1 year post-gallbladder removal - totally cured
Posted , 9 users are following.
Hi everyone, I think when people feel better after their cholesystectomy they no longer check this forum so the posts disproportionately represent people who have had problems. I wanted to post to let anyone who has concerns know that most of us feel better afterwards!
I had my gallbladder out a little over a year ago. I had no stones but a very low HIDA scan. I had been having bad nausea and stomach problems, and some pain, for nearly 2 years, and was finally diagnosed with biliary diskenesia (gallbladder not functioning).
I was terrified of surgery, but I went through with it. I had laproscopic and the whole thing only took a few hours. I had a quick recovery from the surgery, but I didn't feel better right away. I still had nausea and my appetite got worse.
But then, after about 3-4 months, I started noticing that I had more and more good days. By 6 months after I felt okay most of the time, and now after a year I feel completely better! The only change in my diet is that I've had to cut out caffeine.
So if you are worried about surgery, please know that a huge percentage of people feel better or are cured (something like 70-80% of low functioning gallbladder, and 95% of those with stones). For me, it changed my life.
Feel free to ask me any questions!
4 likes, 9 replies
biliarydyskines sadtum
Posted
Appreciate that you have taken your time to post yoru experience.
I'm 37 year old male, before 10 years back i had lot of bloating and burping, endoscopy diagnosed with gastritis. Took omeperzole which kept under control, but whenever i eat fatty or oily foods, i get stomach bloat and indigestion. In 2011, got severe pain in mid right rib hida scan showed biliary dyskensia.My gb 0% ejection fraction, from their on i also got dizziness/imbalance started along with bloating/burping and my stools were yellow. I controlled my diet for these 6 years and 2017 i got gallstones formed and got D for 6 months and got stopped with colestipol.Did endoscopy and colonoscopy and results were gastritis with barrets esophagus.The foods that i can eat become very limited in these years.
All these years i cannot describe in words the pain i go through each day dealing with these issues and stress.It affected my work,family,travel and othe social life. I'm at verge of losing my career.I felt removing my gallbladder is the only option to try out and i met my surgeon, he feels there is only 50 % chance as he feels that gastritis will still cause me problems and my gastro doctor want to check for gastroparasis which cost $1400.Already spent around 10k with rounds of test known to man kind.So i'm bit confused which is causing these symptoms its the gallbladder or my gastritis or my stomach muscles.
I suffer every day with bloating,burping,dizziness and fatigue , though i'm 37 years old i feel like 70 year old with no energy.Looking for a day when my life will turn to normal as its been 10 years.
Did you had severe bloating,burping and yellow stools before surgery?
Did you suffered with especailly dizziness before surgery?
appreciate your response.
Lynne1965 sadtum
Posted
Mine was a positive experience too. I had suffered with painful extreme bloating, and regular attacks of pain urq going round to my back, for I don’t remember how many years. I finally got diagnosed with gallstones in March, I think, last year. I had multiple gallstones, and the largest was 28mm diameter. I had my gallbladder removed laparoscopically on 14th July last year. It was meant to be day surgery, but as I went down to theatre at 5pm, I had an overnight stay. When I woke up I obviously felt pain, particularly trying to move and sit up, but I knew I felt different, that the usual pain had gone! Everything healed well and by six weeks I felt really good. I could eat pretty much anything, just smaller portions.
So eight months on I would say I am absolutely fine! I don’t get any of those awful symptoms. I can tell when I need to stop eating, and if I carry on I do feel discomfort, but otherwise I feel great!
Please don’t be afraid of having this operation. Of course there will be some people who have a bad experience/outcome. There are risks with all surgeries. But the success rate is really high.
june28063 sadtum
Posted
Thanks for posting this. Had my surgery Jan 11th -no stones but a dysfunctional gallbladder. Horrible nausea and no appetite for a long time until I was finally diagnosed. It's been a process to heal. I didn't feel good immediately like some. But like you, things seem to be getting better than a few weeks ago. This site and the comments offered have been more helpful than the info from the medical community. Thanks for sharing . I'm hopeful that I will continue to feel better as the weeks move forward.
Micklemus sadtum
Posted
Sad tum it's nice to see you are one of the patients who are mad better by the cholosytectomy you have had.
However there are many patients not just on this forum but many forums and other sites where many cholosystectomy patients have problems long after the gall bladder has gone because stones can still form in the tubes........ If any patient has their gall bladder removed that could have dissolved the stones with Ursodioxycholic acid treatment then I personally think that situation is diabolical and is most definitely wrong.
Apart from the financial benefit of being able to get rid of the stones by the cheaper method of dissolution I am amazed that few Gastroenterologists are even aware that the chemical method does work and sometime admirably so....
I cannot think for the life of me that there would be any patient who would submit to signing on the line that
they might be chancing their life as opposed to taking a medicine that may well revert their gall bladder to
a stone free condition......... All this that I've said will be due to the both the patient and the doctor having the information and act upon the possibilities....... If they are not aware of the possibilities as most certainly
there are plenty of unknowledgeables out there then the irreversible procedure will happen.....
It's called ' Murphy's law' as all us ex sub aqua folks know too well!
burner Micklemus
Posted
cnbanister sadtum
Posted
I’ve been to several drs. Initially it was a gyno bc I have lower left quadrant pain. I feel it’s an ovary issue but nothing shows up. I have been nauseous on and off but now my stomach hurts after eating dinner and then I’ll vomit. It’s only dinner. Very strange.
I had a CT w/ contrast and all they found were small kidney stones but I suspect it’s a gallbladder issue. The pelvic pain...who knows lol.
Did you have a similar experience with stomach pain and vomiting after eating. What dx tests were performed?
Thanks!
june28063 cnbanister
Posted
No vomiting. Horrible nausea and no appetite. Ultra sound and cat scan didn't reveal anything. Hida scan did. I hope you get an answer and relief soon.
jo65450 sadtum
Posted
Hi, thanks for your post. I am 10 days post laparoscopic gallbladder removal. I had a low functioning gallbladder too - ejection fraction was 15%. I was hoping to be feel better straight away but I still have similar symptoms as before the surgery. It’s reassuring to know that I need to give it a bit more time!! After 4 months of stomach ache, it’s quite wearing! 😬 I haven’t been able to go out socially since before Christmas as I just don’t feel up to it. Fingers crossed I’ll be on the mend soon 😊
bill64502 sadtum
Posted
hi sadtum, i had my gallbladder removed 9 days ago due to poor ejection fraction. its good to see positive outcomes because this has been much more difficult than i thought. i really thought after a few days i could eat what i want and be back to work which has not been the case, still eating the same things as prior and have a constant "burning" in my stomach and diarrhea. hopefully within a couple weeks this will all be over. Did you have the burning in your stomach? Did you suffer issues with stomach pain and diarrhea?