GallBladder Removal - Was it worth it?

[Kimberly]

I am a very frustrated 28 yr old female.  I originally went to the doctor almost 2 yrs ago due to excruciating painful attacks, usually after fatty meals and/or alcohol. These attacks were so painful they would cause me to haunch over, hyperventilate and would be at there worst pain just below the breastbone, over to the right. Then the pain would generate into my back, up to my sholders and sometimes down my arms. I would usually have someone take me to the ER. After a ultrasound, the doctors found about 7-8 stones in my gallbladder & I had it removed about 1 1/2 yrs ago. About 3-4 weeks after surgery, I had another attack. Very much like the gallbladder attacks I had before surgery. I am still having them periodically as of today. Just had another on 1/7. Again, precipitated by fatty foods and/or alcohol. In addition, stomach is usally tender & sore.I have had ultrasounds, bloodwork, 2 endoscopies. Test show no signs of gallstones in the ducts. Endoscopies did show that I developed bile gastritis. I was treated w/ sucralfate and Prilosec about a year ago. Months after meds stopped, developed burning pain (almost constant, sometimes worse when hungry) in the pit of stomach below the breastbone. No mention of uclers from doctors and there were no signs during prior endoscopies. Doc now says have acid reflux, although haven't had chestpains or heartburn a day in my life. Doc says LES valve is not closing/relaxed, but nothing comes up my throat. Am now back on sucralfate and prevacid. It's been a pretty painful process since my gallbladder was removed. Not only am I still have attacks, which is why the gallbladder was removed in the 1st place, but because it's gone, the bile that trickles has caused bile gastritis. I was pretty much told that bile gastritis can be treated, but not cured & I will take meds for the rest of my life. How will this affect me when I choose to get pregnant? Why am I still having gallstone attacks w/ no gallbladder? What is the constant burning in the pit? Life on a daily basis consist of pain & discomfort. Some days better than others. What else can I do? All these diagnoses & meds, yet the burning & attacks still exist???  Thank you for your time.

[debbie]

I am 29 years old and 140 lbs/5'8" tall, I had my gallbladder removed February 98 in London, Ontario (where I lived).

I first noticed pain one day in August/97, it came on so fast I fell to the floor...it felt like very bad hunger...just below my breast bone...this continued for about a half hour and then I got another one. The next day I went to the Doctor and she said it was an ulcer...without doing a blood test first! She wanted to start me on medication...but I wanted to wait for the test. It came back negative.

In September/97 I had another 5 attacks, I went back to the Doctor and she said it was stress....hmmm, I thought...ok...it could be. So I took anti-stress seminars...didn't help! Then the attacks started to last several hours at a time. They were very intense, no highs or lows, and it was difficult to breathe, walking made it worse, so I sat at the kitchen table for hours, praying for it to go away. Stress???

So I went back to the Doctor again in October...she said it was stomache acid! ok...I thought. I avoided chocolate, alcohol, tomatoes, citrus etc. still it didn't help. She finally sent me for an ultrasound in November/97. It came back positive for multiple gallstones. She said it's minor surgey and not to worry about it!

So when I went to see the Surgeon in December/97 he asked me how many attacks I have had so far...I said 19 (I didn't think anything of it) he was astonded and ordered surgery asap! That didn't take place until Feb/98!

I did learn finally at the time of seeing the surgeon, that fat causes the pain....I lost 22 lbs before the surgery. I was terrified of eating anything, as everything gave me pain. I was scared to go out anywhere for having the pain in public.

After the surgery, when I was at home...I must say that the incisions (4) were REALLY sore! It took me 2-3 months to be able to sleep slightly comfortable. It was very sore to walk, laugh, reach up, down, turn door knobs, sit on the couch...getting up from the bed or couch was a real chore!

That was nothing, until one day in March when I had my first post-surgery gallbladder attack! Yes it can happen afterwards! The surgeon didn't believe me...come back when you have had 5 attacks....!!! 5 came and went...he did nothing... I was really mad at this point...I'm not waiting months again for someone to do something....

He sent me for an ultrasound...but it was negative.

I ended up visiting the ER MANY times throughout the next 2 months. I had another 16 attacks....these all lasted 4-5 hours each! They finally refered me to a Gastroenterologist, he did an ERCP after many weeks of waiting on the list on May 27/98. It came back negative!

The Gastro Doctor told me that ultrasounds do not pick up objects that are surrounded by liquid.  If a stone is stuck with liquid wrapped around it...it doesn't show up.  He also said that ultrasounds miss 60% of stones that are stuck in the bile ducts.

Since then it has taken a long time (Aug.99) to be able to eat anything I want to. I have no pain, no attacks, no cramps, and no diarrea. I had several months of heartburn and reflux...but everything seems to be fine now!

Hmmmm.....how delectible brownies are again!!!!

***@****

[DJ]

Year and half after removal of gall bladder, never have a day without much discomfort.  Stomach distended extremely, look 8 months pregnant, can't eat full meal, can't wear clothing with elastic around waist, difficulty breathing after eating, checkups year ago led to nothing but doctors telling me to be patient.  Anyone else having tight, extended stomachs and great discomfort?

[Cynthia January 14,2000]

Dear Kimberly,   I am 36 and also had my galbladder removed because of attacks just like yours. after surgery nothing changed,the attacks continued and the docter who did the surgery treated me like garbage. After ultrasounds, X-Rays, blood tests,etc.etc.he told me to stop bothering him,there was nothing else he could do.After several more attacks I spoke to a triage nurse at the emergency room who told me the same thing happened to her but she did'nt have any gallstones. finally she was told by a gastroenterolagist to start taking at least 3tablespoons of whole husk psyllium everyday,I mix mine with vanilla flavered soy milk and a scoop of chocolate flavored protien vitamin powder,like slim fast.the next day after talking to the nurse I also saw my primary care docter who told me I probably had an ulcer along with a spastic asophagus.He started me on prevecid that day and I picked up the psyllium at the health food store on the way home.I went two weeks without an attack and stopped taking the prevecid.about two weeks later I whent 2days without psyllium and had an attack. whole husk psyllium acts like a sponge and absorbs much of the bile and acid thats dumped into your stomoch and then takes it straight out of your body ,thats why it needs to be whole husk because it's non soluable.I made the mistake of discontinuing my use of prevecid before my stomoch had a chance to heal so now Im doing another 4weeks of it.I always keep a can of strawberry or chocolate slim fast with me when Im out and about because I find that it coats my stomach really well and keeps me from getting to hungry and keeps my stomach from being too empty,wich is when acid and bile will hurt it the most.Psyllium also helps with I.B.S (irritable bowel syndrome)wich can cause many of the same symptoms.I hope it works for you.

[Melly1972]

A related discussion, Problems after Gallbladder removal was started.

[fiest]

A related discussion, gallstones surgery was started.

[christine Nelson]

what can be done with cancer of the esophages.  Can the esophages be replaced?  Are there alternative treatments.

[christine Nelson]

what can be done with cancer of the esophages.  Can the esophages be replaced?  Are there alternative treatments.

[Dolly]

Hi: Well, I'm back again. The last time I had written was June 1, 2000 and I was complaining about having elevated liver enzymes. About three weeks ago I went to my doctor and had another blood test done to check to see if I still had elevated liver enzymes because the doctors were thinking of having a liver biopsy done on me. To my relief, my blood tests came back normal. The doctors feel that my losing about 10 pounds is what did the trick. They felt I had fatty liver and needed to lose some weight. I still feel it had something to do with having my gall bladder removed. Well, whatever the case is, I'm relieved that my blood test came back normal. I also was taking milk thistle, hopefully that also helped. For all of you out there with these same problems, check the Internet and read and learn as much as you can about your medical problems and keep the faith. I really feel that learning what I could on the Internet helped me in making a decision as to not rush into having a liver biopsy done until I felt it was absolutely necessary and at this time did not feel that was the case. I'm glad I stuck to my guns and pushed off having the liver biopsy done immediately because it obviously wasn't needed. Good luck to everyone.

[Sheri]

You people that are having elevated liver functions, listen up! Your doctor is not going to tell you this, but your problem could be that you bile duct was injured during your laproscopic surgery.  It happened to me and I was lucky that I REFUSED to leave the hospital after surgery, due to the pain.  My case was severe (complete disection) but you could have a leak which will cause liver damage if not corrected.

[sue]

Just a note of encouragement - I had my gall bladder removed on May 1, 2000, and have never felt better in my life.  Gone is my pain, indigestion, etc.  I can now live in peace - knowing that I don't have to live in fear of another gallbladder attack.  I understand that many people encounter problems even after their gall bladder was removed, but I just thought that some people might want to know that many people get their's removed and feel great.  Thank you!

[Cindy]

I too had my gallbladder out and am experiencing some pain again in the same area, including the pressure on my ribs which I had due to the blockage of bile.  Now I seem to have developed anal leakage.  Is this related to the surgery?

[Dolly]

Hello: It's been two years since my gallbladder operation. It took me about a year to finally get completely well. I was nauseous for about 6 weeks before the operation and three months after the operation. I thought I would never feel better again. I only wish I had seen this message board while I was sick. It would have made me feel better knowing that it wasn't all in my mind. I remember my stomach being so sore and tender and how I couldn't eat very much at all, I had lost a total of 18 pounds. I would get well and then relapse within a few days as soon as I started to eat normally again. As I said this went on for three months and then my internist prescribed Prevocid for me and within two weeks I was better. She thought that I had developed Gastritis after the Gallbladder was removed. I think she was right, because I did start to get better after taking that medication. The problem was that none of the doctors could understand why I was still having the same symptoms I had before the operation. I wish they would start reading up on the Internet and realize that everyone's body is not what the textbooks say they are.

The other thing that has happened is that just before the surgery, I had bloodwork done and everything was fine, no elevated liver enzymes which I would get now and then, which the doctors felt were attributed to my gallbladder. Then two weeks after the surgery I had this intense pain in the gallbladder region and almost passed out in the drug store awaiting a pain killer prescription. After being rushed to the emergency room and bloodwork being done, I was told that my liver enzymes were elevated, but that it was probably due to the surgery, that there was really no reason for concern and that I could go home. Well eventually everything did seem to go back to normal and a year later, I went back to my doctor for a cold and my doctor suggested my taking a bloodtest. Well, surprisingly, the bloodtest results showed that I still had elevated liver enzymes. Now she was puzzled and thought maybe I had been taking some sort of vitamins or medication that created this problem. She had a liver function test done and everything came back fine. She then told me to have another bloodtest done 2 mos. later and same thing again, elevated liver enzymes. She then sent me to an Gastroenterologist and he had me go for an ultrasound. Ultrasound showed normal liver, pancreas, everything checked out fine. It seems I'm a mystery to the doctors and now he's thinking of having me go for a Liver Biopsy, which I'm not too anxious to do, because I understand that is not always conclusive. I feel that the liver enzymes has something to do with the gallbladder being removed. My Gastoenterologist thinks I may have Fatty Liver, which I find hard to believe being that I'm just about 5 pounds overweight. Has anyone else had this happen to them?

[Christine]

I am 30 years old and have many of the same symptoms as Kimberly.  I had my gall bladder out two years ago and had terrible attacks for the year following my surgery.  The pain was unbearable. The pain was the worst in my right side under my ribs and eventually spread across my entire abdomen.  During my attacks my stomach became very, very tight.  My attacks often occurred at night  - they woke me from my sleep.  They usually occurred if I was sleeping on my stomach. My attacks aren't so severe now - knock on wood - but my stomach pain still often wakes me up at night.  My right side is always tender and sore.  I am always constipated, but when I take in more fiber, my pain in my right side gets worse.  My doctor thinks my problems are caused from acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome.  I take Prilosec for the reflux and Levbid as needed.  My attacks seem to get worse if I take Prilosec and Levbid on the same day (4 hours apart) for a few days in a row.  I have trouble handling both of them, I think.  I go to sleep on my back on two or three pillows, and I sleep with blocks under the head of my bed to keep the acid flowing down.  I think this has helped quite a bit, since my attacks are usually more like episodes now than attacks.  I can't lay on my left side.  When I do, my right side under my ribs feels very uncomfortable.  My doctor thinks my bile duct is OK, because I have had blood tests done during attacks and everything was OK.  I am glad my doctor hasn't found a more serious problem with me, but I would like to feel normal again.   If anyone has any advice, I would greatly appreciate it.  I think there is something wrong other than the reflux and irritable bowel syndrome, but I don't know how to figure out what the problem is.  I have had an upper GI, X-Rays, CAT scans, endoscopy,and a colonoscopy.  Everything came back fine except for my throat being inflamed from the reflux.  Thanks again.
Christine  

[Dee]

Does having polyps in your gallbladder affect your weight in anyway?

[Ben]

My anesthesiologist was trying to "find the vein" when I decided not to pursue with my gall bladder removal operation. At first, interns were sent to talk to me and then finally my doctor asked me why I was backing out. I told him that I had a change of mind and that I would like to consider other options. He said that my only option is surgery (removal of my gall bladder).
I decided not to go on with the surgery. I felt victorious but when my doctor told me to find another doctor and that he did not want to deal with me anymore, I felt hurt and insulted. He should have, at least, made another appointment with me, and offer me other alternatives or at least been open minded and discussed things with me.
Do I really have no other option? For about a week now, I have not have any pain. My diet is in control and it seems to be helping. Reading all your mail regarding pains after surgery makes me feel good for not having mine done but where do I go from here? What if I have another attack? Is there any medicine or natural alternatives to break down gall stone? What food can I
eat or avoid?
Please write me at ***@****.

Thank you,

[jules]

In response to distended stomach and discomfort around the waist: I am 27 and had my gallbladder removed by Laparoscopic procedure on 3/3/00.  I have always been healthy, eat healthy,  workout often, and lean!  It has been a bit over a month and I have put on a small amount of weight (for no apparent reason, never ate a fatty diet or poor diet in the first place) and get a sore fattened gut by the end of the day, depressing.  Could it be that the Laproscopic procedure (cutting in the tummy) is the cause for this ?  My family, husband, doctor etc tell me the same thing "just be patient", easy for them to say.  We have to live with the discomfort.  I have this new gut, an ugly purple belly button, burping and gas, can't eat too much or it hurts.  I am so thankful that the ER found out what my pain has been for the past 6 months, but I just want to look and feel back to normal again.  I am somewhat discouraged after reading that many of you have been this way over a year after surgery, but thankful that I am not alone. Please don't get me wrong I am so very thankful to GOD that it was nothing more than the Gallbladder and that I am alive to talk about this, but I also don't understand why this would happen to a young, health conscious, and lean person?  I have turned into a depressed person in one month and should be the opposite! Will my shape/body return to it's previous size ? Anyone else in my boat? Or, want to email to ***@****

[Leslie]

I have had IBS for almost 15 years. Just in the last year things started to change.  I had pain in the upper right side, under the rib cage. After several tests, it showed to be a grossly malfunctioning gallbladder.  We took it out.  Since the surgery I have not experienced the pain on the right side, but must eat a very restrictive diet.  If I have a fatty meal, fried, dairy, oily foods, I have lower abdominal cramping, and diarrhea.  I have been on questran, prevacid, and start started taking lotronex, a new IBS drug.  So far still having attacks . If anyone has any suggestions, Please reply.   Thank you leslie

[Shawn O]

Thank God! I can't believe what I've been reading. And I thought I was going crazy! So many of you seem to have the same experiences that I have had. The most frequent is trying to relate your symptoms and problems to "medical professionals" only to be told they have no idea what you're talking about and that they have never heard about what your going through.
     Unfortunately, I have had stomach problems for quite some time since my early 20's. Mostly irritable bowel, gas and so on. A few years ago I started experiencing unbelievable heartburn,acid indigestion(I know what they mean by "sulpher") and stomach pains. It would go on for days and sometimes cause chest pain and trouble breathing. Everything I ate would result in a mad dash or terrible pain. I went to my Doctor and after a couple of times with the same complaints he sent me for tests. Nothing showed up of course until he sent me for the xray procedure for the gall bladder. As soon as they injected the fat dye into the IV things started happenning. The vibe in the whole room changed and the nurses and technicians whom I had been having a pleasant conversation with started saying gall bladder surgery wasn't that bad. So I arranged with a recommended surgeon to have my gall bladder removed with the hope all this would get under control. The surgery went well and for about a week I started feeling much better but then I started feeling even worse. So lots of tests, consults and medication and things are still shaky. In fact I had so much chest pain recently I ended up getting an ekg (nothing wrong) cause I thought I was having a MI. Since my surgery I have been diagnosed with GERD, Ulcers in the Duodneum, Gastritis and hiatial hernia. I have also been told I have to live with this for the rest of my life... So any advice is welcome. (***@****)
     Three things I have come to understand from all this are:
        1: Although my Doctor and other professionals have
           been understanding and thorough these types of        
           problems are the type that they have a hard time
           getting a handle on. And believe me, a lot of good
           people have tried to help me. What works for the
           majority won't always work for you so have patience
           and try to find people who believe in what your saying
           and will help you find answers.
         2: We are what we eat. I love so many foods but    
            unfortunately they don't love me. What I ate two
            weeks ago with no problem may make me feel terrible
            for a week tommorow. Because this part does not make
            sense I just have to try to work with it and eat as
            sensibly as possible. Also it helps to keep nourished
            and not skip meals or eat junk food.
          3: Stress definitely makes things worse. For the      
             longest time because of the chest pain and feeling
             weak I thought I was having a heart attack or that
             I was going to have one somewhere. It's made me    
             fearful and that sucks! That's why I was glad my
             Doc gave me an EKG. I finally resigned myself to
             that's part of this deal. Work can do a number on
             you too! But life goes on. I think stress causes
             a lot of the problem because of the bodies response
             mechanism and the stress it puts on the digestive
             system on what is already a stressed out system for
             folks like us. So stay calm relaxed and breath      
             deeply!
So lets keep trying to stay informed, share information and keep healthy and hopefully we'll keep this thing at bay!

[Cindy]

I had my gallbladder out on February 17, 2000 and was okay for the first couple days or so.  I went home with a catheter and ended up with a urinary tract infection.  The catheter was in for five days.  I took Cipro for the infection and this made me very sick.  I stopped taking it and went back to the doctor.  My urinary tract infection is gone but now I have started with diarreha after eating, and I mean stuff without fat.  Yesterday I ate plain pasta with vegetables and today ate fat free cream of rice with skim milk and a banana, both times had diarreha.  Crackers are okay, so is Jello and Sherbert.  But if I eat anything heavy it goes right through me within 20 minutes of eating.  I don't think Im absorbing the nutrition and am very nervous about this.  Ive lost a lot of weight and dont want to get sicker.  What should I do?  Is anyone else having the same problems.

[Susan]

To turgut dincer

I had been having problems with abdominal pain, upper right quadrant.  My doctor sent me for an ultrasound and a polyp in my gallbladder was discovered.  The polyp was small but the pain continued.  I have been following a fat free diet,  (Not a lot to eat.)  but still have some problems.  My family doctor wanted to be sure it was the gallbladder causing the problem and sent me to a gastroenterologist.  He examined me and asked a bunch of questions about the pain before concluding that it was very likely the gallbladder was the problem.  He recommended having it removed.  I went to see a sugeon and will have it removed in a couple weeks.  He also told me that gallbladder polyps have the potential to develop into something serious as time goes on.  (Cancer)  Hope all turns out well for you.

[Andy]

For all those with post-surgigal gallbladder pains/attacks, please check out www.google.com and do a search for "Sphincter of Oddi".  You will come up with about 16 pages of info for this condition.  Some of it is technical & is posted by M.D.s, some is in the form of a forum, but pay close attention to one posting in particular:  "How to control your Sphincter of Oddi or bile duct spasms (post cholecystectomy, post-gallbladder or biliary dyskinesia syndrome), by Prof. Ruth Engs, RN, EdD, Indiana University.  She describes, in layman's terms, the options for dealing with this syndrome.  I hope that this info helps.  Good luck.

[Carol Corbo]

I had my gallbladder removed on 7/8/99.  The doctor told me that it was the second attack and that they are going to take it out.  She told me she was the best there is.  So I had it removed.  I was in alot of pain after the surgery and they did not send me home like they where supposed to do.  I stayed the night and went home the next day. Two days after the surgery, I was changing my clothes and noticed that my side had turned black bruised.  I was very upset after seeing this.  The next day my hip got a big black circle (bruise) on it.  When I went to the doctor and asked her about this, she said that sometimes this happens.  Is this true.  After about 4 months after the surgery, my stomach had pain in it everytime I got hungry.  I had to get something to eat or I felt like I would vomit.  It was a horrible feeling.  I went to a gastroligist and he went down to view my stomach with a scope and said I had acid reflux and barretts esophigus.  I had to change my diet and take previcid.  He then sent me for blood work because I also have a pain where my liver is located.  The bloodwork came back with high levels for the liver and also my triglycerides came back at 264 and then he sent me for a C/T scan.  The scan showed I have a fatty infiltration of the liver.  Also, it showed a 1-2 mm lung nodule in the right middle lobe.  After that he ordered a chest e-ray and that came back and said no active disease is seen in the chest.  I still have the pain in my liver and my doctor said he wants to see me back in his office in 3 months.  My questions are:  1)  Is a fatty liver reversable and if so what can I do to reverse it?
2)  Should I have pain where by liver is?
3)  Should I still have pain after 8 months in my right side where all the bruising was.  
4)Should I except that my e-ray on the chest came back normal when the C/T scan (a more detailed test) showed a 1-2 mm nodule. ***@****  Thanks for listening...

[Donna]

Well, as I have read through this forumn I see that I have
problems similar to many of you. I had my gallbladder removed
last week, Feb.1/00. It is a week today and the first couple
of days seemed fine but now the extreme gas and sour stomach
have returned. Does anyone know if this is normal and will
disappear in time or could all my problems have been caused
by something else? Thanks Donna

[debbie]

hello liza,i to have ulcerative colitis.I never heard of this  disease before.i feel for anyone with this  disease.i only found out about this because i was told my gallbladder had to be removed.not only did i have acid reflux,pancreatis,hiatal hernia but inflammation of the bowel.I thought i was going to defecate my life away!and the stomache pain is unberable.i am taking asacol that  really helps.i have no pain.i would usually stay constipated and would hurt my stomache when i tried to use the bathroom.now i am regular which i never was before.i will pray for you and hope your doctors get this under control for you.try to hang in there sweetie and dont give up.if you need to talk to me,feel free to email me at  ***@****