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Gall Bladder Severe Pain Issues - 2 Years After Surgery! Help!

Posted , 9 users are following.

JonnaFromNY
JonnaFromNY

Had gall bladder removed 2 years ago in March - non-stones type issues.  I stick faithfully to a VERY LOW fat diet, yet still experience terrible pain after eating ANYTHING - stomach, then into intestinal pain, terrible gas, bloating. Does anyone else in my situation have this and if so, what did you do?  Pain had radiated towards liver but just recently had extensive bloodwork and liver ultrasound - found only from bloodwork am very deficiant in D3 which I now am taking. The stomach and intestinal pain and gas are literally getting dehibiltating.  Thanks for any help and for your time.

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  • maureen01335
    maureen01335 JonnaFromNY

    Posted

    I seem to have the same issues but my surgery was 4 weeks ago. I can't believe you're still having problems. I did change to lactose free milk that seemed to help a little. It seems I have more issues than I did before I had my gallbladder removed. Have you tried any prescription meds or get tested for IBS? I hope you find a remedy if so let me know. I wish you the best and keep me updated please.

    • JonnaFromNY
      JonnaFromNY maureen01335

      Posted

      I do agree with you in that I have more issues than I did before it was removed - just the nausea part was lessened. I would honestly give yourself a little more time before thinking you might have these issues permanently.  My husband also had the same surgery as myself within the same year in fact, and after staying on low fat  diet initially those first three months, he has gradually been able to introduce more foods without the digestive pain and issues I have.  He still is staying on lower fat items though, as surgeon said it really was healthier anyway and would be less of an issue of potential digestive upsets.  I would say overall it was, in time, successful for him, so there's still hope for you:-)  Thanks so much for taking the time to write - so appreciate it! Jonna

  • patricia_11100
    patricia_11100 JonnaFromNY

    Posted

    I feel like we have a problem before the GB is taken out maybe even attributing to the GB going bad. After they remove it the problem isn't solved and they don't know what to do. Feel betterp

    • JonnaFromNY
      JonnaFromNY patricia_11100

      Posted

      I agree with you -totally.  I do remember so well my surgeon telling me with my type of gall bladder issue (working at 22 % before surgery, no stones) that there was a 20% chance this surgery would not help anything afterwards - I was in so much daily pain despite zero fat diet, lost over 25 pounds whn already thin, and had non-stop nausea decided to go with the surgery. Sigh - it was a 1 in 5 risk I guess - thank you for takign tiem to write - I appreciate it.
  • adrian333
    adrian333 JonnaFromNY

    Posted

    I still have these problems after 5 years. Sometimes I just eat white uncoated fish, rice and oats. Dairy is bad, oat milk is good. Severity comes and goes, but exercise helps a lot and drinking lots of water. Some days I can manage more varied food but have to be careful not to overdo it. Alcohol makes it a lot worse so I stopped having any for years until I dropped onto a couple of types of red wine I can tolerate in small amounts, worst seems to be Shiraz . hth

    • JonnaFromNY
      JonnaFromNY adrian333

      Posted

      I really appreciate your tips - I do find the lots of water tip very helpful, and perhaps the dairy elimination couldn't hurt - will share this with new specialist this week to hear his take on that - thanks again-

  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 JonnaFromNY

    Posted

    Try colpermin. You take them an hour before eating and can buy them from the counter or on prescription. They are for ibs.

    Also you could try omeprazole but I think you can only get them on prescription.

    Hope this helps.

    Take care and keep in touch

    Sarah

    • JonnaFromNY
      JonnaFromNY sarah87162

      Posted

      Thank you - am seeing yet another specialist this week and will mention these items and ask on his take if these might be of help, and any potential side effects with them - Thanks again for taking time to write!
  • cynthia89958
    cynthia89958 JonnaFromNY

    Posted

    Hi

    ?Do you have the same issues you had before surgery? Or different now.

    ?I've just had a gb removal as it was full of stones and not working but I know I have other digestive issues and did before only there is nothing to show from tests really, just a hiatal hernia.It is too early to know how I feel later, no better or worse really at present but I am dealing with a chest infection currently.

    ?I did have h pylori infection treated a time back and was never really the same after  that, although it is cleared apparently. Have you been tested for this? As it can cause a host of digestive issues. I believe the triple therapy for the condition upset my digestion and altered the gut bacteria. I have taken supplements and probiotics since which help somewhat.

    ?We do get low vit D with gb troubles and a low fat diet also does not help with this - you may feel better when levels go up again. If you can incorporate some good fats in your diet without upsetting your tummy that really helps. I eat a lot of oily fish as seem to tolerate this best, but we are all different.

    ?Digestive enzymes may be worth a try for you but they can seem to make things worse at first. I currently take half a dose as more makes my stomach feel worse.

    ?I avoid lactose and gluten though I did not test as reative, it does seem to help.

    ?A visit to a dietition or functional medicine practitioner may be helpful in the longer term, if underlying medical issues are ruled out, as getting to the root of digestive issues is a long process in some cases. Without a gallbladder we have modified digestion and it can take a very long time for out bodies to adjust and from what I read, some never really do, we must hope for the best. At least we no longer have the pain from the stones to contend with.

     

    • JonnaFromNY
      JonnaFromNY cynthia89958

      Posted

      Hi Cynthia!

      Sorry for the delay in answering your kind response.  Before I had my gallbladder removed, I had pain in my stomach that was ulcer-like (had two of those in my life, so know that pain), and also on right side as well.  Dr. said he initially was thinking gallbladder but I didn't fit any of his other criteria, so he decided to treat for one month first as ulcers, perhaps in two places.  I never made it through the month, ended up in ER with first full blown gall bladder attack.  Got it tested and it was only working at 22%, had no stones (my type was due to stress I was told, from a very traumatic situation a year before that).  So, it is hard to say what was pre-existing.  Stress can cause so many things, as we know, internally, and this was literally trauma level stress.

      I still have pain there - in right side, and have had this basically on and off since it was removed nearly 2 years ago.  If you google phantom gallbladder pain you will see there are many people with this.  My surgeon was up front and said there was a 20% chance I would feel no better after the surgery.  With the large weight loss for my build, and constant nausea, I decided to go for the surgery, as a zero fat diet only gave small relief (hard to stay on!).

      The digestive pain and issues seem to be more recent.  The pain was so bad in rt. side I finalyl went to Dr. two months ago, tests showed what I mentioned of liver enzymes up, due I found out in part for taking aloe vera capsules non-stop for 3 years at max dosage, along with some other supplements that can hurt liver.  I stopped everything, including probiotics.  The digestive pain starts within 20 minutes of eating anything and lasts the whole process, accompanied by painful bloating and gas.  I still stay on a very low fat intake diet.  From researching on internet it appears after GB surgery we need probiotics more than ever, and perhaps one that is time released.  Also small daily supplements of the fat soluable vitamins.  Since liver Dr. said to stay off all supplements at this point I just take the D3 they said to start and acidophilus, until retested in 2 weeks again for enzymes in liver (those went down in half after off all supplements of even just 3 weeks).

      Hoping the 2nd specialist today, who is liver and gastro, will have somethngn to offer besides the common prescription antacids many put people on - we'll see.  It looks like from GB sites that choline is helpful to this, possibly bile salts.  Some say milk thistle but don't know enough on that.

      Thanks so much for writing - and listening:-)  Glad you are finding through trial and error what helps you - many people seem  to think dairy upsets this, though I have not really understood why yet - gluten seems 50/50 for/against it affecting anything with post-GB.

      Take care -Jonna

    • cynthia89958
      cynthia89958 JonnaFromNY

      Posted

      Hi, Thanks for that, interesting to read your experiences.

      ?We are up against a lot with gb and other digestive issues, often they seem to go hand in hand and the gb issues are part of a wider disorder in the system.

      ?I agree re supplements, it is a potential minefield as not  seems enough is known about our condition nor the remedies. I do take remedies but only after a lot of research and thought, then I proceed carefully, often on the minimum dose as I tend to overreact to medicines, whether complementary or regular.

      ?I also take breaks when I stop meds possibly reintroducing to see what works or not. I'm a believer in letting the body do its job and only intervening when it has no more ability on its own.

      ?Like you, I had quite a lot of pain all through the digestive tract and felt really ill some time back, still nowhere near well. Ans also I had been through a lot of traumatic stress preceeding the illness flaring up.

      Let us know how things go and I do hope you get some answers! C x

    • lynda20916
      lynda20916 JonnaFromNY

      Posted

      Hi, Jonna,

      I've been reading your reply to Cynthia, and your comments about the supplements were very helpful to me.  I found choline to be very gentle, it's often mixed with inositol, which is good.  Then there's l-glutamine which I find to be gentle as well.  I don't take it often, though.  Milk thistle can be very harsh, at least it is for me.  So, I thought I'd offer that to you.

      Take care!

    • JonnaFromNY
      JonnaFromNY lynda20916

      Posted

      Thank you so much - that helps a lot - will ask Dr. about any of these - unfortunately very few seem to be up on anythign besides regular prescritpions - I agree with Cynthia above - careful research first on anything new I will try - and start with lowest possible dosage.  Thanks for your time in writing to me:-)
    • lynda20916
      lynda20916 JonnaFromNY

      Posted

      You're so right there!  I used a choline and inositol blend to assist in losing about 30 pounds two years ago.  I had a fatty liver, and still have a mild one.  The supplement helped to gently cleanse the fat stored in my liver. so I could lose the weight

      My GI doc said, "Why did you need to use that?" smile

    • patricia_11100
      patricia_11100 cynthia89958

      Posted

      Thank you for your kind words. I went to a wonderful place today with amazingly kind doctors. I was diagnosed with slipping rib syndrome. Pain meds, chiropractor excersises and acupuncture . The pain is similar to the intense gallbladder pain. I was so tired of being labeled with gallbladder syndrome. I have no bathroom problems or with any kinds of food.
    • lynda20916
      lynda20916 patricia_11100

      Posted

      Patricia, that's the best news!  Please let me know how you get on with your treatments!

    • JonnaFromNY
      JonnaFromNY patricia_11100

      Posted

      Oops - I see here you DID mention hwo they will treat this - so hope you find relief from your pain - best to you:-)
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