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DiscussionPost-cholecystectomy or gallbladder removal surgery
Digestive Health | Last Active: Jul 21 1:26pm | Replies (561)Comment receiving replies
Replies to "My husband got a colonoscopy about 8 months ago and they diagnosed him with mild crones...."
Hello. I am 30F, no history of pregnancy, normal BMI. Grandfather and Grandmother on each side has had their gallbladders removed due to issues.
About 4 years ago I first started having GI pain in the RUQ that was felt more in the back. Lots of burning when I would eat anything remotely acidic, spicy, or fatty. Had a endoscopy done and found mild gastritis and bile in my stomach. Had an ultrasound of my gallbladder and noticed no issues. Had a HIDA scan of my gallbladder that had it at 78% EF. Tested for H. Pylori, which was treated with antibiotics with no change in pain. Took a SIBO test, which I tested positive for, and treated with antibiotics, with no change. History of constipation. Had a colonoscopy done with no issues (other than some benign polyps). Tested negative for Celiacs and other GI related autoimmune diseases.
Tried treating symptoms PPIs with no success, including anti-spasmodics, sulcrafate, various TCA anti depressants (bounced off them due to them causing too much GI burning even when taking them with food).
Lived for years eating the most blandest of foods, such that I was only eating a number of foods you could count on one hand and was barely hovering above underweight. Ate mostly chicken soup and bread every day for every meal.
Went to see a sphincter of oddi expert, who did a ultrasound endoscopy of my bile ducts and found no issues. Over a year ago I also redid a HIDA scan and my EF% was 84. Got on Trulance to address my constipation issues, which did reduce some pain, and was having BMs every other day, pretty much, but did not resolve my GI pain.
After years of suffering I opted to try removal of my gallbladder to see if this would resolve the issues, particularly because I have heard word of hyperkinetic gallbladders above 80 EF% being a potential issue and it felt like I had tried literally everything else.
I felt 100% cured for a few weeks after surgery. I could eat acidic things no problem and wasn't having pain eating other things. Then the slow descent began back to pain, and now the issue of nausea about 3 months in. I could eat like 20g of fat per meal no issues, but now I can barely eat 5g, probably less. My meals consist of chicken breast, rice, and beans for the most part, with a bit of oatmeal mixed with a little brown sugar. I can't eat fruits without nausea, even in small portions, nor can I eat any acidic foods.
I was able to get on mirtazapine (tetracyclic anti depressant), which has helped with the strong onset of depression that has plagued me since the surgery. However, it has not resolved any of my GI issues. I have tried taking colestipol in the evenings to see if the nausea and pain was related to bile but it's a little uncertain if it even helps. I take Zofran on occasion to help with the nausea, but it's not quite the solution I'm looking for.
(Side note, I also take plaquenil for about a year now due to being diagnosed with Sjogrens.)
Wondering if anyone had similar GI issues and had found relief or answers for their nausea and GI pain.
Thanks!
I had my gallbladder removed laparascopically three weeks ago today on 3/29/25. It was semi-emergent, having been planned for a Monday, but my pain became so bad that an on-call surgeon did it on the preceding Saturday. The surgery went smoothly, and the first week and a half or so were what felt like normal recovery. I did develop a case of bronchitis from the airway (my lungs are vulnerable to everything) and a case of oral thrush from all the antibiotics and drying agents they gave me during surgery. However, about 10 days ago, I developed severe pain in my right upper quadrant that felt just like a gallbladder attack, only worse. My doctors are stumped, but my GI doc suggested on Thursday that this could be a case of neuropathic pain, or visceral hypersensistivity. The pain is so extreme I can't find a comfortable sleeping position and ended up trying to get some sleep in the recliner last night (not very successfully). I have an EGD scheduled for 4/29 to rule out gastritis, pancreatitis, peptic ulcer, etc., but those are doubtful as my labs are fine. Has anyone else had severe pain stemming from neural pathways or severed nerves following this surgery? I did not see this coming and am completely overwhelmed by it. The doctor my try me on gabapentin this week coming up if I've had no relief over the weekend (so far, no improvement). I'm OK with diet modifications, changes in bowel functions, etc., but this level of pain has me virtually paralyzed.
had my gallbladder removed laparascopically three weeks ago today on 3/29/25. It was semi-emergent, having been planned for a Monday, but my pain became so bad that an on-call surgeon did it on the preceding Saturday. The surgery went smoothly, and the first week and a half or so were what felt like normal recovery. I did develop a case of bronchitis from the airway (my lungs are vulnerable to everything) and a case of oral thrush from all the antibiotics and drying agents they gave me during surgery. However, about 10 days ago, I developed severe pain in my right upper quadrant that felt just like a gallbladder attack, only worse. My doctors are stumped, but my GI doc suggested on Thursday that this could be a case of neuropathic pain, or visceral hypersensistivity. The pain is so extreme I can't find a comfortable sleeping position and ended up trying to get some sleep in the recliner last night (not very successfully). I have an EGD scheduled for 4/29 to rule out gastritis, pancreatitis, peptic ulcer, etc., but those are doubtful as my labs are fine. Has anyone else had severe pain stemming from neural pathways or severed nerves following this surgery? I did not see this coming and am completely overwhelmed by it. The doctor just prescribed me gabapentin to try, along with lots of warnings about what to look out for side effect wise "in people my age" (I'm 73). I'm OK with diet modifications, changes in bowel functions, etc., but this level of pain has me virtually paralyzed.
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I had mine removed in 2014. The pain from the gallstones was crazy!! I had three incisions. Two really small around my midsection and an incision near my navel about 2” long to remove the gallbladder. I asked about all of them, if I remember right one was for an air hose to pump air into your stomach to help preform the operation. You could be having pain from that? Best of luck!
My husband just had his gallbladder removed about 3 1/2 weeks ago and he is worse off than when he had it. He has been to the ER several times with CT scan and blood work and they can't seem to figure out why he is in such excruciating pain. He hasn't been able to sleep and can hardly walk. I just can't figure out what is going on with him. We are at a loss and don't know what else to do.
I have no idea if this is pertinent or not, but after they removed my gallbladder, I didn’t exactly have pain, but I was literally unable to eat and a few days later, I couldn’t even drink any water without immediately getting explosive diarrhea. After 10 days of that, I passed out and had to go back to the hospital and they put me on some kind of medication and unfortunately I can’t remember the name now, but it started with “chole” (cholestyramine?) and what it did was it took the cholesterol out of my digestive tract (it was not a statin) and I took it every day for nine weeks until I became allergic to it, which always happens to me, but it did the trick, and then I was able to eat. I had to be on a limited diet for a long time though because my IBS was triggered constantly and I still can’t eat normally, but it got way better. Just a thought. Did he suffer from IBS before the surgery? One of the doctors told me that the worse your IBS is the worse you’re gonna feel after the surgery for a while. Anyway, I hope you find an answer. 💖
I'm so sorry that all of your husbands are still going though pain after the gallbladder removal. I'm praying health and healing over all of you.
We found out it was the crone medication that was making my husband sick after the surgery. He never had crones...it was his gallbladder the whole time!! If he eats too much fatty foods or drinks a few alcoholic beverages his stomach will act up but a doctor told us about a probiotic called Enzymedica Digest Gold + Probiotic that helps breakdown large meals and reduce gas and bloating (we are waiting for them to be delivered).
We think he probably has IBS attacks when he eats fatty foods or drinks alcohol. A friend of mine suggested Plexis Bio Cleanse and Peobio5 for IBS. She said that it cleared her IBS after her gallbladder surgery. All in all he is feeling much better and can eat food again. God healed him!
I underwent emergency gallbladder removal surgery about 8 weeks ago. Now I am wrestling with near daily nausea, acute constipation, and occasional vomiting, I’m afraid to eat much, don’t have any appetite anyway, and am curious to know what has helped anyone else in a similar path? I’m wearing scopolamine patches round the clock, and taking laxatives to move my bowels. But this is really a tough recovery process, I can tell you!!
Fatty foods will redefine the term “fast food”.
Perhaps Sphincter of Odi needs to be checked. Simple. See your Doctor.