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Gallbladder is gone so where is this pain from?

Posted , 555 users are following.

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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  • alexie
    alexie happyalien

    Posted

    Thanks a lot for the info. People have the tendency to save words and other people are like; What the heck does that means? Me included.
  • cathy_94688
    cathy_94688 happyalien

    Posted

    Hi all

    I too suffer from the galblader surgery. It's been five years now that I am suffering. I had a complicated surgery due to the galblader infection and inflammation. Even though the Surgon had difficulty to remove my galblader with the laparoscop he preferred it over open surgery. Since then I never felt the same my whole stomach is upside down. I am constipated most of the time, pain in the upper sides under the rib cage but mostly on the left side. Pain that goes around my back up to my shoulders and chest. Pain and burning during bowl movement.

    During theses five years I did many blood tests and scans plus one MRCP and all came back normal. i did not do clonoscopy due to being afraid of its sedation. The pain is always there and makes me think what if u have this or that. I diagnosed my srlf many times. I went to eight GI specialists none could help me.

    I just don't know what else to do to get my normal self back.

    I am afraid for my pancreas beacuse I constantly think what if it was damaged during the surgery. But then I don't know if it was damaged or not and the diagnosis dir it is to difficult for doctors.

    But then my colon is in pain as well..

    😞

    • Ale16
      Ale16 cathy_94688

      Posted

      I know I already replied to you on a previous message but I just feel so moved by what you're experiencing. Other important information I should mention: I have had a colonscopy, endoscopy, ultra sound, blood work, that gallbladder test that showed it was functioning 15% a CT scan. All before the age of 23.

      Like I said, just started going to this doctor, but he is telling me it is a colon infection that would not have shown up in those big tests. He took the time to actually listen to me not just listen for 5 minutes and list off 5 expensive and invasive tests I should do.

      Hope this helps! Hope you still use this forum!

    • cathy_94688
      cathy_94688 Ale16

      Posted

      Hi Ale

      Tnx for responding to me. I appriciate your help and information. I wish I was brave like you to do the clonoscopy. I did everything expet colonoscopy. Therefore, I still don't know what's really going on inside of my colon that gives me this much of pain during Bowl movment. I'm just hoping that it's not polyp or tumor that causing the pain.

      I also don't know if the infection can cause this much of pain and sever constupation as well.

      Did the doctor explain to you about the infection and its symptomps?

      Do you have the same pain and symptomps?

      It's been two years of postponing the colonoscopy and I hope to survive beacuse idont know what is it that I'm dealing with.

      Is it the pancreas? Colon or something else. All these questions are making me crazy. And googling the symptoms freaks me more beacuse everything ends up to the big C word with Google. sad

    • deecarr62
      deecarr62

      Posted

      Have your GI check it out. Short is IBS
    • cathy_94688
      cathy_94688 deecarr62

      Posted

      The only way they'll find out its IBS or not is doing clonoscopy which I am afraid of. I went to eight different specialists and they all said the same. I should tell you that none listened to me and my concerns they just came in sat behind the computer looked at the monitor and asked me few questions and left. 😳

      With the last GI specialist I made a late hour appointment that I can talk to him longer but that didn't work too. I'm sure if I was someone famouse they would do everything just to help me.

      But when you are ordinary no one cares and treat you like a number plus they force thier way to you and if you complain or ask questions they get offended and give you the look like stop give us headache just do as we say 😒

      I changed eight doctors hoping that one will listen to me but I was wrong.

      😔

    • debbie75601
      debbie75601 cathy_94688

      Posted

      I agree. Doctors just don't seem to care anymore. Stinks when something is wrong with us, and no one listens. I saw GI Doctor today and will be having a colonoscopy and endoscopy next month. Scares me too, but better off finding out sooner, rather than too late. 
    • cathy_94688
      cathy_94688 debbie75601

      Posted

      You are brave dear. I wish I could do the same. I keep making an appointment for clonoscopy and canceling it. Just don't knife what to do to make my self to do it.

    • cathy_94688
      cathy_94688 debbie75601

      Posted

      I don't like the sedation. When I remember the anesthesia that I had for the galblader surgery and its feelings maks me shiver. They paralyzed me first and then put me to sleep. When they paralyzed me I could hear and see them all but could not talk or move at all therefore I was panicking and crying inside.
    • debbie75601
      debbie75601 cathy_94688

      Posted

      Yikes! That is frightening! I believe the sedation for these procedures is the twilight variety, not completely under
  • kl77987
    kl77987 happyalien

    Posted

    Hi All

    Had my gb removed a little over a year ago. Two weeks later had severe pain, nausea and dark urine. CT and Hida scan were negative but liver enzymes elevated. My doctor thought that I was trying to pass a stone. Pain finally subsided in a few days. The following week the severe pain was back with a vengence and also itching. Saw a specialist who did an endoscopy and said it was normal. I was on pain meds round the clock for 4 months just to be able to function. (FYI - Anyone on narcotic pain meds should take a stool softner every day as these meds cause constipation) Was referred to another specialist that gave me an Rx for Questran powder which is used to treat itching caused by a blockage in the bile ducts and it also lowers cholesterol. He told me I would know in 3 days if it works for me. Sure enough the pain and itching was gone. I now take Colestid which is a pill form and will have to take it the rest of my life. I still get occasional pain usually due to what I eat, but nothing like before. Please hang in there and don't be afraid to get a 2nd, 3rd or more opinion until you find a doctor who will help you. I have also read that if you had gallstones you most likely have liver stones. I'm planning on doing a liver flush to hopefully pass any stones I may have.

    Take Care     

    • debbie75601
      debbie75601 kl77987

      Posted

      Where was your severe pain? Any back pain and itching in back?
  • kl77987
    kl77987 happyalien

    Posted

    Upper right quadrant radiating to the back. Itching front and back, occasionally on the left   
    • debbie75601
      debbie75601 kl77987

      Posted

      Interesting, I'm having back burning pain with itching, between shoulders, don't know what this is
    • yvonne25092
      yvonne25092 kl77987

      Posted

      after 7 years of suffering with gall bladder( had gall bladder removed oct 2015, and acidreflux/gerd....i thought having it, out id be normal....not! 3mths into healing i had pain in all the sites of surgury with some pretty rough stomach aches ,itching on my back and rib and upper left backbone pain,and groin pain,after checking into alot of info i finally found relief,on wed istarted taking probiotics 70 billion CFU per 2 capsules 10 strains and drinking chicory tea in 4 days i no longer have stomach pain or nausea,the itching is almost gone,no pain in ribs or shoulder blade,i am amazed i was told to do a prebiotic(chicory) and probiotic and alli can say is im totally amazed,acid /gerd u get h pylori its almost a given....i wish drs would treat for this its very common, among acid gallbladder gerd ....hope i helped someone out there!
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