Help Suggestions

[DataCurator]

For forty years, doctors have told me that there is no problem and gallbladder removal does not cause any problems. Advice: Get thee to a good gastroenterologist. Leaking bile acid into the intestines constantly does cause problems. Imodium liquid works. Anucort works. (rx) Prilosec and other proton pump inhibitors work. Librax will slow digestion but slows your entire body. Get baby diaper rash medicine. Nothing makes the problem go away completely. Bad foods include eggs, fats, quiche, salad dressing and other fats. Low fat mayo is better. No licorice. Don’t eat all day to survive work. I have yet to find anyone who tells me how to keep hydrated and get the proper nutrition. They focus on diabetes. You will get better over time because out of fear, you learn what not to eat and when. Because of the dehydration, kidney stones are a major risk. Drink only water; distilled. It was amazing to read the comments about “needing to eat while on the toilet”. Being the only one suffering sucks. In some sick way it is nice to know that someone understands.

[DataCurator]

I also had my gall bladder removed about 25 years ago, same cut about 5 inches long just above the naval. I have had digestive problems, acid reflux, hardened stools in my colon, open sores in my stomach from the acid reflux, stomach bloating like I was 5mths pregnant, vision problems, among many other symptoms, and the past 6 years sick all the time, I told the doctor it was like my body was poisoning itself. Lots of lab work, lots of scans and no answers. So last May I was told I had two small hernias and the surgeon suggested getting the repaired. So I pleaded with him to go up in the gall bladder area and look around and see if he could see any thing abnormal, his response was “it’s very rare but it could be scar tissue causing the problem”. So after surgery he came to recovery quite excited, here is what happened. My colon had attached itself to my liver with scar tissue, the liver was lifted and twisted. So he cut every thing loose, and I am now 95% symptom free. Turns out my liver wasn’t working right because it couldn’t, the colon being pinched off, of course didn’t let my bowels work correctly(which only added to the problem). Bottom line trust your instincts, trust what your body is saying.

[DataCurator]

“Oh…
One thing I only recently found out, but is VERY important to know about Cholestid…
It severely inhibits your bodys absorption of vitamins and other drugs, so NEVER take another medicine at the same time.
You have to take things either over 1 hour BEFORE taking it, or FOUR hours after.

I finally figured out that was why my migraine medication didn’t do the trick… I took it at the same time as my AM Cholestid.
I take any other vitamins now at nighttime, and just suffer through my morning migraine when I get it until lunch when I can take something for that.”

[DataCurator]

“I had my gallbladder removed in December of last year and have improved ever since. I never had the shits after eating anything fatty, but I pretty much changed my whole lifestyle anyway and I never really ate much fat.
The pain in the shoulder and where the gallbladder used to be seemed to have all subsided over the past few months.
I have had some anal area chaffing problems that I have to believe is down to the bile. I am hoping that this eventually goes away altogether.
I will say to those who are contemplating surgery do not to wait until you have to be dragged into an ER in the middle of the night with an infected gallbladder. You want to plan your surgery and choose a good bariatric surgeon in a good hospital. The surgery might be routine surgery, but it is your body and health. Plan accordingly.
I had time to plan my surgery and carefully chose a great surgeon and a great hospital to have the work performed in.”

[DataCurator]

I had similar problems after I had my gallbladder removed, but then – after reading the posts on this website – I tried taking digestive enzymes with every meal (and snack). It has helped immensely with the bloating and swelling. Nothing else I tried seemed to work, but the digestive enzymes sure do. Hope this helps!

[DataCurator]

“I had my gallbladder surgery 10 years ago and still have symptoms. I have seen several doctors and literary they were of no help. My retired doctor Dr. Andrew Lipton had some suggestions and the following is what seem to work for me.

1. Have your doctor prescribe cholestryramine. They come in 4 gram packets. Mix 4 grams in 6-8 ounces of juice in a shaker and drink this before bedtime. Unfortunately, you may need to wake up in the middle of the night and urinate but that is a small price to pay. Cholestryramine combines with the bile acids and neutralizes them. It is the bile acids in our intestine that causes the stomach pains.
2. Stay away from dairy products. Raw milk and ice cream I fine the worse. Usually more processed dairy foods such as cheese and dairy products in cakes is OK.
3. Don’t eat anything after dinner. A lot of people eat a nighttime snack. This is a NO, NO. It will force you to generate more bile and that is not what you want at bedtime.
4. When you know you will be away from a bathroom, such as when you are traveling, have you doctor prescribe you lomotil. This is will make you feel normal again for about 24 hours. This is a narcotic so you cannot continually take it. It will lose its affect if take too often. Taking it a few time a months is probably OK.
5. Another thing that seems to help is using a dietary supplement such as digestive enzyme’s you can purchase at a health food store. GNC, Whole Foods, etc. These enzymes will consist of Amylase, Lipase, Protease, Glucoamylase, Maltase, Lactase. Take 1-2 tablets during you meal.
6. Stress certainly does not help, but one cannot avoid it. However, stress is not the cause of the stomach pains after gall bladder surgery. It is the bile released in the intestine.
Hope this helps.”

[DataCurator]

I had my gallbladder removed 5 mths ago, at the same time as having my adrenal gland removed. Since then I have suffered with diarrhoea and stomach cramps, and heavy throbbing pain just under my right shoulder. I have been back to my GP and she has referred me back to my surgeon for further tests. He says he thinks the most likely cause is a trapped gallstone in the bile duct. Apparently this is quite a common occurence, and something that is often not picked up during the initial surgery. I suggest anyone having such problems refers themselves back to the doctor for further tests.

[DataCurator]

“I had mine taken out in 93 and always had a problem with going to the bathroom. I started taking fiber pills and it really helps and I no long eat fried and fatty foods.
I had asked a dr about this and he said that your gb filters the fat from your foods and when your gb is gone you are lubbing up your insides and that is why you need to run to the restroom and fast.
I have also had the weight problems to and I went to my dr about it and he put me on a 1000 cl diet and walk 30 min a day and that has really help me out.
I hope that this helps.
HGW”

[DataCurator]

“hello, I am a certified fitness nutritionist. We specialize in understanding the breakdown of digestion for energy sources. Specifically for strength training and weight loss. I have researched this Daniels diet. If you look at what that reader is eating, from the breakdown of the food prospective, the body only recognizes 3 things…. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats(which all have different jobs when they enter our system)
Daniels diet consists of mostly simple carbs and some fat based on what was posted. Fruit is all carb, veggies are carbs, nuts are mostly unsaturated fats and some protein. The one thing there the diet is lacking is complex carbs such as grains, cereals etc and whole proteins like fish, red meat and poltery(other than when you added it later) from the weight loss perspective, your body is probable not getti enough protein or even calories for that matter and much of the weight loss is from lean mass(the body eating its own muscle for energy) when the body is not getting enough, it goes into a starvation mode and stores fat to sustain itself(takes a lot less calories to maintain fat then muscle)and essentially eats the muscle for energy. With all that said, I don’t believe carbs are the issue, just the type of carb like wheat or gluten as well as some red meat. Regardless, it is great to hear you are feeling better. Just thought I would clarify some things from that Daniel diet.”

[DataCurator]

I have dealt with this problem for over 25 years trying all kinds of stuff – from prescription drugs (harmful to liver) to calcium and lots in between. Amazing I started eating a banana first thing in the am and the problem with diarrhea has ended. I have pushed the envelope, so to speak, by drinking coffee just a few minutes later and still no problem. I am very amazed. The only other supplement I take is a bile salt pill when I eat a heavy meal. I have been doing this for about two weeks. Still a long way to go to be sure but I wanted to pass this along to all to try.

[DataCurator]

I absolutely agree. I had my gallbladder removed in Dec 2011. I followed a very strict diet for the 1st month, basically doing babykost (this means no spices, no pork, no red meat, no coffiee, no chocolate). Then after that month I went on to a mild diet, this is a bit heavier diet, this means I am gradually introducing the above mentioned foods to my body. And it works. The one thing I did 2 weeks after my operation is that I went to an ostheopath (saved my life because due to anastetics my body went into a shock after the operation). He repaired the tissue wangles in my body. This allowed for the anastetic to pass through my body, also other fluids. I had immense headache and nauseau after the op. But I am really doing very well because I am following the healthy diet. I also try my utmost best not to use any pain tablets for headaches eg. This also works. And I started to do excercise.

[DataCurator]

“Hi all,

I have found since my gallbladder was removed(2010), that I can’t tolerate high fat consumption, else I get what I affectionately call the ‘Xenical effect’. I put this down to not having that little reservoir of extra bile, normally stored in your gallbladder, ready to help digest any fatty meals, so unable to digest the high fat content, my body just rejects it – the very next day in a rapid way :). I just have to watch the fat content of food and not over indulge in cake and cream(worst offenders). Not all bad I suppose as I won’t gain any extra weight, but it does mean I have to have half portions of cake and go easy on the cream and chocolate. At least I can eat, albeit smaller portions, of those foods I couldn’t when I had gallstones.

I have a more of a tummy now but I think this is more age(perimenopausal) and after two kids, plus surgery, rather than just surgery alone – my tummy muscles had disappeared after the second child 🙁

Maybe try cutting down the high fat content foods may help with the diarrhea, certainly helps with me. You don’t have to stop them altogether, I find just maybe having half the portion of something fatty helps, though try to stick to less than 5% fat is best of all.

Hope that helps x”

[DataCurator]

“I had my gallbladder removed about 6 years ago and had the same problems. Constant diarrhea 8 to 10 times a day with the stomach cramps. I think my worst day was 15 times! When I had to go, I had to go now. I couldn’t wait. Couldn’t be far from a bathroom. I stopped doing a lot of things. I finally heard about Cholestyramine and that helped a lot especially with the urgency to go but didn’t I still had a lot of bm’s throughout the day. I stumbled on this website where a guy had the same problems as I did and many of you on here. He also recommends the Cholestyramine. He’s selling an ebook or a report for $12 for diarrhea after gallbladder surgery relief. I bought it and it does work. He does mention the BRAT diet in there and a bunch of other stuff. Since then I haven’t had diarrhea at all. I have the normal 1 or 2 bm’s a day when I want them. (Actually there has been some times I’ve actually been constipated, which isn’t healthy either) I finally feel normal again. Thank God.

”

[DataCurator]

“I had my gallbladder removed last February I had the same problem. I also gained a lot of weight since I was eating mostly soups and plain carbs as that was all I could eat without feeling sick. I have since been experimenting, speaking to a nutritionist and working on a healthy diet for weight loss and for getting rid of this horrible “”flushing”” of my system. It’s not perfect and sometimes I still get these symptoms but in general I am much improved. Here is what I’ve learned.
1. STOP EATING HIGH FAT FOODS: this is key, and it’s hard. No more fast food, fried foods or anything with a lot of oil or cheese. Many times this is the worst part. I don’t eat out often, and if I do it’s usually a salad. It ***** when going out with friends to eat and I find I can’t eat anything on a menu… but I’d rather munch on veggie sticks than feel awful.
2. CUT OUT GLUTEN: There is a lot of research on gluten and why it’s not great for anyone’s health. But I find I’m no longer able to digest it properly and therefore I get the symptoms everyone on this page has been describing. Cutting out gluten had the added benefit of teaching me how to eat and helped me lose weight.
3. NEVER EVER FAST: Eat small meals often. When you don’t have a gallbladder your body still produces bile in the liver, but instead of being stored in the gallbladder it is released directly into your digestive system. This means if there is no food to digest then that bile (essentially acid) travels through your system, burning, causing cramps and diarrhea. There is also some suggestion that this burning of your intestinal tract could lead to other problems like IBS, ulcers and maybe even cancer.
4. DRINK WATER: the more water you drink the more you dilute the bile and the less harmful it will be for your intestinal tract BUT
5. DON””T DRINK LIQUIDS WITH MEALS: you no longer have a backup supply of bile. You only have the little bit in your digestive system at the exact moment you eat, so DON’T dilute it when you need it to work to digest your food.
6. GET IN SHAPE: Working out helps to regulate your system. The better shape you’re in, the better your body works.
7. LOTS OF FRUITS AND VEG: it has the natural fibre you need and the nutrients your body needs.
8. EAT HEALTHY LEAN MEATS: Your body needs protein to function, stick with lean cuts, but don’t skip the protein.

I hope this helps any one who is suffering, it’s been a great help to me. I also take probiotics at night before bed, take DGL (licorice extract) before meals to help coat the intestines and prevent bile burn and I will take a bile supplement and a digestive enzyme for any large meals.

All this has helped me get fit and feel good about 95% of the time. I still slip up and eat things I shouldn’t and my body reminds me that that is a terrible idea and then I’m back on track because I never want to feel that way again.

Best of luck.”

[DataCurator]

I had my gallbladder removed and had the same problems you were having (except I lost weight). I was sick for a whole year and they could not figure out what I had. A year and a half later I got diagnosed with Celiac Disease.