Dealing with symptoms after Gallbladder surgery

I think it may be a scar tissue forming. You're lucky in the way that you didn't end up as I did when they had to fully open my belly because the gallbladder was inflamed, and they couldn't pull it out ! I spent over 2 weeks in ICU because the butcher cut everything possible to cut during laparoscopy, so that's why another surgeon was called (3 of them) to save my life. In your case it's most likely a scar tissue, so talk to the the surgeon NOT the nurse !
It's very important that you do talk to the surgeon who knows better than the nurse no matter how good they may be.
Good Luck !

I take offense to your comment regarding the surgeons nurse and your dismissal of them. There is a reason that physicians have PA’s, NP’s, RN’s, LPN’s working for them to screen the numerous calls doctors get from worried patients. These staff’s deal on a daily bases with a hell of a lot more patients then you or I will ever see, I’ve been there as a retired nurse. If doctors had to spend their time responding to every call for a routine minor complaint they’d not get any work done let alone surgery. Everyone heals differently as we are not alike. If a patient complained about an issue that the doctor needed to be made aware of they would notify him. If the doctor trusts their staff to speak with patients why shouldn’t the patient do the same?

Hello @ogarabrandt

I hope you are feeling better by now. Were you able to get a second opinion on the lump and discomfort in your right flank?

Hi everyone, About two months ago, I had my gallbladder removed laparoscopically. It was so enlarged and infected that it was almost gangrenous! Doc said it had been making me sick for a long time. I had dumping syndrome, then diverticulitis, so I hoped for the best. All is going pretty well, except I still occasionally have dumping again and that is very distressing. You don’t know you’re about to “go” until you’re already going! Ugh
Anyone else have to deal with this? Any advice you give will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

I've had a similar experience and it continues over a year later. You plan your life on where the next bathroom is. My gall bladder was gangrenous. The one thing that has helped is Metamucil. I take it every morning. Sorry I could not be more encouraging. I was told it would calm down over time. I'm waiting.

I don't know if you have ever had "the talk" after your surgery about food. In my case I did not and was on my own for a few years. The first thing to go was coffee, or rather caffein. Getting used to decaf wasn't too difficult. What I found helpful was to keep a journal. I recorded everything that went into my mouth and the time of day. even chewing gum. I also recorded the time and consistency of every bm. It wasn't too long that some things began to change my bowel habits. One of the first things to go was dietary supplements, like fish oil and vitamin D. Eventually it came down to animal fats. Things like, whole milk, that includes ice cream, yogurt and butter. It also included bacon, and anything fried, even potato chips. The second thing was chocolate, in any form (it could have been the caffien.) I found that chocolate sometime shows up in things that you might not expect, like some cookies that listed cocoa but not chocolate in the ingredients. The last thing, so far, was oatmeal and I think some cold oat cereal.
The thing is that some foods affect me in different ways. Whole milk products seem to take effect within two hours. Others not until the next day. Things like chocolate, did both. Sometimes within two hours and sometime the next day. Oatmeal, the next day.
At first, I tried eliminating things one at a time but that didn't work and was sometimes confusing. It wasn't until I started eliminating whole groups of things that I began to notice the difference. If it were possible, becoming vegan and adding things one at a time might have been more scientific but I was not in a position to do that.
I know what you are going through and it's rough, but you need to hang in there and find out what foods your body is reacting to.
I just might try Metamucil when I want to have some ice cream.

@congolia

Keep a food journal.

Everyone reacts differently to foods, but most common triggers for the dumping is greasy foods, sweets, artificial sweeteners. With some it is dairy. Oatmeal, bananas and psyllium foods and products can help solidify stool. A food journal will help you figure out what your body likes and doesn't like. I

t seemed to me most anything I ate triggered the dumping.

So I tried adding more probiotic foods like yogurt. I tried probiotic products .. pills/capsules .. and not much help. Then my husband's cousin told me to try Align. Gee.. my first thoughts was it is expensive! My husband said that it was worth a try. It worked! So you might try probiotic products. Again everyone is different so it might be trial and error. Don't just take one pill and say it doesn't work … give it a good try of 2-3 weeks. You might have a gassy stomach until used to it. I had the gassy stomach already and the Align calmed it.

Diet though is going to be your greatest help in being able to go somewhere without worrying about if you are going to “go”. There are more diet hints throughout this forum.. just use the search box at top of page .

ZeeGee

I was wondering how long you have diarrhea after gallbladder removal. It has been 2 1/2 months since the surgery. My doctors just brush it off when asked.

My wife had her gallbladder out almost 5 years ago. Her doctor told her about 5% of people still have issues after surgery. My wife still has diarrhea sometimes, no rhyme or reason, doesn’t matter what she has eaten. Mostly good days but then a bad one pops up.

For me it has become a way of life. It' over a year and I plan my life around the location of rest rooms. Metamucil does help considerably.