Severe Heartburn/ Indigestion

Posted , 7 users are following.

I had my gallbladder removed almost 9 months ago but I'm

still struggling to eat, I'm down to toast and potato .

I take 3 pantoprazole a day for the heartburn but it's not working

so we'll now . I've woken this morning with severe heartburn and

burning pain in my ribs on my right side where my gallbladder used to be.Nothing is helping to ease it ,, I'm feeling so depressed by all this pain , thinking I'd be better off not here anymore.

Also have terrible burning pain low down in my stomach .

Anyone know of anything that helps with this type of pain ?

I'm taking gaviscon but even that's not helping much .

Don't know where to turn for help .

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Linda, I had this kind if pain before my gallbladder was removed and I still have it now 5 months after removal. I had an endoscopy during my surgery and I was diagnosed as having chronic Antral Gastritis and duodenitis. I take 30mg of lanzoprasole daily. I try to eat as normal as I can but I avoid fried/spicy foods and alcohol.

    The pain also gets me down and I often feel the way you do. You are not alone there are many of us that are still suffering. Sometimes I find sucking an ice Lolly helps or an ice pack resting on the area. As for pain killers nothing works. Im now at the stage where the only thing i can do is keep busy and distract myself.

  • Posted

    Hi Linda,

    So I'm almost 2 years post gallbladder removal and just this past month I've had constant lingering sharp pain in my upper right abdomen.  The pain was only once a month but now it's more frequent.  I went to the hospital and after their tests, the doctor said it's likely gastritis or an ulcer but possibly a Sphincter of Oddi problem which is the valve that could spasm and cause your bile and pancreatic juice to come back up.  I have to continue to stick to the pantoprazole but also take some pepcid at night.  If that doesn't work then almost for sure it's the Sphincter valve that is just not working right.   I know exactly what you are going through and it is awful.  I'm drained and don't want to do anything.  I'm afraid of eating. 

    • Posted

      I have spincter of oddi disorder.. ended up in ER allot. Finally talked to nutrition and doctor and found a low fat diet is the key. I have not had a bile duct spasm since I've started this diet.

      No milk, very little cheese, no greasy foods, on labels I make sure it's 6% or less fat.

      Also before the spasms started I had heart burn/burning really bad. I ended up trying a powder called endofren that I got from my nutritionist and it cured my heart burn. Haven't had any since. Also breads give me bad heartburn. Maybe try taking bread out of your diet. I can't eat bread if I do I am suffering shortly after with the burning. Hope this helps😊

    • Posted

      Sorry I spelt that's powder wrong or it auto corrected...it's called endefren.

  • Posted

    You need to ask doctor an about stones in bile ducts. This issue caused me a lot of pain and nausea. Had ct scan and found a stone stuck in common bile duct. So they confirmed that there was causing my duct to dilate. Off I went to surgery again. After 6 months I'm doing good. Can eat now and no longer sick. Good Luck.

    • Posted

      Hi Linda. Its possible you could have a bile problem. If your meds aren't helping you for heartburn you could be experiencing a bile backup. Try Ox- bile might help you control you bile issues. It helped me thought I had acid problems but was bile . Good Luck. Try to Google Ox-bile.

  • Posted

    Hi Linda282930, I have not had mine out yet but had another attack just over a week ago this time round I am getting worse with no real help from health care, on top of everything else I am now feeling sick today and with head aches which have become steadily more.  Heart burn, yep sometimes it feels like your having heart attack.

    I can't offer you a solution but I understand where your at in feeling and yes it does get to you as you feel but take solace in others posts, your not alone post op or with it.  Eating disorders of any kind affect us in so many ways and the GB seems to have a vast array of reactions or afflictions.  if I could hug you I would but your only help will be through knowing your not alone and seeking health care help.  It does seem from this site and reading peoples trials that it is pot luck in finding someone who will help and know what is wrong, but as others have replied to you, it seems some suffer after extraction as well.

    I can assure you I am feeling just like you and I still have my GB I am in total despair, and I am slowly going back to eating very little and this heat wave we have is not helping me one bit.  I am so glad I found this site and chatting with people in the same position because to be honest I have lost faith with Dr's and so called professional consultants because if they felt like how I am now, they would not be so cavalier with their judgement. 

  • Posted

    Hello linda i have the same pain and i had my gallbladder removed in 2016 dec. You have to watch what you eat because everything doesnt digeat well. Like dairy. Cheese and milk and yogurts really dont digest well. Spicy things or sauces really dont work well. And you will have alot of pain from ground meats processed foods. I hope i helped a lil and gas is the devil lol. Keep some gas medicine handy. My dr said it just has no where to go ao it goes everywhere. And try to get PROTONIX its better.
  • Posted

    Hello Everyone,Thank you for all your replies .

    I'm not eating any of the things anyone mentioned , I'm just getting by

    On the odd slice of toast or a couple of dry biscuits with 2/3 new potatoes and

    that's it for the day .I do take pantoprazole but they don't seem to help so

    much now . I'm literally starving , can anyone give me any ideas on what to eat ?

    I have lost a lot of weight but I can't have the replacement meals as I can't tolerate a lot of the ingredients due to anothercondition I have .

    I can't find anything plain , low /no fat , no spice .

  • Posted

    Hi Linda,

    I have this problem of trying to eat low fat but still keeping my calorie intake as high as I can. I went to see a dietician and she advised high carbs such as wholegrain breads ( pitta bread is high calorie but low fat) brown rice and brown pasta. Also you need to keep your protein high with lean meat such as chicken, Turkey and white fish or tinned tuna in springwater.

    Muller rice puddings are low fat but high calorie. Malt loaf is good. For breakfast I blend porridge oats with banana and rice milk. Homemade scones are good that way you know how much fat has gone into them. I try to eat smaller meals but more more often. Try not to let your stomach get too empty. Do you have gastritis?

    Hopefully you will find some of these ideas useful

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