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Gallbladder is gone so where is this pain from?

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happyalien
happyalien

HI

Had the dreaded gallbladder removed last June after only 7 months of pain (so I'm pretty lucky).

Everything went well, home the same day - took a good 4 weeks to feel totally better after the op but eating was ok and I don't seem to be affected by bowel issues like some people.

Only problem is I have dull ache in exactly the same place I used to get the gallbladder pain. It's not intense pain but it's in the front RUQ under my ribs and moves round the side and to my back.

It doesn't seem to appear after anything in particular and most of the time it's there constantly. Suppose it's more of an annoyance than anything else because I'm always aware of this ache. I'm quite reluctant to go to my GP because after spending about 7 months constantly in the surgery last year updating painkillers and nausea pills I don't want them to think I'm addicted to medical attention.

Just wondered if anyone had anything similar or if it's just a by-product of surgery that I'll have to get on with?

Thanks

34 likes, 1357 replies

1357 Replies

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  • marrina_29018
    marrina_29018 happyalien

    Posted

    I had constant pain under my right ribs which went from front to back (severe when I first awoke). My gall bladder was clean yet I was having “gall bladder attack” symptoms. I was completely convinced my doctor was an idiot and something was severely wrong. He told me to stop eating potatoes and then to cut out starches and sugars. The pain is completely gone. I still have my gall bladder. Some of us get to the point we cannot eat certain foods.  
  • nadia02664
    nadia02664 happyalien

    Posted

    hi all,

    you guys are not.alone. I had my gallbladder removed 3 months ago and no pain for 3.months but then all of a.sudden 2 weeks ago i had pain attacks and I went to doctor. He asked me am I following the low fat doet still. I said no, he said that is your problem. He said with some people the pain is back when they eat too oily, spicy or sugary foods. I have to avoid it.and I will be fine. I went back to low fat diet and sure enough my pains are gone. my doctor also told me that his wife had her gallbladder removed 8 years ago so he is speaking from his personal experience.

    • Marketa
      Marketa nadia02664

      Posted

      Hi

      I had mine removed 6yrs ago, and still have pain if I cheat on my diet "lifestyle change".

      In the beginning I was looking for other causes, but it comes down to a low fat diet. So I agree with you and your doctor.

  • Aria60234
    Aria60234 happyalien

    Posted

    Hi happyalien, Its been over a year since you first posted this... I so hope the doctors found an answer to your pain, even better if you're painfree. I'm in the midst of going through the start of the stream of tests. The more I read the more I learn, when I was admitted into hospital the last time with debilitating pain one of the registrars at the hospital thought it could be related to my back, (damaged nerve) but would that cause raised lft's? the cat & mri scan has come back negative, endoscopy in a couple of weeks.

    I hope you went back to your gp. My gp is kind and understanding, she's great. She prescribed sleeping tablets and strong pain killers which help me get through the day and She continues to request more tests in order to get to the bottom of it.I understand your not wanting them to think your addicted to medical attention, I was like that, but when I finally did go to see my gp who refferred me back to the consultant, they both said the same to me, ""You should have come back earlier rather than left it 7 months". They're there to help.

    namaste

  • Nassy
    Nassy happyalien

    Posted

    Hello everyone,

    I just saw this discussion here. I had a gallbladder removal about one month ago in Paris and still I have pain in its place and shortness of breath and a little on right shoulder. I've done some tests but they show nothing. I really appreciate if you could help me, if you've already had the same synptoms.

    Thanks

    • nadia02664
      nadia02664 Nassy

      Posted

      it is completely normal to have such pains it takes full 6 weeks to recover. I was adviced not to lift anything heavy. the shoulder pain ia due to gas they put in you body to do the surgery with time it will.pass but it is very important to follow low fat diet for at least 6 months orherwise the pain keeps coming back. also my doctor said for some ppl it becomes a chronic condition and they have little pain where the gallbladder was. I hope you feel better. just to let you know that you are not alone. I wasn't able to bend either for 6 weeks.
    • LittleMissDolly
      LittleMissDolly nadia02664

      Posted

      I concur with all this person has posted. In terms of diet, reintroduce fats into your diet slowly. I started at around 2 months. But you'll know within yourself when is the right time to start. In terms of low fat stuff, I don't think that habit ever leaves you, I still check foods and it is amazing the difference in fats in some products!
  • travis70495
    travis70495 happyalien

    Posted

    Hello everyone. It looks like there is something fundamentally wrong with this surgery. We need as a group to push for an answer to our problem. There is something there and I for one do not intend to wait until it's to late and it has developed into a severe problem or consumed my life. 
    • JackCan
      JackCan travis70495

      Posted

      Postcholecystectomy syndrome I've been researching this for about 6 months I seen something similar on the TV show diagnose me. And a women had similar symptoms and was injected Botox in her esophageal and found relief. Yes, she has to go every six month but she has no more pain. People are suffering and shouldn't be. This is not phantom pain ITS REAL. . There are many things that can occur after surgery but there is a solution. They have alot of information on National Library of medicine . Please look upI postcholecystectomy syndrome they have case studies and treatment. I hope you can find relief . I will let you know How my sister made out with this information I'm giving you. I feel that this might be the answer. God bless you all and that you will be well soon.

      JACKCAN

  • JustMyLuck.
    JustMyLuck. happyalien

    Posted

    I HAD MY GALBLADDER REMOVED AND I'M ALMOST 3 MONTHS PAST SURGERY ..I'M HAVING HORRID PAIN IN MY RIGHT AND LEFT RIBS ..ALSO THAT STABBING PAIN UNDER LEFT BREAST MIDDLE OF CHEST I was having that chest pain before surgery but SEVERE PAIN. THIS IS MORE MILD PAIN NOW AT TIMES STABBING .. IT SCARY TO THINK IS SOMETHING WRONG ..SURGERY FOR ME WAS HELL. ..I DID NOT TAKE PAIN MEDS SO IT WAS HORRIBLE. . BUT I'M BEGINNING TO WONDER IF I'M GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE THE DAMN PAIN MEDS WHEN THIS PAIN GETS SEVERE. . IT'S ALMOST DAILY AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO IM NOT FINDING ANY PATTERN TO THIS PAIN? ? ANYONE ELSE HAVING THIS ??
    • LittleMissDolly
      LittleMissDolly JustMyLuck.

      Posted

      Why didn't you take any pain meds?  I don't think anyone likes having to take them, but seriously, I wouldn't have been able to function on any level without taking them when I was really ill both before and after the operation!  Being stressed and upset about having something wrong only makes pain worse. 

      In terms of the stabbing pains - maybe look into what you are eating and drinking.  I found that it was easy to slip a bit as I recovered from the operation.  3 months is just about the time where you'd have introduced some fats back into your diet.

      I hope you get sorted soon.

    • Guest
      Guest JustMyLuck.

      Posted

      Did they do an xray on your common bile duct during surgery to make sure it was clear?  It is possible you still have a stone or sludge in you common bile duct that could cause inflamation and even pancreatitis and would need clearing out by a procedure called ERCP.
  • Guest
    Guest happyalien

    Posted

    Hi All,

    I had my GB removed yesterday at age 46.  The operation went well and although I am sore I am not in much discomfort although I need to go back for an ERCP to remove a stone in the common bile duct.

    I'm sorry to hear that every one is suffering after having the op, and hope it gets better for you.

    The reason for my post is I wonder if anyone is aware of a link that has been established between co-codemol (codeine) and post-operative GB pain as many of you describe.

    Aparently most doctors are not aware of it, but there are some papers on the net that show the link.  It is rare, but given that there are millions of these operations taking place every year, it would potentially affect a lot of patients that had a GB removed.

    What hapens is the codeine increases the pressure on the Sphincter of Oddi and can cause pain and even acute pancreatitis. Normally the reservoir provided by the GB would help relieve this pressure, but since you don't have one the pressure results in symptoms.

    For lots of people suffering check this out:

    http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Gallbladder/Abdominal-pain-after-taking-codeine-post-cholecystectomy/show/1542573

    For some reference:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26157656

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19829093

    Coedine (and other opiate based painkillers) are quite common, and appear in flu medications and period-pain medications.

    I was sent home from the operation by the nurse with the max does co-codamol and decided to do a bit of research before taking it.

    Check your medication for codeine and see if there is a link between taking it and your pain epidodes. 

    I hope this helps someone.

    Good luck!

    • robert57384
      robert57384 Guest

      Posted

      Wow!  Thanks for posting this.  Makes perfect sense now.  I had an episode of pancreatitis (not acute but almost) a few months ago and realized it happened shortly after I took a med with codeine in it.

      I did take morphine as well about two months ago for kidney stones but I didn't react to it.  This may explain a few things for sure.

    • brenda22164
      brenda22164 Guest

      Posted

      wow this is an interesting post.  Will definitely remember this if 

      I need painkillers.  I stopped taking Codeine after I had my gallbladder

      removed as it caused me horrendous constipation but now I will

      never take it again or anything that contains it  :-(

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