I am a 33 year old 110lb. female that just gave birth to her second child 4 months ago. I had my first gallbladder attack about 3 weeks ago, and I ended up in the ER. Since then I have had a zero tolerance for fats (butter, oils, mayo, salad dressing etc....), but if I ate correctly I had no problem. My main symptoms were GI related, gurgling of stomach, diahrea, severe indigestion, headaches, nausea and vomitting.I had my gallbladder removed about 5 days ago, and it was found to have chronic cholesititis (inflammation) and sluggish bile. One other finding was that I have a 1 inch choledochal cyst on my bile duct. Since the surgery I have had identical problems as those seen prior to my surgery. My husband and I are wondering how likely it is that this cyst is also causing some of these problems. My problems again are GI related, gurgling of stomach, diahrea, severe indigestion, headaches, nausea and vomitting. What are these cysts? How concerned should I be? How likely is it that this cyst is causing my problems again???I recognize that it is soon after surgery, but I am having identical problems and see no relief insight. Any advice?
I had the lap procedure done in a community hospital on a Saturday nearly 4 years ago at age 47. I was awake on the table at 8:30 a.m. before the anesthesia. I was back in a one-day surgery recovery room by 10:30 or 11 and back at home watching a baseball game by 2:30 p.m. with nothing but dressings over the 3 small holes used for the camera and instruments. I was on tylenol with codeine Saturday and Sunday, had breakfast at IHOP Sunday morning, plain tylenol Monday and Tuesday, saw the surgeon Weds. to look at the holes, and jogged two (slow) miles Wednesday afternoon.
That said, since I never had typical gall bladder symptoms (only some reflux and mild RUQ bloating after meals), the finding of gall stones on ultrasound was probably incidental, and, after three gastroenterologists,the last at Columbia in NY, and countless scope, CT, MRCP and blood tests, have a presumptive diagnosis of Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, type III, that causes sudden onset, excruciating pain 2-3 hours after every meal, matters not what I eat, every day since the surgery. Thankfully, the pain completely disappears in minutes with water or more food and I am otherwise perfectly healthy. Hasn't done my weight any good though.
there are plenty of excellent surgeons in Cleveland. No surgery is entirely predictable but having a bag for drainage after gallbladder surgery is very uncommon. Most people who have symptoms like yours are delighted with having their gallbladder gone. There are rarely any side effects: you should be able to eat normally afterwards. The risk of delay is having more attacks. Most attacks, like yours, subside. Occasionally they are more severe and require emergency surgery which is a bit more risky. No crystal ball, unfortunately.
there are plenty of excellent surgeons in Cleveland. No surgery is entirely predictable but having a bag for drainage after gallbladder surgery is very uncommon. Most people who have symptoms like yours are delighted with having their gallbladder gone. There are rarely any side effects: you should be able to eat normally afterwards. The risk of delay is having more attacks. Most attacks, like yours, subside. Occasionally they are more severe and require emergency surgery which is a bit more risky. No crystal ball, unfortunately.
there are plenty of excellent surgeons in Cleveland. No surgery is entirely predictable but having a bag for drainage after gallbladder surgery is very uncommon. Most people who have symptoms like yours are delighted with having their gallbladder gone. There are rarely any side effects: you should be able to eat normally afterwards. The risk of delay is having more attacks. Most attacks, like yours, subside. Occasionally they are more severe and require emergency surgery which is a bit more risky. No crystal ball, unfortunately.
Also, I did have a drain following surgery, I think they called it (a jackman pratt sp) drain....Long plastic tube with a clear bulb on the end...They took (pulled) it out right before I came home on Tues...It was no big deal having it other than it hurt like heck while they pulled it out...If you go ahead with surgery and do have a drain, here is a hint:..At the exact time they start pulling it out you start taking a big deep breathe in and keep taking that breathe until they are finished, makes the pain of it alot less, anyway it worked for me.....Tessa
Well, I have no idea where you are finding your Drs. at but I can tell you in my 50 yrs. I have never had one that I thought was trying to kill me...I am very recent post gallbladder surgery...I had mine out last Monday and I am so much better than I was prior to this lap surgery....I came home on Tues. afternoon and I was able to stop the Vicodin on Wed....I started just taking extra strength tylenol and by Fri I was spending all day up and doing things around the house...Saturday I started driving and on Sunday I went to the office and did some paperwork...Today I return to see the surgeon and I will return to work full-time tomorrow....I cant imagine wanting to live with the pain of gallbladder attackes for the sake of losing weight.....I don't even think that could possibly be healthy, but I am no Dr....Hope you get some good advise here.....I would think that most People have rapid relief of symptoms following surgery.....Good luck......Tessa
Hello - thanks for asking your question.
Please understand my limitations over the internet as I have neither met nor examined you. This information is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation.
1) With such a low gallbladder ejection fraction (normal 35-75%), you are prone to further gallbladder attacks. As surgeon mentioned, the risk of delay will be continued gallbladder attacks. Studies have shown that cholecystecomy improves the symptoms of acalculous (non-stone) biliary pain (characterized by a lower gallbladder ejection fraction) 90% of the time.
2) You may want to try the American College of Surgeons website for surgeons near you:
http://www.facs.org/index.html
3) Typically, drains are not needed after laparoscopy cholecystectomy. A surgical complication may be an explaination of why a drain was used in the case you described.
4) There is what is known as post-cholecystectomy syndrome where patients have recurrent right upper quadrant pain after surgery. This may be related to dysfunction of the Sphincter of Oddi and if this is present a procedure called an ERCP may need to be performed.
5) Again, with a gallbladder ejection fraction that low, you will continue to be prone to gallbladder pain. While you can take a pain pill, a surgical opinion for possible removal of the gallbladder is suggested.
6) A referral for cholecystectomy would be my suggestion. The literature suggests about 90% of patients with acalculous gallbladder pain (i.e. suggested by a low gallbladder ejection fraction) improve after surgery.
Followup with your personal physician is essential.
This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.
Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.