Uncontrolled diarrhea after gallbladder removal surgery: Any advice?

I had surgery for gallbladder removal , 5 years ago. I was told my gallbladder was what is called porcelain gallbladder . Needed to be removed because these types of gallbladder can turn to cancer. I wish, I could have kept my gallbladder. I have had Nothing but issues since it’s removal. I’ve had nausea,loose bowels,constipation, weight lost, weight gain , heartburn and just stomach issues. I’ve been diagnosed with Gastro paresis and upper GI problems.My surgeon took 2.5 hrs to remove my gallbladder and he told me it feel apart upon removal. So here I am still feeling the same and seeing a gastroenterologist.

I was also told my removal was a 2.5 hour emergency surgery. The description among other things was Gangrenous. Since then the recovery has been exhausting; I have no energy. Plus non stop diarrhea. I have found some relief from taking constant imodium tablets. As soon as I hear my stomach making all kinds of noises, I took a shot of Pepto bismol ultra. I had a much less explosive BM and no second act. Sometimes the old remedies are the best.Time will tell if this continues to help. I repeat Help; it's not a cure. You may want to give it a try.

It's now about 3 months since the emergency removal of my gall bladder. I am still plagued by bouts of diarrhea. I was told early on that i should drink those sports drinks with electrolytes (which I have) and take probiotic pills (which I have). Since I have not seen any noticeable improvement I'm wondering if I should continue or in fact are these pills and drinks making things worse. I'd appreciate any ones input with similar experience.

Hi @jfperrone, As you will notice, I moved your discussion to the conversation you had previously posted. The benefit to keeping like conversations about gallbadders and diarrhea together is that everyone experiencing the same medical issue can follow your progress in one place. I would like to invite @astaingegerdm back to the conversation. I would also like to invite @marshabittinger, @genocurt, @blueve97 to share their experiences.

Your intestines produce a lot of bile acid which is normally held in the gallbladder, so when that is removed the bile has nowhere to go except out.
@jfperrone Have you discussed with your physician about alternatives to sports drinks that may help decrease your symptoms?

Hello, as I stated in a previous post, this December will be a year after my gallbladder surgery. I have not had any complications at all and all the symptoms are gone. I always had issues with constipation, but now my BMs are fine, sometimes on the soft side, but I am fine with it. I am interested in learning from this group as these symptoms may appear sometime.

No I thought I was doing what I was instructed to do. If there are alternatives I wouldn't know. Also where do probiotics fit In to the scheme of things? Help or hinder.

@jfperrone You may have to experiment with the probiotic supplements. I tried several before I found the one that worked best for me. I felt like I was pouring money down the toilet. .. I tried many brands of probiotics. My husband's cousin told me about Align and it is the only one that has worked well for me. I tried store brands that were cheaper and said compare to Align and they did not work.l just missing the secret ingredient to help me. Probiotics basically balance the bacteria in your gut. Really watch what you eat.. limit greasy foods and sweets. I found artificial sweeteners also increase watery bowels. I could not eat foods like salads or those that had lots of spice in them.. or heavy on onion or garlic. Soluble fiber tends to firm the bowels like contained in bananas and oatmeal. Foods high in insoluble fiber tend to loosen the bowels. A search through your internet browser about fiber should help on choosing foods.Eat probiotic foods like yogurt with live culture... kefir. I highly suggest a food diary. That way you can tell better which foods give you problems and which do not. Although our bodies have the same basic components we are all different and react differently to foods. So there is not a one diet fits all. .. nor pills .. medications that fit all.

@jfperrone - I agree with Zaroga that our bodies respond so differently to the same event and respond differently to medications.
Did the doctors explain why you have diarrhea now? They should be able to explain what is happening now after the gallbladder is gone. It could be a reaction to more bile ending up in your intestines. There may be certain medications that will deal with that. Probiotics are good. Align and Florastor have been recommended to me.
Are you still seeing the surgeon or your internist or gastroenterologist? At this point you should see a gastroenterologist.
I think it is fairly common to have digestion issues after gallbladder surgery. You are not alone.

I've got nothing scheduled in the immediate future.Frankly this website is more informative than most Doctors.

keeping hydrated helps, the Pedialyte type of Electrolyte Solution helps me...Pedialyte is higher in sodium than the typical sport drink.. I have Gastroparesis so it is a continuing battle... I have to use Gas-X and a probiotic that was prescribed for me to counteract the effects of an antibiotic used once when sick.. This site and those of us on it raise issues that really should prompt taking notes to make the list of questions you should ask your doctor... The recommendation of a single person or even a few doesn't come close to meeting the standards of clinical trials.. I use the Clinical Epic Software "My Chart" to pose non-emergency questions to the doctors I trust.. they have credibility...