Complications/symptoms after Gallbladder Surgery

Posted by kalenkerby @kalenkerby, Oct 21, 2018

Hello. I am a Male 32. I had my gall bladder removed 4 days ago. Since I have had strange pains and feelings. Nausea after I eat Everytime. I realized after it's removal my stomach will have swelling, but it feels like there is a Large Knot just right of my Belly button. I also have had severe Hunger type pains. It's the only thing that I can compare it too. Very bad and painful pains that resemble Severe Hunger pains. I have also had headaches since the surgery. Mainly the right back of my head, it feels like there is a Knot under my skull almost. It doesn't hurt severely, but it does hurt sometimes worse than others. And nothing seems to help. Almost a throbbing pain. And of course pain across my entire abdomen. Top to bottom. Side to side. Which is to be expected I guess. But I have have more pain in my right chest and under my left breast off and on. What of these are to be expected and not?

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Has anyone had persistent pain in the lower right side? My appendix, uterus, ovaries and tubes have all been removed and exploratory surgery did not identify scar tissue. I had a colonoscopy with normal results. I do have a redundant left side colon and gall bladder has been removed. I have been in pain for years. Any ideas what could be going on? I don't have much left in that area so puzzled.

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Tlwar1, I had gallbladder surgery 6-weeks ago, and my right side still hurts whenever I eat, but goes away thereafter. I too have had my appendix and gallbladder removed, so there isn't anything left except the liver and it should not hurt that much. Even a fatty liver doesn't hurt bad, it just aches, or so I am told. My problem is constant and persistent headaches since the gallbladder surgery, it has been 25 days and the headaches won't go away. Going back to my doctor tomorrow, hopefully she will have an answer. I know that you can get pancreatitis while suffering from gallstones, but that pain should go away.

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@tlwhar1

I wonder if they left a stone. I had similar symptoms as stones were missed during surgery in the common bile duct causing irritation to the surrounding organs. An ultrasound, while I was on my side helped diagnose my problem. The catscan was useless. They were able to go down my throat to remove the stone and enlarge a narrowing in the duct to remove the stone. I couldn't eat without terrible pain all the way through to my back followed by nausea.

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Did you severe nerve pain? It’s on my left side under breast. I wondered abt stones left. I am going to go back to gastro md. Thank you for replying I appreciate it. Right now I’m going thru MRI’s. All neg.

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@theache

Tlwar1, I had gallbladder surgery 6-weeks ago, and my right side still hurts whenever I eat, but goes away thereafter. I too have had my appendix and gallbladder removed, so there isn't anything left except the liver and it should not hurt that much. Even a fatty liver doesn't hurt bad, it just aches, or so I am told. My problem is constant and persistent headaches since the gallbladder surgery, it has been 25 days and the headaches won't go away. Going back to my doctor tomorrow, hopefully she will have an answer. I know that you can get pancreatitis while suffering from gallstones, but that pain should go away.

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I still feel like I have a gallbladder after 3 yrs. right after surgery that was intense. I would be interested why u are having headaches. I should have left the GB where it was. lol good luck

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@erikas

@mpsteed Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, a place to give and get support.

Since your gallbladder surgery you've had pains and spasms. All off the diagnostics have come back negative. You are looking for answers and suggests from members like you.

You will see that I have moved your question into a discussion where members are currently discussing this topic. I did this so you could more quickly connect and get support. You will notice members like @malerie99 @yuksel @harliegirl @johnetteg @billjn3 @maryswims @roisemaire @bertbiz @leinania @kcoates have experience with this topic and may be a good resource for you. I also encourage you to scroll back through the comments to find previously shared suggestions.

I'm wondering if you can give me a little more information? May I ask what diagnostics you have had and what specialist you have seen so far?

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Hi, since 2017 I have had EGD. CAT scan of abdomen , MRI of neck and thoracic spine. Now my neurologist ordered a MRI of brain w/wo contrast. And a MRI of thoracic spine with contrast. Could this all be from stones left? I’m really disappointed with all my doctors.

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@sprinrosa64

sorry to hear. I went thru something similar , 2008 I had a lobectomy of left lung . I had pins & needles , pain amd numbness below my left pectoral that was super uncomfortable and this lasted 7yrs. Now I did notice a small degrees each yr. but 7yrs to fully remover. Top NYC doctor said it was just the nerves that were effected during surgery. I hope the best for you

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Nerve pain is beyond painful. Just curious what you used for pain?

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I’m sorry. I have read removal of gallbladder laparoscopic causes a lot of pain. But the symptoms u describe are similar to mine and I have spent 3 yrs with this pain. And no one knows why. All tests neg. I hope you have pain meds. I’m wondering why a headache. I hope you get some answers. Keep us posted.

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@theache

Thanks ZeeGee, sounds like you have a long history of headaches; feel sorry for you. I can relate to your suffering, and sure hope my problem clears up. I have had many surgeries over the years but never experienced extended headaches before. Has to be something simple, just hope my doctor figures it out. I only take two medications: Lisinopril 10mg per day for high blood pressure and 40mg of Omeprazole for acid reflux.

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@theache Yes.. long history with several of types of headaches. I had looked into more headache relief medicine a couple of years ago. I had only taken two different ones that the neurologist prescribed. The first I was allergic to and second the side effects harder to cope with than the headaches. I decided for then it was too difficult to explore new medications after the second medication. I was taking care of my mom then and it was too much to experience the side effects while taking care of her. Mom passed away in August.. once I catch up on all my checkups I will pursue it again.

My husband has high blood pressure and takes Lisinopril. He at times is short of breath and wonders if the medication is the problem. He had his heart and lungs checked out.. all was good. After taking it for several years his brother experienced some sort of side effect from that medication. My husband cannot remember what his brother said the side effects were and hasn't remembered to ask him yet. My husband was talking to someone at the pharmacy one day that had been on Lisinopril and she had experienced shortness of breath after several years of being on it. I think headache is a side effect of Lisinopril.. it is also a symptom of high blood pressure.

I haven't searched Connect to see if there has been a discussion on Lisinopril, but you might look into it as a possibility that it could be causing your symptoms.

I am on.. one of the proton inhibitors for reflux.. it changes from time to time which one. My husband is retired Army and it depend on what the base pharmacy has as to which one. I think right now it is the generic for Nexium.. sometimes it is generic for Prilosec. I take oxycodone for pain and it gives me a headache for about 45 minutes after it kicks in. The rest is vitamins and an asthma inhaler that I rarely use. I am trying out a prescription antihistamine spray for my year-round allergies.. leaves a bitter taste, but works better than pills. I have had a paraesophgeal (sliding hiatal) hernia that caused me to have acid reflux and 5 surgery to get it repaired... with complication with the 4th one. The 5th one had to be open surgery. I also have achalasia and Barrett's esophagus.These esophagus problems make it difficult for me to swallow food, pills and sometimes liquids will not go down. My back is bad and of late more painful. Hopefully with my pain specialist we'll get this flare up under control.

ZeeGee

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@tlwhar1

Has anyone had persistent pain in the lower right side? My appendix, uterus, ovaries and tubes have all been removed and exploratory surgery did not identify scar tissue. I had a colonoscopy with normal results. I do have a redundant left side colon and gall bladder has been removed. I have been in pain for years. Any ideas what could be going on? I don't have much left in that area so puzzled.

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@tlwhar1 I call them phantom pains. It seems to have no cause. It could be referred pain from the redundant colon? It may remain a mystery, but I hope you find the answer.

ZeeGee

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@mpsteed

I still feel like I have a gallbladder after 3 yrs. right after surgery that was intense. I would be interested why u are having headaches. I should have left the GB where it was. lol good luck

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@mpsteed
After I had my gallbladder removed by a local surgeon I continued to have the same pains I did before the surgery. I think they missed a stone. I had open upper abdominal surgery years later at Mayo Clinic and most of the surgery was on the left side.. so I expected my left ribcage to hurt.. but my right ribcage hurt too, but not as badly. I asked my surgeon why I was hurting in my right ribcage.. all I could get out of him was “I had to do a little something there”. I think he did a clean up on that side from my gallbladder surgery... the gallbladder type pain went away.

I was only given a two page summary of my open surgery at Mayo Clinic. My local gastroenterologist said his copy was more like a novel. I could get the full report. I would just get lost in the medical jargon.

ZeeGee

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