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Acid reflux and heartburn post gallbladder removal op

Posted , 10 users are following.

Nopishut
Nopishut

I got my gallbladder out two weeks ago. A week ago I started experiencing painful heartburn and acid reflux. I'm terrified of putting anything in my mouth for fear of setting it off again. The doctor prescribed me PPIs 40 mg and it's my end day taking with not much relief. I just want to know if others out there have experienced the same post op and will it get better? I had these issues prior to removal and the doctors blamed the gallbladder. Now I'm thinking it may not have been all along. I had gallstones and a 4mm polyp and the doctor said the gallbladder was inflammed when he took it out so I keep telling myself I did the right thing otherwise I'll drive myself crazy. Please can I have your advice.

1 like, 22 replies

22 Replies

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  • Chris_Wu
    Chris_Wu Nopishut

    Posted

    What did you eat? The first 3 weeks after my GB surgery, I only ate very light rice water (Chinese congee), no oily cheese or fatty. After that, I slowly tried meat and veg.  Anything too fatty would cause heartburn and reflux.  I ate something really fatty 3 weeks ago and I got those symptons. It took me 2 weeks watching my diet and finally went away. By the way, I had my GB removed 2 years ago.

     

    • Nopishut
      Nopishut Chris_Wu

      Posted

      Thanks for your replies. I really appreciate it. I have been following a low fat diet. I tried chicken and veg on the 3rd day after removal and got diarrhoria so I have cut back to toast and porridge and Turkey sandwiches. Maybe I need to cut out diary for a few days to see how I get on. Have been using butter on my toast and milk for porridge and tea. I'm sorry to hear you have been suffering that long Sandynan. I used to get really bad reflux and heartburn now and again before gallbladder removal and I thought once the gallbladder was gone that these days would be over. It's so disheartening. Do ye take any liver supplements or digestive enzymes to help digestion?
    • Chris_Wu
      Chris_Wu Nopishut

      Posted

      Strange. I have reaction to chicken too after 2 years. 3 chicken wings are my limit. More than 3, I will run to bathroom in 30 mins. My doctor said chicken skin is very fatty. It needs more bile from the liver to digest.
    • Nopishut
      Nopishut Chris_Wu

      Posted

      If the chicken was fried then this would be a trigger. You should try a digestive enzyme the next time you have a fatty meal. It will help break down the fat. Because we now have no gallbladder we will have trouble digesting good fats also so have to take it handy on good fats such as avocado and salmon..
    • fung999
      fung999 Chris_Wu

      Posted

      i am kind of wondering what is the point of we need to remove out GB out if we still feeling painful as before sugery ? I feel horrible as same as before i removed my GB and when i ate something in it is pain a bit and i am on the same boat as Nopishhut now 
    • Chris_Wu
      Chris_Wu Nopishut

      Posted

      Yes the chicken was fried but tasted so good cheesygrin. Well, I learnt my lesson but dont want to take any med to deal with digetsing fat. Just cut the fat out of my diet.  I eat fish more often than pork and beef. I have veg every night at dinner. I drink a cup of coffee with cream and a donut in the morning. Morning time is my non fat time otherwise I run to the bathroom fast. I eat a lot of fruit. 
    • fung999
      fung999 Nopishut

      Posted

      Nopishut we are on the same page i really trust my doctor said it wil be new life after GB removal and i can eat anything i want but turn out it is not the things i want . i am taking apple cider vingar as supplement help little bit but not at all . keep updating our news .
    • Nopishut
      Nopishut Chris_Wu

      Posted

      It's great that you can still drink coffee and have donuts without any trouble. You need some guilty pleasures to keep you sane smile 3fung, all I can think is perhaps the issue was with our stomachs or GERD and not actually our gallbladder. Or maybe the gallbladder did contribute to some of our symptoms but wasn't too blame for it all. When did you get yours out?
    • Nopishut
      Nopishut fung999

      Posted

      Try bicarbonate of soda in water. It neutralises the acid in your stomach. It has helped somewhat. Im on ppis but I do not want to be on these for the rest of my life sad I'm glad I'm not the only one going through this.
    • Chris_Wu
      Chris_Wu Nopishut

      Posted

      I had my laparoscopic gallbladder surgery in 2013. My gallbladder was inflamed and wall thicken. I had 1 big 2 cm stone and 6 small 0.5 cm stones. I am not overweight 178 lbs and 6 ft tall. I do not exercise often. I smoke a pack of cigarette a week.  I have no problem with my body after surgery except for running to the bathroom sometimes but need to watch out my less fat diet. 
  • sandynan
    sandynan Nopishut

    Posted

    I am still suffering nearly four years after the op I take Omprazole before that I took Pantoprazole and now I have been told I have to take Zantac which I was taking before the op so back to square one for me. Try not to eat any dairy for a few more weeks or any big meals just little and often might do the trick love xxx
    • fung999
      fung999 sandynan

      Posted

      Do you think the doctor lie to us that we don't need to remove one of our organ to relieve out suffering since we still have to take PPI as before ?
  • loz72370
    loz72370 Nopishut

    Posted

    I had my op in feb and since then iv had acid reflux too.  never had it in my life before regardless of my eating habits.  my doctor told me that i eat too late at night and that was the cause.  it is also worse if i eat spicey or mint food.  eating earlier does seem to help.

    my toilett dpt is also an issue and am now living on fibrogel.  I still have post op pain where my gaul bladder was.  and i also have pain on my right side too, apparently to do with my bowel problem caused by the opp.  sometimes wished id not bothered!!

     

    • Nopishut
      Nopishut loz72370

      Posted

      Sorry to hear that Loz I know how you feel. I have days where I wish I didn't get it out either but I keep telling myself it will get better otherwise I will become consumed by it! Mine had stones and a small polyp and was inflammed. Have you tried ppi for the heartburn?
    • Chris_Wu
      Chris_Wu loz72370

      Posted

      Loz. sorry to hear about your acid reflux.  When I had acid reflux 2 weeks ago, it was really bad, burning my throat. It woke me up at night.  

      What I did was I ate watermelon every day in that 2 weeks.  It worked for me. The acid reflux went away. 

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