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Post gallbladder removal
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Post gallbladder removal

by Bailey123, Jun 28, 2002 12:00AM
Had my gallbladder removed almost three weeks ago. One week after the surgery my Jackson Pratt drain was removed by the surgeon. A few days later, upper back pain started and most of the symptoms that I had before surgery has reappeared. My symptoms are upper back pain, abdominal pain under rib area both righ and left side. Stabbing feeling in middle of stomach. I went back to the surgeon, who sent me for bloodwork and a CT scan. I have my follow up appointment with him next week. Does this sound like normal part of recovery? The surgery was done via lachroscopy (probably spelled wrong). When I woke up from surgery, I had an excruciating pain where the gall bladder used to be, possibly from the drain that was installed. I got through the pain with pain killers for the week that the drain was in place. Just wondering if anybody else has experienced anything like this? I am worried that there is damage to the bile duct.
Member Comments (9)

by suebear, Jun 29, 2002 12:00AM
Sounds familuar, I had gallbladder surgery on the 3rd of June and I am still in a lot of pain.  When I visited my surgeon the week after surgery, he told me that there may be some stones in the bile duct that I will pass, and it will be worse than before the surgery, so I am wondering if that is what is happening with you.  



I am also worried because the length of my recovery is so much longer than other people I know that have had the same procedure.  I went back to see my surgeon yesterday, and he told me that during the operation I had a lot of bleeding and have internal stitchen, so I will be sore for a while.  More pain killers, more time?



by Beaker, Jun 29, 2002 12:00AM
Sometimes after gall bladder removal, it is possible to have all the symptoms as if you still had the gall bladder.  It is very hard to diagnosis but Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction could be the problem.  I would ask my physician if this could possibly be the problem.  It took 8 years after my surgery to discover this diagnosis.  Most of the time the doctors attribute it to the 3Fs.  Female, Fat, Fourty or Fifty!  If you do not get any relief see if you can find a gastroenterologist who speciality is the Biliary System.  I hope you find the answer soon.  Good Luck!

by JCLingo, Jul 01, 2002 12:00AM
I too had my gallbladder removed on May 4.  I recovered quickly and was symptom free for about a month.  Then on June 8, for some reason, I had a really bad spell.  Burning in my chest for 3 or 4 days, pain in right side and in back (back of right shoulder), diarrhea, basically all the same symptoms I was having before my surgery.  My surgeon sent me home and told me to wait a week.  I did, it wasn't much better, went back to see him, he was out, saw his partner, and he ordered a blood test and an ultrasound to look for stones.  Both tests came back ok. nothing wrong.  I am still having problems.  The pain in right side and in back have gone, but I still have burning in the chest and now seem to be constipated.  I think my diarhhea may have been contributed to the twice daily dosage of the 30 mg Prevacid I was taking (which didn't help the chest burning).  I go to my family doctor today to hopefully get a referral to the gastroenterologist since I couldn't get any relief from my surgeon.  He totally blew me off.  Good luck to you.

by BearyT, Jul 10, 2002 12:00AM
I had my gall bladder out in Dec  I have never experienced the relief that everyone talks about  it took me FOREVER TO  get better and all of the symptoms are back ie: indegestion reflux pain in URQ and back area (makes me think kidney) the only pain not there is the grapefruit size apinful lump iunder my rt rib cage area  I just read about spincter of oddi dysfuntion  what is that?  Does anyone have any suggestions

by ShadowLin, Jul 24, 2002 12:00AM
I had my gall bladder out in 98. For the last 2 years, I have had pain in my right side (at waist) and around to my back. At night the pain is worse but only to the point of being constant and a feeling of not being able to turn over. I hold my side and back constantly.

I have had Cat Scan, ERCP, Colonscopy, and serval other tests (all negative )  (The ERCp was aborted by me yanking out all of the tubes (my doctor stopped mid-stream and left the hospital... I guess the medicine that was used to put me to sleep agitated me. I do not remember it. I do not know if I can get this test again with my HMO. anyone?

My doctor suspects sphincter of Oddi and even stones in my cystic duct.

With all tests negative, I feel so frustrated and do not know where to turn.

Lin

by Daines, Aug 27, 2002 12:00AM
I just got my gallblaader removed a week ago.  I had a follow up appointment this morning actually and couldn't say that I had any problems becausse as of this morning I didn't.  I came home, and settled down on my couch and suddenly I felt pain in my back.  The same pain as before I had the surgery.  It's not as persistant, but it's there.  I was thinking that maybe it's a little trapped gas in my upper back, but I tried burping and I still feel it.   And on top of it all I felt nauseated after i drank the ginger ale.   I don't know if I should wait this out or tell my primary care doctor.   I thought everything was going to go away once I had this surgery.   If this pain in my back continues, i feel like I did this for nothing.   Anyone else feel indifferent about their experience?   Anyone else feeling syptoms and have answers?      Oh, and after the surgery, I also experienced numbness in part of my outer right thigh.  My surgeon said it would go away, but it's been a week now.  I just hope there's no nerve damage.  i just wanted it to be over, and to start feeling myself again.  



by Nutcase, Aug 31, 2002 12:00AM
I had my gallbladder removed on July 9th and had alot of pain the day after, (from the gas they use to inflate your belly).  I was fine (other than expected diarrea once in a while) until August 21st.  I started to feel pain