still getting gallbladder attacks 2 years after gallbladder removal

Mariemariemarie · Newbie Joined: 01 May 2007 Posts: 1

I'm glad I ran across this posting. I can't believe how common this really is - and I'm wondering if the medical community simply needs to start funding more research to get this issue resolved!
I had my gallbladder removed in 1999 and still have pain on the right side, just to the side and under my rib cage, below my breast bone. Most times it occurs after eating. Also, approx. 2x/year I get a gallbladder type of attack, where I double over in pain, cold sweat, and literally cry. It lasts for approx. 30 minutes, with peak pain 10 minutes into it.
I'm a bit shocked at how many people continue to live with this, including myself. I've been to doctors about this to no avail. no answers. no surprise. I'm finally going one more time, and this time I plan to be VERY DIRECT with this Dr.
I'm at the point where I need to demand answers. It's just plain ridiculous that more doctors are not aware of this and putting more effort in addressing this. The least they can do is document and release all findings with relevant and helpful information to the public about it.
For now, those of us who have this problem, must speak up to their doctors, and demand answers. Otherwise you'll just get sent home again, to just deal with it.

vtowell · Newbie Joined: 11 Jul 2007 Posts: 3

abigail824 · Newbie Joined: 31 Aug 2007 Posts: 1

I had my gallbladder out in Feb 07 and I still get sick every time I eat. It doesn't matter what I eat- there is no pattern. I get nauseated after eating pretty much anything. I had an xray of my small intestine with the barium swallow, I had an upper gi, and blood taken to see if its celiac or crones disease. They have all come back normal. Could this be the sphincter of oddi dysfunction? I am really at my wits end here- getting sick all the time is no fun as most of you know. I have a follow up with my dr after all these tests next week and I wonder if I should mention the sphincter of oddi thing. Its weird because I don't feel much pain- just terrible nausea. I swear I am popping pepto bismol like theres no tomorrow and that can't be good either. I also take phenergran when its really bad but I am almost out of that. I had that when I had my gallbladder problems in the beginning.

GEORGE BALSEIRO · Newbie Joined: 05 Oct 2007 Posts: 1

WELL AFTER READING ALOT OF POSTS HERE I AM WILL DESCRIBE THIS TO ALL AS IT HAPPENED TO ME.

4 YEARS AFTER MY GALLBALDDER WAS REMOVED I GOT A SUDDEN ATTACK WHILE DRIVING,IT WAS A SEVERE ATTACK-I SWEATED LIKE IF SOMEONE HAD HOSE ME DOWN/SHARP PAIN TO MY CHEST.I WAS REALLY SCARED I THOUGHT I WAS HAVING A HEART ATTACK.

WELL TO MAKE THE STORY SHORT.

IT TOOK DOCTORS FOR MONTHS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS
MY LIVER WAS NOT FLUSHHING(IT WAS BACKED UP BECAUSE THERE IS A BILE DUCT THAT IS SUPPOSE TO SHOOT OUT BILE LIQUID OR SOMETHING TO DIGEST FOOD AND IT WAS CLOGGED.MY DOCTOR SAID IT SOMETIMES HAPPENS TO PEOPLE THAT HAD THEIR GALLBLADDER REMOVED.WELL THE DID SURGERY FOR THIS BY STICKING SOME TUBES DOWN MY MOUTH AND THEY DID A CUT AT THE END OF THE DUCT LIKE THIS + LIKE A PLUS SIGN TO LET THE LIQUID FLOW.THE PAIN I WAS GETTING WAS LIKE A MUSCLE SEVERE SPASM AND MY LIVER AREA FELT A LITTLE WARM AND BLOTTED.NOTE I DID NOT GET JAUNDICE OR ANY OTHER SYMPTOMS.HOWEVER THE DAY I GOT THE ATTACK WHILE DRIVING I HAD EATEN A FEAST OF FOODS SUCH AS CHOCOLATES,STONE CRABS,RED WINE,TUNA STEAK.I BELEIVE FOOD TRIGGER ATTACKS.MY BAD FOODS LIST IS MILK,CHOCOLATE,RED WINE,MAYO,EGGS, AND ANY FRIED FOODS.I AM NOW IN TO EATING ORGANIC FOOD THAT DONT HAVE CHEMICALS THAT MY LIVER HAS TO WORK HARDER & STRY TO STAY AWAY FROM MEDICINES IN ANY FORM UNLESS ITS A MUST.IN CONLUSION CHECK YOUR PANCREA ENZYMES LEVEL IF THEY ARE HIGH YOU MIGHT HAVE YOUR LIVER NOT WORKING PROPERLY BECAUSE OF SOME BLOCKAGE

Guest · Guest

My husband had his gall bladder removed 6 years ago, since then he has had attacks of some kind.
Then 8 months ago he had a pancreatitis attack and then another one last week. He was hospitalized on both occasions, given morphine and liquid plus antibiotics. He had test both times and showed nothing so he now will be making an appointment at Vanderbilt, Drs, are telling him he has blockage from a gall stone that managed to escape.
I can't believe al the problems people have after what drs. convince us is a simple procedure.

Guest · Guest

Well I am not sure where to begin, I had my gallbladder removed in April of 2006 and the pain stopped for about 3 months just to start again. I began the tour of doctors nad hospitals and every test they could come up with. I usually had elevated liver numbers but there was not much else besides extreme pain. I have been to the emergency room about 6 times and each time I was given pain meds and then released, but nothing to prevent the next attack. I had been told by one doctor that he thought it was sphincter of oddi but no one would perform the procedure because of the risk of pancreintitus. Just as I found a doctor ready to try it I found out I was pregnant so we put things off and I prayed that I would make it through the pregnancy with no attacks. I think because of the hormone progesterone I made it through. My daughter is 7 weeks old and the pain has returned!!!! I also have the new symptom of extreme gas the most painful I have ever experienced and the same pain as before. I am not sure what to do. Has any one else had issues with gas along with all the other pain????

Delta_Dawn · Newbie Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 1

I had my gallbladder out ages ago and began having gallbladder attack pains. Stones in the duct were ruled out after being admitted to the hospital a couple of years after the surgery. I saw a gastroenterologist a year or so after that who basically gave up on trying to find out what was causing my attacks. A couple of years later, and after several more attacks I began researching it on my own. Low and behold I cam across sphincter of oddi dysfunction. Thank goodness, it seemed I found the answer. Then I took it a step farther and upon further research found that in some instances, to initiate an attack, a painkiller substance would be given to the patient, which would cause a reaction that brought about an attack. Knowing this I was able to retrace most of my instances of attacks and found that they were all during periods when I was on pain medication for whatever reason. Even cough syrup with codeine seemed to cause this. My problem is that I can't seem to get a doctor to understand where I am coming from with this. Recently, I was rushed to the ER due to an auto accident. I told them over and over in the ER that pain medicine would cause me to have a bad reaction. But I was in so much pain from the accident they wanted to at least try. But no sooner had they given me the shot I began feeling agitated and within a few minutes I was having a full flown attack - all in the middle of a CT scan. I have been searching a hoping that I can find me a doctor who can back me up on this and help me determine if my findings are legitimate and if there is an alternative pain medicine I can specifically ask for in the hospital if something like this happens again. I am supposed to have a couple of surgeries but I have been putting them off because of fear of the pain and fear of having an attack. Is there anyone else who can trace their attacks to taking pain meds?

Chym · Newbie Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 1

I was wondering if your pain meds etc were Asprin or A.S.A. I found that an Asprin can trigger a severe attack but Endocet stops the pain. Acetominophin doesn't bother me.

Tiffwel · Newbie Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 1

I had my gallbladder removed the beginning of march of this year. the pain from the surgery went away after about 3 weeks and then about 1 week after that i started getting very irritating pain where the surgery was done. i waited to see if the pain would go away but a week later i still had it so i decided to go to the emergency room. the surgeon that did the surgery wanted to admit me. i was in the hospital for 5 days going through cat scans, ultra sounds, mri, blood tests and they also did an upper and lower endoscopy to rule out a flare of my ulcerative colitis. when they concluded that there was NOTHING wrong with me the surgeon sent me home with some vicoden and said the pain would go away. that was about 2 weeks ago the the pain is still there. it seems to get worse as the day goes on being very minimal when i wake up. i went to my primary care doctor and they told me it could be my abdominal wall. the muscles arent healed yet... the only problem is my surgery was 2 months ago. now a week later the pain is STILL there and is NOT getting better. its a constant pain under the right side of my rib cage that seems to radiate around my right side to my back and sometimes radiate to the left side of my stomach. im sick of being blown off and i cant stand doctors lookin at me like im some kinda head case. im only 22 so they cant imagine why i am having these problems but I AM so help me please!!!!! does this sound like any problems any of u are having?

still getting gallbladder attacks 2 years after gallbladder removal

LIFEFORM SOCIAL COMMUNITY NETWORK