Ongoing Complications (1000+)

[DataCurator]

I had my gallbladder removed on 8/7/09 (3 weeks ago today) and I agree that the recuperation time is not a breeze as people make it out to be. The first 4 days are definitely the worst as far as pain and nausea, feeling weak, and very bloated and like someone beat your stomach over and over again. By the end of week 1, I could drive but would get tired fast. 10 days after was feeling much better as far as walking around and sitting in my sedentary job….but still uncomfortable. I didn’t attempt to wear jeans until 13 days later and it felt uncomfortable and some pain. I think it was too soon. It’s now 21 days after and I can wear jeans only if they are my bigger jeans. I feel I’m still bloated, bigger in the waste area and am gaining weight…..just not feeling comfortable enough to do exercising. In addition some other post op symptoms are back pains, chest pains that I guess are indigestion, my throat is very sensitive now to cold air (like the ac in my car or house) and that has never been the case. I had the soar throat right after the surgery because of something they put down my throat during the procedure but it’s weird that now I’m left with a very very sensitive throat to cold air. I think it will take a few more weeks before feeling back to normal 😉 But I’m getting there! Wish you all well! 😛

[DataCurator]

Hello, I have been googling this issue for 3 months now myself. My 13 year old son had his gallbladder removed 3 months ago. The first 2 weeks after the surgery went well. Then out of the blue he developed a pain that was 10 out of 10 on the pain scale. Upper abdominal pain around his incision that came on with no warning and lasted about 45 minutes. We called his surgeon who sent him to get an upper GI and small bowel series. Both were normal. While he was having the test done, the barium through him into another attack that was worse than the first attack. Needless to say 3omths later and 20 attacks down, countless tests including another hida scan, 4 trips I the ER for pain and one ambulance run, ER may be on to something. I found a gastro doc that says his pain very well might be what’s called gastric motility disorder. He started my son on 20 mg a day of buspar, yes buspar, and something called domperadone. sometimes this happens after a surgery, other times it happens just because. I have cried myself to sleep at night because I have been so worried for my son. I see him in that much pain is umbearable. He was so scared to leave the house because he never knew when it would hit again. I can only part that this medicine works. Will keep you posted.

[DataCurator]

Thank you for the great information. I am only 2 weeks post op from laparoscopic surgery for a supposed twisted bowel (which didn’t exist) but the surgeon removed a lot of scar tissue (I’m 10 yrs post op open gastric bypass). I started having this terrible pain about an inch below the incision just below my ribs on the right side. It feels like someone is sticking a hot poker into my abdomen. The only comfortable position I have found is lying down in bed on a stack of pillows. I also get very nauseated when I eat – I’ve lost 8 lbs in 2 weeks. I too thought a “lap” would be easy peasy and I would be up and back to normal within a week. WRONG!! I did follow up with the surgeon yesterday – I believe she thought I was crazy. All she seemed worried about was if I was eating three meals a day and getting all my protein in for the day (she’s specializes in Gastric Bypass). I’m lucky to get one meal down – and the last thing on my mind is keeping track of my protein intake. I finally convinced her that the pain I was experiencing was not a “twinge” from a suture pulling – this pain brings me to my knees! She gave me an injection of a numbing agent (similar to Lidocaine) just below my incision – which was very painful. I was willing to do anything though to try to get rid of this pain. Anyway – it worked for about 3 hrs and then the pain was right back just as bad as before. Luckily my sister is a nurse at a large teaching hospital in Cleveland and she pulled some strings for me – so I’m seeing a different surgeon on Friday. She agrees – this is not normal post op pain and there is something wrong. I’ll be prepared with better questions this time and I won’t let this surgeon bully me into thinking I’m crazy. Thanks so much for all your great info!! I’ll keep you posted on how things go – maybe I can find out something that might help other people.

[DataCurator]

Thank you, my gall bladder was operating at 10% when it was removed. Three years later I had a malabsorption problem in which I found I had celiac disease.

[DataCurator]

I had GB surgery a litte over 2 years ago, I have gained between 35 to 40 pounds, all around the waist. I’m trying to find out if the weight gain is related to the surgery. My diet is no different now than before.

[DataCurator]

I had my gall bladder removed 2wks ago. I had a lot of swelling on the left side of my abdomen. I went in yesterday & they did a CT scan w/ contrast. They said I had a seroma.It is common after surgeries. It is actually serum from blood cells that were cut. It pools & causes some pain. They took a needle & aspirated it & took 150 ml from me–over a cup. The rest will eventually be absorbed. If too much is there it can cause a hardening.

[DataCurator]

I had my gall bladder out in 2004. Within three months, had put on weight but managed to keep it down to 15-20 pounds for the past few years. I exercise ALOT, marathons, endurance bike rides etc but nothing shifted the weight…until I went to a nutritionist who, upon me stating I had my gall bladder out, asked if I noticed weight gain. I was stunned and told her I thought it was an age thing. She suggested Licethin and Digestive Enzymes to aid in the breaking down and processing of the fat. As she put it, without the gallbladder, the fat just gets thrown into your body, your back, stomach etc. Three weeks into taking these two additional supplements and I have noticed a substantial weight loss by not changing anything in my diet or exercise routine. I have lost five pounds. I suspect that by end of year I will be back down to my pre-surgery weight. And yes, sciatic nerve pain and back pain increased post gall bladder surgery, but plenty of exercise helps me keep that all in check. So for anyone, particularly women, and peri-menopause ones at that, I can oly reccommend to go and see a properly certified Nutritionist who can make a world of difference. It was well worth my £60 and two hours of my time! Hope this has helped someone!

[DataCurator]

I had my gallbladder removed on April 18, 2012 due to it being low functioning (8%). My only symptom prior and post surgery is nausea. I can say that I have tried all forms of doctors and even a nature path. They have all prescribed different medications and herbs which sometimes made me feel worse. I stopped all medications except for the probiotics and I started to exercise a lot, specifically cardio. I can say that time is the best cure. I still have my moments when nausea comes back but it is not as bad (it still stinks). Aloe Vera does help the nausea but it does not make it go away but it makes it tolerable. It’s the only thing that has actually made a difference. I have also changed my diet by not eating anything greasy, fried or spicy. So I have noticed an improvement but I am not 100%. So my advice is to eat better, excersice and be patient.

[DataCurator]

Hello, I am a 27 year old that used to suffer from gastritis because 5 years ago while pregnant with my son, I was diagnosed with numerous gallstones. I used to have horrible gallstone attacks. It got so bad that they had to induce me at 38 weeks and take my son so they could speed up the surgery process. So after my son was born I had to wait 3 more weeks for my uterus to go down so they can do surgery to remove my gallbladder. I had my gallbladder and the gallstones removed but oh my goodness.. I was having horrible gas, going to the bathroom right after I eat and miserable up until about months ago. It was so bad I used to go the emergency room almost every other night for gas and heartburn. The doctors in the emergency room would give me GI cocktail. Some kind of mixture of Maalox and some other medication that worked great for a couple of hours. But of course that gets expensive because I still had to pay my expensive emergency room visit. I also had all kinds of medications prescribed, nothing worked.. About 6 months ago I had a endoscopy done because they thought I had a ulcer but they didn’t find nothing… So basically that organ (gallbladder) is put there for a reason and we need to live. I also sleep sitting up at night because if I lay down I wake up feeling so queasy and feel like i am going to throw up but i don’t. Since then about 2 months ago, my hair stylist had joined this business and she would talk to me about their products and I was just interested in this “body magic” garment were u dropped three sizes in 10 minutes.. But anyway to make a long story short. There is a juice drink called Levive offered by the same company that makes this body magic garment (which also works). Basically this Levive juice have 5 antioxidants producing fruits in one product; Mangosteen, Noni, Acai Berry, Goji and Pomegranate. The combination of their juices leverages their synergic action in your body cells’ aging processes while helping in many areas of health. With that being said. I have being drinking this juice and I have being feeling 100% better with my gas. I also sleep laying down at night now!!! I cannot leave the house without taking some of my Levive. U only have to drink 1 oz. 1-3 times a day preferable before or with meals. I used to pray and pray and ask God to send me an miracle and i think this is it!! Everyone that I know that is in the business with this company says it helps with a lot of different they have and gives them energy.. I love this juice and it is ideal for the whole family. I also shared this with my doctor who used to prescribe me many different medicines that didn’t work and he is too very interested on getting more information on this juice!! So I basically wanted to share my testimony with everyone that has been having problems with stomach problems and so for. I have listed some helpful information to back up my testimony as to how powerful this Levivie juice is. It is not made to cure, diagnose, or treat diseases, just to HELP with numerous things and the research below will give u all the details! .. I will also include my website because I have signed up to become a distributor JUST to get this juice at wholesale price with the company so worth it!!! Feel free to ask any questions..

[DataCurator]

“Oh, I feel for you. I had my GB out Jan 5th 10. It was an easy surgery, keyhole and for the most part I was uncomfortable but not in severe pain or anything afterward, no pain meds needed for it what so ever. But…the nausea and abdominal pain and acidy feeling is constant. I have had days where I felt pretty good, usually after fasting on water and broth for a week to 10 days. I have lost 30 pounds but gained 10 back so far. I recently, last Thursday, got a bladder/kidney infection and I can no longer tolerate any antibiotics. I never had major issues prior to surgery. The side effects hit me with Macrobid, Bactrim and Cipro. So bad that they have upset my whole body and with toppled on with the pain and nausea that I have already has me contemplating suicide. I am not kidding. My husband is heading into the Navy in 4 months and I will be alone with this. I don’t know if I can function on my own. There are days, a few times a week had passed before I was able to take a shower. Gross, I know. But seriously I have been so debilated by this “”abdominal migraine””. I was told I have this too. It’s frustrating to feel like this. I can’t hold a job. My marriage is suffering. I’m terrified and suicidal. I hate this. I needed the to have the GB removed, I had 108 stones. All of my tests come back normal as well. I am supposed to have an endoscopy done next week. Was gonna do it last week but was so sick I couldn’t get to the appt. We live 20 minutes from our hospital, but a 20 minute ride is excrutiating most times. The latest malady with the bladder infection is killing me too. So I am just getting sicker and sicker. I know your pain and frustration. My doc said that if the Endo shows nothing wrong, than she will approve me for disability. I have no option of going back to work if I am going to be sick like this. I’m 32 and should be in the prime of my life. Oh, I was diagnosed with Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome and fatty Liver disease as well. So…really if I got hit by a truck and kicked the bucket, I would be ok with it. I can’t have kids, I can’t eat, sleep, sit, lay down, walk or do anything. My back hurts where the GB was all of the time. But there is something in me that tells me I am not done yet and that I have to get through this, if not for me, for my husband. I cant bare making him a widow at 28 yrs old. This is a nightmare and I hope you find some relief soon. There has to be something we can do. My prayers are with you.

Bella”

[DataCurator]

“Like you, I started taking Welchol 2 years after my gall bladder removal. It certainly does help. I have tried to go off of it just to see if I could do without it. I take my 2-3Welchol pills EVERY DAY! I went two years with chronic diarrhea and finally went to the doctor. After being referred to a gastro-doc, going through an endo and colonoscopy, the doctor found a large cancerous polyp! So in many ways I was thankful for the terrible diarrhea. You just don’t find something like that in a 35 year old woman with no history of colon cancer!

I still have issues with GI disorders. No cancer though! I’m working on cutting out gluten again. ”

[DataCurator]

I’m 18 and I had my gallbladder out last Feb. Went back to the GI doc in August because i was having severe pain on my stomach an would go up my throat and take my breath away and I was throwing up everytime I ate like before I had my gallbladder removed and I was having major diarrhea so they did a scope and found that I had way to much bile just sitting in my stomach and I was diagnosed with Oddi Sphincter Dysfunction (OSD) so he gave me meds to push it out and all it did is make me throw up more so I’m having another procedure done soon called ERCP. (Take in I’ve already had my appendix, gallbladder and 2 inches of my intestine out and I’m not even in my 20’s) ha with this surgery they said I’m so small and so young I have a 35% chance that I will have diabetes for the rest of my life because when they do this it messes with my pancreas.

[DataCurator]

I had mine removed at the age of 7..when I was in second grade… Seemingly immediately are, the pooping problem happened and i stayed under a 17 on the bmi since…other than that, after 17 years of living a normal life the energy thing is my biggest problem now…I just want to sleep all the time and it’s extremely frustrating…

[DataCurator]

i JUST HAD MY GALLBLADDER REMOVED(3 DAYS) AND I AM SO COSTIPATED.5 DUCOLAX LATER AND STILL NO ACTION.PAIN IS THE SAME,NO NAUSEA.WHATS UP?

[DataCurator]

I too had my gallbladder removed 10 month ago and have had nothing but agonizing pain from bile reflux diagnosed after EGD. It has gotten so bad that breathing and swallowing and the burning pain in my stomach and abdomen have been excruciating. PPI’s, carafate, creon, thumbs down, made matters worse. I have just began working on my diet and the dry toast does assist in helping the problem. What foods have worked best in reducing bile besides toast? Oatmeal seems to work okay also. Thank you