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pain never went away after gallbladder removal-4 years of same pain

Posted , 5 users are following.

brit33918
brit33918

I was 20 when I started having episodes of sharp pain in my stomach. It has always been the same sharp, breathtaking pain in the same spot on the right side of my abdomen. I'm now turning 24, and still suffer from this around the clock-day and night. I've had every test done, from bloodwork to stool samples. Every procedure done, from colonoscopy and endoscopy to laparoscopic surgeries. I've seen every type of Doctor. When I was 20 I waited almost 6 months until we did ultrasounds and scans. We discovered my gallbladder was hyperkinetic, pushing at 94%. They said this was the cause of my pain. They booked me a laparoscopic surgery to remove it. There were no stones, it was scarred, and the bile duct walls were so thick that bile wasn't actually able to get pushed out. They said this is what caused the pain. It was 4 weeks post op and I had the exact same pain, in the exact same spot flare up. We did all these tests and procedures ruling out intestinal diseases. Then the surgeons sent me to a GI specialist. I've tried every medication out there. The GI claimed it was IBS, I don't doubt that I have IBS after the removal of my gallbladder. I have most of the unpleasant symptoms associated with ibs. I now take Librax to settle my stomach in emergency situations for the ibs. However nothing has ever stopped the same sharp pain in my stomach. Slowing down my intestinal tract has never eased the pain. It never changes, it feels like I have a shard of glass on my stomach. I can feel the pain coming, it starts out feeling like a balloon is swelling up then squeezing the air out causing the sharp stabbing pain. I've had trigger point injections done which did nothing to relieve the pain, non-narcotic pain patches that didn't penetrate deep enough to reach the pain, and dozens of medications. I had scans, procedures, and lab work done again. Nothing showed up wrong with any organs or anything. I was sent back to the same surgeon for exploratory laparoscopic surgery. They didn't see anything wrong but removed my appendix just to be safe. I had been put on narcotic pain medicine so many times and had a hard time woth withdrawal symptoms that I opted to only take them for 3 days this time after surgery. . It was 3 days post op when the same pain came back, right when I stopped the medication. Doctor just keep bouncing me around. I got referred to Mayo clinic in Minnesota but they said they wouldn't take me because all the local procedures I had done would have been the same thing they'd do. I'm beyond miserable. I think they missed something small, that my gallbladder definitely needed to be removed but it was not the cause of pain to begin with. All my other organs are fine. Has anyone else been through this? Have you found the source of pain? Any treatment that works? I'm so desperate for relief.

2 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • sally14335
    sally14335 brit33918

    Posted

    You bet!  I know pretty much all this you have been going through.  I have had many of the same tests, have a fine gastroentologist I trust.  Thus far they have no answers.  Yesterday, as I was getting ready for church, the same pain hit me - both barrels - and we stayed home.  The pain persisted all day, into the evening until finally, the only thing I could swallow was water.  Eating even one mouthful of simple food, such as crackers would start the pain again.  Bentyl is the only thing I have for the pain.  This morning the pain is gone.  I am sore on the right side, just below the rib cage.  Have no gallbladder, no appendix, no female problem could exist, have been checked for everything.  I am frustrated as is the doctor.  My husband suggests it is fibromyalgia which I've had for years.  Hope you find answers.  I know how this goes.  Keep trying.

     

    • brit33918
      brit33918 sally14335

      Posted

      I've also tried bentyl and other antispasmodics. I didn't like the bloating they gave me but finally got put on Librax and that gives me some relief with the tummy issues I have. It will give me anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to get to a bathroom when my stomach spazzes out but I've never been able to get pain relief from antispasmodic medication. My stomach issues with the ibs doesn't seem to correlate with the stomach pain. I've tried so many different diets, medications, procedures, and stupid surgeries that have left me with no relief. I feel like I just exist and cannot actually live a productive life. Maybe this will be the year they figure it out and fix me. I'll update with anything that could be helpful for you. Thank you for commenting, I appreciate it so much.
  • cpldjski
    cpldjski brit33918

    Posted

    Have you heard of Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction? I had my gallbladder removed in 2004 and after that I would have what I considered to be the same pain a handful of times a year, usually when I was really hungry. Then in November 2014 it came back and stayed for about two months. It went away and returned in May 2015 and then again in November 2015. I have had every test known to man and they couldn't find anything until I was diagnosed with SOD, type 3. There are three variations of it, types 1 and 2 typically have abnormal lab results along with the pain. Type 3 presents with normal labs, but you have the excrutiating pain. There are not many doctors that are well-versed in SOD, but I found a group on Facebook that really helped me to understand it. My GI is now going to do an ERCP with sphincterectomy in the hopes of helping rid me of the pain. Good luck to you!
    • brit33918
      brit33918 cpldjski

      Posted

      I have heard of it! I actually asked my first GI about it and he shut me down. He didn't like that I took to the Internet to come up with ideas and things that could be wrong. He said it was just IBS and left me at that. I left him and turned to my previous surgeon for answers and he did an exploratory laparoscopic surgery and removed my healthy appendix just to be safe. I've seen my new GI twice and see her again on the 10th, I'll bring it up to her this time and see what she says. Please let me know how your procedure goes. I'd be very grateful for an update. Best wishes for you and your health.
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