Post Gall Bladder Pain

My dad just had the laproscopic gall bladder surgery.  When he woke up, he was in extreme pain that they had trouble getting under control.  I started as stabbing pain in his arms and hands.  It has now been a week and is mostly in his sholders and upper back.  He is not one to want to take any kind of pill - pain or otherwise.  It wont seem to go away.  Does anyone have any ideas as to what it could be?

[CalGal]

If he had any stones or sludge, it's possible some could have 'gotten away' and lodged in the common bile duct. That can cause symptoms similar to a gallbladder attack. If that's the case, he needs to have an ERCP done and have the duct swept to remove any debris.

Make sure they check his liver enzyme levels and pancreatic levels.

If his bile duct is spasming, or his sphincter of Oddi is spasming, narcotic meds won't help a lot. There are some anti-spasm meds that might give him a bit of a break, but they don't work for everyone - ask about higher levels of Levsin. But if the problem is in the duct or sphincter an ERCP may be necessary. Make sure they stent the duct afterwards to try to reduce the possibility of pancreatitis.