iik0uklitsaii wrote:
I had my lap chole at the beginning on March... and I am STILL having issues. I was hospitalized for a week post-op unable to keep anything down; and in constant pain.. I was miserable. my surgeon told me I'd feel SO much better after my surgery... he was wrong.. if I could dig my gallbladder out from the trash and put it back in I would!!!! I have had test, after test after test... and everything has come back 'normal' from gastric emptying, EGD, abd ultrasound, HIDA scan, MRCP, and blood work, and everything is normal except some elivated LFTs & blie in my stomach.....
I have CONSTANT nausea daily and some vomiting, EVERYTHING I eat gives me diarrhea.. sometimes constipation but rare (and im eating a very bland diet due to the severe nausea & meds i'm on...) ... pain in my upper chest, and abd and it's just getting old .... anyone else having these issues...surgically i'm well... GI doctors say you're a mystery & have NO idea what's wrong & think your a head case.... what the heck???? Anyone else having these issues.. Please give me your insight!!
likouklitsaii: I completely understand what you are going through. I hope you're still posting to this site - please let me know if you are still suffering the nausea. I had chronic nausea before my GB surgery for a month and a half or longer; test after test revealed nothing but a low functioning GB. Out of desperation I opted to have the surgery and now wish I'd tried to figure out some other way to rid myself of the nausea, which I totally understand is one of the most miserable feelings on the planet. I was on Zofran and Phenergan to help with the nausea but Zofran actually stopped working for me after awhile. I have lost 30 pounds in 4.5 months due to the nausea and difficulty eating. I still have no appetite but finally - 2.5 months post surgery - some foods are starting to look appealing to me. For some reason my nausea has subsided but I don't trust my body anymore and know it could come roaring back at any time. My biggest problem at this very moment is chronic burning pain all across my abdomen (below stomach area and from left to right side and even my back). it feels like I'm on friggin' fire! It's worse when I am sitting, less severe when standing, which tells me there's something going on in the intestines or areas near where the gallbladder once was. As so many have posted here my surgeon has all but stopped returning my calls I'm trying to rely on an otherwise very thorough GI doc who has proven he knows very little about post GB surgery issues! I have managed to get my surgeon to see me tomorrow - but I think I already know what he's going to tell me to do - take meds that won't work. I'm going to push hard for more tests - sonograms, even endoscopy and colonoscopy AGAIN - it will be the second ones in four months!! just to make sure I don't have something worse brewing they're hoping to ignore. QUESTION: I'm confused about your having another HIDA scan. What will that show once the gall bladder is out?
Thank you for the great information. I am only 2 weeks post op from laparoscopic surgery for a supposed twisted bowel (which didn't exist) but the surgeon removed a lot of scar tissue (I'm 10 yrs post op open gastric bypass). I started having this terrible pain about an inch below the incision just below my ribs on the right side. It feels like someone is sticking a hot poker into my abdomen. The only comfortable position I have found is lying down in bed on a stack of pillows. I also get very nauseated when I eat - I've lost 8 lbs in 2 weeks. I too thought a "lap" would be easy peasy and I would be up and back to normal within a week. WRONG!! I did follow up with the surgeon yesterday - I believe she thought I was crazy. All she seemed worried about was if I was eating three meals a day and getting all my protein in for the day (she's specializes in Gastric Bypass). I'm lucky to get one meal down - and the last thing on my mind is keeping track of my protein intake. I finally convinced her that the pain I was experiencing was not a "twinge" from a suture pulling - this pain brings me to my knees! She gave me an injection of a numbing agent (similar to Lidocaine) just below my incision - which was very painful. I was willing to do anything though to try to get rid of this pain. Anyway - it worked for about 3 hrs and then the pain was right back just as bad as before. Luckily my sister is a nurse at a large teaching hospital in Cleveland and she pulled some strings for me - so I'm seeing a different surgeon on Friday. She agrees - this is not normal post op pain and there is something wrong. I'll be prepared with better questions this time and I won't let this surgeon bully me into thinking I'm crazy. Thanks so much for all your great info!! I'll keep you posted on how things go - maybe I can find out something that might help other people.
thisdogdonthunt wrote:
iik0uklitsaii wrote:
I had my lap chole at the beginning on March... and I am STILL having issues. I was hospitalized for a week post-op unable to keep anything down; and in constant pain.. I was miserable. my surgeon told me I'd feel SO much better after my surgery... he was wrong.. if I could dig my gallbladder out from the trash and put it back in I would!!!! I have had test, after test after test... and everything has come back 'normal' from gastric emptying, EGD, abd ultrasound, HIDA scan, MRCP, and blood work, and everything is normal except some elivated LFTs & blie in my stomach.....
I have CONSTANT nausea daily and some vomiting, EVERYTHING I eat gives me diarrhea.. sometimes constipation but rare (and im eating a very bland diet due to the severe nausea & meds i'm on...) ... pain in my upper chest, and abd and it's just getting old .... anyone else having these issues...surgically i'm well... GI doctors say you're a mystery & have NO idea what's wrong & think your a head case.... what the heck???? Anyone else having these issues.. Please give me your insight!!
likouklitsaii: I completely understand what you are going through. I hope you're still posting to this site - please let me know if you are still suffering the nausea. I had chronic nausea before my GB surgery for a month and a half or longer; test after test revealed nothing but a low functioning GB. Out of desperation I opted to have the surgery and now wish I'd tried to figure out some other way to rid myself of the nausea, which I totally understand is one of the most miserable feelings on the planet. I was on Zofran and Phenergan to help with the nausea but Zofran actually stopped working for me after awhile. I have lost 30 pounds in 4.5 months due to the nausea and difficulty eating. I still have no appetite but finally - 2.5 months post surgery - some foods are starting to look appealing to me. For some reason my nausea has subsided but I don't trust my body anymore and know it could come roaring back at any time. My biggest problem at this very moment is chronic burning pain all across my abdomen (below stomach area and from left to right side and even my back). it feels like I'm on friggin' fire! It's worse when I am sitting, less severe when standing, which tells me there's something going on in the intestines or areas near where the gallbladder once was. As so many have posted here my surgeon has all but stopped returning my calls I'm trying to rely on an otherwise very thorough GI doc who has proven he knows very little about post GB surgery issues! I have managed to get my surgeon to see me tomorrow - but I think I already know what he's going to tell me to do - take meds that won't work. I'm going to push hard for more tests - sonograms, even endoscopy and colonoscopy AGAIN - it will be the second ones in four months!! just to make sure I don't have something worse brewing they're hoping to ignore. QUESTION: I'm confused about your having another HIDA scan. What will that show once the gall bladder is out?Thank you for the great information. I am only 2 weeks post op from laparoscopic surgery for a supposed twisted bowel (which didn't exist) but the surgeon removed a lot of scar tissue (I'm 10 yrs post op open gastric bypass). I started having this terrible pain about an inch below the incision just below my ribs on the right side. It feels like someone is sticking a hot poker into my abdomen. The only comfortable position I have found is lying down in bed on a stack of pillows. I also get very nauseated when I eat - I've lost 8 lbs in 2 weeks. I too thought a "lap" would be easy peasy and I would be up and back to normal within a week. WRONG!! I did follow up with the surgeon yesterday - I believe she thought I was crazy. All she seemed worried about was if I was eating three meals a day and getting all my protein in for the day (she's specializes in Gastric Bypass). I'm lucky to get one meal down - and the last thing on my mind is keeping track of my protein intake. I finally convinced her that the pain I was experiencing was not a "twinge" from a suture pulling - this pain brings me to my knees! She gave me an injection of a numbing agent (similar to Lidocaine) just below my incision - which was very painful. I was willing to do anything though to try to get rid of this pain. Anyway - it worked for about 3 hrs and then the pain was right back just as bad as before. Luckily my sister is a nurse at a large teaching hospital in Cleveland and she pulled some strings for me - so I'm seeing a different surgeon on Friday. She agrees - this is not normal post op pain and there is something wrong. I'll be prepared with better questions this time and I won't let this surgeon bully me into thinking I'm crazy. Thanks so much for all your great info!! I'll keep you posted on how things go - maybe I can find out something that might help other people.
How did it go with the new surgeon? I'm on my THIRD gastroenterolgist - my THIRD internist and my SECOND neurologist. Four months post op now...and I'm still friggin' miserable. Some positive things have happened; I'm able to eat more, nausea has stopped and my burning in my abdomen finally stopped but in its place is severe burning in my mouth and tongue and a manometry test showed my esophagus muscles aren't working at all - basically I have a paralyzed esophagus! My 2nd GI doc that did this test and found the paralysis has all but abandoned me now. He's done all he can do, he says. He has no cause for the paralysis, and no treatment for me to help bring my esophagus muscles back and wanted me to see a rheumatologist thinking it might be something auto immune related that might be causing the paralysis. I saw a rheum doc two weeks ago and am still waiting for the final results on that. But it doesn't appear it's anything auto immune.
This sounds EXACTLY like what my mother is going through after her lap chole.... were you able to find a solution or relief to your pain at all? I would really apreciate it if you could possibly contact me? We don't believe taking strong narcotics would help and just get her addicted... the doctors are slow to return calls and avoids discussing nerve damage, etc. We feel totally lost :( We also don't believe it's psychosomatic at all. I just want to see if I could find her some relief :(
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It sounds like what I am having. It may be that your bilary duct colapsed and you need a stent put in. Ask the Doctor to refer you to someone who can perform ERCP's. I have no insurance so I cannot have this procedure done and I am miserable and scared of developing pancreatitis. I am having the same pain and nausea. I hope you get better soon and that this info helped.
HELLO My name is Harvey Email address
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had the gall bladder operation about 1.5 weeks ago feeling same pain , light headed dizzy etc . did they give you anything....still taking the pain killers and feel cold all the time . Would like to be able to here from someone else it goes away
This is the cycle of hell I have endured for the last 9 years one month and 9 days:
HX:
· Constant feeling of RUQ distension and discomfort (running parallel to the right rib cage from center of epigastrium continuing to right hypochondrium)-- this area is continuously slightly swollen, but will exponentially increase in size as I get closer to having a pain attack;
· There are three highly specific regions along this line of distension that are painful on touch and that are palpably "different" feeling (1st is upper center epigastrium right below the xyphoid process, 2nd is halfway between the 1st and 3rd areas where one of the scars from the laparascopic cholecystectomy at the edge of the rib cage; and the 3rd is clear on my right side where my elbow area would be if my arm were hanging straight down at the rib cage-- no scar from laparascopic cholecystectomy)
· With no specific timing, the following will occur out-of-the-blue, often subsequent to eating or drinking something complex (i.e., oatmeal, grains of any type, red meat, grain alcohol) or much less often, it will happen with having eaten nothing and drinking nothing:
1. RUQ area (as described above-- pictures attached) swells up to an external size equivalent to a very large sweet potato or 1/3 the size of an inflated football;
2. A "pain attack" will spontaneously occur with no warning, equivalent to (if not worse) to a kidney stone (I've had plenty so I know), lasting anywhere between 5 minutes to one hour;
3. If I get to the hospital before the attack is over, my liver panel is completely out-of-whack, as in my lipase and amylase are sky high-- however, I have only gotten to the hospital in time to show this once in eight years... even when five minutes away, by ambulance, by the time they get around to drawing blood, the pain attack was at its bitter end (within a week or so my liver panel returns to normal);
4. During the pain attack, I will spontaneously become nauseated and dry heave for about 5 minutes (SOMETIMES, I can speed up the end of the pain attack by drinking a bunch of water, but this only works one out of two times)-- the pain attack is so severe, I break out in an all over body sweat, I am curled up on the floor rocking on my left side deliriously screaming in pain... a couple of times I have passed out when the pain was so severe;
5. Once the pain attack has subsided, I become very tired for days up to two weeks;
6. Also once the pain attack is over, I have light tan colored waterish diarrhea for 2-3 days (100-200 times per day);
7. After the diarrhea phase (and not before), the RUQ swollen distension area reduces 75 percent, but NEVER goes flat or symmetrical to my left side;
8. Then for another week (give or take) I have light tan colored somewhat loose stools.
9. At this point, I enjoy a RUQ area that is only 25% of the pain attack size for a very brief period of time, before the swelling commences again, and this entire cycle starts again.
· My gallbladder was removed 12/30/2004 by laparscopic cholecystectomy; this cycle described above first happened on 12/31/2004 (one day later, which I went to the ER for and the surgeon did nothing and ordered no tests, I was sent home the same day, hours after the pain subsided).
· I have spent tens of thousands of dollars having every test known to doctors done (i.e., ultrasounds, endoscopic ultrasounds, CT scans with and without contrast, MRIs, colonoscopy, upper GIs, lower GIs, blood tests, medication after medication after medication)-- doctors have suspected and/or ruled out: Sphincter of Oddi, colon cancer, problems from my 1994 Nissen's fundoplication, post cholecystectomy disease, pancreatic issues, liver issues, Crohns, IBS, etc).
· Once, four years ago, a general surgeon (after looking at an old CT scan said he saw a RUQ hernia, and scheduled surgery... and right before surgery said he didn't remember saying or seeing that and on looking then at surgery time didn't see what he had seen before) went ahead and did the surgery giving me a 5 inches scar... about 2-3 inches BELOW the problem area)-- which after surgery he tells me there was a mild issue with the mesothelium and peritoneum layers that he fixed with a patch.
Needless to say, I AM VERY DISENCHANTED with spending thousands more repeating expensive tests that reveal NOTHING. Additionally, as a side note, if I eat vegetarian and do not drink alcohol my pain attacks are lessened in frequency as is my 9-year bout with diarrhea, but the swelling of the RUQ never lessens and never stops completelt and never returns to normal.
I am not a huge fan of this medication in general and have used it twice (it does work) after my GB surgery but you might try Cholestramine for diarrhea - I was told this type of diarrhea post GB surgery is all too common (yet all too UNCOMMONLY mentioned before the surgeons operate) and is bile salt diarrhea - due to extended bile going into the intestines. I was also told the liver and digestive system will adjust - whatever that means - but can take up to a year? In your case that's long since past.
I do not have the right sided pain you describe but I didn't have stone pain to begin with, just chronic nausea and a low functioning GB. The Cholestramine will cause constipation if used frequently, which is not great news but many people who've posted about this on other forums swear this drug has 'saved them' from diarrhea misery. I, like you, have spent countless hours and agonies going to numerous doctors seeking answers to my misery. They all seem perplexed or have an idea as to what mine is, yet nothing has solved it. I am so angry and frustrated that I still keep trying to find solutions, not willing to stop just yet. I'm afraid when I do, I'm done - I mean done with more than just searching. Life is to be lived, not suffered.
agreed, i'm not a fan of medication unless absolutely necessary. i tried cholestramine several years ago, and it did not work... in fact, it made the pain attacks worse. Today, I'm off to get a CT w/ barium contrast... after seeing surgeon last week, who came so highly recommended (and I spent countless hours gathering my records for him to use), and he already started with the "hands up in the air" and it couldn't possibly be anything i think it is, like a biloma, it must be hernia from the incision sites... swear to god, after this, i'm giving up on doctors ever figuring this out, i guess they'll figure it out on my autopsy when whatever this is finally takes my life.
hi guys..my name is Jam and I have read some of your pain problems but not actually the whole thread as it is really long but I am concerned. I have been reading and researching a lot about pre and post lap chole cases. I have friends who had their GB removed and are okay and living good now and feeling nothing at all as far as I know. One had his GB removed like 4 years ago and the only thing he is experiencing is when he eats fatty or oily food, he would have to release it asap as he will feel discomfort in stomach and it's like some sort of diarrhea but he lives with it and it actually helps him because he lost pounds which he liked. I am 28 and I also had my lap chole april23, 2013 so it is my i think 18th day now after the surgery. The only stone i seen removed from me was about 1.6 cm diameter so bigger compare to normal .4cm but smaller compare to other stone cases. I only stayed at the hospital for 4 days from Monday. Tuesday was the surgery and i was delivered to the OR at around 4pm and went back to my room around 10pm (well maybe i stayed lot longer in the recovery room). 24 hours after the surgery i couldn't still pee so i had to stay in 2 more days and after 24 hours again i was able to pee just normal. I just had to increase water intake. I was feeling pain on the surgery sites but i knew only on the wounds and not internally. well i really couldn't identify i guess because i was still feeling groggy. I was afraid why I was still feeling weak, groggy , nausea, no vomiting tho, after 48 hours from surgery. My surgeon told me it was because of the pain killer. I was given tramal through IV. i just couldnt remember what was included with it aside from tramal. The doc said the effect of the pain killer to me is nausea and being groggy. I finally asked my doc to remove my IV because my hand was reall sore it was i think even more painful compare to the surgical wounds. My doc switched m pain killer and antibiotic to oral instead of IV. But since my IV was removed, I stopped taking pain killer and that was on my 3rd day, My pain tolerance I could say is high even I am a girl. I was discharged on Friday (3rd day post op). since then I was just tolerating the pain. I never took pain killers until now. I no longer feel pain in my abdomen but only some little discomfort on the navel area when bending or forcing myself too much to move or something. I am hoping not to feel any pain sooner or later because I am really afraid and I could understand you guys how horrible it is to live with the pain and still finding no cure. I still don't stop reading about post op cases because I read that in other cases, post op issues may occur after months or years after the surgery. You may also check this site or related sites about this sphincter of oddi dysfunction as someone here also mentioned about it
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Since yesterday tho, I noticed a chest pain which becomes more painful when breathing deeply. I am very concerned abut this as this is one of the symptoms I need to be checking after the surgery. I am observing myself and will contact my surgeon after another 24 hours if still persistent. I am praying and hoping that all of us will be completely out of pain soon.
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I will also ask my surgeon about these cases you have been dealing with.
I have had pain right under my left ribcage for almost three years which also coincides with when my gallbladder came out. I hate doctors and western medicine with a passion and only go in if I feel an extreme reason. I also tend to not trust myself when it comes to pain because I have quite a few hypercondriacs in my family so I always worry that I am exaggerating a pain. Thank you for everyone on this link for making me realize that I may defintely have something real wrong and that I may not have to live with the pain forever. It's scary to hear about all of the misdiagnosis but I am hopeful for a
It's been 1 and 1/2 years post cholecystectomy and I still have a sharp pain on RT upper quad and RT flank pain.They have suggested the same issue with adhesions but I think the staples that is about 5-6 of them tends to rub against my costophrenic nerve and liver and biliary duct and no surgical procedure can take care of that.They have suggested visceral manupitation (sort of like deep tissue massage that can relif it or perhaps pain management clinic that can pin point the nerve).
You see removal of a gall bladder can be even done by your neighbor's kid but complication takes a real surgeon to fix that.That's why I should have researched and look for a good surgeon than a neighbour's kid.If you catch my drift. There are so many butchers out there graduated from internet universities that you would not know who is who especially if you ened up in ER. Needless to mention that physicians are like gangester and watch each other's ASS and would not admit to screw up. Don't let any other MD to cut you open and do the fishing expedition.Take the more natural way!
This will address the pre and post gallbladder removal, attacks, and ripping feeling at the site where the gallbladder was removed. Something in my experience may help someone. Scroll to the bottom for a link to watch a gallbladder surgery and things that have helped me.
I had my Gallbladder removed over 4 years ago. The symptoms I had that prompted them to remove it began during my first pregnancy 8 years ago and increased in frequency and intensity. Always food related-meat, nuts, fried food, fatty food, etc. Things I shouldn't be eating anyway. I tried the olive oil/lemon gallbladder flush twice, didn't work, made it worse. I was overweight and malnutritioned. They removed my gallbladder and the doctor told me I should be able to eat anything I want. I wanted to hear that so I believed it.
I have had constant pain in the location of the laparoscopic site that to this day has never gone away. My daily movement for almost a year and a half was yellow water. They gave me a PPI for 90 days that did not work, that made the yellow water worse (I don't know why). What did eventually work was increasing my salt intake and fiber from psyllium husks (Metamucil in smoothies). After a few months of eating well, I starteg testing and reintroducing the foods I had eliminated. The same exact pain came back. I had read, while researching in desperation, that some people experienced relief taking digestive enzymes with protein, carbohydrates, and fats. It worked for me, I could eat just about anything, but when I forgot to take them I suffered and got those horrible debilitating attacks that could last anywhere from an hour to days. These are what they called gallbladder attacks, not the ripping/tearing I address further down.
More doctors, found nothing. About 8 months after surgery, I had bronchitis with a lot of coughing. I had just finished a bowl of popcorn (I will explain later why I believe this may be important), I coughed very hard and felt a large long painful rip or tear where my surgery scars are, just below my right ribcage. I thought something broke inside me. Back to the doctor and GI. Went to several doctors, had an ERCP. Nothing again. I told him about how the digestive enzymes help me and what happens when I don't take them. He said "I am not in the enzyme business." Neither am I, but I would think there is a reason they are working that would be useful to treating or curing this problem. I'm a stay at home mom and have no stake in the "enzyme business" but I know there must be a scientific and logical reason they help me. I also know it is not psychosomatic because sometime I forget to take them and realize when the pain sets in. I also wonder if I would have had these enzymes before my surgery if I ever needed to have my gallbladder out in the first place. I read that other people are having the same problems so I don't know why the medical people seem completely uninformed and disinterested about this, especially the GI specialist. My GP said he is at a loss and it is probably something I'm going to have to live with (he said this compassionately).
I believe I have the ripping/tearing sensation when my bowels are loaded with meat, processed food, and other difficult to digest foods. I believe it gets packed in there and when there is some stress like coughing, laughing, stretching and lifting, something happens. If you have not had the tearing and ripping that makes you scared that you are dying, and you just freeze your body and wait for it to "release", then you haven't had what we are talking about here. It is terrifying every time it happens. It feels like your guts are spilling out inside. Best way I can describe it. Once it "releases", it is sore there for many days, but with less pain intensity and if you move the wrong way, you feel a flash of it again.
If you have had your gallbladder removed, do not eat whatever you want. Eat meat in small amounts and not frequently if you must. Eat small meals more often instead of large meals. Avoid processed food, especially all grains as much as possible, again small amounts if you must. Eat light, easily digestible fruits and vegetables and keep those bowels clean and clear. I personally don't do well with nuts and seeds or highly fibrous starchy foods. Fat and sugar, go with plant and natural like olive oil and honey when you can. Once you've ripped, go with liquid and baby food consistency until you feel better.
This is what I found that helps me-
1) Digestive Enzymes (I believe they have saved my life).
2) The ripping happens when I lift or move heavy things. They happen when I cough too hard, or even when I laugh hard. They happen when I do the most basic level of stretching from a mild yoga routine.
3) This is a big one- If you want to avoid the ripping, eat cooked fruit and vegetables and stay away from all red meat and heavy starchy foods. Once you've ripped, go on a near liquid/baby food diet so your colon (that may be backed up or blocked) can empty out. My experience is when I eat food that doesn't digest well, it backs up, then I do something like lift, move, laugh, cough, stretch, etc. that is when I feel the ripping and tearing, followed by the feeling something is pouring or moving around into my surgery spot. Sometimes the pain is a few minutes, sometimes the episode lasts for up to 30 minutes before any relief happens. It takes days and weeks to heal what happens and you have to take it easy so it can repair.
4) Pay attention to what you've eaten the 3 days prior. Pay attention to what physical activities you did days or even weeks before. Sometimes it wasn't just coughing, it may have been first that piece of furniture you moved 2 days ago. Nobody knows your body better than you.
Good luck and God bless you all. May you all get relief soon.
Some searchable words are -Dysfunction of ODDI, Cecal Volvulus, Secul Bascule, Digestive Enzyme therapy, Surgical Hernia
Actually watch the procedure so you can see what happened to your body