GallBladder Removal - Was it worth it?

[Kimberly]

I am a very frustrated 28 yr old female.  I originally went to the doctor almost 2 yrs ago due to excruciating painful attacks, usually after fatty meals and/or alcohol. These attacks were so painful they would cause me to haunch over, hyperventilate and would be at there worst pain just below the breastbone, over to the right. Then the pain would generate into my back, up to my sholders and sometimes down my arms. I would usually have someone take me to the ER. After a ultrasound, the doctors found about 7-8 stones in my gallbladder & I had it removed about 1 1/2 yrs ago. About 3-4 weeks after surgery, I had another attack. Very much like the gallbladder attacks I had before surgery. I am still having them periodically as of today. Just had another on 1/7. Again, precipitated by fatty foods and/or alcohol. In addition, stomach is usally tender & sore.I have had ultrasounds, bloodwork, 2 endoscopies. Test show no signs of gallstones in the ducts. Endoscopies did show that I developed bile gastritis. I was treated w/ sucralfate and Prilosec about a year ago. Months after meds stopped, developed burning pain (almost constant, sometimes worse when hungry) in the pit of stomach below the breastbone. No mention of uclers from doctors and there were no signs during prior endoscopies. Doc now says have acid reflux, although haven't had chestpains or heartburn a day in my life. Doc says LES valve is not closing/relaxed, but nothing comes up my throat. Am now back on sucralfate and prevacid. It's been a pretty painful process since my gallbladder was removed. Not only am I still have attacks, which is why the gallbladder was removed in the 1st place, but because it's gone, the bile that trickles has caused bile gastritis. I was pretty much told that bile gastritis can be treated, but not cured & I will take meds for the rest of my life. How will this affect me when I choose to get pregnant? Why am I still having gallstone attacks w/ no gallbladder? What is the constant burning in the pit? Life on a daily basis consist of pain & discomfort. Some days better than others. What else can I do? All these diagnoses & meds, yet the burning & attacks still exist???  Thank you for your time.

[Cindy]

I had my gallbladder out on February 17, 2000 and was okay for the first couple days or so.  I went home with a catheter and ended up with a urinary tract infection.  The catheter was in for five days.  I took Cipro for the infection and this made me very sick.  I stopped taking it and went back to the doctor.  My urinary tract infection is gone but now I have started with diarreha after eating, and I mean stuff without fat.  Yesterday I ate plain pasta with vegetables and today ate fat free cream of rice with skim milk and a banana, both times had diarreha.  Crackers are okay, so is Jello and Sherbert.  But if I eat anything heavy it goes right through me within 20 minutes of eating.  I don't think Im absorbing the nutrition and am very nervous about this.  Ive lost a lot of weight and dont want to get sicker.  What should I do?  Is anyone else having the same problems.

[Susan]

To turgut dincer

I had been having problems with abdominal pain, upper right quadrant.  My doctor sent me for an ultrasound and a polyp in my gallbladder was discovered.  The polyp was small but the pain continued.  I have been following a fat free diet,  (Not a lot to eat.)  but still have some problems.  My family doctor wanted to be sure it was the gallbladder causing the problem and sent me to a gastroenterologist.  He examined me and asked a bunch of questions about the pain before concluding that it was very likely the gallbladder was the problem.  He recommended having it removed.  I went to see a sugeon and will have it removed in a couple weeks.  He also told me that gallbladder polyps have the potential to develop into something serious as time goes on.  (Cancer)  Hope all turns out well for you.

[Andy]

For all those with post-surgigal gallbladder pains/attacks, please check out www.google.com and do a search for "Sphincter of Oddi".  You will come up with about 16 pages of info for this condition.  Some of it is technical & is posted by M.D.s, some is in the form of a forum, but pay close attention to one posting in particular:  "How to control your Sphincter of Oddi or bile duct spasms (post cholecystectomy, post-gallbladder or biliary dyskinesia syndrome), by Prof. Ruth Engs, RN, EdD, Indiana University.  She describes, in layman's terms, the options for dealing with this syndrome.  I hope that this info helps.  Good luck.

[Carol Corbo]

I had my gallbladder removed on 7/8/99.  The doctor told me that it was the second attack and that they are going to take it out.  She told me she was the best there is.  So I had it removed.  I was in alot of pain after the surgery and they did not send me home like they where supposed to do.  I stayed the night and went home the next day. Two days after the surgery, I was changing my clothes and noticed that my side had turned black bruised.  I was very upset after seeing this.  The next day my hip got a big black circle (bruise) on it.  When I went to the doctor and asked her about this, she said that sometimes this happens.  Is this true.  After about 4 months after the surgery, my stomach had pain in it everytime I got hungry.  I had to get something to eat or I felt like I would vomit.  It was a horrible feeling.  I went to a gastroligist and he went down to view my stomach with a scope and said I had acid reflux and barretts esophigus.  I had to change my diet and take previcid.  He then sent me for blood work because I also have a pain where my liver is located.  The bloodwork came back with high levels for the liver and also my triglycerides came back at 264 and then he sent me for a C/T scan.  The scan showed I have a fatty infiltration of the liver.  Also, it showed a 1-2 mm lung nodule in the right middle lobe.  After that he ordered a chest e-ray and that came back and said no active disease is seen in the chest.  I still have the pain in my liver and my doctor said he wants to see me back in his office in 3 months.  My questions are:  1)  Is a fatty liver reversable and if so what can I do to reverse it?
2)  Should I have pain where by liver is?
3)  Should I still have pain after 8 months in my right side where all the bruising was.  
4)Should I except that my e-ray on the chest came back normal when the C/T scan (a more detailed test) showed a 1-2 mm nodule. ***@****  Thanks for listening...

[Donna]

Well, as I have read through this forumn I see that I have
problems similar to many of you. I had my gallbladder removed
last week, Feb.1/00. It is a week today and the first couple
of days seemed fine but now the extreme gas and sour stomach
have returned. Does anyone know if this is normal and will
disappear in time or could all my problems have been caused
by something else? Thanks Donna

[debbie]

hello liza,i to have ulcerative colitis.I never heard of this  disease before.i feel for anyone with this  disease.i only found out about this because i was told my gallbladder had to be removed.not only did i have acid reflux,pancreatis,hiatal hernia but inflammation of the bowel.I thought i was going to defecate my life away!and the stomache pain is unberable.i am taking asacol that  really helps.i have no pain.i would usually stay constipated and would hurt my stomache when i tried to use the bathroom.now i am regular which i never was before.i will pray for you and hope your doctors get this under control for you.try to hang in there sweetie and dont give up.if you need to talk to me,feel free to email me at  ***@****