continuing pain years after gall bladder surgery

I have pain still and know people who have continuing pain after having our gall bladders removed. Is this wide-spread among gall bladder patients and is it common? Sometimes it is so bad that it feels like someone shoved a fist through the left side of my thoracic back area and is squeezing my insides tightly or like someone shoved a big pole or dull knife through that area, where my right shoulder blade is but deeper inside of me. I also have very painful ribs/rib area on my right side, back and front too and the area inside of me where the gall bladder was is painful also. Sometimes, I feel something moving or clicking back and forth right under my breast-bone/upper front rib area where my gall bladder used to be, depending on my movements. If it is staples/clips, could this be causing the pain?
My surgery was about 20 years ago. What kind of test is done to find problem clips/staples or even surgery tools left behind?  

[Hope1313]

Since I don't know how to edit my post yet, I need to correct it here. The pain is all on the right side. I mistakenly wrote in one part of the post that I had pain on the left side.

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Any structural abnormalities like post op inflammations or abscess can be detected by an ultrasonogram or CT scan. The other causes for the pain could be gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and GERD. Disorders of the liver and colon could also cause pain. Kidney disorders too produce colicky and sharp pain. Sometimes anxiety with flatulence can cause this pain. Discuss these options with your consulting doctor.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

[rocky4]

Hi Hope1313,
I have exactly the same symptoms as you have mentioned...what did the doctor say?

[jessannette]

I am having the same symptoms after 25 years of my gallbladder surgery I have been having excruciating pain in my ribcage area and almost like gallbladder pain all over again.. I had xrays done today and when the doc had them on the lighted panel I could see the staples in the image at the exact areas I am having my pain. When I asked her what those were she quickly pulled th film and walked out of the room to converse with another person.. I could hear them muttering something.. Then she walked in and said we really don't see any cause for the pain you described.. and I asked her again about the staples I saw.. she said oh those would not cause any problems. I felt like I was being lied to so tomorrow I am going to get a second opinion from elsewhere since I feel they fear I will sue them.