Need advice! Severe pain after GB removal!

I would contact the doctor. I had an almost pain free time then it got worse, I had tests turned out to be normal, but sounds like you need to check

I did not experience that pain but I know I get severe pain when my stomach acts up. Are you taking stool softeners? Pain pills can constipate you and cause pain. It's just a thought. But I would consider getting advice from a doctor as it could be anything or nothing.

Hi KatieLouise, I would call a doctor to put your own mind at rest. As someone has also stated stool softener will most likely be needed as codiene has very constipating effects. Try not to think the worse case scenario, I know it's difficult but I am sure once you have contacted your doctor you will feel more at ease.

Good Luck.

Hi Katielouise,

​As others have said, do contact a doctor for peace of mind as you need to take care post op. It is not uncommon for people to have different degrees of pain after at times, but anything severe or unrelenting needs to be checked.

​One thing to be aware of is that codeine can cause bile duct spasms and pain to get worse following gb surgery, in some who are sensitive, so it can be better ask for alternative pain relief in case this is happening - there is info about it on line but it is not often mentioned.

​Codeine does not suit me so I avoid all meds with it in. I hope you will soon feel recovered and that this is just a temporary blip for you. Take care, C

Dear best of all is contact to the dr who did ur op and do some tests like LFTs and ultra sound as soon as possible and dont think yourself the worst case. Every thing will be clear in these tests. Hope every thing will be okay.

I'd go to A&E and make sure the pain is understood at reception. If it's recovery related then you can at least get (request!) some decent pain killers. If it isn't then you should obviously be there anyway.

The sphincter issue is not the same as gallstones. It only affects bile delivery and therefore digestion... it won't be that. Chances are it's recovery rleated, but get back to us after you've found out and let us know.

Hey guys! Just an update!

So I rang my surgeon who wanted me to come in to be seen, they did an ultrasound but nothing came up. He wanted me to stay in overnight to be monitored so I've spent the night where they've given me some liquid morphine and kept an eye on me. Bloods have just been done (surprised they weren't done first thing to be fair!) but because it's a Sunday night take a while to get back apparently!

The liquid morphine has really helped and at the moment I'm in minimal pain! I doubt they'll find anything now but im glad they've kept and eye on me.

Thank you xxx

Good luck to you Katie.  Some info for you. I had my gall bladder removed two weeks ago, I had one gall stone the size of an egg!  After the laparoscopic surgery they placed a drain to monitor.  At a follow up 4 days after the procedure I ndicated to the Dr that the drain was filling with about 150-200 CC of Bile. He recommended keeping the drain in and monitor. So approximately a few days later, about a week after the surgery I started getting debilitating pain in my right side lasting 15-20 minutes at a time. Saw the Dr and he assessed that there was a bile leak and that had to be corrected with an ERCP and a stent placed.  I had the procedure this past Thursday with of course the drain remaining.  The drain no longer yields any bile or amount. The last few days the drain has yielded less than 5 CC in a 24 hr period.  The pain has ceased and beginning to finally feel better.  I still feel indigestion on a intermittent basis but know I will have to eat differently.  All I can say to you is ask your provider as many questions as possible. If any future procedures need to be done, ask why and what are complications.  In time things will get better. The best thing we can do is stay educated in our health and follow what your providers recommend.  Good Luck and get Better!🙂

Hi Katie,  I had my gallbladder out 2 1/2 weeks ago, keyhole.  Everything was brilliant for the first 3 days, I was eating normally again for the first time in 3 months and was so happy. Then on the 4th morning early on I got woken by this horrendous pain right in the middle where the ribs meet all the way through to my back that wouldn't go. I was thinking this was the gas pain that everyone talks about. It lasted about and hour and a half.  This happened nearly every morning between 4 and 6 in the morning for a week until last Tuesday when i got woken up at 0145 having a full on what I would have called a gallbladder attack if I still had one. Called an ambulance as my husband was away and was only here with my son.  It took a lot of drugs to settle me in A&E and only IV morphine helped in the end.  I ended up spending a whole week in hospital, having every test under the sun being done.  I had an ultrasound scan, CT scan and an MRI MRCP scan, all showed absolutely nothing.  The only thing that was wrong was my liver function blood tests were abnormal. I finally got to speak to a Gastroenterologist yesterday (I'd been under the Surgical team until then because I'd had surgery only 10 days prior to going into A&E and they were sure it was something to do with my operation) He said that my symptoms were consistent with a stone being left behind after the surgery in my bile duct.  The only way surgically to remove it is to do an ERCP (which is camera down the throat) but he doesn't want to do that as it is high risk for getting pancreatitis after, which is potentially life threatening! So now I've been sent home to see if it will settle and the stone will pass on its own.  I've done tonnes of research and found that pure fresh apple juice is meant to soften the stones so they pass without being painful.  So I've started drinking that today.  There is also something called Chacra Piedra (which is Spanish for stone breaker). There's tonnes of people on forums like this who swear by it.  It's meant to dilate the bile ducts and increase bile production to shift any stones out. So I will try that after I've been taking apple juice for a couple of weeks. I'll repost on here and let you know how I get on.  If you're in that severe pain where you can't cope, just get yourself to A&E. It will probably mean a hospital admission but at least you will be given all the scans and blood tests you need to see if they can find out what's going on.  I really feel for you because it sounds like we're both suffereing the same.  What I have noticed is, everytime I get woken up with this pain I am always laying on my left side.  So when I got into hospital I slept all night every night on my right side.  Then a couple of nights ago I tested it while I was still in hospital (just in case I needed medical help!) and fell asleep on my left side, sure enough I got woken up with that terrible pain starting! I quickly turned myself over to the other side and it stopped.  In my head what must be happening is, I have a stone that is very close to a bile duct opening and when I lay on my left side gravity makes the stone move just enough to block the bile duct. So sleeping on my right side keeps the stone away from blocking the duct. Anyway, I hope you get some answeres.  Don't suffer in silence.  The best thing you can do is get yourself to A&E, you're not over reacting. The pain is like nothing else on earth. I've had 3 babies and it's worse than labour! At least if you get to hospital you'll get the tests you need to see what is going on.  As soon as you mention you've had surgery recently they will be very attentive and concerned.  Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Take care,

Bev x