Connect
Severe Pain Years Post Gallbladder Removal
This is sort of a last ditch effort to find some idea about what has been plaguing me for years. I had my gallbladder removed after a series of attacks in 2016. I did not have any stones, but my HIDA showed 6% EF and after removal, they said I had a very narrow sphincter.
Since then, I have been to the ER several times for debilitating severe upper abdominal pain. I mean SEVERE. I have a high pain tolerance, and did not experience this level of pain with child birth. Each time they do bloodwork and X-rays, but tell me they cannot find anything wrong. I started noticing that the attacks came on after eating a particularly rich or fatty meal with wine. I got better at avoiding the attacks after awhile.
A few years later, I was having severe GI issues. Pain, extreme bloating (looks 9 months pregnant after eating), severe diarrhea, and daily crippling nausea. This lasted for months. I have struggled with nausea most of my life, but this was impacting my quality of life. They did an ultrasound, emptying scan, and upper and lower GI. They essentially found nothing wrong and said the nausea might be "in my head". I kind of gave up on GI drs after that. I did go GF because that seemed to help some.
Fast forward to 2023. I went to the ER with some abdominal pain and it turned out I had a ruptured diverticula and had most of my colon removed.
I recently started zepbound, and had food/wine in an amount that would not have normally caused one of these attacks, but it caused one of the worst ones yet. They last anywhere from 30 min to 2 hours usually. I cannot express enough how severe the pain is. I didn't go to ER because it is the same thing every time.
If you read this far, thank you. I feel like I am losing my mind. I still live with daily GI issues such as pain and nausea, but I have learned to cope. I wish I knew of at least a direction to point a new doctor in, but I have zero idea what this could be. It is like a gallbladder attack on steroids, but I don't have a gallbladder or appendix anymore. PLEASE HELP!
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.
Connect
Because I had searched for 18 years answers to my digestive, epigastric pain, weight, loss, food problems, and many more issues. I thought I would mention here about vascular compressions.. It’s not something doctors would look for, but it’s worth a try if you done everything else. I had Mesenteric artery ligament syndrome, which the mesenteric artery ligament is squeezing the aorta when you eat. It causes, severe pain when eating, and eventually all the time. I had every G.I. test several times over and finally found on this site the information about it. You can look up MALS which helped to lead me to a resolution from my Mals. There are several vascular compressions that cause digestive issues and pain. It’s worth a try.
I wonder if hyoscyamine sublineal will help you?
I have a prescription for that, but was told only to take it during an attack. I will definitely ask about this! Thank you!
I have a prescription for it, and tbh it doesn't do a whole lot that I notice. It certainly doesn't stop a really bad attack.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionThank you SO MUCH! This is not something I ever heard of so this is very very helpful. I will look into it bc I have tried everything else!
They did remove it shortly after the HIDA scan. I do not have gastroparesis. They did an an abdominal emptying scan, and I actually empty faster than normal (but still within normal limits)
O.125 is my dosage and I can take two under my tongue. I can take first thing in the morning and I can take 30 minutes before meals.
I reread your original comments and you might read about liver disease and fatty liver and other liver problems and especially review the symptoms of each.
Colon diverticulitis is another direction to research.
I’m so sorry your having such pain .
I had my gallbladder removed in 1996, zero ejection fraction and stones inside polyps and and a stone left in my bile duct . Then I began so many ERCPs, acute pancreatitis , endless hospital admissions .. There was a few good years then started again in 2004.
Now they feel it’s scar tissue from the surgeries ( also had nissen fundiplication and take down..
The abdominal pain is daily , eating is not good most of the time . I push through it and when I can’t deal go to the ER.. but feel like I’m not heard .