Too much bile?

Posted by koneil @koneil, 2 days ago

About 6 years ago I started having chronic diarrhea and stomach pain. I went a couple of gastroenterologists, had colonostomys and no one could give me a definative cause of the diareaha. The first doctor stated there is nothing wrong with me and to use peppermint oil when I had stomach pain. The second doctor did not find the cause of my diarrhea, but he gave me medications to treat my symptoms. That helped, but I still felt sick, and the diarrhea þÿalways returned. About two months ago, I went to my second doctors PA. She looked at my lab reports and stated, my bile is too high.
She gave me a bile blocker, colestipol, to take once per day. I tried it the same day following the instructions. That day was the first day in six years I did not have diarrhea. It has worked consistantly for the past six weeks. The PA gave me my life back. I am so thankful!

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I have the same condition. Mine is believed to be caused by Bile Acid Malabsorption (BAM), a gastrointestinal condition where the intestines cannot properly absorb bile acids, leading to symptoms like chronic diarrhea and watery stools. Mine started occurring after my gallbladder was removed. No gallbladder to store bile, so the body just flushed it out. Here a couple of links to Mayo articles that address it.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/digestive-diseases/news/novel-approaches-to-the-diagnosis-of-bile-acid-diarrhea/mqc-20479822
https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/digestive-diseases/news/identifying-diarrhea-caused-by-bile-acid-malabsorption/mac-20430098
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1586/17474124.2014.851599

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After 2 weeks of on and off pain, discomfort from severe bloating, 3 ER visits , it was discovered my gall bladder was the root cause. Bike reflux attacks not solvable with acid reflux solutions. Bad taste in mouth . Liver enzymes off the roof! Last week gall bladder was removed. Now struggling to keep low fat diet, spreading out small portioned meals. Had 5 decent days, then another bad night . Is there anything that works to relieve bile reflux?

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@cherawgirl

I have the same condition. Mine is believed to be caused by Bile Acid Malabsorption (BAM), a gastrointestinal condition where the intestines cannot properly absorb bile acids, leading to symptoms like chronic diarrhea and watery stools. Mine started occurring after my gallbladder was removed. No gallbladder to store bile, so the body just flushed it out. Here a couple of links to Mayo articles that address it.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/digestive-diseases/news/novel-approaches-to-the-diagnosis-of-bile-acid-diarrhea/mqc-20479822
https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/digestive-diseases/news/identifying-diarrhea-caused-by-bile-acid-malabsorption/mac-20430098
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1586/17474124.2014.851599

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Thanks for all this info. General discomfort, taste altering, nausea following gall bladder removal.
A friend mentioned SUCRALFATE might help. Anyone familiar with that and had positive results if bile acid attacks? Could coating intestines with Maalox help prevent?

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@koneil which lab tests did the PA give you to determine that?

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So very glad you finally got help for this issue and the Colestipol works for you. How did the PA figure out you had too much bile? Do you know how this problem developed?

I have bial salt diarrhea after my gall bladder was removed. Have been on either cholestyrami e or Colestipol since 2011. I take two pill a day. I still have urgency and BM after I eat or drink. It is frustrating as I can’t be far from a bathroom way too often during the day.

I am wondering if anyone has tried a different medication for BAM or bial salt diarrhea with success.

I hope you continue to do well with your digestive system.

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If I had known all this prior to gallbladder removal I would have not had it removed. My gallbladder had sludge and small stones. Once in a while a stone would pass and be very painful. I'd rather have that than the BAM. Too bad medical research cannot find solution to dissolve sludge and stones without the extreme treatment of surgery and removal of an organ. I also take the Colestid but I have yet to find a good schedule to stop episodes of diarrhea, mostly in the morning after I eat my first meal of the day.

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@cherawgirl

If I had known all this prior to gallbladder removal I would have not had it removed. My gallbladder had sludge and small stones. Once in a while a stone would pass and be very painful. I'd rather have that than the BAM. Too bad medical research cannot find solution to dissolve sludge and stones without the extreme treatment of surgery and removal of an organ. I also take the Colestid but I have yet to find a good schedule to stop episodes of diarrhea, mostly in the morning after I eat my first meal of the day.

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Thank y'all for the replies. I did not know anyone else had this problem with the chronic diarrhea.I thought I was the only one. The role the gallbladder takes in this is also scary. I still have my gallbladder, and there aren't any issues with it.My daughter did have hers removed, but she doesn't currently have any problems. Thanks for the heads up.

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@dreams

So very glad you finally got help for this issue and the Colestipol works for you. How did the PA figure out you had too much bile? Do you know how this problem developed?

I have bial salt diarrhea after my gall bladder was removed. Have been on either cholestyrami e or Colestipol since 2011. I take two pill a day. I still have urgency and BM after I eat or drink. It is frustrating as I can’t be far from a bathroom way too often during the day.

I am wondering if anyone has tried a different medication for BAM or bial salt diarrhea with success.

I hope you continue to do well with your digestive system.

Jump to this post

Thank you for your response. I don't have any idea how this started. I just
remember going to my GP and they just prescribed immodium. I kept going
back and finally I was referred to a gastrointerologist. She was the crappy
one. I found another gastroenteroligist closer to my house. Once again,
after all these tests, the PA found the problem.I had so many tests I do
not know what lab work she was looking at. I hope they find the medication
that will help you. I am aware the diarrhea I had can return at anytime.
I know this can come back at any time,

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