problems after gallbladder surgery! HELP!

[krusher]

Why do I feel worse after having my gallbladder removed?


This discussion is related to After Gallbladder Removal Problems.

[CalGal]

What are you experiencing? And how long ago was the surgery?

[k2t]

I don't know, but I found this forum after one day after getting released from the hospital for the same symptoms. My gallbladder was removed in Oct of 2007, after a prior gallstone removal in Sept of 2007.

I had a stone in my bile duct, according to the GI.I was in the hospital for three days after passing out during a Cat-scan (from pain, and they popped three veins trying to insert an IV). I was getting the Cat-scan to help diagnose my problem.

I have had recurring problems as well since my gallbladder removal, which I was tols would solve everything. In fact, right now my right side below my ribcage is killing me.

Good luck. I go back to the GI doctor this week, if I don;t wind up in the hospital again.

I am just so tired of the pain, the naseau, and the vomiting and diarhea (diarrhea) from this. It's been going on for a while, and this last episode left me with my third case of pancreatitis in as many years.
I don't drink alcohol, except for an occasional glass of wine (which has now stopped) and I eat a very healthy diet. I am not overweight, and exercise.

I don't get this, but it has become a major, life changing unpleasant problem. If I get any solutions this week, I will post.

[jenni032]

Hi Guys, I've just read through every post on this page about abdominal pain after gall bladder surgery lookin for the reason my best frined's daughter is still hurting.  It's just amazing that all of you and her are having the same symptoms and no telling how many thousands of others in the same boat.  Seems that somebody would have an answer for this by now.  The common denominator in all of your comments is sever abdomen pain/right upper quadrant pain radiating around to the back /nausea/vomiting.  Her symptoms are exactly the same.  After reading alot of other websites about this, I am going to suggest she have and ERCP to check for the size of the ducts or sphincter of Oddie.
I'll post again if that's the answer.

[sanni]

I have suffered with abdo pain after having my gall bladder removed 10 years now.  I was having attacks exactly the same as the gall bladder pain. After several months of examinations and tests the specialist finally realised after giving me panadeine forte that only made the pain worse that I was suffering with spasm of the sphincter of oddi. Unfortunately there was nothing he could do for me I just had to amnage the pain.
It is 10 years down the track and I still suffer from it although now it only happens about 3 to 4 times a year when it happens I have to have pethideine injections to relive the pain.

I have however discovered that certain foods, certain alcohol. and vitamin B all contribute to the onset of pain. The foods that seem to contribute unfortunately are the ones that are good for me like fruit and vegetables and they always need to be eaten with a carbohydrate codeine actually makes the pain worse and I cannot let myself get hungry at any time small snacks and drinking milk when I feel it starting to come on helps keep it at bay. Try not to let the pain get to a point that you cannot manage so take analgesic as soon as you can this often helps to eliviate a severe attack.    

[trythis]

i too have had my gb taken out 11/07.  i too still have the pain on the right, under the rib cage.  however it does not go around to the back.  and i too have the fast diarhea (diarrhea).  sounds like to me after reading all of these blogs there must not be any help for this.  it must have been one of the side effects we were not warned of.

[ohiogirl]

Hey all,
I had my GB removed in Sept 2006, and started having the exact pain you all are describing.  It was found that I had Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction which is where the muscle that attaches your pancreas to your small intestine is not working properly, spasms and causes a back up of bile in your common bile duct which would normally be deposited into your GB, but since that's gone...well, pain.  It also backs up the stuff into my pancreas that needs to come out which is why a lot of people get pancreatitis as well.

SOD is not fun, I won't lie.  There generally is not a cure, but people can try meds to control it or have a procedure called an ERCP which is supposed to help, but comes with significant risks and more times than not, causes more problems and doesn't fix SOD.

Meds to ask your doc to try are called Levbid, it's an antispasmodic that is supposed to help that SO calm down, and Elavil which is an antidepressant prescribed for its side effects on pain.  If you go to the hospital for pain - NEVER let them use morphine.  IT aggravates the SOD, but most people don't realize that this is the problem.  In fact, if I have to be hospitalized for any reason, I list Morphine as an allergy.

I have learned so much about this disease and what can happen from it.  I'm a co-owner of an online support group for SOD and Pancreatitis and everything that comes with it.  If you want more information, I'd love to have you join.

Some (most) have pain after eating certain foods, or just eating in general.  I am a lot like Sanni in that I have attacks when my stomach is empty.  The meds have helped me greatly and I haven't had to eat as much during the night as I used to before I was on anything, but still today if I wake to a certain sensation, I know to eat something right away.

Sorry for the long post here...please feel free to contact me with any questions about SOD or if I can help in any way.

[Cheri70]

OhioGirl,

I am having a hard time getting my GI to acknowledge I have a real problem after my GB removal in Nov 07.  He has done a CT scan and an MRCP and told me they were normal, of course by the time I got the tests I was not symptomatic.  My liver and pancreatic enzymes have not been retested since removal.

Is SOD all the time, or can it run in cycles?  I can not figure out what triggers my pain. It can be present a week or so, then I'm OK for a week to 3 weeks before it starts again. I mainly have upper left pressure, like someone is pressing up under my ribs hard.  Mostly it's annoying but once in a while it's a bring me to my knees kind of pain.  Every few weeks or so I get bad labor type cramps in my lower abdomen (the symptom that started this all) and it leaves me with a bad pain under my left ribs.  I also have nausea almost daily.

Any info on how to proceed to get help is appreciated.

PS I've lost 40lbs.