Severe Pain Years Post Gallbladder Removal

I had my gallbladder removed in Feb 2019. No stones or sludge either. However my HIDA scan replicated my symptoms. I had what the general surgeon said they've been seeing more of and that is a "high functioning" gallbladder causing just as much pain and issues as a low functioning. I went ahead and had it removed. It took several months just like you to find a "new normal." It seemed I trucked along in my new normal for a few years and then in 2022, I began having severe GI issues. Labs revealed H. Pylori. Fast forward, I've seen 2 GI's, had every test known to man, been treated twice for H. Pylori and even did 2 weeks on an antibiotic for SIBO as this most recent GI's ditch effort to treat my phantom illness. I've been told it's in my head as well. By 2 different docs. I don't know how long I can go on trying to function like a regular human feeling like I do. I have tried everything you can imagine from cutting certain foods out, intermittent fasting, cutting out alcohol, you name it. There is no pattern. I'm miserable. It seems there's a space for people like you and I and the medical world doesn't recognize it. I am running out of options here. So sorry for your suffering. Know you're not alone.

Thank you so so much for your reply! I am sorry to hear that you are also suffering. It does help a little knowing we are not alone. They tested me for H. Pylori and SIBO.... both negative. That is very interesting about the high functioning gallbladder. I am really starting to suspect something autoimmune. Have you ever looked into this aspect? The drs and surgeons were shocked that my colon ruptured in my early 30's with no previous history of diverticulitis. I had a colonoscopy three years prior that showed diverticulosis, but it was unremarkable. I have had GI issues my whole life, and they seem to just be getting worse. I feel like my body must be attacking itself, but no autoimmune that I know of fits.

I probably should have added that I do take 40mg of omeprazole daily, which has helped with the pain/nausea some, but it definitely hasn't made me symptom free.

Gut issues can be so tricky! I finally got an amazing doctor in Scottsdale AZ, Dr. Lucinda Harris. Finding the right specialist is step one in getting your life back.
Getting the right diagnosis and treatment can take so long and is a hard road. You have been through so many different things.
I had my gallbladder removed in ‘09, it seemed to help for a bit but not long at all. Then in ‘12 I got my Celiac Sprue diagnosis which was so amazing to me. I finally had a path that made sense and I was so willing to learn more and calm this crazy disease.
Then Lymphocytic Colitis in ‘22 sent me into a tailspin. I had many treatments but in the end bile acid sequestrants were my answer (colestipol and colestyramine).
Keep plugging along, get a good nutritionist also. Figuring out how to make friends with different foods is an important journey. It is not always a certain food we need to cut out, focusing on the right diagnosis and battling that beast is the best path.

I really appreciate your reply! I had not heard of lymphocytic colitis, and never had a doctor mention it. I will have to go back and look, but I know there was some type of immune response indicator very elevated on one of my colon biopsies in 2019. Thank you!

I had heard of microscopic colitis but didn’t know any more than that. I have cut out sugar, fats, any alcohol, carbonated anything and caffeine. I am not sure this is still necessary but it is habit now.
Check with your doctor about your colonoscopy results. If it is a microscopic colitis you should know so you can get some much needed help.
If you still eat less (or none) of the grains that Celiac patients can’t have a celiac panel wouldn’t give you correct results. The antibodies have to be present for a positive result, if you are watching gluten intake any results won’t be accurate. If you have done the “23 and me kit”, it would tell you if you have the hla dq 2 or 8 genes that have a play in Celiac Sprue.
Gluten free is a joke really, ‘gluten zero’ is the only way to help.
Gluten free snacks are so processed and terrible mostly. Even microscopic amounts of wheat, barley, rye and sometimes oats, kick your body into war against the small intestines. This happens with cross contamination in many GF foods.
If you can’t pick it or shoot it, don’t eat it. (A good rule when you are miserable). I never eat at any restaurants (including gf ones) and only eat organic anything.
When we get sick it is easy to blame it on different foods but that can be misleading. It is important to continue a good balanced diet.
If sweets and breads are needed, the only place I will order from is ‘Gluten Free Creations’ out of Phoenix AZ…they do it right and excellent as …..;)
‘Against the Grain’ pizza also does not mess with me and my family prefers them over gluten pizzas. ‘Edison Grainery’ out of California is superb also.

This is all super helpful info! I think another reason that dr didn't think celiac was bc I wasn't super skinny. However, I was very disappointed when at my last appointment I asked about the sudden weight loss... and he said "what?"..... I literally said have you not looked in my chart? I have been coming to see you more than once a week for three weeks and I have lost almost 30 lbs in that time?? Completely unexplained? I knew then that he was not the dr for me. Like how do you not notice that as a GI dr when I am weighed every time I come to see you?

I love "if you can't pick it or shoot it"! I actually eat pretty close to that, portion control is usually my problem. I could stand to cut out some more grains though.
I had never heard that bout 23 and me! I will definitely look into that! No one in my family is celiac though, so I wonder if I would have those genes?

Nobody in my family was ever diagnosed with celiac, my sister (now diagnosed) had migraines her whole life and that is a major symptom. She also was constantly constipated and had a hard time with weight loss. I had ‘traditional’ symptoms but still went 53 years before a diagnosis. After my nephew was diagnosed with Type 1 my doctor immediately suspected Celiac. Autoimmune diseases are tricky to say the least. Hashimotos, lupus, RA and Down syndrome are frequently suspected in this genetic fun too.
When the villi are damaged by the bad grains, the first thing you notice (at least in my case) is not processing dairy right…and anemia…the last thing was that only fats got digested…thus the weight gain…then when that is damaged and the small intestines are slick…nothing is digested properly and weight loss happens. This is all in layman's terms, specialists wouldn’t put it in these exact words. The colon is a different thing but is affected by how the lack of properly digested food constantly enters it. There are over 200 symptoms of Celiac Sprue, none of us do it the same.
The great news is that strict adherence to a gluten zero lifestyle is that we can heal that villi some and slowly get back the ability to eat dairy and other foods. Gluten is a poison to me and is not allowed in my house, nobody misses it.
This possibly doesn’t pertain to you but for what it’s worth it is my adventure.

Hyoscyamine dissolved under the tongue every morning and 30 minutes before meals. Your doctor will need to prescribe it.

with that low of a number on the gallbladder it should have been removed and when it is you run a chance of Gastroparesis which my surgery the Dr. damaged my vagus nerve now living hell and can not do anything about it can ease some of symptoms but in the end the food is not moving in my digestion and am constantly constipated to both ends of the spectrum