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Victim Statements
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“Bile leak
My husband had gallbladder removed about three years ago. After coming home he became very sick and have been suffering every since. Pain in his side, simple foods make him sick to the point of falling to the floor. The only help is bottles of antacids, ice all over his body especially the Abdomal area. He also have to use the bathroom. The attacks are becoming more frequent. He also have to wear loose fitting clothes around his stomach area. All I can do is stand by waving a fan. After he gets through the pain, he’s so week and chilled. I am scared these attacks will eventually throw him into a cardiac arrest! If you like we would be glad to help.FreddieFreddie: Have you ever talked to an attorney? Having this go on for that many years,OMG! I feel badly for you. I am just beginning with the weirdness and is this what I have to look forward too? I do not want to deal with this anymore as is and its only been since July when the whole gallbladder pain began, they took it out August 15. Its been a little over a month and a half. I cannot imagine dealing with this for as long as you have. You are in my prayers. Much luck to you in all you do… I did speak to an attorney. My Dr. told me in July after being diagnosed having infection in my gallbladder, can’t spell it or say what it is, that was July 30. I tried getting an appointment because the hospital told me it was nothing to put off,plus the pin was horrible. My Dr. office said they could get me in August 9th! LOL!!! i kept bugging and bugging,they got me in the 9th. My Dr. tells me he does not listen to other drs. diagnosis and he did not think it was infection of the gallbladder! He sent me on my way, no medication, no, come back soon,NOTHING! 3 days later I am being taken by ambulance to the ER, they diagnose me with not only having infection in my gallbladder,but pancreatitis and my Liver enzymes were off the chart high! They admitted me that night within an hour being brought in, it was not till then I had no idea how bad I really was nor did I have a clue you can die from severe panceatitis. Who knew… I called my Dr. the next day in the hospital to come see me because hey,guess what I do have an infection in my gallbladder and now pancreatitis on top of it,plus my liver is in trouble too! I get told he has NO hospital privaleges, and get this, he is not even an MD he is a TA!!! Holy crap! What is that all about! I went back because of my navel continues to split open, I don’t see him, they put me in with equally as young female who tells me NO you have NO infection. What is the fluid that is green than I ask? She says it is not infection how I do not need antibiotics! I got mad and left, I didn’t appreciate wasting my time again!….. I hate the idea of suing, I am a law student and the number of frivolous law suits in our country are staggering,but this Dr. or what ever he is, he let his arrogance and ego infront of my life and that is just unacceptable. You having this for the amount of years you have been dealing with your issues, that too is just unacceptable… I wish I could fix me,fix all who I have read in this forum. It is horrible what human go through with Drs. who must have missed the Do NO Harm part of medical school. Attorney’s aren’t much beeter,but at least they are not playing with physical part of our lives like doctors are allowed. Best of luck to all…..”
I work in the health care field and have a hard time believing a doctor would say he NEVER had anyone complain of that issue. Perhaps because they see you shortly after the surgery for your follow up and a lot of folks are just getting their diet figured out and probably haven’t experimented much with alcohol yet. I had mine out a month ago and do okay with ONE drink occasionally. I did push it at a celebration and experienced the rapid inebriation and excessive vomiting others have described. Before surgery I consumed probably 1-2 drinks a month. So I would say I don’t have any underlying problem. Every one is different!
“Hey There!
I was told today that my gall bladder is only emptying at the rate of 23% (healthy is 60% or over) & I must have it removed. I dont have stones, just a slow or dysfunctioning gall bladder. However, I have been 7 kilo’s ligther than normal the last 3 years (Currenly 46 kilos normally 52 would love to be 55 kgs). Doctor’s only answer always was I was too stressed from work or home, smoking etc – then my mum had a stroke & I had to care for her full time & the weight dropped further 43 kilos (A mates daughter even asked me if I was anorexic).
History: Had failure to thrive as kid. In the last 10 yrs I haven’t been able to consume soft drinks (fizzy drinks) or alcohol (unless without lots n lots of ice (i.e.1/2 ice, 1/2wine) – hey it’s unaustralian not to drink at every opportunity we can get it. In my early 20’s I developed a sensitivity to certain fruits (apples pears berries) & nuts in their raw state (itchy mouth, hives, sores eyes it varies) but CAN eat these if cooked??? – was told this was a protein thing that can’t be solved. Have had survere depression 3 times. Late 20’s later I got invasive pneumonioccol desease (spelt wrong sorry) – which gave me with blood poising (rigor), lungs filled with fluid & even vomitting blood & a terrible ache in my upper right centre chest area – had a gut ultra sound but showed nothing. 7 months later I had too much to drink & couldn’t stop spewing, same ache in chest & was given nexium for a month.
More recent now 35: 4 months into mum’s stroke (20 mths ago) I was sent to the ER with internal bleeding, after 9 waiting they sent me home with panadol & then they rang apolosing the next day asking me to return then they did an endoscope to ID a bleeding ulcer. Put me on nexium. Been on that till 3 weeks ago was doubled over in pain all night, no position i sat, lay, crawled or yoga’d alleviated what felt like someone kneeding my intestines like pizza dough & putting them through a pasta maker. I went to the doc (scared ER would not take me seriously as internal bleeding last time certainly i wasn’t bleeding enough…..) she increased the nexium & gave me a note for the hospy incase it struck again. I went on for 10 days for the increase to work to only get my sis to drop me at hospital on Australia Day (2 weeks ago) to get them to find out what it wrong.
They fasted me on & off for 4 days packed me Endone pain tabs & somac (necxium replacement) , did a CT scan after drinking contrast stuff for an hour – nothing, & this HIDA scan which showed that my gall bladder won’t empty property on 26% success. I was then sent home with pain tabs & to wait for an appt with the gastro dude. In the week waiting I was home bound, sleeping 12 hrs a day – used to struggle to get 5 hrs a night, have a worse pain all over my guts & one morning experienced even nastier sharper pain on my left side like a squirting pain (if that makes sense – something being squeezed) it held me completely unable to move for 1 minute. 5 or 6 minutes later, I eventually made my way to the phone & as dialing broke into a mad sweat & was about to faint. lying on the floor I recovered terrified at what the NEW pain was & rang the hospy gastro area for advise – 3 hrs later they rang back telling me to see GP. I saw GP next day, she said it was panic attacks (which I’ve apparently suffered for years, burning guts, about to completely c**p myself, shaking hands & jaw) & said just wait till today appt. Today i get told my GB must be removed!!
I think I’ve had a GB prob for fricken years now! & everyone has ignored my pain, my suggestion that something else is wrong. I’ve asked what can kick start it again, but no useful answer. I’ve been told to relax more – as I’ve been in counselling for years due to this so called nervious stomach!!!! if i was anymore relaxed i’d had my own book, be tony robins or seriously be able to stop my heart pumping I know so many relaxation techniques!!. I think it’s been this GB!! I’m going drink heaps of water, continue & escalate my more than healthly eating & see what effect that has as there are NO stones, no infections & no tumors, I want them to check my liver further as it’s the boss of all things in that area. I’m terrifed of the side effects you all mention as I’ve been through enough. I’d rather investigate anything I can prior to having my first ever surgery!! I feel at the mo’ i’m in the posy to maybe have choice about it, so if I can save my GB I’ll give it a good hard Aussie go!.
Thank you all for scaring the consitpation from the pain meds outta me!. I’m getting second opinion’s, what ever i can!.”
I had my gallbladder removed at age 20 (4 years ago)…and it was NOT due to gallstones…it was because my gallbladder stopped functioning out of no where. pretty scary having organ failure at a young age. The doctor (who was incredibly pompus) told me there was nothing to be worried about in the long term and I didn’t need the gallbladder, and my diet could return to normal. I have been struggling with energy levels and bloating/constipation ever since. it is SO FRUSTRATING. Ive never eaten tons of junk food etc., and i have stuck to an organic fruit, veg, white meat, small amout of dairy (non fat milk and low fat cheese only) diet cutting out grains for majority of the time (exceptions on holidays, birthdays, etc) and i drink one day a week. my diegestion feels screwed up all the time and although i have been able to loose weight in the past, i have recently found it MUCH harder to do so. i started taking digestive enzymes once per day (usually before dinner) but that only seems to help sometimes. Just wondering if anyone on here has had a removal NOT due to gallstones and has had similar issues?????? I feel completely lied to by the doctors and regret their lack of care with post operative follow up and dietary suggestions.
i have the same problem. i bloat to the point i look 7 months pregant also, after my gallbladder was removed. i had this problem before the removal also . my doctor says he has no idea why.
“My gallbladder was removed only 5 weeks ago. While I had bloating and diarrhea for awhile, those too have passed, lol. But I have been feeling extreme stiffness / swelling in my wrist, fingers and now my feet. Fatigue is now an issue as well. And worst of all, there are so many people on different sites that are reporting these exact symptoms. It is disturbing given that everything I have been reading tries to point to arthiritus which I have never had nor does it run in my family. The arguments for auto-immune causality are just too convenient / vague to accept on face.
It makes me feel that while doctors / surgeons are quick to remove an organ they “”say”” is non-essential and can be eliminated just as an appendix, the fact is that medical science does not really know how it affects our bodies afterwards. They guess and treat symptoms hoping that one of them will work through trial and error. The older I get, the more I realize that medical “”science”” is more art than science.
I am going to try some of the vitamins / meds above / control fatty foods as I have little faith in what I am getting back from healthcare professionals. After that, I guess I am going to return to the medical science “”guessing”” game…”
“I had my gallbladder removed in 2000 due to seven stones. It took them six months to originally even diagnose the problem because I was “”too skinny”” to have a gallbladder issue. I came out of surgery with a drainage bag that I was told was emptying “”toxins”” from my liver. The drainage was black and green.
I was fine with my keyhole surgery and all pain and other symptoms had disappeared for only one week. By the time I went back to the surgeon to have my staples removed ( he stapled my keyhole incisions for some reason), I was in severe pain. He told me I had gastritis. Over the next ten YEARS, I was told I had everything under the sun pertaining to MENTAL illness which obviously was causing my intermittent attacks of severe upper right sided abdominal pain. I can’t tell you how many times I was handed a script for Xanax or something of the like to “”cure my anxieties about having something you don’t””.
Finally, in March of 2009, an attack hit that about killed me. I say finally because it took such a severe attack for the doctors to listen to me. I was not only vomiting, I was also vomiting and losing consciousness at the same time. By the time they got the report back on my labs, they admitted me. ( I was darn near in liver failure).
It turned out that when my gallbladder was removed, it was “”crushed””. The crushing caused a huge stenosis to form all up and down my common bile duct completely blocking it. To make problems worse, they found a papillary stenosis at the ampula of vater. The diagnosis was listed as Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction, Type 1 ( which is the type you want!!!) of the common bile duct. Type 1 can be “”cured””, so they said.
While my ERCP and bile duct reconstruction eliminated a majority of my attacks, I still have them. I know deep inside there is still something wrong.I did want to point out a couple of things though for those of you who seem to be kind of wondering around in no diagnosis/no help land:
1.) If you consistently leaking, you are probably leaking from the cystic duct. This duct is clamped with a plastic or titanium clamp to cut and remove the gallbladder. If you keep leaking, that duct ( now a stump) NEEDS to be reclamped. Period. The cystic duct is connected to the common bile duct. If you are leaking bile, it is getting into your system EITHER through the cystic duct or the hepta duct which ALSO gets clamped. ( and yes, it IS the surgeon’s fault).
2.) No two attorneys are alike. If you cannot find an attorney to take your case, move on. Go to a larger firm. If that doesn’t work, go to a smaller firm. I would generally avoid back country attorneys and hit the cities as someone else said. Unfortunately, many attorneys and firms are now turning away from these types of suits as the damages are now “”capped’ in most states. For example, I live in Pa and I believe the cap is 100,000.00. So, generally— it can take 10 years to actually be awarded 100,000.00 and then the attorneys get a 30-40% fee! If you don’t live in a state that hasn’t been capped yet, enjoy it while you can. If one attorney turns you away, try another. Find out the cap cost in your state. If you get a settlement for 90 grand and the cap is 100- take the settlement!
3.) NO TWO GASTOENTEROLOGISTS ARE THE SAME.
First, the doctor that took out your Gallbladder is probably a general surgeon, and not even a gastro doctor to begin with. Not only that, regular main stream gasto doctors are just that. It took me seven different gasto doctors to find one that specialized IN the liver and bile ducts before I got real help. (Unfortunately an attack hit so severe before he diagnosed me that it made the diagnoses for him- HOWEVER he already had said it was probably sphincter of oddi). You MUST find a doctor that specializes in bile duct issues. Try large hospitals and teaching universities- that is where I found mine. Likewise, if your pancreas is affected, find one that specializes in pancreatic AND bile duct disease. Use the internet. Don’t call up random offices and ask as they will all tell you “”of COURSE we can do this blah blah blah””.
I spent ten years staying with local doctors here in my hometown. I went through SEVEN of them. When I got hospitalized, I come to find out that my county cannot even PERFORM an ercp because my local hospital didn’t have the equipment for it! I just cannot stress to find a specialist. Lucky for me, my specialist is the head of his gastro department and also an ERCP specialist as well as liver and bile duct specialist. He knew his stuff and has worked hard to “”cure me””. I say cure loosely because I still have residual pain, but I will take six attacks in a year as compared to six attacks in six DAYS anytime.And, generally- just don’t mess with this. If you aren’t getting the help you need, move on to a different doctor. I know how it feels to be told you are nuts- been there, done that. You aren’t nuts.
I sent out letters to every single doctor that misdiagnosed me and called me crazy. I sued the pants off the surgeon that originally hurt me. And I won. I can thank him for the down payment on my new home.
Keep trying! its your health!”
I had my gallbladder removed almost 5 weeks ago march 25th. I was sick for 4 months previous… I had to have it removed because I had two cysts and a large gallstone in my gallbladder. I had hoped this would relieve the problem. the first week I felt wonderful and just eased into my diet. I was craving suger so I ate a donut and had diarriah for 3 days straight. I took immodium and everything went back to normal so then i was careful what I ate…everything was going good and I felt like I was almost back to normal but now the stomach pains are back especially first thing in the morning until I eat something then it settles. It’s hard to tell if I am hungry or if I am sick to my stomach because it feels like a combination of both. It feel like it did before I had my gallbladder removed but not as bad. I had 5 incisions and the one above my belly button still hurts and feels like a big knot so I wonder if its scar tissue or if I somehow over did it. I’m scared to eat anything because I don’t want to get sick. I’m also very tired. people including the doctor told me this surgery would be a piece of cake but its been anything but and they also told me I could eat whatever i wanted just to be careful with fatty and fried foods. this last time I got sick on sunday I had chicken and mash potatoes and carrots food I ate before and did not get sick with. I haven’t gone back to a doctor yet but this is getting old. I just want to feel normal and well like I did before I got sick. I had ibs for years before my gallbladder surgery and that could be part of the problem but I still feel like something else is going on. I have prescription heartburn medication which does not help any. some of the symptoms others in here have mentioned I have. I have found I have to eat smaller meals al day long. if anyone finds out an answer please let us know. I am so ready for this nightmare to be over with.
I also had my gallbladder removed a few weeks ago, two days after it was removed I began vomiting and having extreme pain in my abdomen. I was admitted into the hospital and thus began the most nightmarish ten daysof my life. My common duct was leaking bile and I had to have two billitubes inserted to drain my body of the bile. I got pancreatitis, coded on the table when they attempted to insert a stent to redirect the bile and even developed pneumonia. Before you get gallbladder surgery makesure that you are educated about all of the possible risks. I was never told that this was a possibility and based just on internet research I can see that it happens far too often.
“I had my gallbladder removed 5 years ago now. I was 38 then and had had unexplained stomach pains since i was 12. I had always been told it was acid reflux. I couldn’t get my doctors over the years to do anything about it. I ended up driving my self to the hospital after a 8 hour attack and finally the er doc did a ultra sound and poof it was the gallbladder. I ended up getting it removed 2 days later, but what aggravated me was, they did a scope to see how bad it was, and told me i would have the simple surgery. I woke up with a big scar and a 2 week hospital stay they said i had a infection and that the gall bladder was so bad when they got in there it was falling apart and had 40 stones at least in it. I wasn’t told about a special diet, wasn’t told what i should do to get back to normal. I had to do some research.
It took me a month and a half after surgery to feel better, and that didn’t last but a couple months. I have a upset stomach 1/2 the time, doesn’t matter if i eat healthy or stuff i shouldn’t. I have diarrhea most of the time and maybe have a normal bowl movement 1 day a week if i am lucky.
This whole experience has made me distrust doctors. I may have gotten a bad one, but I have not been back to one since and plan never to go again to one. I still feel after 5 years i was butchered.
My advice is for anyone who has to have it out, get a second opinion, check out your surgeons background and make sure you know what your in for.”
“I had my gallbladder removed 5 day ago! (Laparoscopic Cholycystectomy)
If I had read this forum before I would have NEVER agreed to the operation!!!
But I know many people – they are happy without gallbladder.
I hope all of us will doing well :-D”
I had mine removed almost 2 years ago and I take more pepto and immodium than one person should. I have a friend that has had it out for over 10 years and we cant go anywhere together that there is only one bathroom. Doctors will tell you that it will get better in a year but honestly they dont know because they havent had theirs removed. If they told you that you would have to live this way the rest of your life then there would be less removal surgeries and more ways to figure out how to fix what is causing your problems. Some days I have to stop at a public restroom (yuck) between home and work. But I have no choice. Not to mention I have gained like 15 pounds and I dont know how when I use the bathroom so much, you would think I would be anorexic looking.
I had my gallbladder removed on July 20 and I too have been feeling nausea for about the last 2 weeks, which would only be one week after surgery. I too, have some days where I am okay and others, like today, I feel this way again. I told my surgeon about it and he said it doesn’t have anything to do with the surgery. Well, I didn’t feel this way before he took it out. Hopefully, it will pass soon. I hope everyone also feels better soon.
“Did you ever consider after gallbladder removal you all have experienced weight gain because before gallbladder surgery you could not eat anything??? Just a thought.
2nd Year Med Student
Gallbladder removed 3 days ago(11/2)”“Gallbladder nightmare
A lot of your stories are like mine! I was kind of sick for about 3 months then the real pain started! I was in excruciating pain off and on for about 3 months. I would lay in the floor in the fetal position and cry! Then on 3/14/08 I was driving home and felt such a white hot burst of pain I thought I would die! By the time I made it home the pain was gone. 3 days later, I was in so much pain I just wanted to die. My daughter took me to the hospital and the lady who did the Ultasound said my gall bladder was ruptured, the doctor said I had stones and an inflamed gallbladder. They would not do my surgery until I came up with $3,352 to pay for part of the surgery! I went from 3/17/08 to 4/11/08 with a ruptured gallbladder! When the surgeon did the removal he said he had to scrape my insides to get to the gallbladder to remove it! I still, to this day, have excruciating pain, swollen abdomen, can’t eat much, gas (outrageous amount of gas), vomiting (even in my sleep), uncontrollable thirst, dizziness, just to name a few. The doctors I have seen have told me it’s in my head or that I am sensitive to pain also. I am here to tell you, I had 5 children and 3 were straight natural, no pain med births! I am not sensitive to pain unless it is so excruciating it makes me vomit! I have a copy disk of mu first ultasound and all the other paperwork that was shoved at me. I live in Georgia, does anyone have any advice and the name of an extremely good lawyer.
For the second story of this comment: my 29 year old daughter went to the hospital on 6/24/11 for severe pain in her side, nausea and vomiting and just general sickly. I told her before she went what it was. The doctors told her she would be fine and sent her home. For 2 weeks she kept going back to the hospital and they would tell her it was this or that. She went to another hospital, they did an ultasound and the tech told us, “”I need to get the doctor to see this”” and raced out of the room. He never came back and neither did the doctor! The ER nurse came in with discharge papers and sent her home! Now, seeing as I had prior experience with what a leaking gallbladder looks like on an ultasound…Yep, you guessed it. The next morning I have to take her back to our local hospital and I told the doctor about the night before (all the other people who saw her prior to him just wanted to rush us out), he ordered a blood test, told her she had hepatitis (winking at her when he said it) and he would have to admit her for treatment. He knew they would not do anything for her unless he thought she had a communicable disease! She had her surgery and it has gone pretty good for her. No extra pain or weird side effects. We are actually at the hospital right now having her stents removed. The doctor had to remove 3 stones and remove the stents but he said it went well.
It is abhorrent that people should suffer and live a substandard life due to greed, negligence and uncaring medical personnel. I really do feel so bad for all of you who are going through the same,or worse, pain and shame of malpractice as I am. I sincerely hope all works out for us all but by the looks of these posts we have a long way to go and a hard row to hoe!”
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