Post-cholecystectomy or gallbladder removal surgery

Posted by msb18 @msb18, Dec 11, 2018

Hi – I had my gallbladder removed 17 years ago and have chronic, sharp back pain behind the port incision. That incision was in my upper left abdominal quadrant; the pain is felt in my back, directly behind the incision. It is thought that I have an adhesion in my upper left quadrant. Is it possible that nerves are trapped and that it causes referred pain in my back? The pain is nauseating and hasn't improved. I have been on anti seizure medication and a pain killer that isn't a percocet-type medication. I am curious if anyone else has persistent pain in their back following gallbladder surgery. If so, how is your pain treated.

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Profile picture for diannesmcneill @diannesmcneill

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.

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They have checked my liver several times and said it is fine

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Profile picture for diannesmcneill @diannesmcneill

Colon diverticulitis is another direction to research.

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I actually had my sigmoid colon removed a year and a half ago due to a ruptured diverticula

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Profile picture for enavtemca @enavtemca

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 .

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I am so sorry to hear that we are in such similar boats! The constant fear of an attack and the daily stomach pain will drive you insane! Hoping someone listens and you get some answers too!

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Profile picture for enavtemca @enavtemca

My Nissan was done too tight so I could not swallow foods well , Also determined later I should not have had one ( I worked for the surgeon who did it ).
When done correctly , it will help !
Good luck with your surgery

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@enavtemca wow what a surgeon to do that to his nurse hopefully he didn’t do it on purpose

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Profile picture for sbtheplumber1 @sbtheplumber1

@enavtemca wow what a surgeon to do that to his nurse hopefully he didn’t do it on purpose

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He did say he did it right not to. one undone .. I had this when they just started doing them robotic .
Much better now I was told , with precise measurements

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Profile picture for taylor2 @taylor2

I am so sorry to hear that we are in such similar boats! The constant fear of an attack and the daily stomach pain will drive you insane! Hoping someone listens and you get some answers too!

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Thank you ! I’m hoping so too! same for you

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Profile picture for ashley2000 @ashley2000

I have had right upper quadrant and upper epigastric(upper middle) abdominal pain for years and went all over the country to the best hospitals years ago to try to get it diagnosed with no luck. About three months ago the pain increased becoming constant and unbearable. I had an ultrasound done which showed gallstones, then an MRCP which showed gallstones, and mild pancreatic atrophy and either a developmental cyst or branch ductal ipmn which is 2 mm. I went through laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery (gallbladder removal) almost two weeks ago where it turned out that in addition to gallstones I also had lots of inflammation (so much that he had to remove it to even see my gallbladder and told me I must have been having gallbladder attacks for years and now the chronic inflammation was causing constant terrible pain) and at first I thought it was going to solve my pain if I just waited for post op healing, but now, two weeks of terrible pain throughout my abdomen and most often in the same areas I had pain pre surgery ( now under the left lower rib cage as well as the right and throughout my abdomen and back) is making me concerned that this is not post op pain, but either the same problem I had before surgery or something they did wrong in surgery causing this pain. Not sure if the pain is still related to food or not, since I have been eating a very low fat diet, but pain is still constant. Anyone know what might be going on here, and do you think it is still post op pain this bad, or maybe the surgery didn’t fix the problem or created a new one? Also wondering if there could be some pancreas involvement…anyone out there who may have pancreas issues that might please weigh in on this…
I am taking 100mg to tylenol every eight hours and 600 mg of ibuprofen every eight hours ( alternating each four hours), but the pain is still terrible… Post op appointment with surgeon gave me no answers or direction. Please help if you can. Thank you so much!

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What happened? I am having same problems now after 5 months after surgery

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Profile picture for sharronm @sharronm

I have a lot of your symptoms, but have had no surgery. When the diarrhea got so frequently my GI did a EGD and colonoscopy. It showed ulceration throughout my esophagus and intestines. The biopsy showed I have autoimmune microscopic colitis. I just got diagnosed last week. I now am on a new journey, trying to figure out how to eat. I am on a medication to help my gut heal. I'd like to keep in touch with you to see how you do!

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How are you doing? I'd love to hear. Thank you for the hug!! ❤️

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Profile picture for lvienneau @lvienneau

What happened? I am having same problems now after 5 months after surgery

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Hi, @lvienneau - welcome. I read in another post of yours you've been having pain and requesting scans.

Do you have an appointment now set up for scans? How is your pain?

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Profile picture for marman101 @marman101

I had gall bladder removed in 2016. I was told diarrhea may happen but would get better in 2 - 2/12 months. It is now 2025 and the problem is getting worse. I eat and in about 30 mins it is going right through me. Does anyone have this problem and you had it corrected? HELP!!!!

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I had EXACTLY the same problem. I was prescribed a few medications. I also had radiation for prostate cancer which made the situation worse. I would have a lot of urination problems.. All of a sudden I had an extremely severe urge to do both. I would have 3 seconds to get to the bathroom. One quarter of the time I wouldn't make it.Doing both #1 and #2 on myself.

I drastically cut my portions of food down. At this point, I eat about six times a day. They are all small portions. In total, I eat substantially less than used to. Cut out anything fatty, or too spicy.. You have to be considerate of what you eat and when.

STRESS is a key element. I kept experimenting and reading anything I could find about what not having a gallbladder would do to your body. I returned to doing Tai Chi. That helped me in being more calmer - which in turn lessened an unpleasant body reaction to eating.

I have been eating plain yogurt and drinking plain kefir. to help bacteria. I think each person needs to experiment with what foods are working and not working.

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