1. < Digestive Health

Post gallbladder surgery issues

Posted by jdc60 @jdc60, Nov 25, 2023

I had gallbladder surgery 2012 and never lost weight but gained. Have trouble eating leafy vegetables, fiber, fruits, etc. it causes diarrhea, gas & bloating. When i do eat a meal other than salads, i have bloating and gas. Does anyone else suffer from these issues? I also had some of the Sigmoid bowel removed. Sometimes I can eat and no issues other times, severe acid reflux. Taking meds for acid reflux. Thank you.

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hlp123 | @hlp123 | Nov 30, 2023
In reply to @jackielb "It took me 3 months for by appetite to resume after I had my gallbladder removed..." + (show)
@jackielb

It took me 3 months for by appetite to resume after I had my gallbladder removed in 2021. I lost 15 - 20 lbs in 3 mos. I didn't not experience pain - just nausea and lack of appetite. I would contact your surgeon's office or internal medicine doctor to get a scan sooner.

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Thank you ! Yes I have tried to get an earlier appointment for the MRI and Endo, but they refuse to treat this as an emergency and even though I have these episodes of severe pain I am suppose to wait. I am on a wait list.
I hope the Bentyl helps. If anyone has had success with this medicine please share your experience.
Thank you

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pb50 | @pb50 | Nov 30, 2023
In reply to @hlp123 "I do not have an upcoming Colonoscopy. Must be someone else ! I would like to..." + (show)
@hlp123

I do not have an upcoming Colonoscopy. Must be someone else !
I would like to ask if anyone who is experiencing this severe pain after gall bladder removal has found Bentyl to provide any relief. My gastroenterologist has now scheduled an MRI and Endo, but says the earliest he can do it is April. I do not understand this ! I never expected to continue to have the same severe pain that I had before I had my gallbladder out, after it was extracted.
Thank you, and my heart goes out to all of you who are experiencing this severe pain. Hopefully we will find an answer !

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If I had to guess why the GI doc says he has to wait until April for an MRI and Endo, it’s because of an insurance guideline. But those restrictive guidelines for timelines of repeat imaging typically apply to routine monitoring - not diagnostics. If you have a clinical issue that he needs imaging for, he should be able to do that. If the insurance says they won’t pay, in my experience the imaging center would reach out to you.

That all said, some Docs prioritize getting gold stars for efficiency. If he can’t or won’t explain why the wait, I would consider another doc.

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kiimashleycarter | @kiimashleycarter | Apr 9 1:26am

I have had right upper quadrant and upper epigastric(upper middle) abdominal pain for years and went all over the country to the best hospitals years ago to try to get it diagnosed with no luck. About three months ago the pain increased becoming constant and unbearable. I had an ultrasound done which showed gallstones, then an MRCP which showed gallstones, and mild pancreatic atrophy and either a developmental cyst or branch ductal ipmn which is 2 mm. I went through laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery (gallbladder removal) almost two weeks ago where it turned out that in addition to gallstones I also had lots of inflammation (so much that he had to remove it to even see my gallbladder and told me I must have been having gallbladder attacks for years and now the chronic inflammation was causing constant terrible pain) and at first I thought it was going to solve my pain if I just waited for post op healing, but now, two weeks of terrible pain throughout my abdomen and most often in the same areas I had pain pre surgery ( now under the left lower rib cage as well as the right and throughout my abdomen and back) is making me concerned that this is not post op pain, but either the same problem I had before surgery or something they did wrong in surgery causing this pain. Not sure if the pain is still related to food or not, since I have been eating a very low fat diet, but pain is still constant. Anyone know what might be going on here, and do you think it is still post op pain this bad, or maybe the surgery didn’t fix the problem or created a new one? Also wondering if there could be some pancreas involvement…anyone out there who may have pancreas issues that might please weigh in on this…
I am taking 100mg to tylenol every eight hours and 600 mg of ibuprofen every eight hours ( alternating each four hours), but the pain is still terrible… Post op appointment with surgeon gave me no answers or direction. Please help if you can. Thank you so much!

REPLY
2 replies
kiimashleycarter | @kiimashleycarter | Apr 9 2:58am
In reply to @kiimashleycarter "I have had right upper quadrant and upper epigastric(upper middle) abdominal pain for years and went..." + (show)
@kiimashleycarter

I have had right upper quadrant and upper epigastric(upper middle) abdominal pain for years and went all over the country to the best hospitals years ago to try to get it diagnosed with no luck. About three months ago the pain increased becoming constant and unbearable. I had an ultrasound done which showed gallstones, then an MRCP which showed gallstones, and mild pancreatic atrophy and either a developmental cyst or branch ductal ipmn which is 2 mm. I went through laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery (gallbladder removal) almost two weeks ago where it turned out that in addition to gallstones I also had lots of inflammation (so much that he had to remove it to even see my gallbladder and told me I must have been having gallbladder attacks for years and now the chronic inflammation was causing constant terrible pain) and at first I thought it was going to solve my pain if I just waited for post op healing, but now, two weeks of terrible pain throughout my abdomen and most often in the same areas I had pain pre surgery ( now under the left lower rib cage as well as the right and throughout my abdomen and back) is making me concerned that this is not post op pain, but either the same problem I had before surgery or something they did wrong in surgery causing this pain. Not sure if the pain is still related to food or not, since I have been eating a very low fat diet, but pain is still constant. Anyone know what might be going on here, and do you think it is still post op pain this bad, or maybe the surgery didn’t fix the problem or created a new one? Also wondering if there could be some pancreas involvement…anyone out there who may have pancreas issues that might please weigh in on this…
I am taking 100mg to tylenol every eight hours and 600 mg of ibuprofen every eight hours ( alternating each four hours), but the pain is still terrible… Post op appointment with surgeon gave me no answers or direction. Please help if you can. Thank you so much!

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PS…I meant 1000 mg of Tylenol, not 100 mg and it may help to know that I am 62 ( especially in terms of the pancreatic atrophy, which may be just age related, but not sure). Also, I don’t drink, smoke, or do drugs. Thanks again.

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dgorslin | @dgorslin | Apr 19 2:14pm

I had my gallbladder removed over 15 years ago. I have constant belly pain and diarrhea. Have had all test possible have been to four specialists and they keep doing the same thing. I have not lost any weight. I’m gaining weight. I am at my wits end. I really need some advice.

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2 replies
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Apr 21 4:19pm
In reply to @dgorslin "I had my gallbladder removed over 15 years ago. I have constant belly pain and diarrhea...." + (show)
@dgorslin

I had my gallbladder removed over 15 years ago. I have constant belly pain and diarrhea. Have had all test possible have been to four specialists and they keep doing the same thing. I have not lost any weight. I’m gaining weight. I am at my wits end. I really need some advice.

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Welcome, @dgorslin. I moved your question regarding late side effects after gallbladder surgery to this existing discussion:
- Post gallbladder surgery issues https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/post-gallbladder-issues/

I did this so you can see previous posts and connect with members @jdc60, @jackielb @kiimashleycarter and others.

You ma also be interested in using the group search to find other relevant discussions: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/digestive-gastrointestinal-problems/?search=gallbladder%20surgery&index=discussions

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sissybitus | @sissybitus | Apr 23 10:47am
In reply to @dgorslin "I had my gallbladder removed over 15 years ago. I have constant belly pain and diarrhea...." + (show)
@dgorslin

I had my gallbladder removed over 15 years ago. I have constant belly pain and diarrhea. Have had all test possible have been to four specialists and they keep doing the same thing. I have not lost any weight. I’m gaining weight. I am at my wits end. I really need some advice.

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My daughter had IBS-D for 17 years. She followed the special diet, easily digested food, no fats, not red meat, etc. Then she moved to another state and had a new gastro doctor. He said she did not have IBS - her issues were due to her gallbladder removal 17 years previous. No one had told her that when the gall bladder was removed! Without any bile acid, most foods cannot be digested, especially proteins. She had an infection and no acid. She did the antibiotic regimen (I don't know what it was) and he also prescribed a powder she mixes with liquid or applesauce. She takes it 3 times a day to replace the bile acid. She has had NO issues since then, 2 years ago! Her life is so improved!

REPLY
prina | @prina | Apr 24 3:55pm
In reply to @kiimashleycarter "I have had right upper quadrant and upper epigastric(upper middle) abdominal pain for years and went..." + (show)
@kiimashleycarter

I have had right upper quadrant and upper epigastric(upper middle) abdominal pain for years and went all over the country to the best hospitals years ago to try to get it diagnosed with no luck. About three months ago the pain increased becoming constant and unbearable. I had an ultrasound done which showed gallstones, then an MRCP which showed gallstones, and mild pancreatic atrophy and either a developmental cyst or branch ductal ipmn which is 2 mm. I went through laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery (gallbladder removal) almost two weeks ago where it turned out that in addition to gallstones I also had lots of inflammation (so much that he had to remove it to even see my gallbladder and told me I must have been having gallbladder attacks for years and now the chronic inflammation was causing constant terrible pain) and at first I thought it was going to solve my pain if I just waited for post op healing, but now, two weeks of terrible pain throughout my abdomen and most often in the same areas I had pain pre surgery ( now under the left lower rib cage as well as the right and throughout my abdomen and back) is making me concerned that this is not post op pain, but either the same problem I had before surgery or something they did wrong in surgery causing this pain. Not sure if the pain is still related to food or not, since I have been eating a very low fat diet, but pain is still constant. Anyone know what might be going on here, and do you think it is still post op pain this bad, or maybe the surgery didn’t fix the problem or created a new one? Also wondering if there could be some pancreas involvement…anyone out there who may have pancreas issues that might please weigh in on this…
I am taking 100mg to tylenol every eight hours and 600 mg of ibuprofen every eight hours ( alternating each four hours), but the pain is still terrible… Post op appointment with surgeon gave me no answers or direction. Please help if you can. Thank you so much!

Jump to this post

Kind advice for you to go back to the same hospital for review and abdominal scanning be done. Otherwise, sorry about the pain. May you heal so soon.

REPLY
marquis113 | @marquis113 | Jul 5 11:20am

Has anyone had severe gas and diarrhea after eating post gallbladder surgery? Afraid to eat out as I have to run to the bathroom within 30 mimutes

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msmelnik | @msmelnik | Jul 5 12:29pm

Well I'm post gallbladder removal by 2 weeks. My surgeon told me I had chronic cholecystitis and chronic inflammation in my gallbladder. She said I'd had numerous infections. She told me it was like running a marathon only to have to run it again and again. I guess it's not that easy to tell if someone has a diseased gallbladder. If not for the ERCP my gallbladder would have never made it to the pathologist for proper diagnosis. So now I heal. Get my strength back. It's so hard to be so very sick so long and have no one, even the doctor's, understand why. I'm so thankful to them for getting out my gallbladder and ending this horrible nightmare!

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