What is wrong with me?

[Ruthie327]

I had my gallbladder taken out 09/12/07..i was fine for 2 weeks then I started having the exact same attacks I was having in the beginning (08/5/07). Is this normal? They told me I have post-cholysystectomy disorder.What is that and why is it so painful?


This discussion is related to weight loss, nausea vomiting bile after gallbladder removal.

[CalGal]

This disorder can be a series of problems that appears to occur after having the gallbladder removed. Unfortunately, no one can really say what causes it, so the focus should be on how to 'attack' the problem.

You may want to sign into emedicine and access an article called postcholecystectomy syndrome which will give you an overview.

Although you didn't describe exactly which components you're experiencing, you mentioned pain, and that suggests that you may be experiencing symptoms similar to gallbladder attacks. And refluxing bile into your stomach?

One thing that may (or may not) help would be to try a very low fat diet. Many people can't process fats as they normally would after the gallbladder is gone and it may take time to adjust.

You also need to be working with docs who are experienced in this problem and not all GI docs are. If you had stones/sludge in your gallbladder, it's possible that you may have spilled some of that content into the common bile duct before or during surgery. If that happened, it's possible that it irritated the common bile duct or the sphincter (the muscular opening to the duodenum) and has resulted in spasms. When that occurs, bile (and pancreatic fluids) can back up and cause problems. If necessary, you need to understand what can and should be done to try to correct the problem. This situation is typically termed SOD - sphincter of Oddi dysfunction - and it needs the input of a very skilled, knowledgable doc. If an ERCP needs to be done, please make sure that the ERCP is done WITH manometry. Make sure pressure readings are done so that you know where you stand. If the pressure readings are high, that should be the only reason a sphincterotomy is done - cutting the sphincter. If the pressures are not high, a sphincterotomy should not be done. There's a fine distinction, but from what the studies are showing at this time, it can be an important one.

The John Hopkins Digestive Disease online library has a good article on SOD. You may want to track it down since it describes the condition and has wonderful pics to go along with it.

[shell1925]

I am curious as to what symptoms you are experiencing.  Like you I had my GB removed 9/07 and I was fine until February of this year.  I experience heart attack like symptoms, but I also have a hiatal hernia and GERD so that may also be the cause of my symptoms.  I have had cardiac testing to r/o any problems with my heart so now I have to have another endoscopy and a pH monitoring tests because they are thinking my hiatal hernia has either gotten bigger or I possibly am having esophageal spasms.  Lucky me!

I also had bloodwork done because apparently it is common to develop celiac disease after having your GB removed.  I haven't read up on it, but this is according to my GI doc who I saw today.  I wish you lots of luck and keep me posted!

Shell

[495059]

For the past 7 years I have had a knife twisting pain under the right rib and radiating into the back following an open cholysystectomy. I have recently had a subcostal nerve ablation and in the past nerve blocks,nerve freezings and the nerve released. On a lot of pain medication and it affects my sleep and my life in general. Has anyone suffered or suffering from the same. I just want my life back!