Just read all your post op symptoms and I am relieved to find that I don’t need to give myself the horrors in the middle of the night thinking I have something worse!
I had my GB removed in Dec 07 by whom I can only describe as one of the best surgeons ever. My scars are tiny, my recovery rate was amazing.
I decided to cut out fry ups, butter, cheese, booze,eggs and then coffee. Substituted with porridge, soya spread and milk, oatcakes, fruit and veg and loads of water. Started back jogging, lost weight, felt wonderful……..then out of the blue two weeks ago I seemed to need to go to the loo more and had “”mucus runs”” (best way I can describe it -sorry folks!) and looser movements. It lasted about 3 days and went away and has decided to come back today again.
Total panic ! Was about to go to docs thinking I was dying then looked up this web page. I had looked at the info I received before the op and it did say some people can suffer from this but I thought I had escaped it as its 3 months since the op. So do you all reckon this is pretty normal? I did ask myself where does the bile go once you get the GB out -do you suppose it is the cause of the runs?
Otherwise I feel fantastic and have lost weight rather than gained as my surgeon warned might happen. Does anyone suffer on and off like me? Did anyone have a wait of 3 months then kaboom ? I don’t want to take any medication and would prefer to control myself if anyone has any ideas out there? I don’t want to bother the doc so if anyone can reassure me out there ????
I had my gallbladder out September 2010, and I too get that uncomfortable pain and digestive bowel problems from time to time, and what I’ve found puts me back to feeling healthy and normal is liquid probiotics.
I am glad that I came to this web site. My husband was just about to go to my physician to ask him what the hell had been done to me. I, at 32, had my gallbladder removed in June 2000. I too have experienced the phantom GB pains, with no reasonable explanation from the surgeon. I have the urgency to have a bowel movement soon after eating, but not after every meal. I had created my own explanation, and I think that Ralph is very much on target. I realize that the GB is a storge tank for bile (not the creator like a lady above had suggested). Since my symptoms generally occur upon eating the first meal of the day (which is usually around noon), I have concluded that over night production of bile, plus whatever is produced up until the time I eat,is more bile than is typically necessary to help process a meal. I agree that it has to be more bile in the digestive system rather than less, because there is nowhere to store the stuff. The GB probabaly acted as a regulator of sorts, and once it was full, the liver stopped producing. Now there is no regulator, and there is no middleman between the liver and small intestine. This is just my theory, but as everyone has concluded, we seem to have to do our own research and develop hypothesis based on that. Thanks for letting me know that this problem isn’t necessarily a precursor to some dread disease.
“My anesthesiologist was trying to “”find the vein”” when I decided not to pursue with my gall bladder removal operation. At first, interns were sent to talk to me and then finally my doctor asked me why I was backing out. I told him that I had a change of mind and that I would like to consider other options. He said that my only option is surgery (removal of my gall bladder).
I decided not to go on with the surgery. I felt victorious but when my doctor told me to find another doctor and that he did not want to deal with me anymore, I felt hurt and insulted. He should have, at least, made another appointment with me, and offer me other alternatives or at least been open minded and discussed things with me.
Do I really have no other option? For about a week now, I have not have any pain. My diet is in control and it seems to be helping. Reading all your mail regarding pains after surgery makes me feel good for not having mine done but where do I go from here? What if I have another attack? Is there any medicine or natural alternatives to break down gall stone? What food can I
eat or avoid? ”
“You can add me to the list of people experiencing problems after having their gallbladder removed. Mine was taken out in December ’09 so it’s been 2 months and I’m experiencing some of the same symptoms I had before plus a few new ones. Went back to the doctor a couple weeks ago and he diagnosed me with a hiatal hernia and acid reflux based on symptoms alone. I’ve been taking Carafate 4 times a day as well as Prilosec for the past couple weeks. Had no improvement at all, in fact felt a little worse so my doctor prescribed Nexium. Only been on it for a couple days so nothing yet, I know it takes time. If it’s not improving in the next week or so he wants to schedule an upper endoscopy.
I’m currently experiencing a dull ache around the breast bone area and my stomach is tender to the touch from there down to my belly button. Also having issues with burping, bloating, right side tenderness, a feeling of tightness in my chest, as well as my back aching slightly.
I stupidly thought that all my problems would go away after I had my gallbladder removed. That was definitely not the case. Looks like I’m not alone as far as people having problems after gb surgery.”
I have suffered with vomiting and nauseau and pain for almost a year. Removed gallbladder on June 11th. No problems with recovery until about 3 weeks ago. The vomitting has returned and I am nauseated daily. Anyone else had this? I had an upper endoscope done and my stomach looked ok. He tested me for h. pylori. Any suggestions. I am scared to eat and I thought the gall bladder surgery would make this go away.
“Wow, I read your experiences, and I am amazed. I thought I was sick! I started having problems about two years ago. I didn’t have too much discomfort, but I had to be really careful when I was drinking. I would cough and choke while drinking. I had a number of choking spells when drinking coffee, and beer and wine. Then, I really became sick twenty four seven. It started on new years eve of 2013. I lost my speaking voice, and I felt terrible, and I coughed constantly, and felt like I had to clear my throat all the time.
It has taken a year and a half to be diagnosed with bile reflux. Now I have some idea of what is happening. As you all said, the acid blockers didn’t help. I have good days and bad days. I can never figure out what causes the days to be good or bad. It doesn’t seem to correlate with anything I eat or drink or do.
I had a bad day yesterday. I constantly felt like I needed to clear my throat and I needed to cough, and my stomach bothered me. I couldn’t figure out whether I was hungry or too full. The bile reflux gave me a bad taste in my mouth all day, and I had trouble talking. It also makes me a little short tempered and makes me want to stay away from other people. I don’t even like to talk on the phone when my voice is bothering me.
I use Carafate when the symptoms are occurring. It helps.”
“I have had problems in the last several years with pains in my solorplexes area and around my liver. I had what was considered a mild case of Hepitius and had moderatly high liver counts. Sense then I have had no liver problems just reflux, pain , nausea… I just had blood work and everything is fine and I had a hyda scan and have not heard the results. From what I have read here I am heading for the Homeopathic Doctor and not surgery. It is hard to beleive that the medical community is so
dumfounded of the obvious problems that occur from the results
of this procedure. I have little faith in todays medicine and much more with the holistic area. It makes much more sense to go that route. Just mabey a few more Doctors out there will choose to learn the right way to heal the body is to do it naturally. Learn of a reputable Homeopathic Doctor in your area
and you will be amazed at the difference they can make in your life. Good luck to everyone of you still in pain….
”
I had my gallbladder out awhile ago, because I had many small stones, so they decided to take the whole thing out! Everytime I drink alcohol I feel sick, I still occasionally get the sane pain in my abdominal area, but my back or liver kinda spot hurts like you wouldn’t believe… I’m not sure why.. If it’s my liver. Or somthing else, I don’t wanna stop social drinking, anything I can do to make the excruciating pain go away I’ll do .. 🙁
“My gall bladder was removed over 4 years ago due to severe attacks caused by a single stone about the size of a golf ball (have the pictures to prove it – unbelievable!).
My concern, however, is that although the digestive issues haven’t been that difficult to deal with (loose bowel occasionally depending on what I eat), I’ve experienced a steady decline in energy and have noticed some other physical changes, mostly relating to normal functioning . . . lower energy levels, accelerated aging, and decreased cognitive abilities (compared to before the operation).
If anyone can please provide some information concerning how this operation might affect things such as hormone levels (since as I understand, as a novice, hormones are dependent on proper fatty acid synthesis and that removing the gall bladder may affect this process) or nutrient absorbtion, it would be much apprciated. Also, anything you can offer regarding nutritional or dietary adjustments for post surgery patients would be great. Are there any supplements, etc., available that will replace the nutrients lost due to this surgery?
I just want to live normally with the energy levels back to where they were before, or at least close to it. Have a lot left to do with my life.
“Well, I had gallbladder surgery back in 2006 and I also have experiencing pain on and off below my rib cage on the right side. I went to my gastroenterologist to explain the pain that I had been having and he ran different test but they were negative. I had heard about probiotics and I told him I would like to start taking that to see if it would help with the pain that I have. I have been taking it for about six months and I think it really has helped. I also take Nexium for my gastritis. So the combination of the probiotics and nexium could be what’s helping with the pain. Hope this helps some!
I had my gallbladder out in May 2006 and I have severe upper stomach pain that radiates to my back. Have had all tests done and nothing can be found. Found your post interesting that someone else is having the same problem. Have you found any more information out. Good luck to you.
I had my gallbladder removed two years ago, and I’m still getting attacks! They aren’t quite as bad as the attacks I had before my surgery, but they’re still extremely painful and incapacitating. What can I do about this?
I had my gallbladder removed on the 23rd, laproscopic procedure, no hospital stay, though I would have preferred it for a couple days. I have been in alot of pain, and did not have a bowel movement until last night, (took laxatives every day since surgery, it took almost 2 weeks). It took over a week just to pass gas. I’m still having pain, and somewhat bloated. I get up and move around but if I do too much, the pain intensifies and then can’t sleep at night. I go for post op appointment tomorrow. I just started getting an appetite back, but don’t eat much. I had many gall stones and gallbladder wall thickening, (caused by inflamation attacks). I have been suffering with stomach pain for a number of years, getting worse the last 6 months. CT scan showed gallstones etc, still have to get colonoscopy etc. I’m tired of not feeling good, the pain wears me out. I hope as I continue to heal that I will feel better than before removing the gallbladder. I’ll post again in a week or so.
I had my gallbladder removed almost two years ago when the doctor said that mine was non-working. The test showed it at 0% functionality. Now a few weeks ago after dealing with some more pain and constant diarrhea, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease with from intestinal biopsies. I’m convinced uncontrolled Celiac Disease played a large role in damaging my gallbladder.