Bowel Problems After Gallbladder Surgery

[N. Solis]

I had my gallbladder removed almost a year ago.  I've seen comments posted about this in the forum, but no real answer or explanation as to why it happens.  Luckily, I suffered no pain after the surgery; I recovered well and I am VERY HAPPY that I do not suffer through those horrible attacks anymore (the last one made me think I was going to die and I ended up in the ER with the surgery scheduled shortly after).  Anyway, I have noticed that ever since the surgery I have a MAJOR problem during and after eating.  I have to RUN to the bathroom.  I, too, am familiar with a lot of public restrooms almost anywhere I go.  Unfortunately, sometimes I choose NOT to go somewhere or NOT to eat something because I'm so afraid of what will happen later.  Is there a real medical ezplanation for this?  I asked my PCP and all he told me was to ask the doc who performed the surgery.  I was given a lot of information before the surgery, but during my TWO follow up visits, nothing about this was mentioned.  I didn't notice it until a few weeks later.  I'm ashamed to talk to anyone about it.  Is there anything that can be done?  I hate to think that this is how I have to live for the rest of my life.

[Tricia]

I just got out of the hospital yesterday with gallstone related problems.  The thing is, I had my GB out 13 years ago, after the birth of my daughter. My doc said that sometimes there are stones hidden in the liver that don't get detected and can rear their ugly little heads years later.  That was my luck.  

I am so glad to hear about this "dumping syndrome".  I thought I ws the only one.  Now when I go see my doc next week, I can put a name to it, and maybe get some help.  I will say, though, that when I eat home, it doesn't happen to me at all.  Only when I eat out.  

As a postscript, I will say that I would have the surgery all over again, if the need arose.  This past weekends suffering brought it all back too clearly what I had gone through before.  I never want to have that pain again!

Good luck to all of you!

Tricia

[Stormie]

I have been reading the letters from everyone here.
And Im going to say ...I am scheduled for surgery in 5 days .
It freaks me out because there is no way I want all these extra problems .
And to top it off I have to have the old fashioned surgery because of a colostomy operation that I had due to a sever motorcycle crash ..which was reversed and back to normal .
I would like to say thank you to all of you who have written ,
It really helps those of us who have yet to face it.

[Susan, St. Paul]

I have just had my gall bladder removed on Sept. 7th and am experiencing serious pain in my lower right ab.  Am wondering if this is normal or a possible infection.

[shannon]

I am going to have my galbladder removed in two days.  I am very nervous and now looking at most of the after-effects it has I'm not sure that I want to have it done.  I have been going through gal-attacks since I was 17 (I'm now 22).  The pain is bad and no doctor could tell me why I had it.  I had to go to a dr's office I use to work at to have an ultrasound done and find my gal stones.  Unlike some of you, I have had a problem with diarehha for about 5 years.  Most every time I go out and eat, or if I have something with a lot of grease or fat I'm in the bathroom in about 5 or 10 minutes after I eat.  There was a week that I could eat in the morning and afternoon, but as soon as I had dinner I was in the bathroom 5 or 6 times withing an hour.  

If after the surgery I'm going to be going through the same problems, I really don't want to have it done.  I'm scared and really feel like I don't have a choice about it now.  I'm tired of the attacks and the constant aching in my chest.  I want to get rid of that, but in doing that it seems like I'm likely to get a whole other set of problems.

I'm wondering if anyone else has had the "dumping" problem before the surgery?

[danielle]

Hi,

I had my gallbladder out 5 years ago.  I have struggled with my weight ever since.  I gained a lot of weight after, I worked extremely hard to lose it, then I gained it again. I eat better now than I used to.  The last two years I have continually gained weight and I just don't get why.  I am usually a very good weight.  It seems I continually gain, no matter what I eat, or if I exercise.   It is really getting to me.

I noticed one other person on this board seems to have the same problem.  Any others?  Any reason why?

As for some of the other things mentioned on this board, I always have pain where my gallbladder was when I go to the bathroom.  I am very constipated.  I used to be constipated before, but it's worse now.  I have to take prune juice or laxatives to go.  

[danielle]

Hi,

I had my gallbladder out 5 years ago.  I have struggled with my weight ever since.  I gained a lot of weight after, I worked extremely hard to lose it, then I gained it again. I eat better now than I used to.  The last two years I have continually gained weight and I just don't get why.  I am usually a very good weight.  It seems I continually gain, no matter what I eat, or if I exercise.   It is really getting to me.

I noticed one other person on this board seems to have the same problem.  Any others?  Any reason why?

As for some of the other things mentioned on this board, I always have pain where my gallbladder was when I go to the bathroom.  I am very constipated.  I used to be constipated before, but it's worse now.  I have to take prune juice or laxatives to go.