Gallbaldder Removed - pain and nausea

04-13-2016, 11:26 AM

Hi

I had my gallbladder removed late June 2015. No issues at all, went for 2-1/2 mile walk the following day and a seven week cross country trip the day after my post op two week check up. Ate anything I wanted. Then at the five month mark - abdominal pain and nausea - almost constant then a week ago severe and lots of very loose and then water bowel movements. Had been seeing and talking to PCP for three months, CT - nothing etc. Prilosec, not much help. Then a week ago he said "ok that 's it" and prescribed Prevalite Powder twice per day. After four days - no pain and no nausea.

This might be the trick, he called what I have "bile dumping" and this stuff gets all the bile together and does not let it back up into the stomach. Mainly for high cholesteral, don't care seems to work fine.

04-14-2016, 03:04 AM

Thank you for that, I will research it as I believe my reflux is more bile than acid
I too have no gallbladder
Some lucky people have no problems. But some have toilet issues as the bile seems to be going downwards and some of us have reflux issues as it's going upwards

05-16-2016, 06:47 AM

I had severe diarrhea in early March almost eight months after GB removal. My family doctor put me on Prevalite. Still had changed bowel movements from the fall and prior to GB removal but no diarrhea after only a couple of days on the Prevalite.

I am going in for some tests tomorrow and was told to stop medications 24 hours prior to test in addition to total fast except for clear liquids. Back to severe diarrhea by missing only ONE dose of the Prevalite. I take it twice per day before breakfast and before dinner.

Fortunately it seems to work for me, exceptionally well. Otherwise, like today I could not leave the house. We were hoping the diarrhea would end on it's own and maybe someday it will, but for now it's Prevalite for me.

05-16-2016, 12:30 PM

Hi paiceman. Like rainbowsrock (and you, too, apparently) I am in the small group of people who have significant digestive problems after gallbladder removal. I did pretty well for 2.5 years after my gb came out but then bile diarrhea plus stomach pain and bloating reared it's ugly head. Not to do things by halves, I would say I have the bile going in both directions.

After an endoscopy in Oct. 2015 I was diagnosed with bile reflux. I am currently taking Welchol (a bile acid sequestrant in pill form), carafate, protonix and baclofen. I have definitely improved since I became quite sick with the reflux back in Sept, but I am still not 100 percent by any stretch of the imagination. The Welchol cured the diarrhea in a day or two, but I don't think it has done much for the bile leaking into my stomach.

I'm glad the Prevalite works so well for you! I might ask my GP for a trial of that instead of the Welchol. What sort of testing do you have scheduled? I hope it goes well for you. Let us know here what you find out so we can all compare notes on this aggravating condition.

05-17-2016, 03:52 AM

You say you don't think the medication has done much to help the bile leaking into the stomach
That's what I think too. I don't think the medical profession know what to do about it
There are a couple of operations but they're not always successful long term

I do wish I still had a gallbladder

What helps me most is drinking a large tumbler of warm water, especially first thing in the morning and half an hour before bed
I also have the bed on 6" blocks at the head to make use of gravity

05-17-2016, 05:18 AM

Rainbowsrock, I agree about the warm water and also elevating the head of the bed. I also feel that walking daily for thirty minutes after lunch and dinner and losing mid-section weight has helped. I drink 2 glasses of goat's milk kefir daily for probiotics as part of my dietary regimen. I am feeling almost normal for most of the day now with just some small episodes of burning back pain and abdominal twinges. When I feel these I try to sit down and lean back a little in a chair with some support and this relieves it.

05-17-2016, 01:11 PM

I have organic whole milk Kefir daily, made from grains

Need to take a leaf out of your book and walk after lunch and dinner

05-20-2016, 05:00 AM

Maltese12 I had a "normal" colonoscopy. Everything went fine, until late the evening of the test, the 17th. Then severe abdominal pain on the lower right side and a slight fever. Gastro said to go to the emergency room. I did not, the pain gradually subsided early on the 19th, but the 2 degree elevation in body temperature did not subside until 4:30am on the 20th. Now the Prevalite continues to stop the diarrhea, but the nausea is back full bore. Going to try and move an appointment up with our internist to get his opinion.

05-20-2016, 12:51 PM

Sorry to hear the nausea is still bothersome. You might consider consulting with your doctor and request an endoscopy next. In the meantime you could try a low-fat bland diet. Eat small meals with light snacks in between and don't eat too close to bedtime if at all possible.

I had some nausea back in the fall when my stomach issues first cropped up but it (the nausea) has since resolved. An endoscopy could shed more light on what exactly is going on and get you the proper treatment. And it is much easier than a colonoscopy.

So happy for you that the prevalite has resolved the bathroom issue quickly and easily! That is one problem out of the way at least.

05-23-2016, 05:03 AM

Bathroom issue has now returned with greater frequency than previously posted. Prevalite works, but it's impact on the diarrhea is not as significant nor successful as prior Colonoscopy. Had Endoscope and nothing found. Appears to be the somewhat typical chronic after affects of gallbladder removal many people face. Tests find nothing, and so one waits it out and hopes it ends or lives with it. It has certainly changed our life.

07-01-2017, 04:00 PM

I apologize for not getting back on this, lost the site. As it stands the Prevalite after 18 months was doing a great job. No pain, one bowel movement per day and normal. Then I gradually developed an all over itching sensation. So, Dr took me off, first 24 hours were great, now, 48 hours with no Prevalite I've had 12 bowel movements in 9 hours, still and urge to go. Not happy. Probably going to start it back up on my own tomorrow.

Gallbaldder Removed - pain and nausea

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