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hi I have exactly the same symptoms . Ive had my gb removed early 2011 and woke up with an extra scar and remebering waking during the surger . The surgeon never mentioned any of these things . Ive also lost at least 20 pounds . Ive been hospitalized 4 times with sever side and back pain . Its terrible and like you ive also tried every anti depressant or anti epileptic drug on the market and im quite sick of the pain. Ive only been to one hospital for treatment . The same hospital that I had the surgery in. I changed primary care doctors and am with a whole new group of doctors and hospital. Two visits they had no doubt it was nerve injury caused by the gb removal. Ive been refered to a neurologist who has to perform a nerve conduction to verify exactly which nerve has been damaged . The dx is THORACIC NEURITIS. ITs something for an entire group of doctors to tell me that “i need to see a pschaitrist ” “the pain is in my head” and treat me like im an addict looking for pain meds. ALL I EVER WANTED WAS A DX AND PROPER MEDICAL CARE. when I have proof of the nerve damage as they suspect it will be lawyer time. IM sick of not being able to do the most simple things like hold myself up , exercise or just walk around like a normal person. THE PAIN CAN BE EXTREME to the point of tears. MY husband has to rub my side and back every night with icy hot . I Take anxiety meds, anti depressants and now narcotics . I could not tolerate lyric ,gabapentin,venlafaxin, wellbutrin, I took ibuprofen 800 mg as prescribed then was dx with gasteritis . Its a no win situation. YOU ARE NOT ALONE . I feel the pain all day everyday . Never goes away …just some days are a little easier to make it through than others. GOOD LUCK TO YOU
“Well I can empathise with you on this score- I had my gal bladder removed 14 th oct 13 …. And I had stopped any drink since 28 th sept in preparation and fact that I’d felt so ill for so long…..and 4 days ago had my first drink….having tried to WANT To have a drink and failed miserably several times before this……well……NEVER AGAIN Have been my resounding words……. Worse than a gal attack…felt sick, motion sick, whilst stationary….and diddent even enjoy while was trying to have fun and a drink….this by the way is WAY. Out of character and I did enjoy a glass of wine or two and loved my dark beers…….
Still having internal pain and feel a fraud for such and the eating still diff…..and nothing normal has really resumed as far as what I feel I can try and eat…..don’t get me wrong it’s a joy not to have the pain in my upper back etc and was under no illusions I could resume eating for England ….but getting advice and direction is very hot and miss and not quite sure what to believe and try…… Hey ho…….bring on crimbo- NOT……..”“DIAGNOSIS SUGGESTION. After 12 years of attacks of RUQ pain, I think I have finally found a diagnosis! I want to share it, in hopes that it helps someone else. If you have pain and you recently had your gallbladder removed, or if you had a Hida Scan (gallbladder fuctionality test) and the test caused the same RUQ pain, or if you have undiagnosed RUQ pain at all, you should at least look at the Sphincter of Oddi (SOD) dysfunction. The SOD is the muscle that controls the release of bile from your bile ducts and pancreas. The dysfunction causes severe colicky RUQ or sternum pain like a kidney stone, it can cause increased liver and pancreatic values (but often does not, mine has not in 12 years, or like with gallbladder issues, the elevated values may not show up until days or even weeks after the attach), vomiting, nausea, etc. My pain generally is focused directly under the right ribs, but sometimes radiates to the center of my sternum and my back. I had my first attack in 1999. Since then, I’ve been given over 40 diagnoses, and undergone multiple procedures and nearly a dozen surgeries!
I saw a Mystery Diagnosis show on SOD dysfunction over a year ago and thought, “”No, that can’t be what I have because I’m not as sick as the patient on the show.”” Well, I wasn’t then, but after 12 years, the attacks got really bad after I had my gallbladder removed, and I finally developed some other symptoms of SOD dysfunction – certain foods, especially greasy, high fat foods can trigger an attack (literally, a bite of greasy food can cause a pain like an ice pick through your ribs, but the next bite of something not greasy is fine); vomiting (finally, though I’ve nausea and diarrhea for years, I had to puke before it became a real symptom), and low grade fever. After being admitted to the hospital for dehydration and malnutrition because the latest attack left me unable to eat or drink for several days, I still had to insist that the doctors keep me in the hospital when I was rehydrated to try to find the cause of the problem or otherwise, I’d have ended up right back there again since I still couldn’t eat. Luckily, I caught my gastroenterologist on rounds at the hospital before he was real awake that morning. (He’s the best in town, but his favorite answer to a suggested diagnosis is “”Oh, you don’t want to go down that road – if that’s what it is…the treatments are terrible or it just means it could be a number of things or well, that might be it, but let’s not test for it, let’s just try more drugs). However, I just hit him with the question first thing – I said “”I looked at the symptoms for SOD dysfunction and it sounds a lot like this…what do you think?”” He replied “”Oh, you have classic SOD dysfunction symptoms….”” Then he caught himself and added that the treatments are dangerous – they can cause pancreatitis, but doesn’t say you can get it if you don’t treat it! He then goes on to recommend that I see a neurologist for chronic pain treatment (i.e., drugs), when I’m having an attack that could be causing damage to my pancreas and liver! He also neglects to mention that SOD dysfunction can be tested for by having a pain management doctor or neurologist inject lidocaine into the muscle to numb it. If it works, they can also do injections regularly to keep the muscle relaxed, or if that fails, there are procedures for cutting the muscle but some of these techniques are still being studied for long-term effects. There are several studies going on right now at various medical schools around the country, so SOD dysfuction seems to be a relatively new diagnosis. That said, anyone who’s pain got worse after gallbladder surgery should definitely check into this disorder, and if you have RUQ pain, at least look it up on the Internet.
I’m hoping to get the injection into the SOD muscle this week and will provide an update on whether this works. Thanks to everyone for their posts – it really made me feel better knowing I wasn’t the only one with this pain, but I feel awful that so many are suffering through this too! Please let all of us here know what your final diagnosis is, when you get one, so others can know what else to ask their doctors. I am so tired of doctors telling us not to look up our symptoms on the Internet also. We should be knowledgeable about our treatments, conditions, alternative diagnoses! If I had accepted any of the diagnoses prior to this one, who knows how sick I’d be by now? With this condition, I’ve been diagnosed with everything from interstitial cystitis, IBS, endometriosis and scar tissue to “”something Western medicine cannot cure.””
Also, would everyone please tell their worst diagnosis ever? And your worst experience with a doctor (don’t name names)? I think it would help me (and hopefully others) to know if doctors are as condescending and awful as they are with me! If I ask a question, I’m “”doubting”” them or questioning their judgment (anyone does that to you, find another doctor). I’m also working on putting together some information for a letter to send to the doctors and hospitals that didn’t diagnose me properly and would love to know if everyone’s comments would be the same as mine. I plan on copying the appropriate medical boards on these letters to see if they’ll at least address the issue of patients like us by insisting that doctors take more continuing education courses or something!
You are all in my prayers! May each of us find a diagnosis and live a pain-free life again! In the meantime, may we all do our part to make getting a diagnosis easier for the next person, who could be our father, mother, child, sister, brother…. ”
“I had my gallbladder out about a year ago. I had the same type of things after the surgery where my stomach felt big and ever since I have had terrible gas issues. My doctor recommended a low fat diet before I even had the surgery for afterword, which for me was no big deal because I already was following one, the problem was when I ventured off it. I think the triggers are different for different people, but for sure it is when you eat fats, that is what the gallbladder does is breaks down fats, there are different types of fats and you may have problems with one or more of them or all. It may not be the daily itself, the daily product just may be high in fat where a low fat or fat free dairy product may not cause a problem.. I have a problem with animal fats but do fine with fats from nuts, oils, even deep fried foods as long as the meat portion is lean I do ok with. Even now with my gallbladder out if I go off that diet I will get pain if I eat meats that are not lean. The pains are not like they were before the surgery where I am doubled over with on the scale of 1 to 10 I am at 11, but for sure I am uncofortable, and for a couple days sometimes afterword, and I have a gerneral blahh feeling as well. For me what seems to help more then anything, and this actually helped some before the surergy too, is when I am feeling like that, eating fruits for some reason makes me feeel better, escpecially melons. Sounds silly, but for me that is what tends to help my particular body. Do you think your belly feels so big because you are gassy? You could try taking Gas X or something simular. I hope you are feeling better soon, I would try to follow a low fat diet with plenty of fruits and veggies. The other thing to do is to check with your doctor, it could be that you are having a complication.
Kelly”
I still have bad pain after I had my gull bladder out 4 years ago.It dosen’t matter what I eat the pain goes across my stomach from right to left.Have any ideals?
I’m a 41 year old male and I just had GB removed January 2nd, 2007. Been experiencing wierd upper back aches between my shoulder blades (primarily of left side). Can’t say I’ve never had pains like these prior to GB surgery but rarely. Ever since GB surgery it seems to be a daily thing. The pain is not dehibilitating or anything but just enough that it lets me know it’s there. Has anyone felt this type of Post Gall Bladder Symptom? If so, what can I expect. And yes, the doctors don’t tell you anything about post GB life but at the same time I really couldn’t live with the GB anyway. Hope this post helps someone if they are experiencing the same thing – at least you will know you are not alone.
“I made the mistake of having 3 1/2 hour emergency laparoscopic gall bladder surgery in 1999. I woke up in the operating room and just 6 weeks later my sutures ripped open. My surgeon claimed that I was fine and that the intense pain and bulge in my right side of my belly button was “”scar”” tissue. I was bent over in pain and couldn’t stand up when I went for my appointment.
Actually, a CAT Scan confirmed that my intestine came out through a 3 x 4 inch opening and I required hernia repair with a mesh. Less than a year later, the bulge came back and so did 24/7 pain. I went to another surgeon to do the repair.
I found out that this type of surgery is called “”swiss cheese surgery”” and I have been told by a medical secretary that it requires a repair in 70 to 80 percent of the cases (the percent is not documented by professionals).
While I was waiting for my hernia operation (in 1999),a nurse told me a patient in the adjacent room was scheduled for the same repair operation following laparoscopic gall bladder surgery.
I am damaged for life. The hospitals are happy because it is “”repeat business””. There are days I cannot roll over in bed, cannot bend to make a bed and am in worse condition than my 84 year old mother. Gall bladder surgery “”runs in my family”” but I am the only fool who did it laparoscopically. My surgeon stated to me, “”If you think you look bad on the outside, you should look at your insides””. Very sad indeed!”“Gallbladder surgery
I had my Gallbaldder out on Nov 22nd, one week out I had a fever and they said I just had a viral thing sent me home now its 3 weeks out and I feel worse than I ever have I hurt all the time. I feel sick to my stomach all the time. I don’t know what to do right now I havent sleep in 2 days can someone please help me?”“I had my gallbladder removed 2 days ago, and now I have nose bleeds. I called the surgeon, got his answering service, told the woman, and she replied, “”he is a colon, rectal surgeon””. I could not believe my ears. I said, “”Listen, I did not have a nosebleed before the surgery””. She took my name and numer. The surgeon called me, I told him what was happening. He replied, the air is dry, put ice there. I said, “”could I be bleeding internally? HE REPLIED: ‘I DON’T KNOW’!!!
He brushed me off and that was the end of the conversation. Please tell me what I should do from here. I am scared.”
“I am 29 years old and 140 lbs/5’8″” tall, I had my gallbladder removed February 98 in London, Ontario (where I lived).
I first noticed pain one day in August/97, it came on so fast I fell to the floor…it felt like very bad hunger…just below my breast bone…this continued for about a half hour and then I got another one. The next day I went to the Doctor and she said it was an ulcer…without doing a blood test first! She wanted to start me on medication…but I wanted to wait for the test. It came back negative.
In September/97 I had another 5 attacks, I went back to the Doctor and she said it was stress….hmmm, I thought…ok…it could be. So I took anti-stress seminars…didn’t help! Then the attacks started to last several hours at a time. They were very intense, no highs or lows, and it was difficult to breathe, walking made it worse, so I sat at the kitchen table for hours, praying for it to go away. Stress???
So I went back to the Doctor again in October…she said it was stomache acid! ok…I thought. I avoided chocolate, alcohol, tomatoes, citrus etc. still it didn’t help. She finally sent me for an ultrasound in November/97. It came back positive for multiple gallstones. She said it’s minor surgey and not to worry about it!
So when I went to see the Surgeon in December/97 he asked me how many attacks I have had so far…I said 19 (I didn’t think anything of it) he was astonded and ordered surgery asap! That didn’t take place until Feb/98!
I did learn finally at the time of seeing the surgeon, that fat causes the pain….I lost 22 lbs before the surgery. I was terrified of eating anything, as everything gave me pain. I was scared to go out anywhere for having the pain in public.
After the surgery, when I was at home…I must say that the incisions (4) were REALLY sore! It took me 2-3 months to be able to sleep slightly comfortable. It was very sore to walk, laugh, reach up, down, turn door knobs, sit on the couch…getting up from the bed or couch was a real chore!
That was nothing, until one day in March when I had my first post-surgery gallbladder attack! Yes it can happen afterwards! The surgeon didn’t believe me…come back when you have had 5 attacks….!!! 5 came and went…he did nothing… I was really mad at this point…I’m not waiting months again for someone to do something….
He sent me for an ultrasound…but it was negative.
I ended up visiting the ER MANY times throughout the next 2 months. I had another 16 attacks….these all lasted 4-5 hours each! They finally refered me to a Gastroenterologist, he did an ERCP after many weeks of waiting on the list on May 27/98. It came back negative!
The Gastro Doctor told me that ultrasounds do not pick up objects that are surrounded by liquid. If a stone is stuck with liquid wrapped around it…it doesn’t show up. He also said that ultrasounds miss 60% of stones that are stuck in the bile ducts.
Since then it has taken a long time (Aug.99) to be able to eat anything I want to. I have no pain, no attacks, no cramps, and no diarrea. I had several months of heartburn and reflux…but everything seems to be fine now!
”It should be mandatory for Dr’s to tell you about this issue BEFORE you have your gallbladder removed. I had heartburn symptoms long before I got my gallbladder out in 06, but man… did I EVER suffer with it after the surgery! I tried every single OTC medicine, then went through all the presciption strength medicines too until I got Nexium. That was the best medication for me, and I took it twice a day up until a few months ago, when my husband got a different job and this health plan won’t cover the majority of the costs, and we can’t afford to pay $100 a month for this med, so I”m back to suffering with it, even while taking Prilosec. Nexium was what worked for me, I wish I could take it again.
“hey guys im lookin for some advice please…
ive been suffering for just over 3 years with my gall blader, im booked for the end of august to get my op but this week my pain has got really really bad its disrupting my day to day life big time and my stomach is rock solid im going on holidays in 2weeks and im scared something might happen when im away, whats the worst can happen?????”
I had my gallbladder removed 3so months ago and immediately started with the weight gain which I’ve never been able to put on! After reading and reading and trying what I thought was everything. I went back to my probiotics that I’ve always used for my ibs, within days I noticed a difference! And after gaining about 15 lbs in just my gut, Im very small framed, my tummy is flat and lean again. Its the only thing that helps!! I use the nature made triple probiotic, its about 20 dollars per month but so worth it and I don’t feel nearly as bloated all the time either
I have had the pain under my right ribe cage for years and was given Previcd which made the pain go again but then they took Previcd off market. I started back having the pain so they took my gallbladder out which there was nothing wrong with. The doctor put me on Reglan which did the trick the only thing now is the side effects of my hands shaking. So I had to stop the Reglan and go to a compound med which is not working. Now I am back where I started from with the pain.
I had my gallbladder removed back on 14 Feb. 2000 and I’m still having loose bowels and some nausea. The last few days though I have noticed my bowels are turning black still loose. I left a message with my doctor concerning this and still waiting for his response. Does anyone who had recent gallbladder surgery go through this? Is this normal after this type of surgery? Does it really take years for your body to feel normal again (no more loose bowels,etc.)? Any advice or comments greatly appreciated. I will be glad to hear the response I get back from my surgeon
