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Bowel Problems After Gallbladder Surgery

I had my gallbladder removed almost a year ago.  I've seen comments posted about this in the forum, but no real answer or explanation as to why it happens.  Luckily, I suffered no pain after the surgery; I recovered well and I am VERY HAPPY that I do not suffer through those horrible attacks anymore (the last one made me think I was going to die and I ended up in the ER with the surgery scheduled shortly after).  Anyway, I have noticed that ever since the surgery I have a MAJOR problem during and after eating.  I have to RUN to the bathroom.  I, too, am familiar with a lot of public restrooms almost anywhere I go.  Unfortunately, sometimes I choose NOT to go somewhere or NOT to eat something because I'm so afraid of what will happen later.  Is there a real medical ezplanation for this?  I asked my PCP and all he told me was to ask the doc who performed the surgery.  I was given a lot of information before the surgery, but during my TWO follow up visits, nothing about this was mentioned.  I didn't notice it until a few weeks later.  I'm ashamed to talk to anyone about it.  Is there anything that can be done?  I hate to think that this is how I have to live for the rest of my life.
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Avatar universal
I've had very similar diarrhea problems for over 8 yrs, but I've not had my gallbladder removed. So far I've just had 1 gallbladder attack, a few months ago, but I've had 8 yrs of constant diarrhea.

In my case, dieting and staying away from fats, spicy foods, meats, and even a bland diet of cream of wheat has not stopped my 3-8 daily bouts of diarrhea.

I've been to a number of Dr.s and been told it's IBS and after an Endoscopy, last month, I was told it was just a little Colitis, but I have all the symptoms of a sludgy gallbladder, so I'm reasonably sure that's what I have.

So I've give up for the most part believing in what the Dr.s have told me and I'm reading as many post as I can and trying to tie info together and find some answers that work for me...if we all do this, just maybe we can find some answers that work for us that the Dr.s have not been able to find. I'd suggest we do some research and look up on the Internet any other symptoms we have and see if anyone else with diarrhea also has those same symptoms and if they do, then post that information here. Hopefully that information will lead us to some answers or something that might lead to the actual cause of the diarrhea or at least help us slow down or stop the diarrhea. I feel at this point we all need to try to stop being victims of some problem that no one has found an answer for and be proactive and try and find our own answers.

  I'll start by asking if anyone has any other symptoms that don't seem related. I've noticed that I often have a back ache in my mid to upper spine and that one of my vertebra hurts. So I looked this problem on the net and found that it's usually about T4, where the nerve from the gallbladder inserts into the spine, here. So I'm looking that that aspect to see what the connection is.

I will tell anyone who wants to know that on another board I did find a med. that seems to control the liver bile so that the diarrhea slows down. From what I read on this other board, most of the people on it are living a relatively normal life. I'm currently working on trying get my Dr. to prescribe it. Sorry I don't have the name in front of me, but it's something like Welcol..maybe someone knows the exact name..but you can read about it on healingwell.com under the section on GERD or IBS
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Avatar universal
I have been reading all the comments of the complications of the gallbladder surgery.  I am suppose to go for my pre opt tomorrow and have my surgery tomorrow.  I haven't had the bad attacks they I have been reading about.  I just hurt alot and have a lot of stomach problems.  The ultra sound showed a stone lodged in the neck of my gallbladder.  After reading your responses I think I will cancel and wait for one of terrible attacks.
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Avatar universal
For those with the Bathroom Connection,
I think I may be able to help here.  I had my gallbladder out about 6 years ago and I too experienced the same problems all of you have stated.  Prior to my surgery I was constipated all the time and afterwards I was running to the bathroom within 15 minutes after I ate.  This made me very nervous so I asked a couple of doctors.  The doctors couldn't answer my questions, so I looked into the problem myself through nutrition books so I could cure it myself.  What you are all experiencing is called Dumping Syndrome.  Your gallbladder is what holds the bile in your body, and bile is the enzyme that breaks down fat.  Once your gallbladder was removed so was the storage container for bile.  Now your body does not have as much bile to break down the fat in your diet.  Although you do still have bile it is not as much as before.  Try eating low fat meals, stay away from fried foods, and rich foods, and also eat small frequent meals instead of 2 or 3 large ones.  You should notice a difference.  Believe me I did.  The unfortunate thing is that after your surgery someone should have spoken to you about reintroducing fat back into your diet slowly and they probably didn't.  At least that was the case with me.  It was actually due to this that after a long time away from school that I decided to go back and study nutrition and now will be graduating in May with my degree in dietetics.  Good Luck to all of you Dumpers!!!!
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Avatar universal
Andr
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Avatar universal
I had the same problem after the removal of my gallbladder.  Twenty minutes after I ate, I would run to the bathroom.   This primarily happened after the FIRST meal of the day.  I now take Questran (commonly used to lower cholesterol) every morning.  I have to wait approximately two hours after taking the Questran before I can eat my meal without fear of experiencing the need to get to a bathroom FAST. I'm not quite sure what causes this problem.  If you have any questions, you can write to me at my EMail address - ***@****.
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Avatar universal
Yeah, actually, many folks gall bladderless have bowel problems after eating.  I know for sure, that eating a lot of fat during a meal, will cause instant need to go to the bathroom, for some folks.  You aren't alone, by a shot, and I've discovered that my surgeon seemed to act like no one has any problems after their gall bladder is removed.
    Try going to a gastroenerologist (GI) about that, and don't be embarrassed.  Because I've had major problems with my abdomen before and since my gall bladder was removed, and because doctors don't seem to know what's wrong, I've done a lot of asking from other folks who've been through this surgery and done a lot of research on the subject.  Trust me, you are NOT abnormal.  GI's won't giggle or laugh at you.  They face this all the time.  They can surely help you.
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Thanks to everyone who has written in.  Your comments have helped a lot. Sorry to the people who wrote in 2000 what Im feeling now.  Not much hope if we're still saying the same thing 7 years later.  My story: I have had acid reflux, ulcers, stomach cramping/pain, constipation or toilet sprints, since I was about 13 (30 now) after my second child Dec 96, I started having pains in the rib cage area on right side.  Doc said it was my body getting back to normal after baby.  Almost ten years later (04/06) my fiance died causing depression/stress unimaginable and leaving behind a 9 month old son and my 12 yr old daughter.  That is when all the above body problems got out of control.  8/06 I started talking to my doc about seriously starting tests (everyone said no need in the past).  He still said "not needed, all of it is stress".  A month later I began to have pain so bad I thought I was going to die, but within 15 minutes it was gone.  This went on until the surgery.  I thought I was going crazy.  11/06 My friend took me to the ER because we thought I was having a heart attack (she's in nursing). They hooked me up to an EKG monitor, I was still having twinges of pain, but all they said was my heart sped up with my pains and slowed.  I had a x rays, an mri and an ultrasound.  They said all is fine go home and get some rest.  Same thing 2 days later.  Rushed to (different) hospital, more xrays and another ultrasound, all is fine and back home to rest but this time told to call my doc.  Called him and he brushed me off for 2 days.  I told him if he didn't send me to a professional I was going to the hospital until they found something and then sue him.  He called a surgeon, she was at the hospital where all my latest tests were.  After looking at them, she called me for me to go to the hospital for a special test.  They put a dye in me and monitored it for (2) 45 min sessions.  I was supposed to wait there until she was told the results.  By the time I was done redressing (10am), I was told that I had an appt at the hospital the next day at & 7am to have my gb taken out.  I was supposed to go to her office right then for explanation then go home and plan for me to be out of commission for the next week (as far as my kids were concerned) and to tell my boss I'd see him in 3-4 wks.  My explanation was my gb opening wasn't putting out the amount of bile it should have been but bile was still being produced.  Basically my gb was going to burst.  As far as after, all she said was it would take about a year for my body to be totally better and to watch my fatty/spicy foods.  Why the ultrasound didn't show a rather large gb, who knows.  Never did anyone tell me about: possible dumping syndrome.  Actually, she said my bowel problems would be worked out and normal after this was done.  NOT!!!  First, I woke up and all I could hear was a person in pain moaning ohhhh over and over and wanted them to shut up.  I was so groggy I didn't realize that person was me until they put something under my nose and I felt like someone was stabbing me repeatedly in the side.  My O2 level dropped to 68 and wouldn't come up.  They finally got it to 80 and sent me to recovery, still moaning a lot.  They doped me up some more and within 1 1/2 hrs I went home where I spent the next 2 days not eating, sipping water, taking pills, moaning, only getting up to go to the bathroom, and could only lie on my left side w/pillow under me.  On the 3rd day, moving around some and eating a bite or 2.  4th day a little more movement/food.  5th day!!! Eating more-BATHROOM SPRINTS START.  I ate, I ran to toilet, it was gone.  This went on for about 2 weeks.  Then all of a sudden I was fine.  Surgery was the day b4 Thanksgiving of 06 and by the 6th of Dec I was in Mexico.  A trip planned for almost a year.  Fine the whole time there eating almost normal food.  The end of Dec the bathroom sprints started again but not too bad.  Still so so in July 07 feeling almost back to normal.  Aug 2nd, I started the b-room sprints 5/6 times a day, whether I ate/drank or not.  All different times of the day.  Also, gb attack pains at other times. BAD! Can't nail what could have triggered it.  Nothing has changed.  Been w/a weight management company for the last 3 months that teaches you good and bad foods, what certain foods do to your body, and how to eat healthy w/out loosing the flavor plus working out while being monitored.  Can't figure out what is going on.  All that comes out of me is water consistency and looks like nothing I've seen. (sorry for the nasty description) Called the doc, he said it was probably part of the recovery.  Same from the surgeon.  Tried to go to a different doc and they said with problems after a surgery, I should stay w/the docs I've been going to because they know what's going on.  Apparantly not!!!  I have no insurance.  No one will pay for preexisting problems.  I don't know what to do and I don't want to end up seeing lots of docs, having lots of tests, ending up w/no answers.  Any one have ideas what to do???  Taking care of 12 yr old and 2 year old w/no dad. Can't afford to miss work so I'm still working w/this problem in a busy customer service and sales job.  Any ideas/suggestions would greatly be appreciated.
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Avatar universal
i just had my gallblader removed 4 days ago i am only 23 i have delt with the recovery very well and i am up moving around and doing things like normal except i have a diffrent problem than u guys i have been constipated every since i havent used the bathroom since the day of my sergery and it is worring me i have tried all kinds of things but nothing has worked any one have a suggestion
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Avatar universal
I have had bowel problems for as long as i can remember i have been diagnosed as having ibs but my symptoms are worse than ibs i too have to run the the b-room all the time . when i wake up in the am i have a serious prob i go to the b-room 5/6 times b-4 i even have a glass of water and i have been on all kind of meds to treat my symptoms none of which have worked i have even been at the point where i was taking 48 imodium in a matter of 3 days i know this is not good but nothing seems to work i have been on all the ibs meds and have just got to the point where i quit eating so i dont get sick but that doesnt work for 3 dys in other words i dont eat anything for 3 days and on the 4th day the diaherea then slows down enough that i can get to the market. My diahreah symptoms r so bad i have a matter of seconds from the time the noise and rumbling in my body starts to get to the b-room. i am at the point that i carry a pair of underwear with me whereever i go in my purse/my car and at all friends homes/ now i have to carry extra shorts/pants it has gotten so bad i am now a hermit in my home . i cnt get thru a meal without going to the b-room after the 1st 3 bites of food it is like my body is rejecting all the food i put in it.... i am at the end of my rope i have seen 4 gastroenterologist and they must think i am exagerating but they should spend one day with me while this is going on and see for themselves i just recently got a new gastro dr and told him right off the start that this is the last dr i will see about this prob b-cause no one seems to care/or believe me enough to help me i have gone from weighing 140lbs to now weighing 104 lbs now dont get me wrong when i can get it under enough control and have a b-room nearby i will eat and my weight fluxuates.... i also had my gallbladder removed about 2 yrs ago and i was told that the ibs would get better after the surgery i had and incredible amount of pain after the surgery but the worst thing is that the ibs or so called ibs would get better but it got worse instead i really didnt think it could get worse than it was at the time but i was saddly mistaken. if anyone can give me any tips on how to control my out of control symptoms please tell me i am at a loss to knowing what to do.......i have to go 5/6 times b4 i even have water/coffee/tea in the am......then after another 6/7 times and heaven forbid i should eat any thing i then suffer for the rest of the day/// so i am at the point where i eat only once a day usually around dinner when i know that i will be home for the remainder of the day.,, then i suffer for the night and start again in the am.... my stool is not normal either i trully believe i have something more than ibs but drs say they see nothing... i now know i have a hiatal hernia & gerd/ all normal right? the pain from the symptoms is another topic i have tried all the fiber diets/regimens and they dont work and this dr just put me on questran said this will help ? not working yet. have been on it for about 4 dys..... i dont think this will help either but i am willing to try anything. to give you a list of all the different meds i have tried will take the page and a 1/2. any way i can relate to the many people at their end with the ibs diagnosis and treatments that dont work. the dr also mentioned a test i have never heard of and i am kinda nervous about it // it is called small bowel capsule it this dangerous and will my body be able to handle this test i am sooo tired of being the ginea pig and just want the D word to stop so i can treat my other probs.........

very tired of going to the b-room.......sandi g
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Avatar universal
jan
Hello fellow loo luvers

I found this site because I was looking up details about the drug 'Questran'.   Well now I have the answers to my problems (watery diarrhoea, and high abdo pains mostly where the GB was) and it is a comfort to know that I am not imagining all my symtoms!  

I am now 52 and had my gall bladder out about 5 years ago and apart from an increase in heartburn, indigestion and massive increase in the 'burps' when eating, I hadn't had any real problems till last year Jun 2000 when going to the loo became a very very frequent event,  enough to send me to the doctors because I thought I had a bug or worse.  To cut a long story short (well will try) was sent to a Gastrologist and was examined inside, outside and upside down (doesn't do much for self identity when you feel rotton already). Original diagnosis was Microscopic Colitis(another elusive condition), so was put on steroids which made the condition far worse and blew me up like a baloon, thankfully I am off them now, but took 3 months to find out they made me far worse.  

Had severe pains where GB used to be and round front of diaphram under sturnum, still get these now and again,  they can be frightening and was convinced I had pancreatic cancer. Anyway have had more tests including the bile salt malabsorption test which proved very positive, meaning that I was not re-using/storing my bile, does this make sense?   Presumably that means more and more is being made and the bile,  like acid is causing all the problems.  Trouble is that no-one explains anything to you and even when I ask,  the answers are evasive.  My Gastrologist is not very forthcoming with information (I seem to know more about it than he does, and typically you cannot tell him anything or say that you have found things out, without consulting him!).  

Anyway latest is that he gave me Questran to take a couple of weeks ago - and it appears to have stopped my frequent visits to the loo and I haven't had the pains so much, but that leads me to what I said originally about information on the drug.   I also have to take thyroxine because of hypothyroidism and am now worried that the Questran may affect that.  Am due to see him in a couple of weeks and possibly to have a barium meal test.  Will let you know how things go.  

To all that need the GB op, not everyone is the same and mostly things are much better afterwards,  also it is always best to get things checked out, just in case.

Best wishes to all and a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Regards from Jan
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Avatar universal
I want to know about the symptons of gallstones?
I have alot of bloating , shoulderblade pain,stomach sick, pains in my stomach,chest pain and also feel drained.
Please can you tell me if i have it bad enough to get my gallbladder out? The Doctor found out i have stones by the ultra sound test.
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Avatar universal
I recently had my gallbladder removed and was happy to be rid of the pain. I go back to my doctor tommorrow and I thought something had gone wrong till I found this site. I too have became very familiar with all the restrooms. I am going to ask my doctor about the meds. that have been mentioned here about the Dumping Syndrome. I have lost 15 pounds since my surgery, and the surgery has only been a month ago. I assume the weight lose is from visting the bathroom so much?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I want to know about the symptons of gallstones?
I have alot of bloating , shoulderblade pain,stomach sick, pains in my stomach,chest pain and also feel drained.
Please can you tell me if i have it bad enough to get my gallbladder out? The Doctor found out i have stones by the ultra sound test.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I recently had my gallbladder removed and was happy to be rid of the pain. I go back to my doctor tommorrow and I thought something had gone wrong till I found this site. I too have became very familiar with all the restrooms. I am going to ask my doctor about the meds. that have been mentioned here about the Dumping Syndrome. I have lost 15 pounds since my surgery, and the surgery has only been a month ago. I assume the weight lose is from visting the bathroom so much?
Helpful - 0

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