Gallbladder removal: Suffering in pain, please help

Posted by hines6852 @hines6852, Feb 11, 2023

Hi I’m a 44yr old white female who had my gallbladder removed January 20,2023 laparoscopic. I had a Strawberry gallbladder with 2 comet tails. I woke up in recovery in severe pain. My husband said he could hear me screaming coming down the hall back to my post op room. I was discharged that same day. Due to being heavily sedated I don’t remember anything but I said I screamed and cried in pain all night. He took me to the emergency room on January 21,2023. They administered heavy narcotics, and done a CT with contrast. They said CT didn’t show anything but I was screaming in pain with Dilaudid via Iv and Percocet via mouth. They admitted me and was never able to get my pain under control. I was unable to have a bowel movement even with an enema. I was discharged home taking 3 stool softeners a day. I still can’t have a bowel movement, I’m extremely swollen and in excruciating pain from between my ribs in a circle around my belly back to my center chest. No one can tell me what’s wrong as far as why I can’t go to the bathroom and why I’m having so much pain. I regret having the surgery with all my might. Please help !!

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@cookierockwell

This whole situation is absolutely horrific. I'm so sorry you're going through all this.

The only thing worse than the pain itself is being told that nothing is wrong. Yes! something's wrong!

Best wishes that find relief soon,
Cookie

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I am doing a lot better since I seen my chiropractor! I have been seeing him since I was 14yrs old. I will continue once a week treatments until my GI returns to normal. Basically my GI was paralyzed from the very heavy narcotics they were giving me around the clock for 5 consecutive days

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@hines6852
It’s a relief to hear that you got help and feel better.
Dilaudid is very potent- can’t imagine getting it around the clock for 5 days.
Remember- never go there again unless it’s an extreme emergency. Find another hospital to go to.

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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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@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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Have you had your post op follow up? Do you have a fever? Please get in touch with your physician.

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@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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I read in this app that somebody had experienced pain, in his gut, for 6 months after having gallbladder surgery. And doctors can not find what it is. Myboyfriend, same exact situation, gallbladder was removed 1 month a go and he's been suffering insane pain on the other side of his gut. That was the reason he went into the ER to begin with was the pain on his left side. Removing his gallbladder did nothing for that pain.The doctors have no idea what's causing it.Everyday he's living in agony. It really sucks having to watch him suffer so much and not being able to do anything to help him. "It's sad..it really is".I couldn't believe reading somebody's post who's experienced the same issue. I'm unable to locate thatIndividual to find out if he was able to get some answers and, or if they are still struggling with the pain. I

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@zolll01

I read in this app that somebody had experienced pain, in his gut, for 6 months after having gallbladder surgery. And doctors can not find what it is. Myboyfriend, same exact situation, gallbladder was removed 1 month a go and he's been suffering insane pain on the other side of his gut. That was the reason he went into the ER to begin with was the pain on his left side. Removing his gallbladder did nothing for that pain.The doctors have no idea what's causing it.Everyday he's living in agony. It really sucks having to watch him suffer so much and not being able to do anything to help him. "It's sad..it really is".I couldn't believe reading somebody's post who's experienced the same issue. I'm unable to locate thatIndividual to find out if he was able to get some answers and, or if they are still struggling with the pain. I

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I was told to remove gallbladder but I didn't yet, but I have pain on left pain and its my pancreas I got a ultrasound endoscopy to find out ,

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@zolll01

I read in this app that somebody had experienced pain, in his gut, for 6 months after having gallbladder surgery. And doctors can not find what it is. Myboyfriend, same exact situation, gallbladder was removed 1 month a go and he's been suffering insane pain on the other side of his gut. That was the reason he went into the ER to begin with was the pain on his left side. Removing his gallbladder did nothing for that pain.The doctors have no idea what's causing it.Everyday he's living in agony. It really sucks having to watch him suffer so much and not being able to do anything to help him. "It's sad..it really is".I couldn't believe reading somebody's post who's experienced the same issue. I'm unable to locate thatIndividual to find out if he was able to get some answers and, or if they are still struggling with the pain. I

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An interoperative colangiogram should have been done with original surgery

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@zolll01

I read in this app that somebody had experienced pain, in his gut, for 6 months after having gallbladder surgery. And doctors can not find what it is. Myboyfriend, same exact situation, gallbladder was removed 1 month a go and he's been suffering insane pain on the other side of his gut. That was the reason he went into the ER to begin with was the pain on his left side. Removing his gallbladder did nothing for that pain.The doctors have no idea what's causing it.Everyday he's living in agony. It really sucks having to watch him suffer so much and not being able to do anything to help him. "It's sad..it really is".I couldn't believe reading somebody's post who's experienced the same issue. I'm unable to locate thatIndividual to find out if he was able to get some answers and, or if they are still struggling with the pain. I

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Hi @zolll01, I think you may be referring to this existing discussion that @ashley2000, recently started:
- Severe abdominal pain after gallbladder removal
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/severe-gallbladder-pain-after-surgery/
See all related discussions here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/discussions/?search=gallbladder%20removal%20and%20pain

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@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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Hi,

I had mine out five weeks ago. No pain. Took a long time for the glue to fall off. I do have diarrhea which is lousy. I will probably have to live with that for a while.

Definitely find a doctor who can answer your questions.

Cindy

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@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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