Nausea 12 weeks after gallbladder removal

Gena, hang in there. I think what you are feeling is normal and I am abnormal at 19 months. I went for acupuncture today and and am hoping for success.

You will get better, it just takes time.

How did the acupuncture go? Was it of any help?

Hi Michelle,

I had my Gall bladder removed August 2016.

My gall bladder operation was  Gall Bladder Empyema (reference to discharge letter) .

I was discharged one day afer key hole surgery.

I also had a drain for 24hours.

My recovery has been slow with the dreaded diarrohea and nausea,  but on advice of a friend I have been taking Probiotics every day. This has helped me.

I still follow  a very low fat diet but can have an upset stomach if I try to  eat chocolate or if I become stressed for any reason.

I also had problems with my eyes and ironically my teeth.

This has now settled down.  The other problems I have had is that my white cell count is still low. I will be having another blood test next week to see if it has returned to normal.I was told at the time of the operation it would take a full year to recover so that is what I am telling myself! I do feel better but do pace myself, I am retired and in my mid sixties.

Any further questions please ask.

Michelle, thank you for the right words "car sickness". I have been trying to describe this nausea for several years and never have been able to find the right words.

No, I have not had any trouble with vision, but you are still recovering.

Take care.

Yes I vomited bile on many occasions particularly first thing in the morning. It will settle down. It will take time but I know lots of people who had this and it did settle down for most within three to six months but for others like myself it took longer. I'm so sorry your suffering. I wish we were told prior to the surgery about these side effects. My son was four at the time and it was hard on him. Your very young to have had your gallbladder removed. By any chance have you been on birth control or any hormone meds prior to your surgery. I believe there is an increase in women in their twenties and thirties having gallbladder problems linked to taking birth control products. I know it's listed as a possible side effect. You will get better. Just stay positive. X

I've been reading your posts and your experience are just like mine. Prior to surgery I had gastritis and bile in stomach on endo. My gb did have stones but had 10% hida and surgeon said it looked diseased. I had a baby one year ago and I got the 3 yr bc implant put in right after. When my baby was 10 m I started getting nausea and horrible burning in my chest that never went away. It has been 10 weeks since my surgery. I had 2 weeks of no nausea and then the last 4 days I have had it horrible in the am better at night. You are so encouraging and have given me hope! Did you ever get told you have bile reflux? I still don't understand how I could have had bile in my stomach prior to removal. My mom is going threw cancer at the same time so I have no help with my kids! I keep having panic attacks but I'm treating it with Ativan. Which I know will be hell coming off of since I'm a RN. Since I have gastritis do you think I should stay on the dexilant? Did your consultant say what makes it settle with time?

Oh you poor thing. I'm not a doctor but suspect your implant may be the root of your problems. I also developed anxiety from the vomiting and my consultant put me on Xanax and some other drug which I stopped after a few weeks. I take high dose b complex and vitamin b 6 which I find fantastic. I had a scope prior to my gallbladder surgery and was told I had gastritis and Barrets and put on nexium but I stopped that a few months after the surgery. I decided to go down the alternative road as the doctors were doing nothing for me but prescribing more and more meds which weren't helping and only adding to my problems and I wanted to get to the root of my problems which in my case was a hormone imbalance. I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. I hope she will be ok. You have to do what you feel is right for you. I know a woman who was the same age as you and she had 3 small children and was violently sick for a long time after her surgery. She did recover fully. The reason it takes time is because the liver has to now take on the function of the gallbladder. It takes the liver time to adjust. Take care xx

Would you be willing to talk to me on the phone? I'm a mess I'm so worried and your so knowledgeable! I can email you my number

My heart goes out to you.  It's so important to stay positive and so hard to do. This forum has been a huge help to me.

Thank you! I can't belie your have gone through this so long! Do you never have good days? Are you able to eat with your nausea?

Yes, I do have good days from time to time. I had two weeks several months ago. I usually have 3 to 4 good days a month, and not usually together. I have noticed that what ever this is, it has changed in character over time. It's really hard to describe. The nausea is mostly in my throat which always seems full. Sometimes I have a stomach ache.

On a positive note, when I look back over the past year, I must admit that I am better. There was a time that I couldn't get out of the bed because I felt so sick. I couldn't eat and lost from around 138 to 113.  I went into the hospital with dehydration. While there I started taking something to stimulate my apetite. That was about 8 months ago. I now weigh about 129 and can eat even though I feel bad. I don't eat a lot at one time and try to keep it tasty but bland.

While I am grateful that I am better, I am far from where I want to be. At least I can get dressed and go to the grocery store, although I don't enjoy it. 

I had another acupuncture treatment today. This is only the second time, so I'll let you know how it goes. Massage therapy has helped and so has meditation. These are all recent in the last three weks. I couldn't have done any of these things 8 months ago.Since these three things involve relaxation, I wonder if that has something to do with feeling a little better.

If any thing good can come out of this, it is that I will be more understanding and empathetic for others who are sick. I have always been healthy, and this has been a humbling experience.

I know you have young children, so this is even more dificult for you. I hope you have a good support system; I did and still do, and it can help so much.

My recovery has been atypical. You are young and will probably recover much more quickly than I. I also had 2 good months after GB surgery before the nausea began. (Had nausea prior to the surgery too)

Yesterday I was able to travel and be with family for the birth of our 6th grandchild. I couldn't have done that a few months ago. It has been difficult to be positive, but you just have to, This will pass for you and for me.

 

Please keep me posted on your recovery, and I will let you know how acupuncture and the other natural approaches are working. 

Once again, thanks to all who shared on this forum. It has helped me so much. And a special thanks to AceJohnston who has continued to be so encouraging. Ace, I hope you are 100% recovered.  

 

Thank you Nancy for the encouragement! I feel so nauseas I don't want to get out of bed and I hate that for my 3yr old and 1yr old. They need their mom to be healthy. I never knew this could happen after gallbladder surgery and I'm a RN. This has completely changed me with the anxiety and fear of not getting well. I do have friends and family I can talk to but my husband works long hours everyday so I'm left here with the kids alone most days. My mom is my support but she is going through chemo and can't be around the kids because they have been sick with some sort of illness since she started ( runny nose, cough) The Drs keep telling me it will go with time but can't say how long. I've lost 30lbs and am down to 115lb. Most days I drink ensure and a banana, at night sometimes I can eat a meal. It's been over 2 months since my surgery so I must continue to wait for this nausea to go away. I started a bile binder last night. Haven't been able to tell much of a difference this am tho. I'm stopping the dexilant and continuing to take the carafate and Ativan. I have a good friend who went through this when she was 20 and it took her 6 months to be back to herself she got down to 88lbs. Her grandma also had it and they thought it was going to kill her, she recovered after a little more than a year. I did have bile in my stomach during a endoscopy so I worry that I will have chronic gastritis due to this but my dr saId eventually my liver will settle down and not produce so much bile so I'm still hopeful of that! Hearing the success stories are the most helpful to me right now. I pray that we both get well!

Casey, I have been down the Ensure and banana route. I tried to have at least three Ensures a day to get the nutrients, but five would have been better. I tried to eat some real food but just couldn't. My inability to eat caused me a lot of problems. I got so weak, I couldn't even write my name. 

It was then that I went into the hospital. While there the doctor prescribed Carafate suspension, Welchol and Remeron (not sure about spelling) Remeron at 15 ml is for appitite and sleep. It's also for depression and anxiety.  My appetite improved greatly, and I gained weight along with becoming less anxious. I should have done something like this a lot sooner so I would not have gotten in such bad shape. I couldn't even drink the Ensure like I needed to do. So please make sure you are getting the all the nutrients you need. As per my doctor, you can do it with ensure as long as you drink enough of them in a day. My doctor wanted me to drink three a day of the 350 calories and then eat as much as I could, but I was so sick I just couldn't do it. Looking back, I think I made my situation a lot worse because I wasn't getting the nutrition my body needed. 

I have no doubt that you will recover and be back to your old self.  I know it seems like such a long time, but compared to others on this forum, it may not be. Just know that this is a temporary condition and will be gone soon.

 

I'm crying writing this! I was eating good for 2 weeks and now I'm back to gagging at food! I can tell I'm getting weaker just this week. I tried Remeron before but got switched to something else and it made me worse. Maybe I need to go back to remeron. I just had my 3 yr birth control implant taken out the day before the nausea came back and I'm hoping that I'm just having side effects of that. Thank you for keeping me positive! I can't even get out of bed today without getting dizzy. I usually don't have diarrhea and I have had it all morning so I know it's contributing to how bad I feel today! Do your Drs tell you that it will go with time?

Hi Casey, I'm so sorry you're having a bad day! Yesterdaay was like that for me. I couldn't get off the couch I was so nauseous, and I couldn't move my head. It makes me so frustrated because I have a 12 year old, and I run a business and I just don't want to be sick anymore! I tried Remeron and it made me really sick. Bummer that your new med isn't working. Today I feel less nauseous (so far) but the diarreah has been bad -- I've only had a cup of cream of wheat this morning. This is definitely not the diet I wanted! My doctor said 6-8 weeks for the diarreah, but then gave me a med to take that constipates you a little so that you don't have to have the diarreah - he said, "Yeah, you don't need to live that way after 8 weeks". It's called cholestyramine. I haven't tried it yet, because I'm only 5 1/2 weeks out, and I wanted to give it the 8, but maybe check into something like that?

You guys have all been such a relief, because I seriously thought there was something really wrong with me. I've had surgeries before, and never had side effects like this!

That is the med I took last night and woke up this am with diarrhea so I don't know if it had an opposite effect on me? The nausea is horrible and not being able to eat makes you so weak! Before the dexilant and carafate were helping me but then after I got my implant removed the nausea came back! I will try the cholestramine again tonight and see if it helps but seems like it made me worse today

Oh no! Thanks for telling me that! I might think twice before trying it. Someone else on this board mentioned hormonal difficulties being part of this, and I am on HRT, taking estrogen twice a day, but I'm sure the levels aren't quite right. Maybe having your implant removed changed your hormone levels too?

Yah I'm sure having such a strong bc getting removed has to shock the body. I'm hoping I get better again soon! I think most get better in 6 months! The gi dr I saw in Dallas said she believes I'll be better by then but it can take longer for some people.

Have you ever had a gastric emptying test?

I've shed a few today too.  Yes, they say that it takes longer for some than others. Casey, I am better but not satisfied. I want to be 100% feeling good without any anxiety or depression. My husband hiked today, but there was no way I could do that. Right now I don't feel nausated, just don't feel good. If I had to, I could get in the car and visit a friend; just don't feel good enough to want to do that. Still as bad as I feel, I have come a long way since July, so this is progress. I think you will progress faster as you are so much younger. 

I have found that different meds effect people differently. In the beginning I was prescribed Amitriptline to relax my esophagus.  It was great for two days and then it stopped working, and I was nervous and shaking; had to stop taking it,  I just tried a lower doseage a few days ago and the same thing happened except no two good days.  A friend of mine took this and had good results.

Here is how my day has gone; got up about 9 not feeling good with some stomach discomfort, showered, dressed and went into town with my husband. I stayed in the car while he did errands. We had lunch, and I ate very little. I asked for a box to take my left over pasta home so we could have it for dinner. Still feeling poorly, I absentmindedly left it on the table.

Came home and got in the bed for the rest of the afternoon. I am still there, but feeling some better as it is now evening.

I started getting better when I started eating again, so please try to eat anything you can. I did banana smoothies in my vitamix.  Have you asked your docter about prescribing something to enhance your appetite? Remeron might not be for you, but there is something that is.

One other thing; does anyone feel better in the car? A long drive seems to have a soothing effect for me.

I am going back to acupuncture next week and will keep you posted.

In the meantime, if anyone out there has had a complete recovery, please let us know how you did it ane how long it took you.

  

 

Casey I'm so sorry your having such a rough time. I'm glad to hear you've had the birth control device removed. That will certainly help your liver in the long term. Start taking high strength b complex minimum 50mg. I take this and also 50mg of b6 which is a fantastic supplement too. You may need to take vitex to help balance your hormones at some point. Also b6 is great for nausea! I forgot to say that in my other post. Take a good organic multivitamin too with vitamin d, magnesium and vitamin c and zinc which is very important for hormones. Avoid dairy in particular as it can increase estrogen. Also ginger tea really helps along with acupressure bands. I would recommend having your hormones tested at some point but would recommend saliva test over a whole cycle. I found that really helped to diagnose my problem. Also raising the head of your bed at night if you have bad nausea at night. I also had dreadful insomnia which I had before the surgery and I find the b complex and b6 helps that and I can sleep all night now. I also use essential oils with vitex and wild yam which help. My daughter is 25 and went on birth control 6 years ago. She developed bad anxiety and awful fear and headaches and insomnia and joint and muscle pain just after I had my gallbladder removed 2 years ago but had been complaining on and off for about 18 months. She went to the doctor and was told it was anxiety and was put on Prozac. She didn't improve and we went back to the doctor and I asked could it be her birth control, Turns out she had really high blood pressure and she had to go to hospital. They told her to stop the birth control and thankfully her blood pressure eventually came back to normal within a few months. She also now has a hormone imbalance from birth control but she's working with a nutritionalist to fix it and is feeling a lot better. Eat organic food were possible which will help your liver. It's early days but you will recover and will get back to your life soon. I missed out on over a year of my sons life but now I can do all the things I used to with him. Take care and keep positive. Xx

Casey, I have answered this post but don't see it now. I am having a few problems with the site.

Yes, I have had the gastric emptying test several times and every other gastric test several times. All was normal except some reflux and bile.

How long did you take Dexilant and how did you come off it?

My test was normal too I had 90% emptying at 4 hours so they said that was normal. They did find bile in my stomach with mild gastritis on a endoscopy prior to my removal. On Jan 11 I went to a top gi dr on Dallas and she told me that if I had bile reflux before then she is sure I have it now and thinks that's where my problems are coming from but she thinks it will settle down in several months. If it doesn't settle you can have chronic gastritis due to the bile reflux and there is a surgery to fix that but I pray it goes before it comes to that! She said dexilant for a month and yesterday was a month so I didn't take it! I felt way worse so I started again today. The last two days I have had non stop diarrhea and throwing up so my gp thinks I have a bug. I don't know if that is true or I'm getting worse. 4 days after I started the dexilant and carafate I had no nausea and was eating what I wanted for 2 weeks and then it came back for some unknown reason.

You may have a bug. Don't know how it is there, but where I am, the flu is going around.

I took dexilant about 5 months after my gb came out to take care of a peptic ulcer. Sometimes you have come off ppi slowly or it can cause you to be sick. That might be only if you have taken them a long time.

Please continue to let me know how you are doing and if you find the silver bullet. I can not imagine how hard this must be for you with two little children.

The last 2 weeks have been very hard on me! I have been vomiting and diarrhea off and on and have kept very little food down! I don't know why things have gotten worse, I threw up lettuce this morning at 6am and I had ate a salad at lunch the day before! I had a gastric emptying test that was normal so I don't know why the lettuce didn't leave my stomach in 16 hrs! I'm so scared! I called the dr today and she said that she thinks it's just my body not adjusting well and that's it's not normal but should get better with time! I'm praying this is so for my children's sake. At this point I can't leave the house due to the diarrhea. I am going to start taking the binding powder tonight as she requested. She said if I'm not having any improvement in 2 months that they will run some more tests but it will be looking for a "zebra" because she believes I'm just having a hard time adjusting

Oh Casey! I'm so sorry you're feeling miserable and scared right now. This has certainly taken a toll on people. It surprises me that there isn't more out there about these type of side effects, especially since a google search turns up lots of similar stories. Sometimes it does feel that doctors sort of turn off their hearing when someone is describing an abnormal response to this surgery.

My dr is very nice and she listens to me very well but she feels like I've already had all the normal tests ran that would find anything wrong so we just have to see if it goes in time which is what my gp tells me too and I trust her very much as well she gave me her number and we text often. I don't feel like I'm getting over looked but I do feel like it is more common than anyone makes it seem! Especially from what my surgeon made it seem! I live in a small town and I know 2 people in this town that had this for 6m and one a year. My initial gi dr said that it wasn't from surgery it was anxiety!!!!😳😳it's frightening that these are the Drs people are seeing! I'm very glad I got referred to a much better gi in Dallas even though it's a bit of a drive. I do believe that having my birth control implant taken out has had some effect on me because that's when the vomiting and diarrhea started. That's been 2 weeks so I hope my hormones will finally normalize after having that implant for a year. How are you feeling? Better I hope

Am so sorry I'm only getting to read my mails now. You are not going crazy and it is not in your head!! I was told the same thing and my Surgeon who I've known and trusted for over 20 years told me it was anxiety after all the tests came back ok except for some bile in my stomach. They got a psychiatrist to see me in the hospital and it was the best thing that happened! She went crazy and told me there was nothing wrong with me and that have vomiting and diarrhea constantly and getting no answers or help was totally wrong. She caused havoc in the hospital and that's when the top gastro doc here in Ireland came to see me and he told me it was a side effect of the gallbladder removal!! My primary care doctor also had patients that had similar and it took some 6 months and some a year to recover. Please try psyllium husk powder for the diarrhea. I tried the binders and the powder one in particular made me sicker. I think psyllium husk is Metamucil in the USA. Try and get one that's sugar free. Also salads are a no no in thf first few weeks or months after surgery. Anything that's hard to digest or break down like salads and broccoli and fatty foods should be avoided for now. Some hospitals give a diet sheet on discharge. Ginger nut biscuits and ginger tea can help the nausea. Also eat little and often. You will get better it's just going to take time. Big hugs to you xx

How are you you doing? Still have the nausea?

Rather than use the word nausea, I think a better description would be "just feel sick". It's bad enough to make me want to be in bed with no energy to do anything. It has been over 19 months since the GB came out, and things weren't good before that. On the plus side, it's better than it was when I couldn't stand up or write my name.

I am so pleased to hear that you are better. It looks like you are on the mend, and are able to take care of your family. I don't know what I would have done if I had small children at home. I do hope your Mother has responded well to treatments. There is no substitute for your Mother when you are sick. I have shed many a tear and wished for my Mother through all of this.

Casey, take care and keep doing what you have been doing; it seems to be working. What do you think has helped you the most?  

I'm not well again, all this week I have been up at 4 am vomiting or dry heaving. Can barely keep ensure down. At night I can sometimes eat a small meal. I have good days and then the bad always come back with a vengeance. I don't know when this will go or if it ever will, I'm so distraught. I'm only 29 and I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old! I'm supposed to be healthy enough to care for them! I made cereal for them this am and it made me vomit. The only thing that helps with the nausea is a small dose of Ativan. It's an addicting drug but that's what they gave my mom for chemo nausea and it does work. It makes you have no memory though. But if I take it I can eat something and keep myself out of the hospItal

i am having very similar symptoms as you but just noticed you feel calmer in the car, strange it is the same for me.   Stopping then having to get out of car isnt so soothing  what is this all about?