My life is a nightmare since GB surgery

Hang in there, you’re not alone.  MDs now call this collection of symptoms  Postcholecystectomy Syndrome (read the wiki page). The younger you have the surgery, and if you’re female the greater your chances are to develop it (3x). An average of 10-14% will develop some or all of the  symptoms post-op.

I will share what my doctors did, what WORKED and what didn’t next. (Sorry for the length in advance). 

I had my surgery in 2000 , before they knew all these symptoms were related (and real) and suffered 3 years. I had  diarrhea , constipation , stomach acid (now know it’s stomach bile), stomach & GI pains, burning throat, hiatal hernia, coughing at night, severe weight loss (looked like a famine victim) and unable to gain weight. 

Healing was slow , to solve the middle and lower stomach pains, GI tract pains, constipation, diarrhea: 

-no dairy 2 months (didn’t solve it)

-no fatty foods 2 months (didn’t solve it)

-no dairy or fat 2 months (didn’t solve it)

-an antidepressant for 3-6 months while avoiding dairy and fat. IT WORKED! The doctor had seen this post-op symptom before and had success with a short term antidepressant when diet alone didn’t resolve it. His logic was the GI tract gets stressed-out/anxious trying to function without the necessary gallbladder, and so to help the muscles  and GI tract relax and eat a minimally taxing diet while it heals and finds a new way to process your food.  It worked in 4 months, but stayed with it for 6 months. 

= follow up see last Paragraph

Healing was slower for the hiatal hernia, bile/acid reflux, coughing, upper stomach pains: 

-acid heartburn purple pill 18 months (didn’t help at all because it actually is liver/pancreas bile not stomach acid causing the burn)

-cough suppressant pill because the doc thought I had psychosomatic coughing - jerk (didn’t help at all) 

-sleeping with 4-5 pillows to raise my head ( helped reduce night time burn/cough, but didn’t heal it)

- not eating 4 hours before bed (helped reduce bile reflux experienced at night as food in the stomach has been processed)

-minimized greasy, heavy, rich, sugary, fatty foods, and alcohol (reduced bile reflux and stomach pains a lot)

- 2.5 years of time HEALED the hiatal sphincter (muscle at the top of the stomach that keeps acid and bile from going up the throat) and the coughing and burning stopped.

Summary I believe the hiatal  muscle gets stretched out when the surgeon over inflates the stomach cavity during the operation to make it easier to perform. Which means a smaller younger female would get over inflated the most. The bile, liver, pancreas, GI tract may also be a casualty of over inflating during kathriscooic surgery as this syndrome does not happen with tradition surgery when they cut open the body.  

The  Follow-Up 2018 - I’m feeling good and regular (ha ha).  Ice ceam and cheese are once a month instead of daily, and deep fried foods are always avoided.  Gained weight and returned to a healthy size after 18 months with weights and exercise.

Because it is the pancreas/liver bile  causing the upper stomach pains and reflux I am kind to my pancreas and liver, which I now call my  “party” organs. They process sugar, fat and alcohol so I try to minimize all three.  I want a long and healthy pain free life,  and I will need a happy liver and pancreas to succeed without a gallbladder.  The End 

Hi Leni,

I know its been awhile since you posted but wanted to ask if you are better? I am experiencing something similar after gallbladder removal. Hope you are better now!

I WORKED WITH Dr PRIEST by phone at LIFEWORKS In KANSAS CITY. Functional Med doctor. FANTASTIC. SOLVED ALOT OF DIGESTIVE ISSUES POST GALLBLADDER REMOVAL.

You are not the ownly one who fells that way.

I hade my galbladder revomoved in augest 28 2018 didnot help anything just aid other problum that is treatable and i keep on going to doctor they deney that they caused this prouble.

I did not have this problume befor galblader surgary. I am about to loss my housing and indepence because of this. I Did not have pain befor galbladder surgary now i have it alot.

I wish i did not get my galblader. however in your cause you may want to talk to gastor intorolgist becease you may have i hital hernia. i had one of thouse in the past and that is treatable.

Beta Plus by BIOTICS is incredibly heloful. I was on PPIs and they made be horribly nauseaus. Turns out my HcL was too LOW not too high so I now take (after a slow wean of PpIS)

1-2 BETA PLUS with any meals with fat

3 HcL per meal

i wish someone had told me what to take 3 yrs ago. HOPE THIS HELPS YOU THOUGH!

Not sure if your feeling any better yet, but I am 7 months post OP. I felt pretty good for a couple weeks after the surgery then started getting very acidic. Gastritis, Heartburn, acid reflux, acid sh*ts ect.... I then cut out all dairy, ANYTHING that had milk in it. I then started getting back to normal. No more heartburn, poop was back to normal. I am an advocate for doing my own research and trying different solutions. Doctors dont always have the answers and you can spend so much money on testing and still not be any closer to a diagnosis. Hope this helps, just remember dont give up!!!!!

i understand i had my gallbladder removed 6 months ago and feel no better. doctors fo nothing hospitals ignore you people dont understand. ive tried everything lansaprasole does nothing nexium bought over counter is just as bad, i visited my Gap 4 times within a month and i got fed up if hearing take gaviscon because that does nothing, apparently it gets better but i know it took my mothers work colleague 3 years i dont think theres anything you can do about it there isnt an organ there anymore so i dont think there is a magic cure just be kind and patient to yourself. i used to get angry because i couldnt do what i wanted but all you can do is do your best. i would make an appointment with a good doctor maybe one who listens x