Bile issues after gall bladder anyone?
Posted , 7 users are following.
I have suffered three years since my gall bladder was removed. I have a burning in my throat/esophagus and I feel miserable after eating. I can't eat much in a day and dropping weight fast. 50lbs this year. I have been to three GI Docs, many, many tests later he concluded that it is a Dysmotility issue. I however think that is a vague diagnosis since it doesn't explain my yellow stools, the acidic substance burning my mouth and throat and why food or water makes it worse. He is quick to use me as a guinea pig and have me try medications for motility but still no diagnosis for all my symptoms. He gave me cholestryamine and told me to try it but I have read that if your body is lacking bile or bile salts it will give you excess stomach acid and yellow stools and you have a hard time digesting food. So, I'm not sure if I should take that bulking med because I don't know what I have wrong! Please if anyone has any input it's much appreciated.
God Bless
1 like, 13 replies
kelley00468 kim69253
Posted
kim69253 kelley00468
Posted
Hi Kelley and thank you for your response. I have tried three PPIs and they didn't help much. Two weeks ago I did the 24 hour impedance and it showed low acidity level in my esophagus. I do take Maalox daily with little relief. I'm going to try the cholestrymine next. I agree fatty foods make it worse. Honestly I can't even drink water without terrible reflux. It comes up to my mouth and burns my lips. It's so awful!
kelley00468 kim69253
Posted
I have probems drinking water too. It sucks, doesn't it?! I am hooked on omeprazole, which helps with the reflux but now I'm worried about all the other problems it causes...
lynda20916 kim69253
Posted
Kim,
I have been on the med you were given since 2009. It was/is a godsend for me and for others. I believe that you have excess bile and excess stomach acid!
It is not a bulking med and will not "bulk up" your stools. It is a resin that was first developed to absorb excess fat in the diet. It was used to lower cholesterol for years before it was discovered that it also acted to absorb excess bile. It does not give me stomach acid or result in yellow stools. I take it once a day, before bed.
I would also suggest that you incorporate an antacid in your diet. If you don't want to try a proton pump inhibitor, try another type.
Why don't you try this strategy for one week, keeping to small meals, and see if you don't feel better? Also during this time, eat a low residue diet to allow your tortured tummy to adjust. xx
Best of luck to you! Let me know how you get on.
kim69253 lynda20916
Posted
Do you know about lack of bile salts or insufficiency? I read that both can have similar symptoms? My brother suffered for three years after gall bladder removal and finally they found that it was sphincter of oddi and now he's fine. So he wasn't producing enough bile. I wish I could know for sure before I start the medication.
Thank you
lynda20916 kim69253
Posted
Hi Kim,
If you try the medication and it doesn't work, you can stop it without any long term effects. It's not as if it stays in your system. Basically, it works mechanically to absorb the excess bile your liver secretes each day. This allows the bile to be excreted without causing symptoms such as diarreha.
But you do have to give your body time to normalize, not just try it for 3 days, tell yourself it isn't working and quit. The thing about digestive issues is everyone is different, so what's happening to you could be different than what happened to your brother.
I think that your brother was producing enough bile, but the sphincter wasn't letting it through--the operation expands the sphincter to allow the bile to exit the liver.
sarah27689 kim69253
Posted
Sorry your sill so unwell after having you gallbladder removed. Im just starting with the nasty acid and burning of the throat. The doctors gave me gaviscon and blamed it on a lack of bile when eating food over 4% fat.
I hope you get sorted xx
kim69253 sarah27689
Posted
sarah27689 kim69253
Posted
heatherc70 kim69253
Posted
Sure hope find relief soon!!
Heather.
kim69253 heatherc70
Posted
Thanks
heatherc70 kim69253
Posted
Just thinking out loud here, I don't know if this will help you, but my reflux didn't start until after my left kidney Autotransplant, I have since found that Zypan ( prescribed by my holistic doctor ) and helps greatly reduce my reflux. If I add in lipase or ox bile ( both enzymes to help digest fats) my reflux is out of control, but just with the zypan alone I'm OK.
For me, this is frustrating because now I need my gallbladder out because the HIDA scan shows that it's only functioning at 19%, and I have awful chart topping nausea if I eat fats.
Don't know if this is helpful to you. (((Hugs)))
treezy kim69253
Posted
Over 3 years since I had GB removed and still suffering on and off too. I have not met anyone who has had it removed and has not had any problems. I had a relative pain free few months and then they all started up again in November. I don't get upper digestive problems but I do get pain, diarrhoea, yellow stools etc. I am going back to docs tomorrow as my symptoms have changed slightly and as these can be contributed to numerous other potentially serious problems, I need to get it checked out. I work with GPs and post cholecystectomy syndrome is not really recognised but there are papers and websites out there that do recognise it. Bile dripping into intestines is going to cause digestive problems but that doesn't mean we have to just accept it. Continue to see your doctor until you get some relief from your symptoms. There are lots of other posts on this page about trying herbal medications, cutting out foods etc to see if symptoms improve. I hope you feel better soon.