Life after gallbladder removal....

Posted , 155 users are following.

Hi,

I had my gallbladder removed 7 weeks ago, due to my gallbladder not working correctly. Although the op was laparscopic I was in so much pain I had to have an epidural. Anyway ever since the op I have been in pain, felt really sick and cannot eat!. I get excruciating pain up to an hour after food. Also if I lie down in the same position for too long and stand up that brings on the pain too. I have also found that I keep getting a bile taste in my mouth, excessive sweating and fatigue. I also generally feel 'under the weather' at least once a day if not more! After several visits to the hospital and clear test results they think I have SOD - a problem with the bile duct which may require a stent. Has anyone else had these problems after gallbladder removal and had a successful outcome? My life is a complete mess and I cant do anything apart from take pills, sleep and eat creamy food .. everything else hurts!

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  • Posted

    These had to come out, they were killing me. I was having constant pain. And if I even looked at something "Fatty" I would experience the most excruciating abdoninal pain which lasted for hours. Not to mention all the diarreah that would come on suddenly without any warning. Two years of this just wore me down physically and mentally.
  • Posted

    i was recently found with gallstones and scheduled for an operation next month.i have been doing some research on the situation and the side effects of surgery. now having read the comments what would be the best solution to treating the gallstones if surgery is not recommended. Trex please give options since you are against surgery
  • Posted

    hi i thought i was going mad til i found this site. after 2 years of various medical tests, cameras in and up various places, scans etc to find out why im in sevier pain and am sick when i eat, they gave me a radiation type scan and found out my gall bladder didnt work properly. now ive been in and out of hospital in severe pain and because tests came back normal i felt like they were treating me like it was all in my head. ive gone from a size 16 to size 10! now ive had my gall bladder with no follow up appointment and now 2 weeks later im still exactly the same. im hungry, lethargic, and feelling totaly run down. i just dont know what to do. they said it might not cure the problem but didnt say what they would do if it didnt. i have high blood pressure too and potassium levels are low which i got dissolveable tablets for. anyone out there got any help or advice pllleeeeaaaasssseeeee.
    • Posted

      I have all symptoms of a non functional gallbladder without gallstones but my labs always come back clear had upper and lower gi plus hida scan and my gi Dr said I need to have surgery however did find I also have a massive ulcer as well as horrible acid reflux I've lost 40lbs in 25 days and live on zofran and  phinigan for neausa since I can barely keep water and protein shakes down plus protonix and carafax for the ulcer and zantac since adding the carafax I can somewhat eat maybe 5 tablespoons in a sitting but hurts so bad no matter what it is I'm at a loss the hospitals out here say it's not my gallbladder but gi says it is and surgeons refusing to touch me because me insurance isn't what they prefer what should or can I do  I'm in the exact same boat been to 5 hospitals and er's one Dr said it's n pi t my gallbladder but has no explanation and basically kicked me out because the morphine they wanted to keep doping me with doesnt help 
    • Posted

      Maybe it is psychosomatic, and in that case, were you referred to a counselor that specializes in this area? Check for h. pylori done? 

      Get a second , third or fourth opinion. keep it business like and ask how they have determined their dx.Why was your gall b not removed? 

      Always keep a written list of meds, hosp visits and Md visits, onset, what couses it to get worse, with you.

      Then request medical record of visit. good luck

    • Posted

      Not to my knowledge finally got my gallbladder removed which helped some but still not able to eat much and have alot of burning and immense pain when i eat anything but broth and crackers i see my gi dr next week hopefully they do the hp bilori test 
  • Posted

    Here is my experience only do not follow me.

    I had surgery 2 yrs back and facing the same issues. This is because of stuck bile liquid in liver.

    I found a solution for my pain or send out the liquid and it works great.

    Solution: Exercise (Jogging, running and abdomen exercise) for 45 mins. Meaning the liver stuck bile liquid and I need to send it out. 

    When I  do the exercise and while the liquid going out from my  live I burp a lot .

    Every day I can see the bile liquid in my “2” (rest room/poop), if I do not see the bile liquid in my 2 meaning the liquid not came out and I feel little pain, if I do not see the liquid for few days then the pain increase day by day.

    Finally I am doing the exercise (bare minimum abdomen exercise) and sending out the liquid and escaping from the cancer.

    Thanks,

    Venkat

  • Posted

    I had the surgery also and had a lot of the same problems. After reading tons of stories all the same I kept reading. The side Effects of Norco. The pain medicine they gave me after surgery include most if not all of the symptoms described in the stories I read. So I stopped taking them and started taking over the counter pain meds and two days later...all better. No more dizzy, sob, abdominal pain, vomiting/nausea, involuntary deep breath, or upset stomach. Thought I'd share just in case 
  • Posted

    Hi,

    I have just come across your thread on the internet and was wondering if you have an update on your progress ?

    I have been suffering with pain after eating for 3 years now and all my test results come back as normal (apart from inflammation of my stomach lining).  I have been prescribed so many meds that don't seem to working.  All my GP wants to do is mask the pain with either Tramadol or Co-Codamol !

    I have recently been told I have an enlarged gall bladder by one doctor, but an ultrasound scan revealed it to be small and constracted. No stones or sand were present.

    I am currently awaiting an appointment to see a specialist who I have seen before at Leicester Hospital and my GP has told me he will more than likey remove my GB.

    After reading your problems after your removal, this doesn't fill me with confidence that it will fix my problem ...

    Any advice or help would be very much appreciated !! smile

  • Posted

    I am curious about after the surgery. They did put in a stent and the process sucks. I guess my question is, "How long should the stent stay in?". My surgen said 6-8 weeks. I have had trouble getting my insurance worked out so it has been longer than 8 weeks. what type of complications could occur if it stays in? If anyone has a respnse, that would be awesome.
  • Posted

    Hi 

    As I'm searching the Web for gallbladder information I come across this message board and to my surprise I see myself in a lot of comments here. I recently received an ultrasound due to experience pain and problems after eating certain things, we'll the results indicate I have gallstones and have been referred to a surgeon for consideration of my gallbladder being removed.  My doctors office state's "this isn't something your going to pass" nevertheless I have been searching for information on options besides removal of my gallbladder and or complications of having it removed and so far the current problem out weight the procedure. 

    Oh and just to add I have had a vitamin D deficiency. I have been taking vitamin D for a few months but I get from my doctors office after being prescribed 50,000.00 iu; Yelp I said it right 50,000.00. I know take 10,000.00. 

    You all have given me a lot to consider and have added more questions to my list when I see the surgeon in November.  Thanks for sharing.  FYI if it's not a life or death recommendation, this thing is staying right here and I'm changing what I eat. I'll keep you posted.  

    • Posted

      I would opt for gallbladder removal I suffered 16 months of pain and I was terrified of having sugery but I feel so much better now not worrying that pain is going to come back honestly have it done it will change your life you can live without it my mum had hers removed almost 40 years ago and has never regretted it good luck
  • Posted

    I have all symptoms of a non functional gallbladder without gallstones but my labs always come back clear had upper and lower gi plus hida scan and my gi Dr said I need to have surgery however did find I also have a massive ulcer as well as horrible acid reflux I've lost 40lbs in 25 days and live on zofran and  phinigan for neausa since I can barely keep water and protein shakes down plus protonix and carafax for the ulcer and zantac since adding the carafax I can somewhat eat maybe 5 tablespoons in a sitting but hurts so bad no matter what it is I'm at a loss the hospitals out here say it's not my gallbladder but gi says it is and surgeons refusing to touch me because me insurance isn't what they prefer what should or can I do  

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