Bile salt malabsorption symptoms

In browsing this site I found this topic and symptoms and explanations.  I had my gall bladder removed at least 2 years ago and that may be my problem.  I haven't looked into treatment because I just found out about this today.  Now I have to find it again in this forum.  There is a graphic along with the explanation.  I'll look and get back to you.

Jerry, go to home and type in bile salt malabsortion and you will see the topic.

Hi Jerry:  Click on Home above and then in the search box type in Bile Salt Malabsortion.  There is a lot of information on it.  I just posted this to you and now I see that post must have gone into the ozone.

Hi, noticed you mentioned having Gall bladder removed, I had my Gall bladder removed a few years ago, never had IBS them but after that time I started with IBS , so it's interesting, I'll look it up, thanks.

Hi. I have BAM - bile acid malabsorption also known as bile salt malabsorption. i also have colitis & ibsd. my BAM was only diagnosed after the other 2 conditions "appeared" to not be controlled with prescription meds & diet. it is diagnosed by a sehca scan which your gastroenterologist consultant can organise. i was put on the med colestyramine & within a couple of weeks my symptoms were 90% better.  it did mimic the symptoms of both colitis & ibs so the meds for those were doing their job at the time when i was having symtpoms of BAM but before diagnosis.  it caused constant stomach ache, very sore rectum/anus all the time, stomach gurgling that sounded like the amazon rainforest, & urgent watery explosive diarrea. i was housebound because of this for months. i would always have to rush to the toilet half way through & after any meal.  also even if you have your gall bladder removed  you can still have this condition as your body still produces bile acid, its just the "storage tank" (gall bladder) has been removed.  try searching bile acid malabsorption or bam too - it might give your some more info. at the same time i was also diagnosed with fructose intolerance so can longer have fruit either, but at least symptoms now largely controlled with meds & diet, & i can work & socialise & go shopping again now!  hope this helps .

scan is a sehcat scan, sorry missed the t on the end!

Hello looloo:  Thanx so much for your informative post.  From my reading you are absolutely right about gall bladder removal.  I have read that people who have had their gall bladder removed may be more prone to receive a diagnosis of IBS instead of BAM.  I suspect, I have been misdiagnosed with IBS and what I actually have is BAM.  I have the same symptoms you mentioned with the exception that at times I experience hard and then soft and then d stool in one sitting.  The urge never seems to go away and my anus is almost always burning.  I too am very close to being housebound but am able to get out a bit because I am taking Imodium tabs but I have break throughts nonetheless.  I'll do a bit more research and then contact my gastro. I've had all the tests and procedures and doc said you have IBS, add more fiber to your diet and lower your stress level.  Right !  It's a shame the docs don't seem to know more about BAM and test for it instead of using IBS as an umbrella word for symptoms that an unexplained after tests show nothing wrong.  I sent an email to my IM about the medication you mentioned and  I'm researching the medication Welchol which seems to have helped a lot of people diagnosed with IBS-d as well.  Thanx again. 

You're welcome, glad to be of help.  the meds for bam do have important time constraints that must be followed if you take any other meds or vitamins. i chose the colestyramine sachets over tablets (in consult with my gastro consultant of course) as the sachets you mix with water have slightly better time constraints than the tablets. you must not have any other meds less than 1hour before or 4hrs after taking colestyramine as the other meds/vits can get stuck or delayed in your system - very important to follow as i have pointed out to several other people on here that didnt have that explained to them by their doc or consultant!!

Another thing - people with ibs-d often can't break down fibre so this actually makes their diarrea, bloating, & stomach aches worse!!! my specialist gastro dietician at the hospital told me this, & sure enough when i took brown bread, wholegrain rice & pasta, porridge, nuts & other seed based foods out of my diet it made a major difference to my ibs symptoms, so beware of fibre !!!

Hi:  I'm back again.  Doc finally gave me script for colestyramine sachets and the trots have stopped.  It's the afternoon of the 3rd day (2 sachets a day of 4 gms each) will take another before bed. 

Side effects so far:  nausea, BP spike lasting 30 minutes up and down with red face and scalp felt hot -- won't see 65 again and take xanax so I think spiking BP may be normal but not sure what it's doing to my bode), bloating, gas, flaming anus (now using hospital grade lotion and baby powder to sooth that), flaming acid reflux (cause I drank the med on an empty stomach -- a real no no I've come to find out), and sour taste in mouth. Irritation of tongue, and felt very unstable after BP spike. 

My question to you:  Did you experience these and/or other side effects when you first stated the med?  I'm not sure what to expect next.  At least the diarrhea stopped and I'm not constipated YET. How long did any nasty side effects last?

Any input from you will be valuable to me.  Thanx.  Anita