Had gb out Jan. 2018. Had some off and on problems which got progressively worse. Gastritis, indigestion, diarrhea, constipation and unbearable gas and bloating. Can barely eat anything now, lost 20 lbs. Now weigh 102 at 5'3". Mostly now I have air bubbles going out my left side and down but gets trapped and I bloat with so much upper stomach and sometimes lower rib pain. If I don't eat exactly every 2 hours I get the gurgling, filling up with gas on left side and gnawing bend over type pain. If I eat just before the 2 hour limit I can lessen the gas attacks. My stomach and intestines are so sore from the months of distension. I sometimes feel like I have a tight band around my upper stomach but nothing there. For the past month I have been yellow colored stools with yellow grease upon wiping (sorry for being graphic). Blood tests normal, ct scan normal so liver ruled out. Stool calprotectin test shows inflammation in intestines. EGD upper endoscopy good except fir mild hiatal hernia. I can't help feeling this is bile related but the calprotectin test indicates possible IBD or cancer. I have lived with severe IBS for 50+ years and all this is not my ibs. Ever since my gb surgery I have more sick than I have ever been in my life. Sorry for the long read. Any thoughts. This bloating is relentless.
Have any meds been prescribed? Do they help?
I have no gallbladder since one year ago. I eat everything and in big quantities without problem and my apetite is huge. But I lose weight very fast ever since. The reasons are unidentifiable and I have done so many tests. I guess you may have other problems altar are not linked to your gallbladder. keep searching the digestive system.
Audrey same issues in 2015 when mine was removed as a matter of fact in the hospital as we speak. Have they mentioned your bile ducts at all?
Just Cholestyramine, which I cannot tolerate. It blocked me up so bad for 5 days and I only took 1/8 of packette. Aciphex which I do take. Meds make me very sick for the most part.
Can they rule out bile ducts with a ct scan ? They never brought it up.
Sorry to hear about your problem. Is it possible that you may have a bacterial infection, that you might be confusing with, even before the gb surgery? For example, I found out hpylori infection in my case. And I was facing similar issues you have listed. Is it left side, you always feel uncomfortable. What about right side? What tests have you got performed to rule out bacterial infection?
Also, do you feel pain in back ( left side) , left shoulder. Do you get chest pain ?
hi aubrey. hello everyone. i'm experiencing indigestion like pain sometimes and i don't know if it's a gallbladder attack or gastritis. Upper middle abdominal pain 5inches above my belly button. My stools are mainly yellowish-brown colour. If i'm having a loose or watery stool then it'll be just yellowish. Are yours always yellow on a daily basis? like yellow yellow in color?
Hi
im suffering with similar problems, i had my gallbladder taken out on monday after 3 years of problems, my gallbladder was a mess, had stuck to my small bowel, surgeon had to check my scan photos to see if he had correct patient in it was that bad, anyway i feel better as my inflammation has gone and have my appetite back, but after i eat the gurgling starts and then get an intense pressure build up in my chest and bettewn my shoulders that nearly takes my breath out of me, im ringing doctor tommorow for advice as had this before my surgery! all my gastric problems started when i fell ill in crete 3 years ago and nothing was diagnosed, all the doctors i have seen dont seem to take this serious though! like you am getting concerned, i also think it bile/liver related
Hi Audrey, I think having an MRCP (MRI of the abdomen) would help to get a good picture of how your digestive system is working. It can also look at your bile ducts. Is this something you can ask your GI to have done for you? Also, when you had the EGD, did they test for h. pylori? I'm sorry you're suffering so much. I've been praying for you?
Had every stool test upper endoscopy.....no hpylori...no ova or parasites. When gas build up I get high stomach pain under my lower ribs and across ribs both sides. If bloating gets very bad it can put pressure on my chest and cause labored breathing until I can relieve it which is never enough. Always have trapped gas. Don't seem to get it in back anymore but it does occasionally travel to both sides of rib cage especially the lowest set of ribs. Main gripping pain is in top of stomach but can radiate farther depending on how much gas is building which seems to corrolate with food, vitamins or meds. About 90,% of time eating helps but 10% it aggravates especially if I don't eat just at 2hour intervals. If I go over at all the gas builds up so bad that then eating causes terrible gnawing and bloating. Even water will cause discomfort then. What tests can be used for bacterial infection other than blood, urine, fecal endoscopy and ct scan which I already had? Oh I forgot to mention..no matter how bad the pain, bloating and sickness is.....it all stops when I lay down for bed which is very strange.
Hi Johnette, hope you are having a good day. I have been cancelled by my gi and am losing my favorite one so have to muster up the courage to make a new appointment. I thought they automatically test for hpylori. I asked the gi if that will get tested when I get endoscopy and she said yes so I assume they did...I hope. Is the MRCP invasive and do you have to take any nasty prep for it?
Hi jeff yes for about a month now they are yellow, not bright but defintely yellowish enough.
Hi mathew, good luck with your problem. Rooting for you. If you aren't already try eating small meals spread about 2 hours apart and see if any help.
When I suffered with Hpylori,
1. As you said, laying down made me comfortable. And walking too made me feel comfortable.
2. Also it never interfered with my sleeping. Sleeping somehow used to stop the problem. But waking up in the morning, and in the evening ( both are the times 8 hours after food ) used to cause problem for about 5-15 mins.
the pain happened 8 hours after food was so precise, that it was like an alarm clock.
One more test is "breath-test", which is specially for Hpylori I think, they do it with urea. However endoscopy, stool and blood test generally confirm it . ( Mine was done by endoscopy), but just in case it may give you better insight, you may try for breath-test.
One more thing I want to add that made considerable difference for me after the antibiotics. And it was a very high number of strains of healthy bacteria intake, using probiotics. Doctor had given me probiotics tablets with antibiotics. 80% problem was solved. But still I was getting a bit (20%) of problem here and there. So I researched more about probiotics with much higher number of strains of healthy bacteria. I used one called "wow", however there are many others too like "flora". It really helped me. You should try that, research about the reviews about various brands and see.
ok, i know you wont probably do this but it worked for me. YOU needa perscription for cholestyramine, brand name olestyr if you can get it. it is a powder and you mix it with water. i started with 1 pouch a day. MY doctor told me it would not work but said you tried everything else. i tried it for almost three weeks. about the 2nd week I Started taking FLORA 50 billion probiotic urgent care, one pill a day along with the medicine..... within a week stopped the cholestryamine, kept taking probiotic..... one week later the gas and especially the diarrhea stopped. my gastric guy was surprised. i still take the probiotic. it is the one that the health store recommended. i had my gall bladder out too but mine started awhile after that. i put up with, especially the diarrhea for about a year! COULDNT GO ANY WHERE UNLESS THERE WAS A TOILET nearby..... I did my own research and tried a lot of things but this paid off, it worked,i would have tried anything at that point. hope you try it,,,,,it sure wont hurt you. good luck! oh and by the way, it is bile related even though you have no gallblader!
Nancy
sorry audrey, i should of read the other replies, i know it can constipate you, i remember that. i ate prunes every day. if it just constipated you, just take a generic stool softener along with prune juice or eat prunes, 5 a day. do try the probiotics! I see someone else said it worked for them.
nancy
a have had loads of meds none help am now on day 4 of not eating as soon as it hits stomach am doubled in 2 with pains