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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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  • aldo-n
    aldo-n happyalien

    Posted

    Had my GB out in Feb after 7 months of intermittent and very painful stone attacks. Post op, I had a number of attacks. Some extreme, Surgeon thought I had a rogue stone or 2 that were effectively yo-yoing up and down by bile duct.

    I had an ERCP last week and had the end widened. Quite a bit of grit and debris were effectively flushed out in the process. My duct was also inflamed, but given I have had in excess of 20 attacks over 6 weeks, that wasn't a surprise.

    I was hoping that would be it. However, I'm now in the middle of my first gall stone attack (symptoms are identical except slightly less pain) since the ERCP. 5-6/10 pain for the last 5 hours. History shows me that I have up to 10 hours more with the potential for a 4 or 5 hour break before starting again - my record is 2 attacks a day for 4 days.

    I will be calling my surgeon tomorrow to see what he can suggest. I really cannot carry on having these episodes. I won't sleep tonight at all. I haven't been back to work since my operation and the complications. I just cannot live my life under a constant cloud of not knowing when the next attack is going to come. Sleep is not restful when you are scared about waking up in pain at any time - albeit this attack started at 7pm (2 hours after food).

    It may of course be meal specific and I therefore need a bit of trial and error over what I can and cannot eat, but doctor said it wasn't likely to be meal specific given I eat similar meals every day and generally follow a low fat diet.

  • Mel2264
    Mel2264 happyalien

    Posted

    Hi I had my gallbladder removed 5 weeks ago plus my bile duct part removed as had stones in my bowel cut in to 3 .. kept getting massive pain in bk .when I also turned over in bed.. I kept getting rushed in to hosp ever other week with sepsis.. now everything been removed I'm having pain right side just under ribs.stinging like pain when I move or walk.. its getting worse .. seeing sergeon not till June ..going to have to see my doc to see if I can get a ct scan.as they did this in the 5hr sergery. .but nothing since 8th feb 2017..getting worried. My wound still leaking with pus and was on antibiotic..will let u know what it is the pain..

    • Valray6426
      Valray6426 Mel2264

      Posted

      Mel. I am nobody but I don't think you should wait. Go to another city. Another emergency room. A university hospital. You are in sepsis constantly. Bad infection. I cannot believe they are letting this go so long. Time for the wheel to be squeaking VERY LOUDLY!!!!!

  • selphie85
    selphie85 happyalien

    Posted

    Aug 16 removed GB, mild gastritis n treated with PPI medicine for 3 months.. after the medicine finish, I start to have heartburn, and epigastric area start to have pain and sometimes shoot to back n shoulde evem make me wanna vomit. On 11 Apr 17, rush to emergency due to pain and stool hv blood. In hospital, Doctor ordered to blood tests, CT scan with contrast, MRCP scan and endoscopy. All result are normal then discharge with PPI medicine again for 2 weeks. Since discharge, the pain still follow me... Today, go back review. Doctor suspect maybe this 2. 1 is adhension and another is mini mini stones left oVer in bile duct. Doctor advise me go emergency unit when tHe pain come to worst. Then finish~ i wonder y will pain again after gb remove... I nvr hv gastric before... Was a happy n cheerful person, now keep pain... Moody
  • pamelam76535
    pamelam76535 happyalien

    Posted

    I have had same issues ....its almoat like muacke cramp but nevet goes away....and is uncomfortable when trying to get sleep....I was thinking I should go to doc its been 8 yrs and just started last 3 yrs...
  • tkotom
    tkotom happyalien

    Posted

    Had my gallbladder removed 3 years ago and the pain now in that area is worse than ever. I get a horrible twisting felling and now i,m getting burning and the pain radiates to my back. Going for an MRI this week,hopefully they get to the bottom of it,wondering if it could possibly be scar tissue??
  • Elylon
    Elylon happyalien

    Posted

    Hello, not sure if the thread is still going. I had my gallbladder out 2 and half years ago and didnt have any post op problems. Lately though I have a feeling like a baloon expanding and inflating where the GB used to be. I had this pain and discomfort before the op.

    Is anyone experiencing this type of discomfort anf how do you get rid of it?

    • BarbaraKemR
      BarbaraKemR Elylon

      Posted

      Hi Elylon

      I have had my GB out for 1.5 years now and had almost immediate pain in the area of the GB too.   My GI told me that it could be nerve issues in the area that the GB was severed from, and that is normal.  However, I also have gastritis, and I find that when my gastritis is under control, that pain goes away too.   Not sure if you have overlapping problems like this, but it is hard to distinguish the difference for me sometimes.  Like right now I have a resurgence of the gastritis and have pain where my GB was.  I am working on settling the gastritis and that usually takes care of the GB area pain.  I have had post procedure ultrasound and blood work to see if it was leftover stones or another issue.  All normal. 

    • Elylon
      Elylon BarbaraKemR

      Posted

      Hi Barbara, thanks for your reply. I do.not suffer from gastritis or similar so cannot put it down to it. The sensation i get is literally that of an inflating baloon which i got when i had gallstones and put it down to the stones blocking the biliary duct and therfore the gallbladder inflating. I have had it on and off for about a week now. It is not a pain as such but a feeling of discomfort. I must keep a diary of what i eat maybe and see if it is related to fatty foods......
    • judy13495
      judy13495 BarbaraKemR

      Posted

      I wish there were a way to post on here so that everyone could see it.   I have the same symptoms and had my gallbladder removed 15 years ago.   Recently learned that they leave the tube that was connected to your gallbladder inside you when they remove it, and that tube reacts the same as your gallbladder did.   Was prescribed Cholestyramine for Oral Suspension USP, which is a powder you mix in water and drink 2 or 3 times a day, forever!    (I had used it periodically and it helped some and then I would forget about it...I am 73...my doctor told me to stop forgetting it).   I promise it will help you.
    • kl77987
      kl77987 judy13495

      Posted

      Judy you are right on. I had awful pain after gallbladder removal. Went to doctors who ran tests and had no idea what was wrong with me. I then saw a wonderful doctor who prescribed the Cholestyramine and said I would notice a difference in a couple of days. He was right! After terrible pain every day for months, my pain was finally gone! My next refill I asked for the tablets, Colestid, which worked just as well. Both of these medications are bile salt sequesters and really worked. I no longer take take medication, I've lost weight and do not eat any fatty foods. If I do, I get a twinge of pain in the area where the gallbladder use to be. Thanks for sharing Judy

    • cil93293
      cil93293 kl77987

      Posted

      Do you have only pain under the right rib or also diareha? I have only pain right after the gallbladder removel...its a burning pain. Sometimes heavy in the night. I thought colestid is only for the diareha. Thanks
  • david5859
    david5859 happyalien

    Posted

    I had my gall bladder removed over 20 years ago, this past October I had 41 gallstones removed from bile duct. But I still have serve pain, when I eat or drink anything. WHY
  • hope4cure
    hope4cure happyalien

    Posted

    I also experienced the same issues after GB removal. The GB BREAKS DOWN FATTY food. Since it the GB as removed I hade terrible problems eating anything. In my case eating non fatty foods, no hard scaled veggies peas, green bean  etc, as they could not be broken down and was painful . I also received a enzyme prescription from my brbto help break down the foods as well as kept a journal of all the foods in my diet to identify the trigger foods. Sugar bread and fatty fried foods oils and fruits and veggies with outer casing  especupially lettuce and cabbage. This was a two year opoeriod, 

    finally yogurt and probiotics have taken a great great amount of pain away from eating foods. Now 5 years later I can eat daily, any veggies and fruits and take no enzymines. 

  • Tia0228
    Tia0228 happyalien

    Posted

    I had my Gallbladder out in January. I was in the hospital already because I fell and broke my Femur. My poor Dad had to fight with these people all day the day after my Femur / Hip surgery to get them to do anything. IThe pain  came out of the blue ans was really bad. They finally took me to get a scan and the next thing you know in comes a new doctor and says your Gallbladder needs to come out. I have been back to that surgon 3 times now and it still hurts where the Gallbladder was. He even gave me a steroid shot thinking that would stop the pain but no luck. Now I don't know what to do or who to go see to I am right there with you. If I ever find the answer I will let you know.

    • judy13495
      judy13495 Tia0228

      Posted

      Tia, please try GEMFIBROZIL TAB 600 ml OR cholestyramine for oral suspension, which is a powder you mix with water or juice.   The cholestyramine has been diagnosed long ago for diarrhea but nobody ever told me to take it every day.  My new Primary Care Physician says both these drugs are going to help.   Only been taking the Gemfibrozil for 5 days, but hopeful it is going to help.   In a great deal of pain right now.   I will let you know how it works.   It can't hurt.  Many, many scopes and MRI's over 15 years have provided ZERO help from gastro specialists!!

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