Last November I suffered severe pains in my stomach and back and after a scan was found to have gallstones and an inflamed gall bladder. I was told that I would need to have the gallbladder removed which I did five months after being first diagnosed. In that five months I eased the discomfort by cutting out dairy food and fried / fatty food (which I had little of anyway) . I did get pains but were manageable. I did lose a lot of weight though, I went from 13st 12lbs to 12 stone within about three months. This was drastic as I was still eating.
I had the operation to remove my gallbladder on 4 April and came out of hospital on the same day. Unfortunately one of the "wounds" from the operation got badly infected and an abscess formed. This led me being taken into hospital for 5 days for the infection to be cut away and put on a strong course of antibiotics. Unfortunately I haven't felt well since the gallbladder removal, leaving aside the abscess, I still get considerable pain from my stomach most days. I have to go to the toilet more which is quite loose and I get dreadful indigestion making me want to burp quite a bit. I was hoping to put on some weight as I am very thin but sadly if anything it has gone down a bit more.
My GP says I have to be patient and it will get better. Has anyone else suffered symptoms like this after a gallbladder removal ? Any comments appreciated.
Hi Brian,
Im sorry you are going through this too. I had my gallbladder removed over 2 months ago and I havent felt
well since. Like you I have lost a lot of weight. I have the pain most days every now and then I get a good day. When the pain is too bad I am having to go to a & e because I just cant cope! I also get very sweaty, a bad
taste in my mouth, nausea, fatigue, my muscles ache and my IBS gets worse... It is a living nightmare!
Most of my tests since the gallbladder removal have been negative which is so frustrating as there is clearly something wrong for me to feel like this....
Eventually I have now been referred to a specialist at Leicester hospital and he may look at putting in a
stent in my bile duct as it could be Sphincter Oddi Dysfunction (SOD) I think I have type three. It maybe
worth you having a look online and then chatting with the doc. I suggested this to my doc 7 weeks ago he dismissed it at first but after studying my symptoms they are pretty much certain thats what I have....
I really hope you are feeling better
Thanks a lot for your reply Kaylesc, I am so sorry that you are having so much pain after your gallbladder removal. It sounds like the pains you have are worse than mine and I feel for you. I too have IBS and I don't think this helps. I have taken Codeine Phosphate since I was 17 for this and still have to take them, not sure if this affects the current pains I am having or not.
In my post I said I had the operation on 4 April, I meant 4 March. I was hoping to start to put back the weight I lost prior to the operation, but I haven't and are a few pounds less.
Thanks for the suggestion of Sphincter Oddi Dysfunction. I'll look this up and mention it to my GP.
All the best and I hope a solution is found for you soon and you start to feel better.
I had my gallbladder out in July 2014 and ever since have had severe pain, some days easier than others. I feel like someone has put a tie around me under the breasts and pull on it and the pain is unbearable. I have not lost weight like others and feel bloated all the time, and I don't eat much as it makes me more bloated and really severe pain. I have had a fall recently which my doctor said that I had bruised my ribs and muscles but that was over 4 weeks ago. I cannot hardly walk without a walking stick and even then difficult at times, I may have a good day every 3-4 days but otherwise I am stuck at home. Any suggestions would be helpful. I think I need to tell the Dr to have it checked out after suck a long time.
I also had severe pain after gallbladder removal - the bile duct was leaking!! Yikes. Two ER visits, a re-admission into the hospital, and nothing was really done about it. In the last few years I have continued to have recurring attacks of debilitating, stop-what-you're-doing-and-writhe-around pain, but just recently I finally got a clear diagnosis: spasms (like charlie horses) in the solar plexus, brought on by 1) stress and 2) not absorbing excess bile correctly, which can happen after gallbladder removal. They recommended taking a powder fiber supplement to help absorb some of the bile and if I did have an attack to take a pill:
DICYCLOMINE!!
It's an anti-spasmatic. I had an attack last night, and took one these pills. I couldn't believe it - the pain was gone within seconds. I have been dealing with this for years, going around on forums just like this, trying to find out what in the world was wrong with me. Now I'm going trying telling everyone I can about this so maybe others can be helpd. I am so happy to have finally found a solution - maybe it'll work for you too. I wish you the best.
Hi Brian my name is Latoya i also had my gallbladder removed not too long ago I'm going through the same issues you are having still in pain I let the doctor know basically I guess he feels that it's normal and overtime I should get better. but I feel like it's not getting better it feels like it's gets worse, but also had other surgeries prior so it's a lot going on with my body the pain is coming from gallbladder removal , intestinal surgery and also he said I had scar tissue in the inside from when I had surgery back in 2008 I had a topic pregnancy so they had to remove my right tube so basically everything is done on the right side and I have back issues also so the fried foods that I have been eating I noticed that it does cause pain so I try to stay away as much as possible but even if I don't eat any greasy food I still have "issues" so it's like where do you go from here.well I hope that one day we both can come up with a solution or a doctor can come up with a solution to help us because this pain it's not fun I wake up every night I don't sleep, I have to take medication to help me sleep and I don't like taking pills so with that being said the only thing we can do is trust in God and believe that he's going to pull us through this I hope that I gave enough information to let you know that you're not the only one going through this alone.
Hello Brian
I too have had my gallbladder removed thinking it would remove the all too familiar attacks of being doubled over and agonizing pain well after the removal it helped with some mild discomfort in the beginning which was to be excepted after surgery but the pains I have now are like gallbladder attacks on steroids rite where my incision was below the rib cage I've had X-rays cat scans ultra sounds taken at the local ER to no avail they couldn't find anything and looked at me like I was a pain medicine junkie I had to make an appointment with a gastroenterologist and they scheduled an colonoscopy where they go in with camera after almost 7 months of agonizing pain I wouldn't wish on my enemy I was suppose to have it done on the 24th then they called and pushed it till the 31 I heart broken because if you know how this pain is everyday is a nightmare I just pray it's not my pancreas
Same Latoya can't pin point what triggers it it just has a mind of its own I've had three or four suggestions from a professional gi speacialist
1.when they clamped the duct they pinched a nerve in there
2. There's a stone still lodged in the duct
3. My pancreas may be shot
4. I have a gastric ulcer
Hello Brian: it's been over a year since you wrote about your symptoms. I'm wondering how you are now.
I had my gall bladder removed November 2016 and felt great for a few days after. Then the abdominal cramps and the diarrhea, after eating, began. I still suffer daiLy. A CT scan with dye shows all is normal. But I will need an ultrasound to show the bile ducts better. I've been put on Cholecystamine, the fiberous bile absorbing drug. Mine is in powder form that I drink twice a day. It seems to help. If I miss a dose, the diarrhea and cramps return with a vengeance. I will be having a colonoscopy soon to rule out other digestive diseases.
It seems other people have this problem as well. I guess it's comforting, in a way, to know I'm not alone in this. It's good to read about what others are doing to solve this problem.
The frustration comes with the daily fatigue from the diarrhea and having to rest after the bouts of cramps. And finding food to eat is a challenge. I'm on high protein shakes 2-3 times a day and one very small meal. Taking in very little fat.
The other frustration is this has affected my daily living. I'm afraid to travel anywhere far for fear of no bathroom nearby. And finding food to eat. I have to carry my protein with me.
So, I was wondering if your problem has resolved after all this time. Doctors say it takes time. It would be good to hear from those of you that are better now and how long it took to get there.
Hello: I can empathize with you. You've probably had your colonoscopy by now. It's a very good exam for determining digestive diseases. I hope all went well.
Hi i had gallbladder removal 1/27/17 and since that day i still get inflamation stabbing pain n cannot eat almost anything i get severe pain in upper rightside of chest/stomach the smell of food also gives me pain if i breathe yawn cough hurts i eat soup n at times i get nauseous why is that if u know
Hi,
I had my GB removed one month ago due to not emptying properly and have since endured bouts of intense burning in my stomach with pain radiating to my back, no fever etc that last for hours. I have been hospitalized twice since the surgery and had CT, ultrasounds and Xray, liver function improving with slightly elevated lipase which is apparently quite normal after GB removal only to be told by surgeon take some pain relief. I've followed a low fat diet and slowly introduced other foods. My local GP looks at me like I'm making it all up. I've asked for referral to GI specialist and hopefully he can help because the pain wasn't anywhere near as bad before the surgery as it is now. Hope we can all find a solution and some relief.
Hello, had open cholecystectomy 4th February 2017. Couldn't have laparoscopic procedure as stones also in bile duct so gallbladder removed, stones removed from duct then duct stitched back up. I'm a 67 year old female- normally fit and active and usually good with pain. Had previous surgery (hysterectomy) twenty years ago and don't recall level of pain I'm getting now. Discharged morning of 9th February with oral antibiotic, paracetamol and ibuprofen but these don't touch the pain I'm getting 9 days post op. Wound site not too bad but bottom rib on rh side is very painful. Thought they'd cracked a rib but had chest X-ray as had chest infection which showed partially collapsed right lung due to infection (raised temp and low sats). The pain from this rib area so bad wakes me. It is constant but varies in intensity. I've taken it easy with food and am still eating low fat but had little problem with bowels and digestion. Maybe going to be lucky on that one. So it's really just the pain situated over the bottom rh rib. Anyone else having this?
I had my gallbladder removed on 2/14/17. I started having sharp stabbing pain the next day to the mid to right side around the 2 incision sites. I have numbness to the skin and now I'm having this pain happen whenever I stand, sit, bend, cough, essentially with any movement. I have a high tolerance for pain but this is hurting really badly. It feels like somebody is ripping a piece of my inside off in a fast motion.
Hi, I had my gallbladder removed on the 9.2.2017, I had to be cut open as they couldn't do it laposcopically as my gallbladder was so inflamed it had stuck to my lung.
I woke up with a drain in my right side for excess bile that was lingering, was kept in for 3 weeks then sent home with the drain still in and just having my dressing changed twice a week by district nurses.
It's now 3 weeks later and within that time the stitch that was holding in my drain came undone and slowly the drain slipped out my side, by this time there was very little fluid coming out and it hasn't been bile for weeks.
I have my check up this Friday with the surgeon which I'm glad to have as over the past 2 days I have had a severe agonising stitch like pain under my right breast, right in at my rib, it doesn't hurt when I sit, or lie down but is very sore when I stand up to walk, even pressing down on the area doesn't hurt, but it is so sore it almost takes my breath away when I stand.
2 nights ago I did try to sleep on my right hand side and wished I hadn't bothered as the next day I was so sore (I have slept on my back since op) and it's been sore since then, I'm praying I have maybe just caused something myself like pulled something inside maybe while moving about. Other than that I have been pretty lucky for the moment. Hope you all find relief soon...has anyone else got this severe stitch like pain? xxx
Hi maria i have also had my gallbladder removed two weeks ago and im also having a stabbing pain but more down to the lower right abdomen it feels like something draining also.....any suggestions
I have noticed on most of these sites, the dicussins are posted long ago with no follow ups. Are you still around?
I am going through the same thing. I had my gallbladder removed in August of 2016. Are you sure you have the right date? Sept. 2 2017 has not come yet. I went through months of very bad pain before they finally did surgery on me.
I will make this brief as it is a long story. The first doctor who was suppose to operate on me, set up my surgery after his vacation, out of the country. I got worse while he was gone. My gallbladder was very infected. They did a ultra sound and I had so many stones you could barely tell where my gallbladder was.
I was in and out of the hospital several times pumped full of antibiotics. This went on for several months until finally a doctor agreed to operate. When he went in laproscopicly, 5 different places. He stated he has never seen such a mess. My doctor said they should have operated on me long ago.
Since August of last year I have had unbearable pain on my right side under my breast. They did every kind of test on me and said they could find nothing wrong and I would have to give it time to heal...or suck it up. BULL.
I am trying pain management and so far they put needles in my back with cortisone and no help at all.
I have to sleep on my back. The pain takes your breath away. I feel so sore like something is tugging on me from the inside. I need a second opinion, something is not right. Everytime I move I feel pain.
Forgot..I had the billary tube in for 4 weeks, among other tubes.
Hi Jean,
I am in the UK that's how we write the date, it was the 9th if Feb 2017, the date before the month lol sorry for the confusion.
I sorry to hear you are still in so much pain after such a long time, I had the hospital today and like you was told I would still be in alot of pain and to come back in 3 months and see how things are by then.
My pain seems to be worse after sitting leaning forward, once I try to sit up straight and stretch myself, or if I twist myself round too quickly.
I'm hoping it does go away soon, keep intouch and let me know how things are going for you.