Hi. I had my gallbladder surgery 15 months ago and it has been the most frighten time of my life. I live day to day in pain, fear, anxiety, hopeless, down. If it wasn't for my 16 month old baby I wouldn't want to live no more I think.
It started with painful esophageal spasms ,chest / stomach burning for over a year. All this time I was constantly worried and saw lots of doctors. Finally when I thought I was getting better I start having weird abdominal pain with lots of nausea, which has been diagnosed as inflammation in the stomach area. Taking PPI at the moment. I'm so worried again because I read it can be bile gastritis which is chronic and very painful. I forgot to say I had a MRI two weeks prior before pain started and it was normal?!
Has anyone got gastritis a year or so after cholecystectomy and found out bile was the cause? If so, how is it treated and does it work? I read it's hard to treat it, and diet doesn't help either. I can't sleep I'm so nauseated and worried. It seems I am not going to be normal ever again. I only wish that this is only a nightmare I'm about to wake up from.. Thank you.
Wow, I am sorry you are feeling so badly. I just had gb surgery 1 week ago. so far, I am feeling pretty good. Did you start feeling symptoms 15 months after or right away? Just wonder if its something unrelated to ur first surgery?
Leni75, I'm so sorry to hear that you are having such bad problems. Has anyone told you to eat an almost completely fat-free diet? We are supposed to keep it until 3% fat. No chips, ice cream, etc. etc. Doctors don't train in nutrition. Mine knew nothing about problems after the gallbladder was out. I have had to learn on my own. I would not jump to conclusions about bile problems. We can think we have anything by reading the internet too much. But there is some great info out there too. *Look up diet after gallbladder surgery on the Mayo Clinic site. It really gives you lots of info. Even certain types of veggies can give us problems. I had my GB out in June and I'm finally getting better by following this diet as closely as I can. I can sure tell if I slip back... Try not to worry so much.
So sorry to hear of your illness leni75 and hope you will soon find a solution to your pain and discomfort. I haven't had my gall bladder removed as yet and hope I don't have to. Although constantly bloated and feeling unwell I can't eat, can't sleep so I do sympathise with you. I'm going in for a procedure to remove a stone from my pancreatic duct next week so hoping this will ease my symptoms. Take care dear and look after yourself. X
Hi OrangePoppy. I've read about bile binders like cholestyramine and welchol but When a gastro doctor suggested I took that over a year ago, he also admitted it was more for people with the bile salt diarrhea. It also very constipating.
Do you have abdominal pain ( inflammation) with the bile reflux? And how have you been diagnosed ?
I know sucralfate is the chosen drug by doctors for that problem. I still don't know exactly what I have but I always thought bile because of not having a gb anymore. This gastritis is really hurting and not getting better.
Right away. Globe sensation ( lump on throat), acidic taste in the mouth, spasms in the gullet. Also diarrhoea for 6 weeks, nausea, loss of appetite. Same things improved others keep coming back, nausea and now abdominal pain. We're all different and all people I know that had this surgery are fine. But everyone gets time to time few symptoms even years after surgery.
Thank you Maxdex35. I hope so too. Just before my surgery, I had pancreatitis ( stone stuck on my pancreas) the pain was 10/10 that's when in the hospital, in one of my many A&E visits, they told me I had to have an emergency GB surgery because pancreas was now dissolving itself.
My baby was only a month at the time, and when they said I could die I thought the surgery was going to save my life so I could live to see my daughter grow. But I'm still so sick I wonder if I was supposed to have died after all. My life has been nothing but pain since end of my pregnancy ( gb attacks started) but I m still trying to be strong and enjoy every moment with my only child.
I think it might help you that procedure you're doing. Best of luck. Hope you get better soon.
Hi Breezybev yes just after surgery I was told about eating low fat. I've lost so much weight even my family that only see once a year said how thin I was.
I agree absolutely with you. People don't know what to eat, I also try to look for a diet online and it was more helpful than doctors. I had to give up so many foods but I'm glad, we don't need fried and processed foods anyway. I started to drink coffee a year after surgery again, and that's when my stomach started to hurt more. I stopped drinking again, due to the inflammation. I think my stomach was so massacrated for so long with all the bile and acids I have now gastritis. Coffe irritated even further not to mention all the stress I feel for so long.
Im seeing a specialist next week, follow up app after MRI scan, and see what he's says about this abdominal pain and If I can do other tests to show what's causing it.
I had my gallbladder removed in April last year due to gallstones.
I still have pain.
I have recently been diagnosed with a hiatus hernia.
I have to have bloods taken next week and if the blood count is still raised my GP says that is an indication that I have a stone stuck in my bile duct.
Having said all that I am better than I was and all this is liveable with
The doctor I'm seeing next week sent me last year to do a MRI scan to look for any stones left in bile duct or other abnormalities. It came back normal. I also had tests to check any acid reflux and hernias in my esophagus. All came back normal. My surgeon last time I saw him which was May last year, told me he couldn't do anything else for me after my reflux tests came back normal. My GP was the one that referred me to another specialist which I saw in August. He sent me for a MRI scan a thing my surgeon never did. I'm seeing this other doctor again next week and I'll tell him I'm with a lot of abdominal pain even though the scan show nothing abnormal. We need to find out the real cause of this inflammation in stomach. It's really running my life and I have such a small child that is so beautiful...
Have you heard of meridian testing? Its from a natureopathic doctor. I went to one a week after my surgery, to access my health afterwards. I only showed some fungus in liver and stomach. They can find if you have bacteria, viruses, metals, fungus, or toxins in your system.. I have gone to one for 3 years off and on. A natural alternative to finding what is ailing our body when regular doctors cant. I had a virus in my uterus that caused me pain for years, and doctors couldnt find a reason for my pain. Meridian testing did, after 6 months of treating with holistic drops, I rid the virus, and the pain. Just throwing this idea at you.
No I've never heard about meridian test. Thank you for the idea. I might try that if I can find someone in this area I live that do it. I believe that many times natural approaches can help a lot too.
Do you still get the right sided pain? I have that constant now, with burning. Have you looked into SOD? (Spchintor of Oddi) I hope that you can find what's wrong and get better quickly so you can enjoy your beautiful baby.
Yes I get sometimes some weird pain on my right side that is more uncomfortable than painful. What's hurting is the upper stomach because it's now inflammed. I'm really concerned Is due to bile backing up there.
I've heard about SOD that is when the spchinter between bile duct and intestine is in spasms or too close for bile/ pancreatic juices to pass down.
Have you ever had gastritis because of the bile refluxing? and do you take anything for BR? How do you control your symptoms?
For bile reflux gastritis, Carafate could help. Bile binders might help some, especially if you have diarrhea. Some say if will help soak up some bile and make things less irratating. Do you get any reflux up your throat? or hearburn? They can do an endoscopy to check for bile reflux gastritis. Some use Slippery elm to help coat and soothe.
I feel for you leni75 especially so as you have such a young baby, I do hope and pray that the GB op will solve your problem, my friend had her GB out and she swears by it as she has been back to normal since the op. I shall pray for you and your beautiful child. God bless you xxx
Thank you so much. I need to keep thinking I'll be better in the future otherwise I can't go on so worried and anxious as I am for over a year now. Your words mean a lot. Hope you find a solution for you as well and feel much better soon.
Have you had an upper endoscopy? (I can't remember if you mentioned) This could help determine if you have bile gastritis. Are you on FB? There is a group for Bile Reflux that is helpful.
Hang in there. Have you had your liver and pancreas enzymes checked again to make sure all is ok there? Keep us posted on what the dr says. I would insist on that upper endoscopy. That will tell you if you have bile gastritis.