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Post-cholecystectomy or gallbladder removal surgery
Hi – I had my gallbladder removed 17 years ago and have chronic, sharp back pain behind the port incision. That incision was in my upper left abdominal quadrant; the pain is felt in my back, directly behind the incision. It is thought that I have an adhesion in my upper left quadrant. Is it possible that nerves are trapped and that it causes referred pain in my back? The pain is nauseating and hasn't improved. I have been on anti seizure medication and a pain killer that isn't a percocet-type medication. I am curious if anyone else has persistent pain in their back following gallbladder surgery. If so, how is your pain treated.
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Thank you so much for this explanation. It’s very helpful. Do you know if HCl supplements are warranted and or effective? Thank you again
Thank you for your responses I’ve told that however its now lasted for almost 4 months. That seems a bit too long.
You are right, four months seems too long. I don’t remember exactly how long it took in my case but I think it was several months.
In my husband’s case it took two to three months but six months later he got a frozen shoulder because the bubbles got to his joint. He got physical therapy and he dropped the sessions because he didn’t feel any improvement, then he was told about the bubbles traveling in the body. He started using his shoulder as much as possible and the problem was gone at about the year mark of his surgery.
Hi, I completely understand what you are going through. I an a female and was nauseated as well. I started out being very weak. I used freeze pops at first. I had to start slowly introducing foods and figuring out what worked and what didn't work. Since the gall bladder was removed (mine was badly diseased at age 53), my doctor told me I would not be able to tolerate much food at a time. I was told to eat very small meals and nothing greasy or fatty. Dairy was an issue for me. For instance cheese did not seem to digest well at all. It is like my body could not break it down. I could handy crackers, pretzels, and small meals but not much. Even now years later my body lets me know what I can handle. I purchased baked potatoes that are individually wrapped for in the microwave. I love them for a meal. I like wraps but do not put much in them and that is a meal for me. It is a matter of trial and error. At first I even purchased baby food fruits. I can eat egg salad I make which I add a touch of vinegar, miracle whip and a little mustard and put it on a potato roll. That is enough to make a small meal for me as I still do not eat a lot at one time and I am now 68 years old. It does get better with time, but I do better with smaller meals more often. However sometimes I only eat 2 to 3 meals a day. I seriously can say it is a matter of trial and error and believe that each person is different in what their bodies can handle and tolerate after gall bladder surgery. I was very wiped out for several months and mine was laproscopic surgery. It really knocked me for a loop. I was sick for a year because the doctors believed it was my gall bladder, but the tests were not showing that is what the problem was. Eventually after running every test. They did it as an exploratory and found it was badly diseased and removed it. I was very weak already from only being able to eat hard pretzels before the surgery. I was beyond exhausted before the surgery from the pain and not being able to eat, which wore me down as I was working a lot of overtime which was mandatory as well as I needed to work to keep my medical insurance in order to have the surgery. You are in my thoughts and prayers as it is a take it one day at a time process for sure. Hugs and prayers. God bless!
Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction. GIs are apathetic and don't really delve in.
I had a HIDA scan that finally revealed this may be the issue. All other tests neg. After one year later, I am scheduled for an ERCP procedure and possible SOI sphincterotomy. No fun....
Before resorting to HCL supplements which would be better answered by seeing a GI specialist because of side effects in using them, there are some simple tips that can be tried. Apple cider vinegar which can be added to a salad is highly acidic.
Reduce processed foods and change eating habits to a healthier diet. A Registered Dietitian, particularly one connected to a GI cancers department is very knowledgable and can provide menus and nutritional guidance is using less processed foods.
Drink less liquids during a meal. I remember a child being lectured by my Father to consume less liquids during the meal and save the larger amounts between meals. He never explained why but as I grew older and had courses in physiology, it started to become clear that there was a scientific basis behind what he was saying. Stomach acid plays a role in pre-digestion of protein before it moves into the intestine where the protease enzyme then completes the digestion. Drinking a large volume of liquid during the meal dilutes the stomach acid. The pancreas produces three main digestive enzymes-amylase to digest starches, lipase to digest fat and protease to finish the digestion of meat that was acted on by HCl in the stomach. Large volumes of liquids during the meal will dilute the enzymes and their activity. So it is better to limit liquids to an amount where you are comfortable in helping to swallow food and avoid the feeling of a parched throat.
If stress is an issue, try to manage it with doing about 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise such as walking.
Thank you again for your suggestions. I will discuss with my gastric dr in early April. I do walk a few miles each day that provides some relief.
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1 ReactionPerhaps your GI doc will order a breath test for SIBO. I didn’t have problems with fat digestion or bile reflux issues for several years after gallbladder removal. I’ve also had testing for EPI and now diagnosed with that. Diet is a huge factor but there are also medications to try also. Best of luck on your health journey.
Thank you for ur response. How are they treating your EPI ?
For EPI, I’m just about to start on a medication called Creon to be used when eating. It’s basically a replacement of the digestive enzymes I’m lacking. In the meantime, I’ve really reduced the amount of fats eaten.