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16 weeks post gallbladder surgery

Posted , 6 users are following.

valerie21605
valerie21605

Hi folks!  hope someone can help!  had my golbladder op 16 weeks past friday.  thought i  was doing ok, till Tuesday when my hubby took me out for a  meal for my birthday.  Had some soup, and started to eat my main course, but couldn't finish it, as i  started to feel very bloated.  when i  got home, and a  couple of hours after, woke, and felt very nosius and bloated.  then the diarhoe started. after that, i  felt better, but have hardly eaten anything since, and am frightened to do so.  when i  was in hospital, they said and gave me a  normal diet, and have been getting my appetite bk quite good as the bloating and diarhoe had stopped, but it came bk with avengance on tuesday!  don't know what i've done wrong, and will this continue for the rest of my life?  hoped that getting my golly out would solve my problems, and it has re no pain, but seems to have brought its own problems really frightened!  please someone help, and try to reassure me that this won't continue for always!  Frightened Val.

0 likes, 22 replies

22 Replies

  • Acejohnston
    Acejohnston valerie21605

    Posted

    Valerie I've had mine out 14 weeks ago and have had an awful time of it with diarrhea which lasted 6-8 weeks and vomiting and nausea the last 8 weeks. I'm actually in hospital at the minute and saw a gi doc yesterday. He told me what happened to me is very rare but he said some people can have diarrhea for 6-12 months. You need to keep the fats to a minimum for another While. Also try taking caltrate calcium 600 d half a tablet 3 times a day with food. A lot of people get diarrhea after gallbladder if they eat greasy or fatty food And the caltrate may help you. I have been taking it now for weeks and have had no diarrhea. Good luck and take care. X
  • erica74
    erica74 valerie21605

    Posted

    Val

    Don't worry. Some on this thread say it takes a year for your body to settle. Also you really have to eat a low fat plain diet even without your gallbladder to avoid s&d.

    There will still be foods that trigger symptoms. I has my gallbladder take out yesterday. I'm planning on taking vit supplements calcium, vit d, magnesium and chromium moving forward.

    • Acejohnston
      Acejohnston erica74

      Posted

      Erica be careful of magnesium as can cause diarrhea. Calcium carbonate with vitamin d is great for the diarrhea post gallbladder removal. I hope you recover soon and remember it can take a while in some of us to adjust and don't lose hope like I did when I got side effects. Its Not common but can happen. Hopefully we will all recover soon and get back to some sort of normal life.take care.
  • sandynan
    sandynan valerie21605

    Posted

    I hate to have to tell you this but I had my Gall Bladder out 3 years ago next month and I am still suffering from D! I was diagnosed last year with BAM Bile Acid Malabsorbtion until I was diagnosed I was given Codeine, Questran,Imodium,and Lomotil, I then spoke to someone who also had it and she told me to ask for Colesevelam which I did and it was like a miracle cure I went to the opposite way but could put up with that but now unfortunately it's not working as well so I have now got to take two Colesevelam and Imodium I do hope it clears up for you if not do ask your GP for Colesevelam  
    • Acejohnston
      Acejohnston sandynan

      Posted

      Sandynan have you tried caltrate calcium 600 with vitamin d? Has helped a lot of people with bsm and diarrhea post gallbladder removal. Anything is worth a try. X
    • sandynan
      sandynan Acejohnston

      Posted

      I am going to see how I am with two tablets first Acejohnston I have also got Folic Acid deficiency which I have never heard of I have to take folic acid for 3 months then have a load more blood tests I am hoping that it's not the Colesevelam that;s causing it but we will see. 
    • Acejohnston
      Acejohnston sandynan

      Posted

      No problem sandynan. Just be careful colesevelam and other bile sequestrant meds can deplete some vitamins in your body. Hope your taking a multivitamin tablet as well. Good luck. X
  • sally_14743
    sally_14743 valerie21605

    Posted

    Hi 

    firstly it may be totally unconnected to your gallbladder..

    tummy bugs Noro viruses food poisoning...can take a while for your stomach to recover...

    i had mine removed a year ago and I have discovered that I can't digest gluten very well but it's minor bloating and constipation...

    if I eat too much fat I get a real ache where my gallbladder was and in the back which I am pretty sure is my liver struggling ...

    but your symptom was sudden like food poisoning or a virus ...if it keeps up take a stool sample to your gp to get it tested ..there is anew bug everyone is worrying about

    clostridium difficile easily treated by antibiotics but highly contagious ...

    so I wouldn't panic that it's gallbladder removal side effects I'd get checked out by gp if it keeps up ..

    sally  

    • valerie21605
      valerie21605 sally_14743

      Posted

      Hi Sally!  Thanks for that!  it deffinitely wasn't a  bug as i've been getting bloat quite a  lot for the past week.  i  also still get a  lot of flatulance.  supposed to be going out with friends for a  meal 2morrow night, but don't know if i'll go, and if i  do, what i  will eat, because i'm so afraid of the bloat, and that i'm going to be sick, as i've got this fear of vomiting!  so scared!   Val.
    • sally_14743
      sally_14743 valerie21605

      Posted

      Hi Val 

      snap I also have a phobia of vomiting I believe it's the fear of the agony we experienced with the gallstone colic attacks..I got therapy and after my operation the therapist said your cure will be to experience normal vomiting in which you vomit and then experience relief at being sick and don't experience the agony for hours of pain ...

      the trouble is I don't want to be sick .....to be cured but I am being adventurous because I am silently aware that it would benefit me...

      but thankfully I haven't vomited ...I have felt billious bloated had the odd attack of diarrhea but no vomit ...I think we have to get our life back with food but it's scary...but fun when I eat foods I haven't eaten for 15 years ...quite exciting ..hope yours settles down soon 

  • valerie21605
    valerie21605

    Posted

    Hi so grateful for your reply!  i'm also still getting a  lot of flatulance, don't know if this is normal or not?  have you had this problem?  Supposed to be going out with friends for a  meal 2morrow night, but don't know whither to go or not, and if i  do what will i  eat?  because i'm so frightened to eat anything because of the bloating.  Val.
    • Acejohnston
      Acejohnston valerie21605

      Posted

      Valerie flatulence is normal at this stage. Was this a one off episode of diarrhea and are you feeling ok now?If it's persistent see your doctor. If it was a one off you probably ate something greasy or fatty that caused the diarrhea. That can happen after gallbladder removal. Agree with sandynan take 2 immodium before you go out tomorrow. There may have been cream in the soup which could have caused the diarrhea. I was told to stick to low fat diet for 6 months and then to introduce foods gradually. I can totally relate to the fear you now feel about eating. This is also a common side effect of gallbladder removal that no one tells us about. Take care of yourself.
  • sandynan
    sandynan valerie21605

    Posted

    Val take two Imodium an hour before you go out but please see your GP and try and get a diagnosis it does sound like BAM  
    • valerie21605
      valerie21605 sandynan

      Posted

      hi!  thanks so much for that, but i  forgot to tell everyone, i'm not only frightened of the bloating, but have a  fear of vometing.  therefore so scared to go out 2morrow and knowing what to eat, incase i  get the bloat and nosea again.  how did you manage to get your symptons diignozed?  did they take blood tests?
    • sandynan
      sandynan valerie21605

      Posted

      Oh Sweetheart I feel your pain! I also suffer from a vomiting phobia and have done since I was a child and I am now nearly 70! I haven't vomited with this Val have felt sickly with the D but it soon goes after I have been. Imodium wont make you vomit well they don't do it to me ask your doctor for anti-sickness tablets I have them in all the time just in case but I have never taken them but it's a good crutch.   I had three opinions from Consultants I just kept telling my GP I wasn't going to put up with the D and needed a proper diagnosis in the end I got one but it took 2 years!! You have to really put your foot down and stand no nonsense from the so-called professionals!
    • Acejohnston
      Acejohnston sandynan

      Posted

      Sandynan did you have the SeChat test? That is the only test to confirm bsm. Also most people that have bsm have chronic diarrhea all the time as far as I am aware. Correct me if I'm wrong. I doubt one incident of diarrhea could be classed as bsm. My Gi doc told me if you have bsm the diarrhea would be pouring out of you. I had the diarrhea for 6-8 weeks after the op and convinced myself it was bsm but it finally settled down for now anyway! X
    • sandynan
      sandynan Acejohnston

      Posted

      No I didn't have the SeChat test but I saw three consultants Ace the last  one was convinced I have BAM as for the D pouring out I think if I told you how I have been for nearly three years only just making it to a toilet in time very embarrassing incidents but no it didn't pour out as you say I told Val to go to her GP for a diagnosis to be sure I didn't say it was I said it sounded like!  [color=#777777]Advertisement[/color][url=https://patient.info/adhow]Advertise with us [color=#ffffff]?[/color][url=https://patient.info/adfree]×[color=#777777]Advertisement[/color][url=https://patient.info/adhow]Advertise with us [color=#ffffff]?[/color][color=#777777]Advertisement[/color][url=https://patient.info/adhow]Advertise with us [color=#ffffff]?[/color][url=https://patient.info/adfree]×Search thousands of discussionsOr [url=https://patient.info/forums/new-discussion/3340]Start a new discussion[color=#777777]Advertisement[/color][url=https://patient.info/adhow]Advertise with us [color=#ffffff]?[/color][url=https://patient.info/adfree]× Disclaimer: patient.info has no control over the content of any external links. Inclusion does not imply endorsement by patient.info.[url=https://patient.info/terms-and-conditions]Forums Terms & Conditions | [url=https://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/topics/59133-discussion-forums]Help & Frequently Asked Questions
    • sandynan
      sandynan

      Posted

      No idea what happened there lol As I was saying Ace I have had three years of D not been on holiday I have a new caravan which we haven't used yet but hopefully this year we will. Some people do have D for a short time  but 10% of people who have the gall bladder op suffer with BAM I was told this by the last Consultant but when this first started I was told to put up with it nothing could be done! that is why I have fought for a diagnosis all this time
    • Acejohnston
      Acejohnston sandynan

      Posted

      That's terrible sandynan. Yes your right a percentage of people get bsm after gallbladder removal due to the extra bile spilling into the colon. I know a few people who take the caltrate calcium 600 with vitamin d and that seems to control the diarrhea. Calcium carbonate binds the stool and helps absorb the bile stopping the diarrhea. It's better on the system than the bile sequestrant as its only calcium and vitamin d. It's worth a try and may help you. You can take 3 tablets a day with meals and can notice a difference within a few days. I did try questran for a few days but it gave me worse diarrhea. I hope you feel better soon. X
    • sandynan
      sandynan Acejohnston

      Posted

      Thanks Ace yes Bile drips all the time, unfortunately for us 10% is worse than others nobody knows why apparently but you would think in this day and age someone would find out lol but never mind I'm still here talking about it lol You take care and hope your feeling better soon xxxxx   
    • Acejohnston
      Acejohnston sandynan

      Posted

      Thank you sandynan. I hope you feel better soon too. I believe bsm is linked to being deficient in some hormone and They are working on some medication for it which should be available within the next year or two! Take care.
    • chris91257
      chris91257 valerie21605

      Posted

      Hi, I had my gallstones removed 8 weeks ago. I also have Crohns and have had the majority of my intestines and part of my bowel removed. I've suffered with diarrhoea since they were taken out so am used to it. Wind is a problem but it's not the end of the world. Will your GP give you anti sickness tablets to take daily? I take them and they really help. I can eat almost anything now and not feel sick but knowing when to stop eating helps, dont overload yourself. BAM is a torment but dont let it ruin your life x

       

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