found that seems to help is eating smaller amounts, and i try to stay away from too much fat. It does seem to help. I’m hoping in time these problems will fade as the naseau did. It still for me was worth it, prior to surgery i couldnt eat anything without being doubled over in pain minutes after i ate.
I had my gallbladder out laprascopically 12/19/08, since then ive been in the hospital twice with a small bowel obstruction caused by adhesions supposedly…i too havent been right since before my surgery. I have a lot of bloating after i eat and a constant sharp pain where one of the incisions are on my right side. It’s not anywhere near as bad as the attacks i used to get prior to surgery but it is annoying and does interfere with my life. I was on meds for about 2 1/2 months after surgery for naseau, thankfully that problem has stopped, but i still have bloating and pain. The only thing i have found that seems to help is eating smaller amounts, and i try to stay away from too much fat. It does seem to help. I’m hoping in time these problems will fade as the naseau did. It still for me was worth it, prior to surgery i couldnt eat anything without being doubled over in pain minutes after i ate.
I too have had very similar symptoms to yours – pain, vomiting, diarrhea & YES that dreaded terrible taste in my mouth! Sort of sour, bitter metallic – sometimes my tongue even burns. Anyway, I still have my gallbladder – all tests were negative. I have had extensive testing – and the only thing that is abnormal is my amylase & lipase (pancreatic enzymes) I have been suffering with this since November – close to 4 months. Doctors have no answers. One suspected SOD, but since ERCP is risky & he is not 100% sure – he does not want to do the procedure. Told me to wait it out or shop around for another pancreatologist in Boston who might agree to the procedure. I am miserable & have 0% quality of life. Currently on vegan diet (no fat/no animal products) for 3 weeks, but no difference. No caffine, no alcohol, too. What should I do? I believe I am developing chronic pancreatitis with all of this “watchful waiting”. Please let me know what your ERCP shows – please know that to accurately diagnose SOD you will need an ERCP with manometry ( that is the part that measures your ducts pressures) very critical – without that part of the test being done there is no way they can truly diagnose you with SOD – Also ask if they will do a sphincterectomy at the same time if pressures are high. That apparently, other than stenting, are the sole 2 treatments for this. If it will not be done at the same time – you may be looking at 2-3 more ercps in the near future. Be sure to ask questions… Good luck!
I to have been suffering with back pain for three years and was recently dignosed with gall stones at last i thought i would be free of pain. I had my gall bladder out on 2/2/07 after being on pethidine for the pain off work for 6 months. I thought at long last i was going to get back to normal but unfortunately i still suffer with right side back pain and have to take pain killers every day and have now developed reflux i feel totally cheesed off!!!!!!!
I found this site by searching for the very same reason. I had my gallbladder removed in 2000 due to gallstones and infected gallbladder. I have had digestive problems for years. Confirmed IBS and living with Tums and Rolaids. Yesterday I had the scope and my throat is STILL killing me…but I got to watch. My esophagus is inflamed and damaged “burned” from the acid reflux and vomiting bile. But the shock was when I saw the inside of my stomach and heard him say it was “gallbladder bile”…I’m thinking …WHAT?!?!?! I don’t even have one….I have had inflamed stomach and pain for several weeks and I’m not sure how to help myself. I feel for your issue…I am thankful to have a kind and ‘listening’ dr. I was reading about bile stones in the liver…and wondered if the pain could be from that. I work in Taiwan so I am not sure how to “cleanse” my liver or if it would even help. I am a little “gunshy” since I drank apple juice to cleanse my gallbladder and went into the worse gallbladder attack of all time because the stones were too big to pass. It almost feels like I have muscle spasms in the section of my intestines on my right side… ever feel that kind of pain??? I just can’t get that picture of the inside of stomach out of my mind and I want that bile “jelly” out of me! Any suggestions or info that could help me make a decision???
I found this site by searching for the very same reason. I had my gallbladder removed in 2000 due to gallstones and infected gallbladder. I have had digestive problems for years. Confirmed IBS and living with Tums and Rolaids. Yesterday I had the scope and my throat is STILL killing me…but I got to watch. My esophagus is inflamed and damaged “burned” from the acid reflux and vomiting bile. But the shock was when I saw the inside of my stomach and heard him say it was “gallbladder bile”…I’m thinking …WHAT?!?!?! I don’t even have one….I have had inflamed stomach and pain for several weeks and I’m not sure how to help myself. I feel for your issue…I am thankful to have a kind and ‘listening’ dr. I was reading about bile stones in the liver…and wondered if the pain could be from that. I work in Taiwan so I am not sure how to “cleanse” my liver or if it would even help. I am a little “gunshy” since I drank apple juice to cleanse my gallbladder and went into the worse gallbladder attack of all time because the stones were too big to pass. It almost feels like I have muscle spasms in the section of my intestines on my right side… ever feel that kind of pain??? I just can’t get that picture of the inside of stomach out of my mind and I want that bile “jelly” out of me! Any suggestions or info that could help me make a decision???
“I am 30 years old and have many of the same symptoms as Kimberly. I had my gall bladder out two years ago and had terrible attacks for the year following my surgery. The pain was unbearable. The pain was the worst in my right side under my ribs and eventually spread across my entire abdomen. During my attacks my stomach became very, very tight. My attacks often occurred at night – they woke me from my sleep. They usually occurred if I was sleeping on my stomach. My attacks aren’t so severe now – knock on wood – but my stomach pain still often wakes me up at night. My right side is always tender and sore. I am always constipated, but when I take in more fiber, my pain in my right side gets worse. My doctor thinks my problems are caused from acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome. I take Prilosec for the reflux and Levbid as needed. My attacks seem to get worse if I take Prilosec and Levbid on the same day (4 hours apart) for a few days in a row. I have trouble handling both of them, I think. I go to sleep on my back on two or three pillows, and I sleep with blocks under the head of my bed to keep the acid flowing down. I think this has helped quite a bit, since my attacks are usually more like episodes now than attacks. I can’t lay on my left side. When I do, my right side under my ribs feels very uncomfortable. My doctor thinks my bile duct is OK, because I have had blood tests done during attacks and everything was OK. I am glad my doctor hasn’t found a more serious problem with me, but I would like to feel normal again. If anyone has any advice, I would greatly appreciate it. I think there is something wrong other than the reflux and irritable bowel syndrome, but I don’t know how to figure out what the problem is. I have had an upper GI, X-Rays, CAT scans, endoscopy,and a colonoscopy. Everything came back fine except for my throat being inflamed from the reflux. Thanks again.
Christine
”I was very glad to read this I had my gallbladder removed when I was 17 (right after my first child). I have been dealing with stomach pain and diarrhea since then! It has been horrible. I to can not leave the house and if I do I regret it. The last two months have been very severe. I also take imodium which works well. I need to go to the doctor I really feel like they should be able to prescribe all of us something to fix this problem. 7 years of this is long enough!!!!!
I was very glad to read this I had my gallbladder removed when I was 17 (right after my first child). I have been dealing with stomach pain and diarrhea since then! It has been horrible. I to can not leave the house and if I do I regret it. The last two months have been very severe. I also take imodium which works well. I need to go to the doctor I really feel like they should be able to prescribe all of us something to fix this problem. 7 years of this is long enough!!!!!
I am experiencing deja vu after reading through some of the posted comments! I had my gallbladder removed in 1990 and have suffered from the “dumping syndrome” ever since, yuck! How familiar it is to hear your stories of dwelling around the bathroom for several minutes after eating. I, too, have been unable to get a medical answer as to what causes this problem. My mind started wandering over the gallbladder removal process and got me to thinking “what is different about me since having surgery”? Well duh, I have no place for bile to collect and store itself as needed….. Best I can recall, I was never informed of this “condition” while going through pre-op check ups. It would be nice if this was addressed before hand – whether you end up suffering from this or not!
“Hi, I haqd my gallbladder remover 10 years ago, in my late 30s. I was a fun loving single woman…fairly small, and like to drink socially. the loss of the gall bladder never bothered me food wise (well after the 1st month), but drinking did. I didn’t equate it to the gall balldr (or lack of) as the illness was sporatic. But it was DRASTIC. Only on the next day, after having 2 or more drinks…o sick, both ways..sometimes thought I should go to the hospital. But, stupidly, I would still imbibe..some…as it was not always a 1 to 1 correlation…drinking didn’t always make me sick. Well, now, in the last few years. On top of it, I took tamoxifen, for cancer..and I’ve read posts that also makes people unusually ill after drinking. Well, now I positively know, from readind these posts that is is the lack of my gall bladder.I justcan’t drink. Even 1 -2 drinks make me sick the next day (never that night) , VIOLENTLY sick…for 10-20 hours. So hopefully NOW, I will be SMART enough to just NOT drink! I am no alcoholic, but it is hard, when all the social functions and dinners have people DRINKING. and I guess I do have a problem, as I find them all boring unless I have a drink or 2. BUT NOW I KNOW…I just can’t drink.
I am glad I stumbled onto this site.”
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