Gallbladder Complications or Something Else?

[MrsJRSimms]

In Oct 07, I went to the ER with severe admonial pain thought was a heartattack.  After an EKG, Ultrasound, Xrays and blood work, it turns out that my gallbladder was inflamed and full of stones.I had gallbladder removal on November 12 of last year.  After 6 years of digestive issues, everything seemed to be going much better.  My bowel movements had returned and the constant aching that I felt below my breastbone had completely disappeared.  Surgery went very well with some minor nausea and diarreha the first 2 weeks.  I am 8 weeks post operative and the pain has come back again.  When I eat it feels as if my food just sits in my throat and no matter what I eat, other than salad and raw fruits, my stomach gets into knots.  I have on average 2 BM's a week and they are not very productive.  I have contacted the surgeons office and they directed me to my family doctor as they think I may have other issues.  Periodicly I take the vicodin that was prescribed for post op pain but it seems to worsen the situation and Maalox to no avail. I have a doctors appointment scheduled for Tuesday but am unsure of what kind of tests to ask for.  I DO NOT want another doctor to tell me take a laxative or eat more fiber(which I do).  Any advice would be helpful!

[nnn35]

i was diagnosed as having a narrowing of the large intestines, and i have this constant dull ache on my left side constantly........is anyone here familiar with those symptoms and if so help!!!  I also have to have my gallbladder removed!  

[CalGal]

Before worrying that the problem is due to complications, try sticking to a very low-fat diet for awhile and see if it's of help. Docs typically tell patients they can eat anything they want and that may not be helpful becuase you may not be able to process fats as well as you did in the past. Go low, low, low fat (and cut out dairy) to see if that's a factor in what is going on.

However, if you're seeing a change in the color of your stools - if they're whitish or very, very light in color - you need to talk to the doc.

And stay off of the pain meds if possible. If you have to try taking something, see if you can get some fairly heavy doses of anti-spasms meds and see if that will help. 'Narcotic-type' pain meds can raise the pressure in the bilary tract and cause more pain in some people, and it sounds like that might be happening to you. If it is, and if what you're experiencing is spasms of the biliary system, you need to talk to your doc about checking you for SOD which is sphincter of Oddi dysfunction.