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Avatar universal

Bile

Three weeks ago I had my gall bladder removed, I was ok for two weeks after the surgery. Last sunday, I started throwing up bile it continued untill thursday, I went to the er 2 times and to the doctors 2 times, He said I have gerd and put me on previcid, I am still nausious every day all day, allthough I havent thrown up bile in 2 days my stool is bright yellow which I think is the bile comming out the other end and I still feel horrible its like a nightmare that wont end. I get almost no sleep and I havent been eating (a little here and there to stay alive), I was told that this could be a leak in my bile duct from the surgery but I dont know, I'm going to go back to the doctor once the weekend is over. I'm very worried about this I'm 25 years old and I didnt think these kind of problems were supposed to start untill later on in life. I also have had an Endoscopy, cat scan, Upper GI series, many x-rays, and blood work and they found nothing. If anyone has any insight on this I would really appreciate it.
Thank you
Ray
18 Responses
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Avatar universal
It looks like a lot of people are having problems after gall bladder removal. This is what has happened to me so far:

Had surgery 6/10/02. Was sent home the next day with a Jackson Pratt drain in my stomach. Removed drain on 6/18. A few days later I started experiencing pain across stomach, right under the ribs, in the sternum area and horrible pain in the upper back, between the shoulder blades. Went back to the surgeon, he sent me for CT scan and bloodtest. All test came back fine. I also started feeling better for about a week. The pain came back again. Dr. sent me for a Pipida scan, which showed that I had a small bile leak. I am now taking antibiotics and anti inflammatories, that will hopefully heal the leak and the inflammation caused by the leak. The week that I experienced the worse pain, I had my period. That time of the month is approaching, and I am scared that the pain will get really bad again. Anybody else feels worse during that time? Also, the day that I started feeling better and felt good for about a week was the day of the CT scan. They injected me with iodine, and I asked a dr. if this could have possibly made me feel better. He said that he had a similar case, where the person got well after such an injection. This whole experience have been very frustrating. I am getting worried that I'm looking forward to constant paint for the rest of my life???
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
I wish somebody who felt bad for a while after surgery, then got better on their own, would post a message. But a guess if you get well you have better things to do than read and write to this web site. At least it's nice to know that you're not alone.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
Lor
Continue going back to the Dr. If your current Dr won't help go to another. Someone will help you. It is common after gallbladder surgery for the body to go through a "getting use to stage" , but if this is ruining your quality of life you should get help for this. I had my gallbladder removed and was put on Questran to absorb the extra bile. It works good for me. Make sure they rule out a leak first.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
A related discussion, I had my gall bladder removed and I am still vomitting was started.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Last August,I had gall bladder surgery.I have been in PAIN ever since.Two months after surgery,surgeon said pain was probably a stomach virus.A month later I was in E.R.with RUQ pain and almost passing out.After x-rays and blood test were negative,they said it could be an ulcer.I went to my primary doctor and she treated me with nexium for eight weeks.No relief.She sent me to a gastro doc he did a endoscope which showed no ulcers.??? I then had more blood work done and a cat-scan.Both were negative.The pain is getting worse.I had to go to E.R. again and they found nothing.I was sent for a upper G.I.and that was negative.Almost a year now in pain.I am now seeing a another gastro doc specialist(bile endoscope).he wants me to have more tests(M.R.I.-M.R.C.P).My pain starts as soon as i wake up in the morning.I have really BAD pain one hour after I eat.The pain starts upper right side and continues down to lower right.It is a stabbing pain and then it gets numb.Pain last about an hour ,maybe two hours.I have missed alot of work this year and I am getting frustrated.I feel like the surgeon botched the operation.Is it possible the pain is from a leak in the bile duct.I keep hanging on and pushing for an answer but its rough.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Try Protonic it's good for the after you eat meals you know acid reflux
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It is 7 in the morning...I have been up most of the night and got out of bed around 6am..All because I ate half of a chicken salad sandwhich and some fries.I am more angry with me than the Doctors because I seem to know more than they do on this issue because I live it..I had my gallbladder removed 9 years ago and have had what I call "Ghost Gallbladder attacks" on occassion ever since.(I am having one now,thanx to the chicken salad.)Surfing the net this morning,I've noticed more people than not have the same problem and their Doctors say the same thing,"This shouldn't be happening."Well, it is and does happen.I have the same symptoms I had before removal of my gallbladder & for the same reasons.Spicy and fatty foods cause the problem.Sometimes it is diarrhea for a week or severe pain in my back & chin with a burning stomach.Oh and don't forget the lovely attribute of gas.What I don't get is ,if so many people are complaing of the same thing,why are Doctors telling us this shouldn't happen when they know it does?I feel, for some people a life long change in diet is needed after the surgery.I am one of them.I need to follow my own advice but sometimes chicken salad and fries beckon.So today I pay the price &  am mad at me.People have mentioned a pill called Prvecid.Is that over the counter?I would like to keep it on hand in case I make this mistake again.I can hear the Taylor Ham & Cheese Sandwhich calling...LOL
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Maybe you should take your own advice and seek medical attention. I have heard alot of horror stories from people who had their gallbladder removed and it scares the heck out of me. I lost my spleen and have never been the same. I sure hope my gallbladder stays well. I hope you get better also.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
12 days and I'm still vomiting bile, horrible horrible horrible, I'm going to make my doctor admit me today, I cannot go another night like that, please wish me luck
This feels like its never going to end!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Where in the back did the SOD associated pain hurt, lower, middle or upper?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Lor
Mine was mostly across the ribs cage, sometimes it would feel like it was up the spine. The back pain was just as severe as the pain in the biliary area.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Lor
You have a right to be worried. I too suffered my worst pain around my period. I have not been able to get a reason for that by any of the Drs I saw. The only thing that might cause it would have something to do with why some women get diarrhea around that time also.
My pain started right after surgery. I went home the next day and had the worst pain anyone could have. This happened daily some times multiple times a day. It was bad to the point that I had to crawl to the bathroom to vomit. I couldn't go with an empty stomach at all. That seemed to bring on the pain. My nights were sleepless for a year and a half. Most nights I'd have to get up and eat something - try to go back to sleep, but usually ended up sleeping on the couch. I gained 30lbs eating away my pain. I went to 5 different Drs looking for help. My surgeon told me when I had gone back to him that he didn't diagnose only did surgery. It all ended up being Sphincter of oddi dysfunction. I found this out when I went to The last Dr I saw at Borland Groover Clinic. The Dr knew when I walked in what was wrong. A year before I had heard of this dysfunction and asked a Dr about it and was told he didn't feel it was a dysfunction at all - that couldn't be the problem. I have gone on and had the ERCP with menometry and was found to have very high pressure in the bile duct - that is what was causing the pain. They preformed a sphincterotomy on my bile duct and the pain is gone. I still have gas dicomfort from the bile being what I call fresh in my system. I take Questran for that and now am pretty much pain free.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had my gallbladder removed on 5/4 and am still having problems.  I was fine for 4 to 5 weeks then started having problems again. They did an ultrasound for stones in the bile ducts..Nothing.  Did a liver enzymes blood test...Normal.  Tested me for H pylori...normal.  I go to my first appt. this Thursday (7/25) with the gastroenterologist.  I'm at my wits end.  EVERYTHING I eat hurts me in my upper chest mainly on the right side.  Nothing will ease it. Prevacid just makes me naseuated and causes diarrhea.  I hate it.  Have been taking Mylanta liquid and tums tablets to make it by.  But this is getting old and I've NEVER heard of anyone taking this Long to just "Re-Adjust" from gallbladder surgery.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Lor
No it isn't - that is why I say go back to Dr until they figure you out
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi - I am also post-gallbladder (3weeks) and starting to feel yucky.  I am lucky though that my surgeon is working with me to find out why.  I may be still adjusting - although I was fine at first.  I already have reflux and this did not help at all.  All and all I do not regret the decision to have my gallbladder out. I am wondering about SOD now.  I am taking Questran now and wondering how long I will have to take this.  My pain is also in my chest and ribs.  Hopefully this will help and I can write a wonderful sucess story!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you for commenting, by any chance how long do you think the getting used to period could take up to?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Lor
I've heard it can be up to a month. Everyone is different could be longer or shorter
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you! But have do you know if its supposed to be so bad, I can suck up alot of problems but when its bad its so bad that I cant even concentrate. I feal it through my whole body (not my legs)and it makes me so exausted.
Helpful - 0

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