Recurrent gall stones in the bile duct after gall bladder removal

[brigitte425]

I had my gall bladder out in 2003.  Since then I have had recurrent gall stones that get stuck in my bile duct and have to be removed by ERCP.  It didn't happen until 2005.  Then it was close to another year and it happened again.  Since then I have had to have this done 1 to 2 times per year.  I have gotten pretty sick a couple of times, but mostly my doctor schedules me in time before that happens.  He is very much trying to convince me to have an operation that attaches my bile duct to my intestines.  He says that he is almost certain that will solve the problem.  I have tried every supplement and homeopathic remedy known to man to stop the stones from forming without any long-term success.  The ursodial I take 600 mg 3 times per day slows it down a little, but doesn't really fix the problem.  After having the ERCP I usually feel pretty goood for about 5 months then I start getting symptoms again and have to have it done again.  There is no real explanation as to why it keeps happening.  Now they are saying it must be genetic.  The problem I have is that the operation is major surgery and there is still no guarantee that it will work.  I met with the surgeon once and he told me that it won't stop the stones but they will be able to move through easier and more directly.  He said that if they get stuck after the operation, the only way to get them through would be to stick something through my back and push them through that way.  It seems that so far the ERCP is a better alternative.  I have had difficulty finding much information on this operation.  My stones are all cholesterol stones and everything else is normal.  Does anyone have any information on this re: is there any way to stop the stones from forming, is the operation the best option, how I can get more information on this happening to people and how they made out if they got the operation, etc.  Thanks for any help you can give me.              

[craighardie]

I have the same problem with recurring gall stones after gall bladder removal. every six months for three times I get infected and blocked bile duct and must get an ercp. my gastro wants me to get a whipple operation to eliminate the bile duct to then put the stones which originate in the liver into the small intestine. that is such a serious operation I am balking at it but promised him I would do it after this next time. I am feeling the symptoms now after six months. I have gone vegan and gluten free drink two liters of water at least a day and am wondering what else I can do. hard to know what is worse an ercp twice a year or the whipple. because of infection  in the cholangitis better get the whipple perhaps.my last infection was a drug resistant ecoli that was hard to treat and with super bugs now recurrent infection might be best avoided.ursodiol did nothing I could see.

[Dawood12]

https://www.alislam.org/library/books/homoeopathy.pdf

[Ebmc]

I'm so glad I found this...I had gall bladder moved March I kept getting infections once removed which they kept putting down to stent which was nit removed till last week which they found a stone stuck and more stones which shocked me because thought stones were removed when bladder was in March it's caused me nothing but stress as it took them about 3 months to detect first stones I had kept sending me away at one point few weeks after  stones were finally dignoised I had a flare up went a and e they said they had no records of me having them made me feel like I was lying they sent me home at 2 am asked me come back 2 days later fir s scan I live in diff town to a and e and don't drive to be told wen did have scan a stone was stuck :(

[May2299]

I have been constapation for  3weeks my stomach is bloated and it cramps me bad and in the pit  of  my stomach and wat can I take for  the constapation

[pauline39]

Had my gallbladder out in 2012,pains under my rib last Dec and they discovered, there were2 stones in the bile duct,each got rid of 1 ,but the other one was stuck between the pancerous and the liver, between then and now I've had 3 mrcb's 3 ercp's and a stint inserted to widen the bile duct, and they still can't find anything wrong ,last week had a endoscopic ultrasound, and that came back clear, but the pain is much worse  and it's a week since it was done, I'm in pain every day which is just under my right rib and down the right side of my back , the 2 different consultants have said I just have to live with the pain ,

[JayAitch]

I had surgery to remove stones from my bile duct approx 9 years ago.
My 1st gastroenterologist did not believe me.....because they only scanned my gall bladder which was clear - not my bile duct! She accused me of being alcoholic because of my raised liver enzymes... even though I told her I was teetotal! She told me the pain I was experiencing sounded like a stitch!! and there was nothing wrong with me.... Thanks to her I endured that pain 2 years until I was admitted as an emergency when the pain was so bad I could not sit or stand or hardly breath. Luckily I had moved area by then so was under a different gastroenterologist.
My bile duct stones were 2cm diameter! I hold that 1st woman responsible for that. The stones were Cholesterol based.
They could not remove by ercp (they did the procedure twice to try) so I had to have surgery to cut the bile duct open. I wanted to keep my gall bladder as it was clear and healthy but they insisted on removing it at the same time :(  That was about 9 years ago.
I also got severe heartburn before and after surgery (and no meds helped) and found it was possibly a gluten intolerance so I stopped eating gluten and don't get that any more. I then went vegan which had reduced my cholesterol levels drastically so I am hoping it will also reduce my chance of forming more cholesterol stones. After my surgery I had a dull pain in the area for 6 whole months. They were baffled so did an MRI. My bile duct had stayed the size of the stones which they could not understand and insisted it would eventually go back down to the diameter of a straw. The dull pain did fade with time. I've had 2 painful bouts lasting just a few hours since - possibly passing a stone? But thankfully no blockages yet!

[goldentiff]

I'm glad you mentioned the gluten.  I had my gallbladder out years ago.  I started having a lot of pain a few years after.  Doctor after doctor told me heartburn.  I suffered for over a year before I finally starting turning yellow and they checked my liver enzymes.  I found a new doctor and through ct scan they found my bile duct was over double in size.  Had emergency ERCP the next day.  The surgeon found many stones and sludge.  He said that some people, although rare, still form stones after surgery.  After looking at some old bloodwork from years prior, I noticed that my celiac bloodwork came back borderline, and not straight negative like I was told.  My new doctor told me to try going gluten free for at least 5 months to see if I notice any difference.  I was having some pain a few months after my ERCP that felt like stones, only not as severe--probably due to the sphinctorotomy they had done.  When I finally commited to going gluten free, my pain has stopped.  May be coincidence, but the not being in pain feels so good that I remain gluten free.  My few slip ups have resulted in swelling, headaches, tendonitis, and more discomfort in my chest where I had the bile duct pain.  I would say going gluten free is worth a try.  Celiacs have a much higher occurance of gall bladder and liver problems.  

[pranshu234]

My father's gall bladder was removed in 2010.. But after five years..he felt severe abdominal pain ..when doctors did ultrasound they found that gall bladder is still there...they operated again...but the things were not over..at present after 7 months of surgery when he undergone ultra sound test report says that again there is gall bladder.. So if this happened with anyone plz share the treatment..