Dealing with symptoms after Gallbladder surgery

Posted by roisemaire @roisemaire, Nov 30, 2017

Hi is there anyone out there that suffers from nausea and pain almost 4 weeks after gallbladder operation. Every time I eat anything i get pain in site of operation. And tired all the time no energy

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I found a solution that so far (has been almost 5 days) and has been a game changer

So after going to more doctors and getting tests and ideas it came down to this. Basically from feeling so sick for so long that my mind was set on making myself feel nausea and loss of appetite and ect. I was told it is a form of IBS and was put on a new medication. Since taking the medication I've virtually stopped taking all those medications. I am resuming a fairly normal diet and j eat several small meals a day. I've only had one nausea spell that lasted a couple hours if that other than some slight queasiness in the evening just from taking the medication. It has gotten better as the days go forward and nothing super bad (almost like a slight narcotic feeling about an hour after taking the medicine). It basically stopped my mind from thinking I should feel ill and every day it gets better.

I meet again with the GI on Thursday to give updates and see if they'd like to do anything else different. I hope my experience can help others because I never thought of it as a psychosis thing until I was told this isn't unheard of and this would bring me success.

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@missdraggunn

I found a solution that so far (has been almost 5 days) and has been a game changer

So after going to more doctors and getting tests and ideas it came down to this. Basically from feeling so sick for so long that my mind was set on making myself feel nausea and loss of appetite and ect. I was told it is a form of IBS and was put on a new medication. Since taking the medication I've virtually stopped taking all those medications. I am resuming a fairly normal diet and j eat several small meals a day. I've only had one nausea spell that lasted a couple hours if that other than some slight queasiness in the evening just from taking the medication. It has gotten better as the days go forward and nothing super bad (almost like a slight narcotic feeling about an hour after taking the medicine). It basically stopped my mind from thinking I should feel ill and every day it gets better.

I meet again with the GI on Thursday to give updates and see if they'd like to do anything else different. I hope my experience can help others because I never thought of it as a psychosis thing until I was told this isn't unheard of and this would bring me success.

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That’s great you found something to help! What medication did you start taking that helped?

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@johnetteg

That’s great you found something to help! What medication did you start taking that helped?

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Amitriptyline

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In reply to @missdraggunn "Amitriptyline" + (show)
@missdraggunn

Amitriptyline

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Do you have your gallbladder still?

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@johnetteg

Do you have your gallbladder still?

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No it was taken out 3 weeks ago

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@hopeful33250

Hi Jim, @jimhd

What kind of test is the "function test." Is it a blood test or something else?

Teresa

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My test was an HIDA scan. It showed that I had no gallbladder function at all.

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Hi - I am in the midst of a gall bladder "situation".right now. I hesitate to say attack because that sounds like outrageous pain (child birth). This one is only medium discomfort, but has lasted 4 hours. It is a lump or "balloon" in upper right quadrant of abdomen. Have slight chills and feel a bit tired. No nasuea or back/arm pains. I just gave myself a test (after eating only a little today, and all "good" food, I just had 5 chocolate mint cookies). (I know, that is forbidden - but I like to do tests and see what happens).I have had GB symptoms a few months now - came out of the blue and I was shocked. Average maybe 2 "attacks" per week. Small meals help; am sort of watching diet. Tight bra was a problem as well (as others have mentioned). Did have 2 glasses of wine last eve. I have been enjoying evening wine for only a few years now - it is a new phenomenum. I am 70 - but I think it is a soothing and fun way to end an evening and I look forward to it. Only wine - but a full 2 glasses most nights. I am a medium-sized person.
Sometimes I do not have any as a test to see if I feel better or worse. Am EXTREMELY busy and engaged in "important" activities, organizations and sports. Very involved in multiple things and i like it that way. I had an ultrasound a few months ago and I do have gallstones!!!!!! WHAT A TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT THAT WAS. I have seen a gastro twice and he wants me to talk with surgeon. However, I refuse to have surgery - so no need to even discuss it. I may see a nutritionist to help plan appropriate foods. I have always considered myself quite healthy and am unwilling to give up a body part. I have been hypothyroid and on Synthroid for 25 years - also Estrogen/Premarin (ended a decade ago) for 12 years and anti-anxiety med for 15 years. If it does escalate and become serious, I do not seem to care. Either I handle it myself or whatever. I do not have family at this point. I know this sounds stubborn, but it is what it is. I suppose one might ask why am I writing then? Well, to hear and understand experiences others have tried since I am just learning about this. Best wishes to all.

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I had those symptoms a few months ago. Went the whole route at the Mayo Clinic. Could not find anything. Was so dissapointed. Then they come up with Functional Dyspepsia. Most Dr.s do not even know of this. It is a real condition but scientists do know why. I have studied papers all around the World and they all said the same thing. You have to look it up. Anyway a Dr on this site suggested to some one else to try FDgard. It is a medication pill form you can get at Walgreens, cvs Pharmacy or Amozon. I buy them at Amozon they are cheaper and can cost up to 30.00 a week. The thing is they work. They are a bit of peppermint and oils. Totally natural,no side effects at all. Look all of these suggestions up. From miserable to happy again. Good luck by the way I am a active 70 also!

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@contentandwell

@micki733 I am personally out of ideas, but I see you have gotten other responses. I hope something works for you or that some one of the doctors you are seeing can figure out your problem. It's so frustrating when they cannot.

Different circumstances, but similar in that it was not a problem immediately. I had a liver transplant in September 2016. It was quite a while later that I started to have problems. I still am not totally sure what my problem is but from what my research has turned up it is probably IBS. I am still trying to eliminate different foods to see which may be causing it.

What I read is that surgeries can affect your system in such a way that it's possible for conditions like this to develop. So can the drugs that I need to take now, so it's one of those things, but it did not show up for quite a while after the surgery.

I hope your answer will prove to also be something that is not serious, but more of a nuisance. When I figure out what all of my triggers are I will be doing much better. As it is now, my stomach is upset more often than not.
JK

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I just wanted to share this since the last time we chatted up here. I changed to a new primary care physician this past week. I went back to a doctor that I used to see a few years ago that my mom still goes to. When I took her for a check up last week, he was equally as interested in the fact that I did not feel or look well and spent 20 minutes talking to me before we left. I signed release papers from all those I have seen since this started (other primary care office, cardiologist, radiologist, gastroenterology, and surgeon). I also did fasting labs at his office the next day so they would be back in time for my appointment this week. He requested re-checks of the previously performed labs as well as thyroid panel, a hormone panel and a few others that hadn't been checked. When I went this past Wednesday, he sat with my husband and I in a extended blocked off amount of time. We were there discussing my case and all my new labs for over an hour in a room along with a physical exam and vitals. He didn't find anything significant that would have caused the nausea, fatigue, etc that I was experiencing. He did mention that my sedimentation rate (to check for inflammation) had been at 52 a few weeks ago per another doctor and was now at 31. Even though, that is mildly elevated (should be below 20), that could possibly be what is making me feel so badly. The inflammation in my body could be from healing from the surgery or it could be from another diagnosis that I have called mild Occipital Neuralgia from a pulled muscle in my neck from 2013. Mine is considered mild as it does not affect me as adversely as others. I'm not in the constant pain others feel that have this. It's mostly tight neck and shoulder muscles and can be aggravated by poor posture and I have been in the recliner and on the couch a lot for several weeks since I am not working due to the nausea. He is not saying this is definitely the reason, and it could be a combination of healing from the surgery and the O.N. inflammation. Either way, there is no other rhyme or reason for me to feel this way. Even all of my liver enzymes that had been previously slightly elevated are down in the normal ranges now (whoop whoop!). I don't know the real reason, however, last week, I had 3 lousy days and 3 good days (none were really consecutive), but this week from Sunday thru Thursday were good days. I felt good and had a little energy. Today (Fri) has been okay. We are in NC and have a cold front moving through later in the day. It's currently in the 70s and supposed to get close to 80 degrees, then possibly thunderstorms, then cooling in the 50s for the next week. I think that is aggravating my Occipital Neuralgia just a bit. Anyway, while this may or may not help anyone else, but if it will help even one person out there to maybe look into their inflammation rate and see if that is what is causing them to feel poorly in addition to anything else. Micki

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@micki733

I just wanted to share this since the last time we chatted up here. I changed to a new primary care physician this past week. I went back to a doctor that I used to see a few years ago that my mom still goes to. When I took her for a check up last week, he was equally as interested in the fact that I did not feel or look well and spent 20 minutes talking to me before we left. I signed release papers from all those I have seen since this started (other primary care office, cardiologist, radiologist, gastroenterology, and surgeon). I also did fasting labs at his office the next day so they would be back in time for my appointment this week. He requested re-checks of the previously performed labs as well as thyroid panel, a hormone panel and a few others that hadn't been checked. When I went this past Wednesday, he sat with my husband and I in a extended blocked off amount of time. We were there discussing my case and all my new labs for over an hour in a room along with a physical exam and vitals. He didn't find anything significant that would have caused the nausea, fatigue, etc that I was experiencing. He did mention that my sedimentation rate (to check for inflammation) had been at 52 a few weeks ago per another doctor and was now at 31. Even though, that is mildly elevated (should be below 20), that could possibly be what is making me feel so badly. The inflammation in my body could be from healing from the surgery or it could be from another diagnosis that I have called mild Occipital Neuralgia from a pulled muscle in my neck from 2013. Mine is considered mild as it does not affect me as adversely as others. I'm not in the constant pain others feel that have this. It's mostly tight neck and shoulder muscles and can be aggravated by poor posture and I have been in the recliner and on the couch a lot for several weeks since I am not working due to the nausea. He is not saying this is definitely the reason, and it could be a combination of healing from the surgery and the O.N. inflammation. Either way, there is no other rhyme or reason for me to feel this way. Even all of my liver enzymes that had been previously slightly elevated are down in the normal ranges now (whoop whoop!). I don't know the real reason, however, last week, I had 3 lousy days and 3 good days (none were really consecutive), but this week from Sunday thru Thursday were good days. I felt good and had a little energy. Today (Fri) has been okay. We are in NC and have a cold front moving through later in the day. It's currently in the 70s and supposed to get close to 80 degrees, then possibly thunderstorms, then cooling in the 50s for the next week. I think that is aggravating my Occipital Neuralgia just a bit. Anyway, while this may or may not help anyone else, but if it will help even one person out there to maybe look into their inflammation rate and see if that is what is causing them to feel poorly in addition to anything else. Micki

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@micki733, This is great progress for you! Thanks for your thoughtfulness to share it here in case others might benefit. I hope you9 continue to feel improvement. Will you keep us updated on your progress? Enjoy yourself!

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