Gall bladder problems 11 years after op

Hi there thanks for your reply. I've never even heard of that. The strange thing is I can't take anything stronger than paracetamol as it affects my stomach so bad so this makes sense. I wonder why they've never ventured down this route before. Thanks for taking the time to reply to me it means a lot.

No problem Lee. It can be resolved by surgery in most people. Your symptoms sound like it to me. You need to get a gi doctor to test you for it. I'm so sorry your suffering so long. Just wanted you to know there are many of us who have side effects after this operation. Your not alone. I know someone who has it and has the same symptoms as you so fingers crossed you get sorted soon. Let me know how you get on. Take care xx

Thank you it's nice to know i'm not alone as the pain I get is frightening. I told the hospital last time I was in that anything other than paracetamol has me in excruciating pain and they gave me cocodsmol amytriptiline and morphine to take. Like the other readers sometimes I feel like I can't cope with daily life. It is detrimental to my relationship with my partner and my kids. I'm going to go to the docs and ask about that suggestion. Sometimes I've wondered about going private? Any thoughts?

Hi lee I actually had my surgery done privately. The main benefit was that I wasn't waiting too long for the surgery and when I was vomiting all the time afterwards they got me in immediately. I'm in Ireland where are you? Also about 20% of people have post cholecystectomy syndrome which people are told is ibs!! Funny thing is if you ask people did they have these symptoms prior to gallbladder removal they most likely didn't. What can happen in some people is that they do not produce enough bile and get constipated and then there are those who produce too much bile and have diarrhea. You will also find that the people who are told they have ibs have clear scopes and tests. Unfortunately doctors aren't going to admit it's due to gallbladder removal. I have come to the conclusion that there are a lot of people unnecessarily having their gallbladders removed. They need to treat the cause and not the symptom. Main cause is a hormone imbalance caused by the pill, hrt, steroids and other hormone drugs and also massive weight loss. I was on a hormone drug for a few years and believe that's what caused my gallstone and ovarian cyst and fibroid. Have you tried the alternative road at all? I've been seeing an acupuncturist who has put me on herbs and milk thistle and I find they've really helped me. It's worth trying although I think you may have spinchter of odi. Do you have diarrhea at all? X

Hi Ace I'm in scotland. I don't have diorrhea or constipation but when I do need to go to the loo I need to go and it's very hard to hold it in. Regarding alternative route I will try anything if it helps. I actually begged the doc to cut me open and have a look as I'd lost the will you can imagine the response. Ha ha. In mentioning hormonal imbalance or problems - I was on Diamette (the pill) for many years as it helped my bad skin and obviously came off it 14 years ago when I fell pregnant. Could this be the cause do you think? And yes I agree that many people have GB out when that's not the issue but I was told at the time they were taking it out to see if it was that. Thank you for your help. Xxx

Yes lee the pill most likely caused your gallstones. So many woman having gallbladder problems and a lot of times its due to these drugs we are prescribed. Years ago gallbladder problems was something older women got because when woman hit their 40's their estrogen levels increase causing excess estrogen and too little progesterone. This causes the bile to become thicker and more sludgy causing the gallbladder to become diseased and stones to form. The same thing can happen when you take hormone drugs and that is why now so many young people in there 20's are having this surgery. Also closely linked with this is ovarian cysts, fibroids, irregular periods and other hormonal problems. Unfortunately for me I only had 1 large stone and got burning pain in the gallbladder and my surgeon who I've know for 23 years said once you get pain it has to come out. I asked about side effects and was told very rare. Well I had them all vomiting, diarrhea , nausea, pain indigestion. What I wasn't told when they found the stone was that I had a huge cyst on my ovary which I believe has been the cause of my nausea and vomiting and indigestion. The diarrhea I can attribute to the gallbladder removal. I'm taking psyllium husk for that and it's great. I started taking milk thistle extract with milk thistle dandelion and artichoke and it got rid of the nausea and vomiting and indigestion. It actually rids the liver of excess Estrogen and balances the hormones. The liver cannot cope with excess estrogen that's why we get these problems! Doctors are not miracle workers and work from text books mainly. They do what they think is right for the patient and hope for positive results. However this whole experience has made me realise that doctors do not look at the whole body or the root cause of the problem. They just look at treating the symptoms with drugs or with surgery. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. I think we need to start asking doctors more questions and not to be afraid of standing up for ourselves. Most people just believe what their doctors tell them and don't question it. My doctors kept telling me that the symptoms I was having was side effects from the surgery and now 10 months later are admitting it's the cyst that's causing my symptoms. They want to operate but I've said no and am hoping to get rid of it naturally. I would suggest trying the milk thistle extract and see does it help you. It helps the bile flow more freely and many people who've had the surgery take it. Also get onto your doctor about sphincter of oddi and demand answers. Take care xx

Hi selena, don't despair as kidney stones can be very painful and I know it's a weird thing to say but hopefully it is that and you can get it sorted and be free from it. After 11 years I'm no further forward and it has affected my whole life. I started college end of August and been off already in hospital with the pain. I really do hope you get sorted soon and push for answers. Take care.xxx

Thanks Sarah I hope it's not start of things to come for you. Theyve hit me with the IBS stick as well even though I have a good diet and none of the medication helped. My sis has IBS and I know it can be very painful so hopefully that is all it is for you. Sending you my thoughts.