Why am I still in pain?

[4yearslater]

that's funny.. they should have a gallbladder or lack there of topic.
Just a little history, I had my gallbladder removed via emergency surgery after I presented with pancrentitis in the ER 6 weeks postpartum. I had had the pain that everyone is talking about for months leading up to having my son. Then it stopped for a couple of weeks, and then returned with a vengence. My liver levels were 16,000, my sugar level was 13,000.. on top of that they gave me morphine.. which is something that should never be done.

Here I am almost 4 years later and I still have the pain. If I didn't know any better I would think I was having a heart attack. But, it's the same pain that I had 4 years ago. Starting right under my sternum, radiating up into my shoulders and then going into my upper back. It stops me dead in my tracks. The worst part about this, is that I don't even have to eat anything. I can go all day without eating anything and still have the pain.

Now that I have said all that, I have heard that with you have your gallbladder removed, sometimes they can leave a bile duct, and that that can create stones and I can still pass stones even with just that one or two ducts. I don't know. My dr is a croc.  She won't send me to a GI. She just writes it off as something else.

I don't know where to turn. Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks a bunch!

[jackijo]

I also was living with depends and trying to keep my job and sanity after gallbladder removal.  There's something called Habba Syndrome for people that have gallbladders not working properly or who have had theirs removed.  Cholestyramine is a powder to mix with water.  It helps tremendously and I can even travel now.  However, bloating is a big problem for me now.  Lesser of the two evils.

[Ani50]

I had my GB out 8 years ago and have had 2 to 3 attacks a year of pain that screams off the rictor scale. It is the same sort of pain i used to have when i suffered with the gall bladder attacks, each contraction started low pain and built up to a peak, after which it would die down and dissapear till the next one started. The contractions would start quicker and quicker and the whole attack would last for one to four hours. My  stomach would get hard and bloated, but the pain actually resided just between the join in my ribs and would radiate into my back between my shoulder blades. The doctor reckons the pain is caused by my Spincter muscle spasming. When they gave me a muscle relaxant the pain left. He has now given me a medicine called Buscapan, which if i take it as soon as i think i am getting an attack will ease it off after an hour. Another thing that works is the Voltaren suppositries, which also work after an hour.  I am lucky that i don't get the pain all the time like some of you. Wish there was a forever cure.

[italianmom]

I had my GB taken out and still had stomach pain and intestinal problems. To make a long story short..i removed all gluten from my diet and im feeling 100% better. My liver functions are back to normal, etc.  Try it..cant hurt. Good luck to all.

[Janny1970]

I had my GB out 8 yrs ago and have suffered ever since.
I too had Pancreatitis and still get the 'Attacks of Pain' now.

Whenever they scan me they say that they cant see the whole of my Pancreas because I have to much air in my gut!! (I suffer with bloating too)

I had a scan in oct 07 and when he put the probe on my Pancreas it made me cry, the pain was unbearable.  I  then went to see my surgeon and asked them to explain what and why I WAS getting so much pain if my test were coming back normal.
I am wary of ERCP as this may give you pancreatitis all over again...I've had around 5 ERCPS  now...one of which was to put a stent in for the bile duct to help drain it....didnt work and the pancreatitis came back b4 the 6 weeks was up so I could have the GB removed.  In the end they went in and took it out before the 6 weeks because I could never make it.

I made my Dr give me an explanation to what my pain was after all these years.
She told me that when you have had acute pancreatitis, that sometimes you can experience little attacks....ie dry mouth, sore abdomen....she said that this is why sometimes it hurts sometimes it doesn't. I was told that this may happen for the rest of my life....if it ever gets to bad then I just got to A@E and see what the results show from there...but to be honest its not the best solution in the world!!!
Makes me so mad   sometimes!!!

All the  best everyone, and if you feel not listened to or fobbed off keep pushing...they will listen eventually....fingers crossed xx

[Suebirch]

HI, I had my gallbladder removed in May 07 and I was told I had stones that were big and would not pass. They wanted to remove it before it did attemp to pass. Well it seemed like the surgery went well, but die to excessive pain I did stay overnight in the hospital for pain control. About a week after my surgery, we had a big storm so I was outside trying to get my plants in from the yard. Well as I was doing this I was barefoot and went running into the garage and the next thing I know my legs went up into the air and down I went on my right side. Since then, I have had excrusitating pain in my right ribs that just wont go away. I have had several, and I mean several, ER visits for pain management. After a million times to my regular doctor, who was at a loss, I finally decided enough is enough and started going to a pain management clinic. Well they have tried Streriod epideral injections in my spine, injections between the ribs, both very painful, lidoderm pathes, pain meds(which they wont give me anymore unless I go into the ER, Lyrica (the side effects are awful and doesnt help any) flexeril and Naproxen.

I am so sick of being in pain and I have been told I have nerve damage and pulled muscles around the ribs from the fall. Now I went on another site on here and I was given some advise from a med student. Here is just some of what he said to me: "My guess would be that when you took that fall shortly after your surgery, you may have accidentally irritated the healing site of surgery and perhaps it did not heal quite right internally and some of the nerves from that area are being stimulated somehow, like being pinched or stretched."

It all seems to really make sense. I am currently through the pain clinic attending physical therapy and I am going to bring this information and more I have searched into them. I was also given a website that shows the gallbladder and the ribs and how closely they are all related. Here is the website if anyone is interested in looking at:


http://www.easttroy.k12.wi.us/hs/dept/science/bottum/Adv%20Biology/digestive/danatomy/images/Gall_bladder.gif


  I just wish I could get a correct diagnosis and on the right pain medication so I can deal with my pain and function more properly.I have had many scans, Upper GI,x-rays, plus tons of blood tests and no answer. I finally gave in and went into the ER today because I was actually in tears I couldnt stand it anymore. I also called my pain clinic to tell them that the steriod epideral I had is not working and that it gave me hives on Sunday. They called me back to tell me that the steroid medicine can take up to 7 days and to continue to take my other meds. This is the second time I have had this epideral and it didnt work the first time so they figured they would do it again. The pain during the procedure hurt really bad, and since these two didnt work I will not do another. I have my second physical therapy tomorrow and I am sure that it will be a big waste of my time again. The pain clinic doctors are talking that if the epiderals dont work then they are talking about putting in an implanted devise. (Not sure if it is the internal tens unit type thing or the medication one) Since the tens unit does not help on the outside, I dont see how it can help if they implant it in me. I dont want to go through any invasive surgery for nothing. I want results and so far it has almost been a year and I just want some relief.

[tkayne]

My mom has had stomach problems for over a year now.  Dr's initially thought it was her gallbladder so she had it removed and found it contained hundreds of stones.  We were hoping this would solve her stomach problems but the pains only got worse.  She has lost around 30 pounds and continues to lose because she cant eat without feeling sick.  The pains are a tight feeling right below the sternum in her upper abdomen.  Her stomach gets hard and grumbles for hours and then the pain subsides.  This happens after nearly much every meal.  They claim she is allergic to milk eggs and sugar, but even foods without these ingredients make her sick.  Our doctors in the area cant seem to come up with any answers, but we need to find one soon.  My mother is small to begin with and she just keeps on losing weight because she cant eat.  If anyone reading this has any ideas please help!

[mr.lucky66]

I feel very lucky that my GB surgery went so well and I feel bad for those whose didn't go so well. It could be as some have suggested pancriatic problems or bilinary problems. People also have problems with nicked bile ducts and other less than stellar surgery. And then there's the dude who's off the wall about surgical clips left in and it's all valid to some extent. I was very worried about never being the same after GB surgery but I eat whatever I want. I sure hope those suffering find relief. all the best

[summerjunebug]

Honestly, you are the first person I have heard that sounds like they know this ailment exists. No doctor has even addresses my daughters symptoms since having her gallbladder out 3 years ago. She has been extremely miserable ever since. I would love to pick your brain about this. As a mother, I am heart sick over this.
I did go to the web site that you suggested for the other gal. It was helpful. I am going to call the # in the morning and see if they will talk to me.

[summerjunebug]

I certainly feel for you. My daughter had her gallbladder out about 3 years ago and she has been living in 'Depends' and frequenting the ER ever since. She only 35 yrs old and has basically 'no life' to speak of. She sometimes goes for days without eating. The doctors tell her nothing is wrong. She vomits and has bile bowel movements every day. There is SOMETHING WRONG.  I don't know where to turn. I could get really graphic with her symptoms, but I wish there were some doctors out there that cared enough to look into this. After reading several postings... it sounds like there are more people suffrering from this than her. She feels like she has no where to turn with no medical insurance and on state medical aid. She has seen many dr's ... not just one.
I am hoping to go to the web site that was recommended to you and see if anything is helpful there. Was there anything you could see that was helpful ? Please let me know. ..thanks

[AmyLynn41]

Im 41 yrs old and i just had my gallbladder removed the day after christmas 2007 and ever since then ive been in pain not constant pain but its on and off and very annoying and painful. My stomach feels like its having contractions then grumbles after it grumbles the pain goes away for a while. Seems like the pain is more there when ever i eat anything or drink anything but it seems like my stomach is always grumbling. The surgeon who removed my gallbladder said that its commen but not in all people who have there gallbladder removed he says that theres to much fluides in the bile duct? He perscribed this powdered stuff to drink and he said that i should be feeling better with in 2days up to a week well ive been taken this powdered stuff now for a week but the pain is still there sometimes it feels like im having contractions also where they took out the gallbladder. Anyways one having any idea whats going on or exsperienced this after removal of there gallbladder?

[Jaybay]

Just a quick note - Not every hospital is set up for manometry with ERCP.  If you live in a small town, be prepared to travel to a larger, teaching institution that will have this equipment and doctors who know how to use it.  Ask your doctor how often he's performed ERCP and what his personal track record is of patients developing ERCP-related pancreatitis.  

[CalGal]

Start here: http://hopkins-gi.nts.jhu.edu/pages/latin/templates/index.cfm?pg=disease1&organ=3&disease=12&lang_id=1

You may have to do a bit of reading up on this and then do a batch of pushing your doc. I don't know why it's so darned hard for docs to finally 'get' the idea that this exists, but it does. Check with the nearest large University hospital near you and hunt down a doc who specializes in this. SOD is nothing to be taken lightly since it can lead to more serious problems. You've GOT to see someone who works with SOD, not just any GI doc. Print out the darned info from this site and take it with you if you have to the next time you see her.

The bile duct always stays. I think you're talking about the cystic duct, and that problem - leaving the remnant - is slightly different, but it too can sometimes cause pain. Start with the SOD idea. If you get to someone who knows what they're doing they'll hopefully be able to sort things out.

But if you need an ERCP, make sure it's WITH manometry! And that you're stented afterward. Insist if you have to.

Good luck!