Stabbing pain after eating / gallbladder removed?

Posted , 30 users are following.

Hello,

About 15 years ago, I had my gallbladder removed due to large cholesterol stones that blocked the gallbladder. I didn't have much trouble, actually, except occasional nausea, but I had a severe attack of vomiting with dehydration that landed me in the emergency room, and it was found that I had stones, so my gallbladder was removed with laparoscopic surgery. I had complications afterwards, with paralytic ileus that involved having to have my stomach pumped. It took a bit to recover.

After that, I had the predictable severe diarrhea after eating and didn't worry too much about that since all of the women in my family had their gallbladders removed, and they all had the same issue. But then the problem progressed, perhaps within a year or two? And now it's completely out of control, and I don't know who to turn to or what to make of my symptoms which I assumed were usual, but now, I wonder and I wonder if they are curable too? If anyone knows, please let me know. 

For around fifteen years, sometimes after I eat, I have excruciating, knife-like, exploding, makes-me-sweat, stabbing pain where my gallbladder used to be. It feels like labor pains in terms of intensity. It's completely incapacitating and is resolved by going to the bathroom, where I pass yellow, burning bile diarrhea (sorry to be disgusting; I'm a very private person normally). Sometimes the pain has caused me to faint with pain. I no longer eat near people and really, I avoid eating. Once one of these episodes have happened, I seem to be more prone to them and they repeat in cycles. They seem to be triggered by either not eating for too long or else eating certain types of fat. I've had thousands of these episodes since they occur every few days and, at most, might let up for a month. But then something else triggers them. I've learned to take strong digestive enzymes to prevent them, although I'm not sure if this truly works or not. When it begins, there's little stopping it for weeks on end. I don't think a painkiller would help in these episodes since they are sudden and extraordinarily bad. 

The other thing is that I have times where I vomit tons of yellow bile, which is the most horrible tasting thing in the world. Sometimes, this will keep me up all night, although it's more common to happen in the morning. 

During the rest of the time, I always have aching in the area as well as pain with applied pressure. No doctor has ever been concerned about it. I also cannot take cholesterol binding medication, which was recommended, because it interferes with another medication I take (thyroid replacement), which is necessary. HOWEVER, the diarrhea is so bad that I have also had trouble absorbing my medication and other nutrients, and I've had problems with various vitamin imbalances.

So, I found this forum. I've posted to other forums that aren't as vibrant as this one, and I realized recently that my situation was probably not usual. I'm a teacher, so I have a terrible time because I cannot eat lunch at school out of fear of this coming on and causing me to miss class. I literally just drink skim milk or eat broth-based soup for lunch (and even that can absolutely set it off at times). Every single day when working. I cannot afford to have an attack while teaching since I teach high school aged kids. 

What on earth could this be? Should I bother to talk with a doctor about it? Does anyone else relate to stabbing pains after eating after your gallbladder is out? Thanks for your help. 

2 likes, 38 replies

38 Replies

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  • Posted

    Clarissa1975

    hi, did you ever find out what the cause was !

    are you still experiencing these strong sharp stabbing pains in the right upper quadrant !!

    i know the cause and have a solution !

    • Posted

      I have the same symptoms minus the bile runs. I also do not vomit. Started 10 years after gallbladder removal. You say you know the cause and solution.  Please I am interested in hearing about this. thank you
    • Posted

      If you know the cause & have a solution, would you care to share it?

  • Posted

    I just ran this thread and man! It’s my story! 15 years of it. Through having 2 babies and 2 miscarriages. Gallbladder removed. Gallbladder attacks were worse than labor and deliver. But my trouble had just begun after having it out. The pain. The emerg visits. The specialist after specialist. The naturopaths and spending a fortune. I started having panic attacks several a day because I couldn’t trust my body. I was exhausted. And my liver was headed towards liver cancer due to fatty liver disease from all of this. I had PCOS. I get it. Your stories touched my heart and I thank you heartily for sharing them. I hadn’t heard many people describe what I went through. You did. 

    I want to tell you I finally found a solution. After 15 years you learn a thing or two and have to become your own advocate. 

    I am happy to say my liver has started to reverse out. My blood work no longer sends me to another specialist.  And my pcos is gone. My hormones are in balance again. I no longer throw up bile and have never-ending gut wrenching diarrhea that leaves me exhausted. My body once again digests good instead of going straight through me. And after a year and a half of improving I am finally over panic attacks. Etc. 

     I know I was absolutely desperate, I did not accept this as the rest of my life...of which they said old age would be denied to me. I had tried everything.  So if you want to know about my solution please email me at

    Moderator comment: I have removed the email address as we do not publish these in the forums. If users wish to exchange contact details please use the Private Message service.

    • Posted

      Another person saying they found a solution but don’t want to share it on this forum. Makes me think it’s actually a sales pitch...
  • Posted

    Hi I had gallbladder surgery Dec 22 2017 they removed it I was fine for 2 weeks then every time I eat I'm sick in a lot of pain I've lost 69 pounds since I had gallbladder surgery I found out I'm 99.99% celiac disease I started eating gluten free I'm still in so much pain still nothing helps it I eat gluten free I drink smoothies fresh I make nothing helps the pain is bad I don't sleep I hardly eat because the pain is really bad I'm having GI doctor do a surgery where they put a camera down my throat in to my stomach hopefully he see what's going on it on April 9 2018 when I have surgery my pain never goes away ever it's not fun it sucks hopefully he see something in April I wish I didn't have my gallbladder out but mine was leaking so I had no choice it was making me sick but now im still sick with really bad pain never leaves me

  • Posted

    I also get these severe pain.  It’s horrible in fact I just got one 30 minutes ago.  Yes cold sweat etc.   what works for me believe it or not  is over  counter eXtra Strength GasX

    Chewables are easier but 1-2 pills and usually within 15 minutes no pain.   Thank god.  I keep these pills everywhere or I’m terrified to eat out.   

  • Posted

    Hi I had my gallbladder out April 2017. I had occasion discomfort but the past few days everytime I eat I get excruciating pain around my belly button region. I get clammy with the worst diarrhea everytime I eat. Does anyone have any insight into what could be going on? Can someone tell me what mg probiotic/oxbile/digestive enzymes you use? Thankyou

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