Post cholecystectomy drain pain

[gerri786]

I had my gall bladder removed on Nov 6, had vomiting for two nights then serious pain--apparently I had a bile leak from the gall bladder bed. Five days after the initial surgery I was back in the hospital and my doctor inserted a drain (a long tube in my abdominal cavity, with a bulb on the end where the bile collects and that I have to empty. A week after the drain was inserted I am still having pain that's bad enough to double me over, and that is about an 8 out of ten (even percocet doesn't kill it). The pain's not constant, but it is persistent--it never goes away though at times it eases slightly. Is this horrible pain typical? I'm emptying about 140ml of bile out per day--so is it because of the bile in my abdominal cavity? I swear I can feel the tube where it winds around inside me, and it's causing me pain. My doctor didn't say what to do, or what danger signs to watch for--can anyway help?

[gerri786]

I just got released from the hospital after three days being treated for what was (or so they think) an infection of the bile system. In retrospect, there is no way that the drain on its own could have caused so much pain--pain that was so bad I had to take percocet. They gave me heavy-duty antibiotics and, fingers crossed, will be better soon--at least almost all of the pain has gone.

[gerri786]

Thanks so much--and I'll definitely ask about other pain meds. It really helps to have someone say, Yep, a drain is going to hurt. My doc made it sound as though it wouldn't.

[CalGal]

Gerri, it's possible the drain can be adding to your discomfort. They are by no means 'painless.'  Spasms in the common bile duct - due to a small stone or even when stones aren't present - are enough to bring a grown person to their knees, so having a drain in place isn't a 'no discomfort' procedure.

Having a bile leak isn't a simple thing to resolve. That leak needs to completely seal before the drain can be removed. Have you talked to your doctor? If not, you need to make a call and do so. Ask how/where the leak is located and how long they expect the drain to be present. Also ask about the pain you're experiencing and find out if other medications might be able to more effectively help you. Not everyone responds to the same pain medications in the same way.

A bile leak isn't something you 'spontaneously' developed. It typically happens because the common bile duct gets 'nicked' during surgery. Go ask questions.