Almost 6 weeks since gallbladder removal. Sever diarrhea continues. I've been taking 4 questran (generic) per day, up from the 2 I started with and felt like the increase was helping, but now it just seems like it's getting worse. I see my GP on Monday. He prescribed the questran for me about 5 weeks ago. Can anyone suggest anything else that might help? I'm lucky that I don't have pain, but am still having a lot of discomfort in my abdomen and gurgling feeling where my gallbladder used to be immediately after I eat. This has become debilitating and I am soiling my bed at night and afraid to leave the house unless it's to see the doc. Feeling weak and very hopeless. Thanks.
Ndm I tried the questran too and it made me worse. Try caltrate 600 d. They are calcium tablets which bind the stool. Start with half a tablet 3 times a day with food and then work up to a full tablet 3 times a day. It stopped my diarrhea. I'm off it now and am taking probiotics which are controlling the diarrhea. Some people have diarrhea for a number of months after surgery And then things settle down. I'm sorry your suffering. Like you I had no pain just diarrhea mainly in the morning. If I could turn back the clock I'd get my gallbladder back with the stone! The only thing is I know people who have had similar experiences and it did all settle down in time. Take care.
Thanks for taking the time to reply in the midst of your own problems!! I'll have my husband look for the caltrate 600 d. I'd love to have the diarrhea stop. It's been going on for 4 months now and I've lost 40 lbs which in itself isn't a bad side effect but being tied to the house and the bathroom is no fun, as you know. Thank you again for the info!
Oh ndm I am SO sorry to hear this! Perhaps ask your GP about Welchol? It's also a cholesterol binding med but the best one. Hopefully you have insurance? You might also want to add digestive enzymes & a probiotic like we discussed, those alone helped me drop the Welchol completely. Keep us posted on your visit Monday.
4 months! That's terrible. God love you. Jennifer is right about the digestive enzymes as well. I tried them but I started getting the nausea and vomiting around the same time so I stopped taking it. Anything is worth a try. Take care. X
Hi Jennifer what digestive enzymes are you taking and how many? When did you have your surgery? Are you fully recovered now? Sorry for all the questions!
Hi Ace. You can never ask too many questions 
I have posted on here many times. My surgery was Oct 2013. Didn't start having issues until Mar 2014, was placed on statins then to control the "D", opted to go all natural and take digestize enzymes and a probiotic & modify diet instead of the RX. I take probiotics. They work great for me, been on them for almost a year now. Fully recovered, NO. I still have pain where GB used to be, like so many other post-op patients. I have had test after test done and they can find nothing so they RX pain pills and send you on your way. Currently not pleased and waiting for an Endoscopy a week from today for more answers.
Hi Jennifer I am so sorry that you are still in pain and I hope you get answers soon. I am delighted that the probiotics and digestive enzymes are working for you. I take vsl3 as I had ulcerative colitis and had my Colon removed and have a jpouch the last 20 years. Unfortunately gallstones are common with my history. I am also on a ppi zoton fastab as have some gastritis. I live in Ireland but will look into the digestive enzymes you mention. Are you able to eat normally now? I can't eat much at all since the operation and with the vomiting and nausea too. I am so afraid I'll never be normal again. It's very hard when everyone you know who had the gallbladder removed is fine and had no issues. The only thing keeping me going is that someone who works with my husbands friend had the same thing happen and eventually everything settled down. So hopefully I will feel better soon. I wish you well with your scope and I hope you get answers. Thanks again. X
I totally understand. If one more person says to me "I had my GB out and I am fine" I am going to PUNCH them in the face lol. It wears you down mentally & physically. I eat normal but do not indulge in extreme fat like pizza, otherwise, yes. You can take 1-3 DE's after each meal depending on how "fat" the meal was. I always take 1. I'm pretty sure I will never be normal again at this point 
but I keep trudging on. I am so glad you have someone to "share" this with, I do not. No one seems to understand.
I totally agree. Am sick of people saying to me there must be something else wrong with you as I had mine out and can eat anything. It's totally infuriating. I was in hospital last week for a few days for tests and they put me in a ward with a woman who had her gallbladder removed that morning. She had tea and toast and then 2 big fat cakes vomited all night then and got up the next day and ate a big breakfast then had a scone and butter and a load of chocolates and said to me I'm great! I was sickened. My surgeon is telling me to stop stressing and it will all settle down but that's ok for him to say. I have a 4 year old son to look after and I can barely look after myself! The person that works with my husband is an odd ball and won't talk to me about what happened so I'm kind of on my own too. I have never had aniexty in my life but have had it the last few weeks and it's scary! Hopefully it will all go soon. Thanks again. X
OMG! Regarding lady in hospital room with you. I would have choked her LOL!!!! Wow @ settle down. When was your surgery? Pretty sure mine has settled HA. Anxiety sucks, it is ruining my life. feel free to post here anytime, I'm pretty quick to reply unless asleep ha.
Thanks Jennifer. I had my surgery 12 weeks ago. Had to be opened up due to adhesions. They had to cut through my previous scar so 10 inch cut. Thankfully that's all healed just this bloody nausea non stop and now the aniexty with it! Bloody nightmare. Did you have nausea after your surgery? X
You poor thing!! I had keyhole thankfully. I did not have nausea but could not take pain pills as I had reactions to them so I suffered with no meds. It was awesome lol. Maybe you do need more time to heal??
I know Jennifer that's what my doctor and surgeon keep telling me that it was a massive operation and it's going to take time to recover And settle down. I was 3 hours in theatre! God love you not been able to take the pain meds. That must have been fun alright. Jesus we are a pair of crocks! Where you ok after the operation and then the diarrhea started 6 months later? X
Oh noooooooo!!!!!!!
You have me really worried now!
Im so sorry for you , after all the pain of the gallbladder you expect to be fit and well after it's gone dont you!
Im in the uk so dont know what to suggest to help you , sorry but I hope someone can xxxx
Ndm the caltrate is calcium carbonate with 600mg of calcium and also has vitamin d. It's very important to get the one with the vitamin d as it helps absorb the calcium. I got it here in Ireland no problem and I know you can get it In the states as well as I've seen other people talking about it on other forums. Good luck to you and I hope you feel better soon. X
Yes I was fine until the "D" hit. I was put on cholesterol binding meds at that point but due to side effects I chose to stop that med and started on all natural digestive enzymes and a probiotic. If I watch my diet, so far so good. My only issue now is the pain I experience where GB used to be. And 20 tests later, no one can figure it out. I hope your recovery is speedy and less pain!! xx
Delighted the natural approach is working for you. I'm all for it. I took questran for a few days and it made my diarrhea worse and made me vomit. I wish I had of tried more natural stuff to get rid of the gallstone! Did you have gallstones too? My gallbladder was perfect which is the very annoying part of it all. So many people are having their gallbladders removed when the organ is perfect but the stones are causing the problems. There must be an alternative to this for all those people whose gallbladder are normal. All this rubbish that you don't need your gallbladder is wrong in my opinion. They need to start looking at the cause of the problems. I hope you find out what's causing your pain. It's terrible that so many people have the surgery and get the same pain back within a short space of time. X
Yes I had a HUGE gallstone stuck in my GB. And my GB was so decayed, they had to scrape it off my liver It wasn't pretty. Totally agree with the healthy GB/stones statement. You would think in 2015 we would be more advanced in these things, especially considering this is one of the most popular surgeries performed worldwide!!
God that sounds very painful. My surgeon told me mine was too big to get out and was stuck in the gallbladder rattling around causing the pain. He said in time it would have caused me more problems. 😞 It stinks being in the small percentage that encountered problems. My only fear is that I develop bile salt diarrhea although my surgeon said its very rare. They don't even tell people what to expect afterwards. I was told I could eat everything I wanted!! And the woman beside me in hospital last week who ate rings around her was told her surgery was a complete success!! She didn't even know where her gallbladder was!! X