Daily headache everyday for 5 years post gallbladder removal

I'm so sorry that your daughters been experiencing headaches since shes had her gallbladder removed. It sounds to me like she had a reaction to the anesthesia and its built up in her system.
It sounds like shes been to every doctor or done every test to get an answer.
Have you taken her to a Neurologist? Years ago, I was in a car accident and I hit my forehead on the steering wheel and I started having memory issues and headaches. My primary doctor referred me to a Neurologist aand he put me on Topiramate and that helps. I also take Ubrelvy. Ubrelvy tablets are used to treat migraine headaches in adults, that are with or without aura. Ubrelvy works by blocking a protein called CGRP in the nerve endings that are involved in pain and migraines, this helps reduce pain and migraine symptoms. Ubrelvy is from the CGRP inhibitor class of medicines and is a prescription medicine.
My doctor told me I can take it even if I have a bad headache. Luckily, my headaches haven't been bad enough that I had to take any.
It's worth talking to your doctor. This medicine is very expensive.
I hope your daughter starts feeling better.

I'm going to throw some stuff out there from the perspective of a person who has needed to hunt for headache solutions, has experience with chronic migraines, but has not had experience with your daughter's issues specifically, so take it for what it's worth.

If it's been a while since she's seen a neurologist who specializes in headaches, and in particular, someone who is actively participating in research and practices at the cutting edge (who may need to be found in a medical school setting), she might want to cycle back and do that. Once she's found someone, she should do an initial consult, and only stick with them if she hits it off with that person (which really matters, since she'll be spending a lot of time working with them -- this is the person who will be coordinating her search for new answers, which won't resolve overnight).

First, good headache neurologists these days are much more open to prescribing a stack of preventives rather than just one, and will fight with insurance to make that possible. I'm currently on three migraine preventives to deal with chronic migraines, and it's finally making a dent (botox was a fail for me, btw). The mix may include neurostimulators in addition to drugs.

Second, there are surgical solutions now, which can be worth trying if you've tried everything else. They work for some people some of the time, but really, your daughter has proved that the answers that work for most people won't work for her, so she's now in the group that tries low-probability stuff. You don't want to consider a surgical answer unless you are working with both a neurologist and a surgeon who has experience with these solutions. A stack of preventives should be pursued first, and that search needs to consider her other medical issues (for example, there are some migraine preventives I can't use because my blood pressure runs low, and the risk of hypotension is too high). But the point here is that there are last-ditch options that don't normally get discussed.

Third, if your daughter is making an insurance decision in the next month or two, she may want to factor in these possibilities. This may mean scrambling for a decent neurological consult before the end of the insurance sign-up period, specifically to discuss what options might be pursued next year and what that means for her insurance choices. Depending on where you live, this might mean paying out of pocket to travel to consult with someone who can help who is knowledgeable, open-minded, and is commonly the person recommended by doctors as a go-to for second opinions, since those folks are generally trusted for their good judgment. (I actually did exactly that for another medical problem I'm dealing with -- that is, scheduled a consult specifically to determine whether I wanted to take a potentially expensive fix into account when making my medicare insurance choice this fall.) This does not need to be the neurologist you land on -- it just needs to be someone with enough of a clue to discuss possible options that might be considered in 2026, and whether they have insurance ramifications. At that point, she can call her current insurance company and have a discussion with them, too.

Fourth, if your daughter has a PCP coordinating her care, which I assume she does, she might want to discuss with her PCP whether there are any changes she should make to the medical documentation she is sharing with new service providers. I'm assuming she is tracking her headaches in detail (which is a complete annoyance) and producing a summary of the highlights each time to share with new providers, and doing the same with her drug list (which can be split into prescription and OTC, and ought to include dosage, frequency/time of day, reason for taking, and side effects), list of prior treatments (including duration and when the treatments happened, and including lifestyle modifications), and list of other medical issues she is dealing with. If her PCP is any good, they should be able to suggest ways to improve how she brings new providers up to speed, and how to keep the appointments focused on what she wants to cover. At this point, I'm sure she has both done enough research of her own, and had enough experience with the system, to be taking charge of each interaction with each service provider. I can't do that well without a 2-4 page orientation document to share with each new person I deal with. (I usually keep a standard document up to date, and customize it for each appointment, including adding my goals for that appointment at the top. Some doctors love it, some doctors hate it, but it reduces the chaos and helps me prepare for a constructive conversation.)

Wow! Migraines are so debilitating! I had them years ago to the point where I couldn't get my head off the pillow.
You're very knowledgeable regarding migraines and headaches.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and information.

@horserider79
Thank you for taking the time to reach out to me. She is working with a neurologist currently and is taking Ubrelvy with some other medications both prescribed and OTC. It has only taken the edge off which is so discouraging. They are looking into an IV med of Vyepti that is administered once a month via IV. I appreciate your imput. I will keep you updated.

Hi,

I would look into a cranial sacral therapist. You can do research to see how they help. I can answer questions.

JFN

Hi @nicolebossy ,
I have suffered from either headaches or migraines daily with no known cause. Many meds give me side effects I do not want. I started cranial sacral treatment for my trigeminal neuralgia, and then my headaches. My cranial sacral therapist has helped with so much of my pain. There is also the Barral Institute which is manipulative therapy.
JFN

@nicolebossy I'm so sorry! I'm sure you mentioned that she's had MRIs.
I have headaches, but I can't imagine what your daughter's been going through.
I'm not sure where you're from, but my dear friend has headaches and she used to go to the Chicago Headache Center and Research
Institute in Chicago, IL.
I'm sure you both have been to several institutions looking for answers. I'm sure this is not even on the radar, but have they thought about tumors. I hope that not even a consideration.
I'll keep you both in my prayers.

I’ve had huge migraines ever since I had my gallbladder removed. I noticed I don’t get them if I drink anything other than water. I believe because it has to get filtered. The water goes to my small intestines too fast. I just found an article explaining that after I’ve noticed it for years. I too haven’t found a solution other than adding electrolytes or vitamins to my water slowing down the process but I still feel like I receive a headache a day or two later. I also have dumping syndrome. I will be trying new methods to help that and see if it fixes the migraine situation. (New methods include adding ox bile, bile binder, digestive enzymes, vitamin d, fiber, and probiotics) I’m trying to mimic having a gallbladder while not physically having one though I know it won’t ever be the same again. The internet also suggest I drink hot water instead of cold or room temperature, so I’m guessing I’ll start drinking tea for added benefits. I don’t know if this is what she’s going through but this is what I’ve been experiencing for over 5 years , mind drilling migraines only after drinking pure water. So it’s definitely putting a strain on my kidneys and liver having to always filter other drinks that don’t trigger a migraine. As for my solution for migraines that work like magic. I mix naproxen with Tylenol two of each will knock out a migraine and have me feeling amazing. Which I know is terrible for me but after the migraines I get, I am ok with just about anything that isn’t addictive.

Experiencing the same since Dec 8th ,2025.
I have read about the vagus nerve being stretched or damaged during cholecystectomy. Or compressed,which got me thinking about the surgical clips used.
Then I also read on documented cases where people are allergic to the clips with constant headaches being the result.
This is the avenue I am exploring now.

When you say that the staples were removed,do u mean the surgical clips?