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Ongoing Complications (1000+)
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i think it may be a gasseous pain.
“Hello, Iâ??ve had my gallbladder out now for about a year. If I had a chance to do it again,,,,,, I would NOT. Not until I consulted with a Holistic medicine doc. Maybe try a few bladder cleansers first. I can tell you that ever since I had mine taken out,,, Iâ??ve had NOTHING but bowel problems. At least thatâ??s the way my life has been. Here lately (over a year since surgery) the diarrhea sometimes just comes on out of the blue!
I read an article that stated that the drug Colestid worked really well for some people.
If I only knew,,, looking back I would have tried a bladder cleanse or something first. Iâ??m going to try to get a script for that Colestid medicine. Maybe that will fix me. I know that some people do not have any issues after their gull bladder removal.
Good luck, hope this info helps!Bob R.
Maryland, USA
”“I had my gallbladder removed about 20 years ago and have since had a lot of experience with “”post surgery”” ailments. I wright today in hope that I can help someone else, through experience.
The first thing I was told after surgery was that my life should not change at all, this is wrong. I don’t know if doctors just don’t know or they just don’t care, but, post “”any”” surgery comes with problems. If god gave it to you, you were meant to keep it. When you take it out, something else gets messed up. Enough with doctors, my son is studying to be one, so I cant dog them to bad. End result, you know your body, listen to it, if your doctor doesn’t listen, find another one who will.
After I went through all the post surgery pain and ailments, I found that I had “”IBS””. After I ate I was bloated, constipated and then my stomach would cramp until I developed cold sweats, almost passed out and then I dumped. Yes, IBS, is a “”catch all”” that doctors use when they just don’t know. Anyway an old gastro doctor put me on a medicine he said would help, but being young and stupid I decided not to take it because it was to much trouble. I lived miserable for almost fifteen years and had almost forgotten about the medicine he put me on.
Many, many years later I started having severe pain under my right ribs and decided to see another doctor. Long story short, my surgery had caused scar tissue to develope around the hole (bial duct opening) in my stomach and bial was backing up causing pancreatitis. For anyone that knows, this is a very painful process. Again, long story short, make sure your bial flow is good. This is checked with a test, I just cant remember the name of it.
Now back to the IBS, which is why I wrote. Don’t suffer, if you have post gallbladder surgery, IBS, ask your doctor to prescribe “”Questran””. Its a pain to take, but it works. It has something to do with bial salts, but when taken right, it is a god send. You’ve got to stick with it though, and tweak it to your body. The amount that works for me, might be more or less for you. I buy it in a big can and take one scoop in the morning in a bottle of water, and wow.
Anyway, dont suffer, get help.
Oh, P.S., if you are on anti-acids like prevacid, protonics, etc. and are getting headaches, get on something else. They do cause headaches, but no one will tell you.”I have the same problem that you all have and have had it for the last several years. But there is something that I am very concerned about and that is… With having diarehha all of the time isn’t that hard on your bowels and your whole system? That is one of my major concerns, I just wonder how long my bowels can withhold having diarehha all of the time, I wouldn’t think it would be good on them, unless it is because it always keeps you flushed out!!! Well if anyone has a answer to this please let me know. Thanks and have a great day!!!
“There are sure a lot of US out there! Read this whole message if you want to know the gory details or skip to the end if you have a comment or info you can give me.
Using 20/20 hindsight, I had many gall bladder attacks oer the last 15 years – just thought they were “”gas attacks”” and would sit up all night in a recliner chair and take ovol and tylenol. I thought that helped but now realize that the attacks simply ended 5-6 hours after starting. As time went on I developed food intolerances to all fatty foods – ice cream, fried foods, chinese food (peanut oil!) and peanut butter were the worst. Pain started just below breatsbone, went through to my back at right shoulder blade and radiated up right side of my chest and sometimes into my right arm. SOmetimes it was so bad I could hardly breathe. No nausea or vomiting – not everyone has every symptom. I was told I was unusual.
More recently, I had a severe gall bladder attack in March 99, hospitalized 1 week with IV fluids only. Things settled down, had a series of ultrasounds with lap choly done end of March 99. Found out later that the surgery was sceduled so quickly out of necessity – I had a gall bladder full of “”sludge”” and it no longer functioned at all. The surgery was ok but I was told later that I was a difficult patient. When I asked how that could be since I was unconcious during the procedure, the surgeion said “”technically difficult””. That means he had a lot of trouble seeeing clearly into the abdominal cavity as I am built very compactly – no extra room for anything.
Thought that was it and began to recover. Approx. 5 weeks after the surgery I returned to the GP and surgeon with symptoms similar to those I’d had during gall bladder attacks but the pain does not radiate to my right shoulder tip. Docotrs investigated with CT scan and ultrasound and tried things like losec to keep food moving through my stomach. Also had food intlerances to fatty foods. At the end of June 99, I went to a banquet, tried to eat the low fat food and had a couple of drinks. 30 minutes after eating I collapsed with extreme pain as described earlier, cold sweat, very low blood pressure, dizziness and was uncouncious for a few minutes. Into ER again where blood tests plus symptoms confirmed acute pancreatities from some of the sludge which had plugged the common bile duct right where the pancreatic duct comes in. Elevated serum amylase was the key test for this one. Off to another city 250 kms away (150 miles) by ambulance for an ERCP which widened the bile duct and pancreatic duct. Another ambulance ride home and a week in hospital. IV fluids only and some other meds to reduce stomach acid, etc. I was told I was atypical.
At this point I was pretty sure all would be well. With the surgery and then the collapse, I’d taken 2 6 week medical leaves from work. Back to more pain as described, more medications invcluding codeine and amyltriptilene for pain managment. Extreme stress at work which got worse due to the fuzziness from the meds, so I would not take the meds so the pain was worse, etc etc. Another ERCP to widen the bile duct further but still no relief. At the end of November 99, my doctors said I needed a lengthy medical leave in order to break the vicious circle of pain and stress. I’m still on leave now in Feb 2000 and no end in sight.
Add in a bout of near pneumonia and a violent reaction to erythromyacin prescribed for the mycoplasmic infection which led to another night in the ER…… ENOUGH ALREADY! Now I am one in a million, according to my GP.
After all of that, I’m told I have postcholysystectomy pain syndrome which is idiopathic in origin. In other words,I hurt, my biliary tree is hypersensitive to anything, stress makes it worse and I need to relax or I’ll relapse. I have hunted diligently for info on the net for this syndrome and not found it. But many of the stories at this site sound like me. Anybody out there with more info? I am satisfied that my doctors are doing the best they can – GP, surgeon and GI specialist – but any additional info would be great.”
“This thread is remarkable. I had my gallbladder removed in 1984, and started experiencing periodic severe abdominal pains about a month after the operation. Pains were very severe, generally lasting five to ten minutes. They told me this was unusual, but apparently from looking at these postings it isn’t as rare as they made it sound to me.
Long story short, testing was inconclusive but over the next ten years the episodes became more infrequent. Even today, I’ll have an occasional episode, but whereas I used to have perhaps 100 a year, now I probably have about 5 episodes an entire year.”
I am 5 weeks post gallbladder removal and the RUQ pain has increased. I am a long distance runner and was cleared to run 2 weeks ago. I ran once at 3 weeks post op and could only go 1.75 miles because the pain became so intense. I waited until 2 days ago to try again and I ran 2.4 miles and had to stop. I did try running again the next day but only made it 1.73 miles and yesterday the pain lingered all day long. Today it is much worse. I have taken otc pain meds with no relief. It is even starting to effect my appitite. I am supose to start my 12 week training for a 1/2 marathon in 2 weeks and I can’t even make 2.5 miles! It feels like a bad side ache while running and just intensifies after I stop!
I to had my gall bladder removed (Feb 2006) I had to be readmitted into the hospital the day after my surgery for nausea and vomiting I was dehydrated, had to have iv and potassium my blood pressure was so high I could feel my heart beating against my bed. They told me I would feel 100% better wrong. Oh yea took me 4 hours after anyone could see me I was sick in recovery. Just before I went home they gave me coffee cream of chicken soup tapoica pudding. Just smelling food make me sick. I still don’t feel good. Still have pains on my right side and above the belly button all the way up. After the surgery I would wake up around 5:00 am with very bad pain. It still hurts to certain foods. I called the surgeon and told him that I still was hurting he just said I don’t know why. I just wish this pain would go away.
“Hi Everyone.
A friend sent me the link to this thread as I also have went through all that each of you are going through.I had my gb removed in december of 01, and the attacks continued to get worse until about august of 07 when an ambulance had to take me up to the hospital er where I spent the entire day. They could not find anything.
Since I have already had heart failure, t hey thought that I was going into heart attack, but that isn’t what it was.
These attacks would start with me feeling so sick to my stomach, severe cramping, sweats, feeling like I was going to pass out, diarrhea, etc.. After the attack I would get chills and I would be freezing cold.
After the last attack I went to my gi and told him that something needed to be done. I already knew from ct scans that I had an enlarged liver, and enlarged bile ducts as well as something called Bilary dyskinesia. You can do a google search on this.
The doc did a procedure which is called an ercp, in which they go in through the pancreas and somehow open up the bile ducts so they can function better. I would suggest a google search on this as well.
He was hesitant to do this procedure since I had already had an episode of pancreatits after removal of the gb. But I wanted it done. I was tired of all the attacks that were basically making the year of 07 a nightmare for me!
He did the procedure, and I did go into pancreatits, however, I still have to watch what I eat, no fatty foods, no beef etc… I still get bloated if I eat more than I should.
I also have what is called a lazy stomach. It takes 143 minutes for me to digest food.
I’m not sure if this can or will help anyone, but this is all information that you all should check into.
I hope that I have managed to help at least a few of you as I had went through all the things that you guys/gals are all going through for 7 years. I have always had digestive problems since infancy. So bowel movements aren’t easy for me. I have to take somethign to move the bowels due to medications I take for other health issues.”
“Can relate with you lots, I as you know had my gall bladder out, as above, but I still have problems too, it makes me happy not that you all suffer at times, but that I am not alone in my suffering. I live on gaviscon and pariet drug to lessen acid reflux as I have been diagnosed with GERD, they thought it would all go away when I had my gallstones and gallbladder out, but it wasnt to be and I know have to be cautious with such rich fatty food. They also told me a very small minority carry on suffering, so its highly unlikely, but heh, I had to be this so called minority, I am only 33. They had to flush my stones out the bile duct I had 30-40 small ones, trapped and blocking it. Lifes a bitch to some, constantly think why me!!But you just have to plod on regardless and live with it.
Lots of love to you all.
Sue aka astralhippy”
Here here adclose2003!!!! Loved your response on telling people things will not in fact always be fine and dandy after the gb surgery! If it is or was, trust me: be blessed; but for the few who endure these symptoms days, weeks, months and years, we aren’t so lucky!! For me it has been 15 years since I had the laser gb surgery and not even a week later my life has not been the same. Going on a gluten free diet doesn’t or isn’t always the answer, or dairy free or red meat free or low fat or no fat or any of these combinations together. I have done all of these. I have been gluten free for years now and my symptoms still exist, I don’t eat fast food, have all but given up dairy, I only drink water, sometimes flavored but you have to be so careful with those as well, no soda or pop, no popcorn, no chocolate, very few vegetables and fruits are tolerable anymore, especially apples. I’m not saying these don’t work for some, just not all of us. Sometimes I go weeks living on jello and water when the pain is severe and the weight drops off like crazy. I once lost during a bad episode, and this was documented by my doctor, 13 pounds in one weekend from Friday to Monday. It’s true about the sudden weight loss! I don’t eat at work on my breaks for fear that I will have to go to the bathroom in a matter of minutes and it has happened numerous times in the past. The pain is very real for some poeple and doesn’t go away after time and sometimes gets worse. Sometimes it feels like I am in childbirth labor the pains are so bad but my doc doesn’t know what to do for me anymore so I haven’t gone back in months. I also endure lethargy, or days I just want to sleep or I’m so tired I cannot function, anemia, vomiting, almost constant dizzy spells, rib pain, kidney pain, back pain, pelvic pain, loss of concentration, slurred speech, headaches, fainting spells, heart palipitations, fevers, blurred or double vision in my left eye, diarrhea all day every day and much more I haven’t listed. This has gotten progressively worse in the last 5 years and unfortunately I don’t see an end or a good one in sight unless I find the right doctor and they find out why all of this is happening but until that day I take it day to day and hope tomorrow is better than today. Sorry this became so long. If you came out of gb surgery with no long lasting effects: you’re blessed!! If you didn’t: good luck, and know there are others out there with the same problems and symptoms as you!! Take care!!
I had the same problems after my gallbladder was removed last December. It started about 3-4 weeks after it was taken out. I would have to race to the bathroom every time I ate anything at all and my BM’s would be yellow diarrhea or just straight up water. It wouldn’t be one trip either, I would have to go 4 or 5 times in an hour or two. I would be afraid to eat anything in the mornings for fear of having to go while driving on the way to class. It got almost debilitating. There were times I had to pull over to stores and stay at the bathroom until my stomach calmed down. One time I had to stay at a Rite-Aid for an hour because of this, I bought Imodium just to be able to go home and I seriously considered buying Depends for the car ride. I never wanted to leave the house.I dealt with this for about 2 months and then I saw a GI Doctor and was diagnosed with bile salt diarrhea as an after effect of loosing the gallbladder. He said 5-10% of people get it after having the gallbladder removed and most peoples’ bodies adjust themselves after a year or two, although some don’t adjust. He gave me a cholesterol medicine, Cholesthyramine, in powder form to control my stomach, since it would bind up bile salts. I later switched to a pill form called Cholestipol. They work really well for me and I have only had one case of diarrhea in about 4 months. I do have to look out for constipation, but I consider that a lot better than the alternative.
“Because of bilateral hernia repairs, my PCP suggested we have the surgeon remove the painful gallbladder as well (2009). I had had intestinal shingles in late 2006 that really took me down as well. Underlying diverticulitis was also found and a severely redundant colon which caused severe difficulty having a BM…often for 3-5 days at a time.
I recovered very slowly with the hernias. However, also slowly the deep aching in my right upper medial abdomen under the ribs increased as if the gallbladder was still there or had grown back . From these websites I am glad to know I am not alone. The loss of weight and persistent diarrhea, especially right after a meal is the worst part. I changed to the Caveman diet…strict combinations of foods that eliminated the other severe pain…colon spasms following the GI shingles. However, the gallbladder-type aching persists and the inability to have normal BMs is not fun. My PCP is actually pleased somewhat because our greatest worry was an impaction.
So far, other than diet suggestions I don’t hear any surgeon or doctor coming in and showing us that the medical profession are concerned about this post-surgical gallbladder pain, weight loss and changed BMs. Are there long term negative side effects if weight loss and diarrhea are a chronic problem? Yes, I would suggest that there might be. Someone needs to get to the bottom of this situation. Has anyone heard of any research going on?”my husband had his gall bladder removed just over a year ago and he suffers from very loose stools. when he feels he needs the toilet he has to run before there is an accident, if there is someone else at the toilet he can not hold it it just runs away from him. Why does the doctors not warn you about this before you have your surgery? i feel as though they have let him down, as this is not a normal event in his life before the operation, he has had to give up work as he has no control over this >;)
I had my gallbladder removed nearly 2years ago. for the past year I have had constant pain in the right flank and below the sternum. The conclusion is that these are adhesions and nerve damage. its the lack of treatment that is frustrating and no cohesive approach from doctors. reading these posts at least I know I’m not crazy or imagining it all. there is a problem with being abandoned after operations, so post operative problems are not being treated seriously by the medical profession.
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