still having problems after gall bladder removal

[Babyramone]

Hi have posted about this before.
Had my gall bladder removed in august since then have had 3 attacks similar to when I had gall stones. Had the 3rd atttack on friday and it was awful. Nearly phoned NHS24 but after taking both cocodamol and diclofenac got it under control. Anyway will be visiting G.P tomorrow but wondered if any onw else has experienced this.
I googled (bad idea i know)and there is a condition called Post Cholecystectomy Syndrome.
Has anyone had this?
I seem to remember someone mentioning this on a previous post, may be wrong though.

[alypaly]

had mine out in june after collapsing with what had been diagnosed as IBS for 3 years.ha ha ...kept telling them it wasnt that..

had awfulproblems afterwards ,after being told i would be able to eat normally.
after the op everything i ate caused me severe..and i mean severe pain to the point where i just couldnt eat.
i lost 20lbs in total and i really thought i was dying or that somthing had gone wrong.

i was in more pain than prior to the op.
all i was drinking was high calourie fruit juices on prescription.
Consultant said a stone can get lodged in common bile duct a they dont flush them thro as common practice any more. The reason for that is that you can flush them into the pancreas and then you are into a totally new and life threatening ball game.
So iwas worried i had pancreatitis as i have had it once before due to the gall stones ,but then suddenly after 6 weeks i started to eat properly and thankfully have never looked back.
Unfortunately i have put back all the weight
get little niggles every now and then but nothing worrisome.

[alypaly]

OMG i must read the date of the original posts.....which was 2007

still here tho buba 2000

[hotcrossbunnyonabonfire]

Hi

My mum had her gall bladder out a few years ago, and had pain thereafter. Again the drs thought it was psychosometric etc etc, she was even accused of being an alcoholic when her liver results were abnormal. After the third time she was rushed to hospital my dsis and I went in and talked to argued with the consultant. They then did tests/better scans and lo and behold she had three stones lodged in her common bile duct She had an ERCP and the pain is so much better.

Don't let them fob you off - you know your body isn't right and it's their duty to help you.

[hotcrossbunnyonabonfire]

psychosomatic

[alypaly]

i prefer psychosometric.....its good.

[hotcrossbunnyonabonfire]

[jennygrouse]

Hi I've noticed no-one has written for a while but I thought I'd contribute anyway. My story sound so similar. Had my first episode of gallbladder pain 2 weeks after my son was born and then 2 more within a fortnight. Had US scan which confirmed hundreds of tiny tiny gallstones. Had cholecystectomy 11 weeks after my son was born. Felt really very ill day after but was sent home anyway. Called ambulance as pain was so severe when got home - they refused to take me to hospital saying I had wind!! Pain continued for 4 days, awful deep knawing pains then finally then pain was so bad I couldn't bare to take a breath in and my husband called an ambulance again. I was told in A&E that I had indigestion and sent home with a bottle of Gaviscon. That night started vomitting so husband took me back to A&E. Was by now severely jaundice, had deranged blood results etc. Finally admitted to hospital an had ERCP week later and a sphincterotomy where they removed a 4mm stone from my duct - it had caused pancreatitis and had been left there after cholecystectomy. Since this awful business I have been back to A&E 3 times over the space of a year with the same excruciating pain - they cant find anything wromg at the time. Referal privately to a gastroenterologist who had done many tests inc MRI and endoscpoies. He has diagnosed Sphincter of Oddi spasm. The little sphincter that controls the flow of bile into the duodenum goes into spasm, causing bile to back up in the ducts and mimics the original pain of gallbladder disease. At worst in can cause pancreatits if it goes on too long. Nothing can be done at the moment - maybe another sphincterontomy through ERCP to cut it so it can't spasm shut, but that's risky. I feel like I'm a living time bomb and get so anxious just anticipating the pain. I'm told that codeine can make it go into spasm so avoid it. I want another child but am scared in case things flare up while I'm pregnant. Would love to hear some of your thoughts.

[crlench]

Hi. I had my gall bladder removed 7 yrs ago and had no problems till last night, when I had all the symptoms of gall stones again. I still had the pain when I woke up this morning and threw up too, just like I did before.
I went to my GP this afternoon only to be told that she thinks i have heartburn/indigestion. HA HA I don't think so!!!!
She also said that if I go to A&E today, they will prob take some blood and then send me home, so maybe it would be better if I wait till the morning to see if it goes away.
I'm now stuck on what to do as I have just started back at Uni and can't afford to be off sick already.
What do any of you suggest I should do?

[alypaly]

i had similar pain after my gall bladder was removed. I wasa really ill for over 2 months with excruciating pain. Thankfully my doc knew that codeine caused problems with the sphincter of Oddi ,so she gave me pethidine which is much safer in terms of causing no spasms.

really sympathise.

[lisad123isgoingcrazy]

IM still being fobbed off after 3years. I too had pancrestis after they sent me home to await OP date, even though I was very unwell.
I get pain when i eat, pain when dont eat, feel sick everyday and have acid pretty much daily. I also have diahorra most days and horrible pains in bowel aswell as stomach. GPs just give me tablets and tell me IBS. Can anyone help? I know some of it may be stress related too

[estelle13]

Had my gallbladder removed via laproscopy three weeks ago,since then have had an emergency admission to hospital for sickness,diahorrea,persistant pain similar to prior removal,temperature,shortness of breath.Consultant has now diagnosed Post Cholecystectomy Syndrome,anyone any ideas on foods to eat/avoid,supplements to take just to ease this condition a little bit?Would also like to hear from anyone who has got this or has had it?

[mcbosher]

Hi,
This is a bit strange i know as im not a mum im a dad and i am looking for information on some issues that i have and i found this site quite usefull. i have had my gall bladder removed 4 years ago and ive noticed that everyone is talking about gall stones being an issue as well as bile etc which is quite common but still suffering pain after removal, the thing is and i only want to help or add some other possibilitys as to the pains people are suffering. i found out a year or so after my gall removal that it was not needed if diagnosis was correct in the first place.I had other tests done as i would not leave my doctor alone and kept pressuring him to do more tests and i would not stop untill i found out what is REALLY going on and to my horror i found out that i had hpylori. the pains i had radiated from the same area as my gall bladder, just outside my stomaches exit to my bowel. and for 2-3 year after removal this continued..
again it was down to not being treated correctly. after a punishing 2 week course of stomache lining stripping drugs it was eventually cleared which led me to belive my gall bladder should not have been removed in the first place and my gp should have done all of these checks before advising me to have the operation to remove my gall bladder.
the trouble is i now suffer from the operation that i had to remove my gall as i now have scar tissue that is causing a knock on effect that stops my food going around my bowel correctly and in some cases not beig able to go to the loo for 2 weeks but i was not constipated all was soft.. it also gave me problems eating as there was no where for my food to go so i ended up loosing weight as a result. the point of my blog is to get people to get a test for h`pylori before considering gall removal as it may not be the reason for your pain in that area as i found out the hard way and im still suffering as a rsult to this day and i have another appointment with my doctors on monday where i now have to find out why im now suffering from pericarditis due to some viral/poisoning that is now going on ever since i had my gall removed due to the back up of food etc that will not go anywhere thanks to the operation for gall removal.
hope i have helped in some way and my intentions are not to scare you but to informe you pre-op.

[alypaly]

Babyramone sassy.........had mine out 18months ago and was really ill for 2 months afterwards. I was in worse pain than the gall stones to the point where i thought i was on my way out. lost 2 stone as it hurt to eat anything. ended up on liquid food supplements from the doc. Eventually it settled but have had a recent recuurence ofpain and ended up in hospital for 10 days in nov 2010.

i was told that you still produce stones even though you havent got a gall bladder.They just have nowhere to collect and get bigger so they get flushed down the duct straight away which can cause pain. Also when they remove it, they do not flush out the duct because this can cause the stones to get pushed into the pancreas which will cause even more havoc.

[locket80]

hi,
i know this is a older thread but very useful. im going foor my pre op for gallbladder removal. it started when i was 29 weeks preg they found out i had gallstones. my son is now 10 months and now have only got an appt to get it removed.
but im seeing problems and wonder if it is actually worth it?
im on dihydrocodeine, morphine as the pain is so much worse than labour!
yeah im paranoid as i want a long life and more kids and im wondering if it is worth going through it?

[alypaly]

although i had alot of probs with pain for 2 months after the op. i am ok now. every stone that is in your gall bladder could (could) cause pancreatitis f it shoots out and gets lodged in the pancreas or common bile duct.i can eat normally and have no diaorrhea problems.

my friend had an infected gall bladder due to a dleay in getting hers removed and she was in agony.
but i guess its up to you.

[spandau1980]

Dear All, im hoping for some answers and support as i m at my wits end as a single mum and in so much misery!
Basically i had my gallbladder out 5 weeks tomorrow, i have had since i woke up right sided pain in my breast area and in my back and shoulder blades. 2 weeks after my op i had an "attack" of some sort as never had full blown gb attck(mine was infected) i assumed it was acid.. it went on for 4 hours then since then ive had what i thought was acid reflux? so took pantoprazole to no avail... i have pain right ALL the time and increases if i eat, i also hav a pain in the centre of my sternum area.. luckily no Heartburn which is odd... anyone have these..docs at a loss, pain is so bad in shoulder some times i cry and pain relief doesnt help... scheduled for endoscopy soon... PLEASE any one had these sympoms and found an answer or resolved in time! I WAS TOLD ID BE BETTER OFF POST OP BUT IM TEN TIMES WORSE OFF AS NOW IN PAIN 24/7 OH and i have stomach ache alot and bloating, no diarreah (sp) and feel like ive not eaten for 6 months each morning my stomach hurts so badly... im so deperate for answers and advice.. DOCTORS are USELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[yogabonkers]

hi spandau, god, this is a bit of an unhappy revelation reading this thread. i had mine out just over a week ago, and have had attacks like what you describe. i have avoided the docs so far as just so depressed at thought of going back. i was actually told before op by surgeon that pain did still occur for lots of people but decided to go ahead as the attacks were so frequent and was worried about (eg) pancreatis and other problems.
i HAD an endoscopy before the surgery to rule out other stomach problems, and it was clear. thank god, or i'd be even more worried. sometimes it feels like the inside of my stomach is on fire. though no heartburn either. but do get that centre sternum pain too.
am gutted. was looking forward to xmas meals and stuff.
found interesting american website called "gallbladderattack.com". but of course, theyre trying to flog you products.
so depressing.

[spandau1980]

hiya yoga, this is crap isnt it? only a week ago well hopefully urs ll settle down mine is still bad on week 6! had endoscopy which was awful and that was clear so off to see consultant again tomoz.. he NEVER mentioned me feeling worse i only had aches under rib cage b4 the op so wish id not had it done but here i am... how you feeling today? x

[yogabonkers]

actually yesterday i had a good day, but today i had the stomach pain again. took 1 co-codamol and it helped. prob if i took 2 they would have taken it away, but they make me hyper and i dont like that either!
might try that beet juice recipe from that american website!

[SparkleSoiree]

I have decided today to go back to the GP tomorrow. I had my Gall Bladder out 4 years ago and still have excruciating 'attacks'. One today has lasted over 6 hours and the pain has had me on the floor at one point in all fours unable to breath properly.

I am sitting in such a way at the moment that it is passable but I can't bear it any longer and will have to go to GP.

[spandau1980]

stomach ache i have more right sided like somethings stuck pain that makes me wanna cry.. and it urts in shoulders too :(

sparkle to hear after 4 yrs your still like this is not cheering me up at all :(((

[Bearskinwoolies]

Sparkle - the sitting position that helps; is it leaning forward? When you get an attack, do you feel as though you are swelling up, and that it really hurts to breathe in? (these are all symptoms I've had)

Hope your visit to the GP went ok today.

[SparkleSoiree]

Bearskinwoolies - it have to sit in such a way as to take all the pressure off the affected area. The pain can suddenly be excruciating if I lean over the sore are in any way like bending over or to the side. It does feel as though it is swelling though and hurts to breath. I went to the GP today and he is going to organise a scan for me at our surgery and if that does not show anything up then refer me back to the specialist.

Spandau I guess nothing is certain in life and things can go wrong after surgery when we expect them to fix things for us. Fingers crossed yours will settle down soon

[Bearskinwoolies]

Sparkle - there is a resting position (sitting or standing) that involves taking the pressure off the affected area, generally leaning forward, that is a known sign of pancreatitis.
So very glad you are going to get a scan...hopefully that will point the way to sorting things out for you very soon. Are they going to do blood tests, and have they given you adequate pain relief?

[SparkleSoiree]

Bearskinswoolies - that is very interesting....I developed Acute Pancreatitis just prior to have my Gall Bladder out...I wonder if I am still occasionally having it...don't know enough about it really.