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Original poster

gallbladder out, but still got pain! Anyone else? Help!

18 replies

Bluebirds1987 · 17/07/2022 21:47

Has anyone had their gallbladder removed, but continued to have episodes of the "gallbladder attack" pain, despite the surgery?

I am just over a week post op, but I've had 3 episodes of the exact same pain I was getting prior to surgery, which is extremely worrying and upsetting for me.

I have since had blood tests which were abnormal and suggestive of a bile duct stone, but an ultrasound scan found no signs of a stone in the duct so besides another blood test tomorrow no further investigation is planned.

I've had the "gallbladder" episodes on and off for nearly 2 years now and the pain is unmistakeable, (and excruciating!) has anyone had the same and found the cause?

I'm really worried they've missed a stone in my bile duct but they won't proceed to an MRCP (some kind of more accurate scan) because they don't think my blood tests are bad enough.
I have an appointment in the morning and I feel like I'm going to get fobbed off 😥

OP posts:

GettingStuffed · 17/07/2022 21:49

Are you eating fat? I'm about 5 years post surgery but I still get "attacks" if I eat fat.

windowstothesoul · 17/07/2022 21:53

I had mine out then the next day had to have a procedure to remove a stone from my bile duct -

Hope they get to the bottom of it - May need to repeat the scan -

Avoid anything fatty for now -

Fingers crossed for you -

TheIsaacs · 17/07/2022 21:54

Did they leave any stones in when you had surgery? I had my gallbladder out and then three weeks later a stone that was left behind caused a bile duct blockage and I was really poorly with it.

alternatively it could be sphincter of oddy disorder?

TheIsaacs · 17/07/2022 21:55

Also reduce your fat intake, fatty foods will make any blockage cause more pain. Trust me, I was on morphine, codeine and intravenous paracetamol and it still took hours and hours for the pain to pass

Original poster

Bluebirds1987 · 17/07/2022 21:59

@GettingStuffed I've been fairly careful post surgery and have continued with low fat foods. One of them was after no food at all. The first one did happen about 3 hours after a meal made with coconut milk in it which was the only fatty thing I could think of.

Do you know why you're still getting them after eating fat? Was it investigated? Having the gallbladder removed now, in theory eating fat should only cause discomfort or indigestion from the fat not being broken down as easily and sitting in the stomach, as there is no "big release" of bile anymore from the gall bladder anymore. From what I gather, the liver now just drip feeds bile into the intestine as and when it's produced, so I can't fathom what could be causing such sudden excruciating pain other than a blocked duct?

It's definitely not wind, and stomach upsets for me feel very different to this. I'm just really worried! x

OP posts:

Original poster

Bluebirds1987 · 17/07/2022 22:05

@TheIsaacs thanks. Yeah my dad has had a blocked bile duct and was in hospital for 3 days on all sorts of pain relief with it and was very poorly. He'd had an ultrasound weeks prior, but his was normal too (no stones found) and he was given medication for a stomach ulcer instead! I don't want to end up being misdiagnosed/fobbed off and ending up in this kind of situation myself... He's now had a procedure to remove the stone and is waiting for gallbladder surgery himself.

I'll definitely avoid fatty things - I have been doing for a long time now anyway!

OP posts:

Original poster

Bluebirds1987 · 17/07/2022 22:07

@windowstothesoul how did they diagnose the missed stone for you? Was it an endoscopic thing they did to remove it? X

OP posts:

windowstothesoul · 17/07/2022 22:13

Yes the next day after surgery they took me down for a sedation and endoscopy thing -I think they cut the bile duct to get rid of the stone - but was proper poorly so memory may be confused but think it was cut -

Liver levels were super high and pain was like yours even though gallbladder was out -

I would try and push for the bile duct investigation - then if it is that things will get better -

TheIsaacs · 17/07/2022 22:14

Mine was diagnosed by positive Murphy sign and also (tmi warning) I was projectile vomiting for several days. I also ended up with jaundice and a 10 day inpatient stay. If you develop anything like jaundice, vomiting, dark urine, go to hospital!

Hereforaccountability · 17/07/2022 22:15

Agree, I'd keep asking for the MRCP.

Original poster

Bluebirds1987 · 18/07/2022 08:50

Thanks all. I had another episode overnight, but I'm at the hospital this morning and they will review my blood tests but hopefully with the fact the episodes have happened frequently in the past week since my surgery they will look into it further...

The pain is intermittent episodes rather than constant, and I don't feel unwell or have any other symptoms in between these episodes, so I'm not sure how consistent that is with a blocked duct or whether it is likely to be something else altogether...

OP posts:

GettingStuffed · 18/07/2022 10:49

The not being able to eat is bile acid malabsorption and it happens in about 10% of cases of ball bladder removal. Coconut milk is one of my triggers

GettingStuffed · 18/07/2022 10:49

Eat fat

GallstoneGlory · 18/07/2022 15:13

I hope you get answers soon.

I had my GB out several weeks ago. During the procedure the surgeon took an X ray to check for bile duct stones. I don't think they show up easily on ultrasound. Anyway, had he found any stones he could either have removed them during the op or could have sent me back another day to have it done by endoscope.

SeaToSki · 18/07/2022 15:19

They might not have properly sealed off where they took it out and it might be leaking bile. Ask about that. Other possibilities are a post operative infection (sadly quite common - do you have a temperature) and PCS..this one is less likely as you are so close to the op

Advocate for yourself

Einszwei · 18/07/2022 15:27

I still get bouts of billary collic. It can be excruciating, but resolves itself in 20-30mins and are less frequent than my previous gallbladder attacks. Also, beware if you are taking any codeine/cocodamol. (It can trigger intense billary pain after gallbladder removal).

AnnaMagnani · 18/07/2022 20:01

Are you still taking any painkillers?

I have Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction triggered by codeine. It's the exact same pain as I used to get from the gallbladder.

Original poster

Bluebirds1987 · 27/09/2022 21:51

Just thought I would update. They booked me in for an MRCP which did then reveal a small stone in my bile duct. I had an endoscopic procedure to remove it just a few days later (which was horrible!) But I've had zero pain or episodes since, and it's now been 3 months and I'm pretty back to normal!
Updated in case this does help anyone else in a similar situation. Moral of the story - ultrasounds don't pick up every stone!

OP posts:

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