I had my gallbladder removed just over 5 years ago. It was barely function and I had no choice but to remove it. I was doing great after the surgery, but about 6 months to a year later I started having pain exactly like I did when I had gallbladder attacks. It even radiated into my mid back and increasingly got worse with each one I had- lasting sometimes up to 30 minutes. While the pain is nowhere near as frequent as it used to be, it still happens on occasion. Around the same time I also started to have a lot of digestive issues. I would have to run to the restroom almost immediatley after I ate. It started off very minor and progressivley began to get worse to the point where I couldn't eat a meal without going to the bathroom after. I visited my gastroenterologist many times during this period and was eventually perscribed Welchol (colsevelam). It worked great for a while, but then I started to have to take more of it in order to get the same results, even though the doctor told me I was eventually supposed to ween off of it. Currently I take 2 pills a day and sometimes will have to take more before meals and STILL have diarrhea occasionally. Has anyone had any luck with finding something that fixes this issue? The surgery was laparoscopic. We've talked to other doctors about it, who all denied that it was caused by the laproscopic surgery, but FINALLY one admitted that the two things are definitley linked together. I'm at a point where I'm tired of having to deal with this issue. I'm 19 and in my first year of college- I shouldn't be worried about going out because of my issues. It's a constant thought in my head and has lead to me not being able to do things. Anything would help- I just want a normal life without having to rely on medication.
Lamento que estés teniendo estos problemas, que creo que están relacionados con el exceso de bilis excretada en tu intestino delgado por tu hígado. También tengo las mismas dificultades, pero tomo colestiramina, que es un polvo en un sobre, mezclado con jugo por la noche. A veces, necesito usar imodium, pero la colestiramina me ayuda significativamente.
Por supuesto, es perturbador tener que depender de medicamentos, pero puede que no tengas mucha elección en eso. Aunque el médico te dijo que debías dejar de tomar el colesevelam, eso no es muy realista de su parte. Muchas personas en este sitio necesitarán tomar medicamentos para la malabsorción de ácidos biliares de por vida.
Una táctica adicional es comer bajo en grasa o sin grasa. Prueba la dieta FODMAP, para ver si te ayuda.
¡Mucha suerte!
I recently switched to a powder form of colsevelam, but it gave me bad stomach pains. What is the medicine you use like? Is it very reliable? My issues with Welchol is that I can't rely on it. I've also done the FODMAP diet and had a small decrease in the number of stomach upsets I had, but it wasn't a significant enough improvement that made me want to do it longer term
Entonces, ¿cómo estás tomando el colsevelam? La colestiramina puede ser un medicamento similar. Es de color amarillo claro y en polvo en un pequeño sobre. Pasé años mezclándolo con jugo de naranja y realmente me molestó el estómago. Dígamelo, es una sustancia desagradable.
Ahora mezclo 4 onzas de néctar de papaya con 4 onzas de agua con el polvo y lo agito bien. Luego bebo 3/4 partes, espero 10 a 15 minutos y bebo el resto. Pero lo tomo una vez al día a la hora de dormir.
Puedo entender su renuencia a modificar su dieta, pero desafortunadamente, no elegirlo solo le dará más problemas a largo plazo. Utilizo mantequilla alimentada con pasto y aceite de coco para cocinar y me alejo de carnes grasas como el salchicha. No puedo comer pizza ni comida italiana. Lo que me ha ayudado es asegurarme de comer al menos una taza de arroz blanco o una pequeña ensalada con tomates y un paquete de salmón cada día.
Otros han sido ayudados por usar un suplemento de fibra, hay varias formulaciones en el mercado. Podrías querer buscar en línea la malabsorción de ácidos biliares para ver qué han hecho otros para manejar la condición.
Hello from the States -
I am so sorry you are going through this. How awful and limiting to just having normal everyday life. I had my gall bladder out 2 years ago in March, thinking it would fix everything - finding out each of us reacts differently to that GB removal. I started having serious pain and issues again in November, and have been to a regular doctor and two specialists since. Terrible digestive pain and upset the whole digestive process. Don't give up on searching for answers - especially on this site, and online- some people have no problems the rest of their lives, others like myself simply can never again eat even a semi-regular diet. I would still try again in the interim a totally LOW (I mean like next to no) fat diet as it can't hurt anything. Lynda who has already responded seems to have some good thoughts and very similar experience to yours. Part of the frustration is the waiting game, to be able to figure out WHAT is causing htis so much after surgery, like myself, and having no real answers yet- I know how that feels. Please know you're in my thoughts and prayers today-
Pulling for you to make it through this-
Jonna
Thank you, I really appreciate your thoughtfullness. I am planning on starting a food log (again) and taking it into another doctor to see if we can pinpoint a specfic thing that could potentially be causing the upset since it has started happening on strange occurances while I am on my meds. I will definitely keep your suggestions in mind.
I've gone back to the pill form of colsevelam. I will definitely research that. Thank you!
¡De nada! Espero que las cosas mejoren para ti! xx