I just recently had my gallbladder removed...about a month ago. I had a very large gallstone that caused lots of pain. As far as the pain it has completely went away. But now I have am experiencing chronic diarehha. I was prone to bouts of diahrhha before, all my life, but it has become an everyday thing, happening 3 or 4 times a day. Has anyone had this problem, and does anyone have any advice for this nagging problem? I would greatly appreciate any help. Thank you for your time.

gia--- Do a search on this board for the messages written by Katie G--- and read them. She is the expert about your problem.

Harry

Thanks Harry, This is my 1st time to the healthboard, I will try your suggestion. Thanks agian.

Thanks for the kind words Harry. Hi gia - yes, I guess I could be considered an expert since I went through your experience for 5 years! I was told by my surgeon after GB surgery in 1997 that I would have softer, looser BM's, but NOBODY told me that I could end up with explosive, uncontrollable diarrhea like I did. I've suffered from IBS-D for 20+ years so just thought that was getting worse. However, when I had my GB removed, the "D" problem became much worse. I suffered in silence and shame hoping it would clear up. Got a little better, but then all h*** broke loose again in 2001 when I had anti-reflux surgery (Nissan fundoplication). The diarrhea became an everyday occurrence after drinking coffee in the a.m., and again after eating breakfast/lunch/supper - sometimes I couldn't get to a bathroom in time - even in my own house and just a few steps away. I was wearing maxi pads to work to protect my clothes - not always successful. I can't tell you how many times I had to leave work or call in sick because I'd messed myself.

I don't even remember how I found this board - I think it was from doing internet searches related to diarrhea. But I was almost suicidal by the time I found this board - I was considering trying to get disability because I couldn't always make it to work without a problem. I'd gone back to my GP several times in tears and he'd try different meds without success. Even Immodium didn't help - if the diarrhea was going to happen it did anyway.

I found this board in 2001 a few months after my surgery and began posting my problems with diarrhea on it. Some of the recommendations I found were to increase fiber and try taking calcium supplements which can help form solid stool. This worked for about 2 weeks and then wham! - everything was back to running to the bathroom and bringing in packages of underwear/maxi pads to work. It was horrible, and even though my husband was supportive/caring, he didn't really know how to help.

When I re-posted that I was still having problems, some angel on this site (can't remember who exactly), mentioned the term "bile salt diarrhea" and when I did searches on it, I found that it matched me to a "T". Basically bile salt diarrhea is the result of not having a gall bladder anymore to hold digestive bile from the liver, so during or after a meal, my liver was "dumping" bile directly into the small intestine and in the lucky 5-10% of us who suffer this after GB surgery, it causes a laxative effect. In other words, I'd be in the middle of a meal (or shortly after), and suddenly I'd feel the rumbling and get up to rush to a bathroom and literally explode into the toilet. My stools were always either water or very soupy, never formed, and a bright yellow or light tan color. The website I found the most helpful regarding bile salt diarrhea was called www.gihealth.com (http://www.gihealth.com) and talked about a medication called bile salt sequestrant called Questran (powder form) or Colestid (pill form). Other posters on this board also responded to me saying that it worked wonders for them. If you do have bile salt diarrhea, please understand it is not the surgeon's fault - it's just us being unlucky in dealing with bile directly dumped into the small intestine. Many GB surgery patients never have this condition.

I went back to my doc and requested we try Colestid. He was willing to give it one month, and if my diarrhea wasn't under control by then, he would have me undergo colonoscopy to check for more serious colon disorders (like Crohn's). In just 2 days, I had my first formed stool like I'd never had in 5 years!!!! I have now been on Colestid for a year and have only had about 5 bouts of diarrhea TOTAL since taking it, either due to a stomach "bug" or something that didn't agree with me. I am a NEW woman who can smile at life again. No more clothing changes, embarrassment, calling in sick, etc. However, I still take calcium supplements and Metamucil wafers too for bowel health.

I've posted responses on several other messages here related to gall bladder problems so please read through my messages there too. A search of bile salt diarrhea could also be helpful to you. But in a nutshell, Colestid has been my manna from heaven, and I'm so thankful for the poster who first informed me about it. I know that my story helps others as well. Just know gia, that you are not alone, and we are all here to help.

Good luck and keep us posted,
Katie G

P.S. Some docs are reluctant to prescribe Questran or Colestid because in higher doses it's actually used to lower cholesterol. For bile salt diarrhea, much smaller doses are needed. For example, I take 2 Colestid every a.m. Someone with high cholesterol may need to take 4-8 pills per day. So if your doc doesn't want to prescribe it, be sure to bring in articles about bile salt diarrhea and how Colestid works on that to inform him/her correctly.

I was going to reply but I don't think I can add anything to what Katie G has already said http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Katie, Thank you so much for your response. I came across this board doing searches on D also. I hate to hear that so many people are experiencing these problems. My doctors did not tell me anything. They basically did the surgary and said ok your all fixed. As I said before I have had D off and on for years. Some days better than others. But after the sugery it began to get worse, then worse. The onset of it is remarkable. One minute your fine and then a second later BAM!!! I can't tell you how many times I have actually ran praying to the bathroom "please let me make it". I am to the point now that if I have to go anywhere I will take a couple of Immodiums to tyr and keep under control while I am out. Even after I go I feel as if I never get it all out, so you sit there and sit there. I just don't know how you lived with it for so long. You are obviously a very strong person. I visited the site you recommended and it was so very helpful. I'm afraid I am in the percentage that has the BSD. I'm going to make an appt. with my doc next week, hopefully we can get it under control. I am going to print out the info. I found for him. Thank goodness I found this board so early into my perdicament. This is not a subject that you want to share with the world (He, He). Thank you agian for sharing your story with me. I am so glad that things are looking up for you, and I pray you continue to do well! Yours Truly, Gia

Hi again gia. Please keep us posted on how you're doing after seeing the doc. I just hope he's willing to listen and try Colestid/Questran, since some docs don't want to prescribe medications if they aren't exactly for what the med is intended. Fortunately, my doc was willing to try because he knew how frustrated and humiliated I was. I don't know if I consider myself a strong person, I just thought at the time of my BSD this was the way it was going to be, and didn't know what kind of intervention was available until I came across this board. Thank the Lord this board is here to discuss embarrassing bowel issues with people who truly understand.

Good luck to you and keep us posted,
Katie G

I was doing a search on the gallbladder removal side effects when I came across this board.. I am 26 yrs old and had my GB surgery at 21.. I had what looked like a hand full of gravel at the bottom of my gall bladder and they were getting stuck in my digestive tracks after I would eat which as most of you can understand is very painful.. My dr. told me nothing of what would happen after the removal of my GB.. I had constant diahrea.. immediately after I would eat.. drink coffee.. I still have it but it is an on again off again type of situation.. but I didn't begin to actually have hard stool until about a year ago.. I also have had acid reflux terribly.. I take enzyme pills to help with my digestion.. if I eat it feel as though the food is just continuously building up in my stomach and not digesting which is causing almost the exact same kind of pain I had when I had the gallstones.. The problems with my stomach will never stop! I almost wish I would have just drank the stuff to dissolve the stones and cut out all fat from my diet rather than go through these daily aggrevations of a non functional digestive system.. I have got at least another 54 yrs of nothing but problems.. and I am only calculating that I live to 80.. I don't know if I can handle even another 25 yrs of this.. The only option is metamucil, enzymes and chronic pain.. I had gone to the doctor for the same kind of pain and I found out that stones can actually form again so I have to go back and see if I have another hand full of gravel just floating around being a problem.. Any suggestions to help me deal with these everyday problems.. Thank you in advance!