Post Gallbladder Surgery pain

[LJC1861]

6 weeks ago I had my gallbladder removed, laprascopically. There was one huge stone in my gallbladder.

Post surgery I did very well and was back to work a week later. I had some of the expected post surgery challenges......running to the bathroom, some stomach pain, bloating, gurgling....but nothing alarming.

On Friday all those symptoms got dramatically worse. I started having fairly severe cramping pain in my upper abdomen, very similar to the pain that I had before the surgery. The bloating, gurgling and running to the bathroom made for a very unpleasant weekend.

I am going to call the doc in the morning, but am wondering if anyone else who has had their gallbladder removed has had a similar experience.


Linda

 

[darwinsrule]

Nothing like that. Had mine out December 23rd, 2004 (managed to get out of eating dinner at the in-laws

Still occasional pains now and then but I can pretty much eat anything I want. Is it after you have eaten something, or just permanent pain?

 

[Tinijocaro]

do a search for bile salts and cholecystectomy. Once your gallbladder is removed, you need to add bile salts to your diet. Also, do a search for gall bladder removal and wieght gain. I got mine removed in January and have gained 15 pounds since then. I have been a skinny mini since then and it is shocking to me. Apparently, weight gain is very common after gb surgery. Stuff your docs won't tell you about the after effects for SOME people, actually, many people, after gb surgery.

 

[LJC1861]

Thanks for the responses. I did do some research and the bile salts are something that nobody mentioned. I will be sure to ask my doctor in the morning.

As for weight gain, I am having the exact opposite problem....I have lost 12 pounds since my surgery. While it is nice, it is a lot so fast and I am a bit concerned about that.

The pain is pretty much constant at this point, with waves of really severe pain. Like I said in my original post....I hurt as much today as I did the day I had my gallbladder removed.....and that was emergency surgery!

Linda

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Obviously you need re-evaluation. But google Postcholecystectomy Syndrome as well. I hope you can get it resolved.

 

[kwelch10377]

What did you eat prior to this starting?

It isn't uncommon for people to still have issues with fatty foods after the surgery. Luckily I have not, but I do know people that continue to have issues when they eat fatty foods because their body just can't adjust to the new process of dealing with fatty foods.

As for the bile salts, while there may be an issue with not producing enough, there also can be an issue with producing more than needed. Excess bile salts that aren't absorbed by your small intestines are typically stored in your gall bladder. Well since you no longer have one the excess has no place to and can spill over into your large intestine, causing problems

 

[cherylp3]

Do you eat gluten? I'd suggest investigating IBS or gluten intolerance.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I had mine out 8 years ago and I still run to the bathroom, and certain foods will go right through me. (cheese in particular)

There are some other things that still happen like fluttering in the gallbladder region, or on the side of my body.

Good luck!!!

 

[Crystal0608]

I had mine out in May and I haven't had that type of pain. I do get a tummy ache if I eat greasy/fatty food but no issues besides that. I would go to the dr.

 

[TinkerbelleAbbysMom]

One of my girlfriends worked as an RN in a GI doc's office. I was having similar issues which felt like the gallbladder attacks I had for 7 yrs. She said it is basically a phantom attack like people who had amputations have. I think it stems from spasms of the gall duct. This may be the explanation for the long term a PP used. I feel ashamed to not know that as I am a nurse.. but I work with new mommies and babies.
Definitely check with your doc tomorrow. Especially with the weight loss. You may be advised to keep a food diary too so you can see if there are certain foods that trigger the attacks. I find that mine are not always related to fatty foods!! Good luck!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

One of my girlfriends worked as an RN in a GI doc's office. I was having similar issues which felt like the gallbladder attacks I had for 7 yrs. She said it is basically a phantom attack like people who had amputations have. I think it stems from spasms of the gall duct. This may be the explanation for the long term a PP used.

Yes. Biliary colic, or spasms of the ductwork or vessels leading to the gall bladder, can cause this type of pain.

.

 

[Desnik]

OP, I hate to say that I have had the same problem after having my gallbladder removed in 2004. I have seen many Dr's and having every test done, I have been told I have what is called bile salts diarrhea. It only happens to about 5-10% of the people who have their gallbladders removed. I have tried different medications, and so far the one I am taking now helps but there is no cure. They say that if you have these symptoms for months after having your gallbladder removed then you will probably have the problem forever. You may be lucky and it will go away in a few weeks. You really also have to change your diet drastically. no caffeine, no dairy, no fast food, no fried foods, or acidic foods. Basically a bland diet. Right now I take Welcol, it's a medication for high cholesterol, but it is know to help those who have the bile salts problem. Go to your Dr and get tested to make sure it isn't something else. I really hope this passes and isn't a permanent thing for you because it really stinks. Good Luck!

 

[tonilea]

This is not what you will want to hear, but here is my gallbladder surgery story. I had an acute attack (didn't realize I had any problems w/ gb prior) and had to have emergency surgery when DS was 2 months old. A few days later I had to have a second surgery - endoscopically - because there were stones left in the duct.

 

[LJC1861]

Thanks everyone.

I have drastically changed my diet. I no longer eat any fast food, very little red meat, very little fried and greasy food. I have cut out all soda and the only caffiene I have is one cup of tea in the morning. I am eating better now than I ever have! Prior to the pain starting this time around I did have a hamburger, but no cheese and no bun. I have had hamburgers prior to this episode...with no pain etc.

I will call the doctor as soon as the office opens this morning and hopefully I can get to the bottom of this. I feel miserable right now.

Linda

 

[BCV513]

I had my gallbladder out over a year ago and there are still things I can't eat. I don't get the running to the bathroom part, but if I eat heavy, I get gallbladder pain almost as bad as the original attacks. It can take my breath away. My doctor said it will always happen, it's something they never tell you. She also said you can still get stones because the ducts are still there. Also, they staple the ducts closed when they take out the gallbladder, so there's always a tiny chance the staples can come out

 

[danalee]

Please let us know how you make out!

I had my GB out in April and all was well (even posted on the Dis about that) UNTIL about a month ago, we went shopping and stopped for dinner. I had a pasta dish with a white sauce...OMG I thought I was gonna kill over in Target! it was worse than the pain I had before I had surgery

Now I have to "run" to restroom at times any thing with creamy/cheesy/sauce of course my faves, but I was puzzled why it started 3 months after my surgery

 

[LJC1861]

Unfortunately my doctor is on vacation this week, but I do have an appointment with her associate today at 1 p.m. I am hurting worse than ever, even after having my usual breakfast of yogurt, a banana and a bran muffin. This has been my breakfast almost every day since the surgery...and before.....and up until this past week did not make me hurt.

I think I am just hurting constantly now and ANYTHING I eat is making it worse.

I want this to stop and hopefully the doc will have an answer this afternoon.


Linda

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I ended up with a bile leak and was in and out of the hospital 4 more times over the course of a month after my surgery. But my symptoms started about a week after surgery, not six weeks. So it's probably not that...

 

[lizbaby007]

I had my gallbladder out the last week of June. 2 weeks after it was out I had severe stomach pain that wouldn't go away. I started taking Nexium once a day. That seems to keep it settled. If it flares up at all I will take some antacid tablets. I can't eat any dairy whatsoever in the morning or I will get severe stomach cramps and the dumping syndrome but I have noticed that cheese and stuff doesn't bother me later in the day so I do not believe it is a dairy allergy.

It is certainly a learning process of what you can and cant eat. I find that my meals are MUCH smaller than they use to be. Im talking a 1/2 apple for breakfast small. I eat a bunch of salads (I always have)and fruit. I try to stay away from beef, although the 2 times I have had beef it hasn't bothered me at all. The fried and fatty foods make me constipated (better than the other version I suppose) so I don't eat them at all anymore. With the extreme change in diet (ok in reality it is called eating healthy) I have lost 10lbs since surgery. A side effect that is much welcomed for me, lol! The biggest thing I have learnt is don't skip meals. Lots of little meals throughout the day.

Since it sounds like your pain is constant and not food triggered then you probably have something else going on. Maybe IBS? I hope the DR can figure it out for you and get you some relief. I think stomach pain is one of the worst things ever.

 

[ols386]

I ended up with a bile leak and was in and out of the hospital 4 more times over the course of a month after my surgery. But my symptoms started about a week after surgery, not six weeks. So it's probably not that...

I had that too, and went back to the hospital through the ER about 16 hours after the initial gall bladder removal, but I was lucky because they took care of it by putting a stent in the duct where the bile was leaking. I never had anymore problems after that.

Wow, you had to go back to the hospital 4 more times after that. Sorry to hear that. It must have been pretty unpleasant.

Hope you are all better by now.