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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 10/26/2005 3:04 AM (GMT 0)
This is for anyone who's had gallbladder surgery.  In June of 2004, I had my gallbladder removed.  Within a few weeks after having it removed, I started experiencing excessive gas in my stomach.  It has progressively gotten worse over time and I've continued to see my Gastro specialist.  I take Nexium for stomach ulcers I think were caused by NSAID's in the past.  Over the last week these symptoms are more like what I experienced prior to GB removal.  I have pain in my lower right side just under my ribs and through to my back and I feel somewhat winded.  This is causing me not to have an appetite and I have some nausea.  Anyone experienced these problems after having their GB out?  I have heard of people having gallstones after their gallbladder was removed.
Posted 10/26/2005 3:13 AM (GMT 0)
Hi ncrealtor,
I just wanted to say welcome to Healing Well :)
I have not had gallbladder surgery so I can't really help you there but many people do develop IBS after surgery as we have many members on this forum that have. You will get many responses soon on your situation. Again welcome :)
Posted 10/26/2005 4:40 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, you can have a gall stone problem without a gall bladder because not every surgeon removes the bile duct, if I remember correctly. If they don't then you could still have a stone lodged in the duct. However, since gall stones are only made in the gall bladder, you can't produce any more; if you have one, it's been leftover by accident (which means if that's your problem, it can be fixed and won't manifest itself again).

A lot of people, though, have "phantom gall bladders." Even I sometimes hurt right where it used to be. As far as I know, this is just a tingling sensation of the nerves--same as people who have had a limb amputated.

I had two different doctors put me on antiacids when my gall bladder was bad and they never made a bit of difference; I might as well have been taking a sugar pill. Of course, if you actually have ulcers, you will need medicines, but are they sure you have ulcers, or do you just hurt in your stomach region, so they think you have ulcers? You may just be having gas pains/cramps in that region instead.

My G.I.'s Nurse Practitioner told me that excess bile from not having a gall bladder could manifest itself in two ways: it could go down and cause diarrhea or go up and cause acid reflux. For most people it goes down most of the time, but you may have yours going up. If that's the case, regular antiacids may not help because bile--as I understand it--is much more acidic/concentrated than regular stomach acid, so you may need more potent medicine or a stronger dosage to tame it.

Then there's the usual recommendations I give everyone who has a bile problem: give up caffiene and lower your fat content. That helped lower my bile production to manageable levels. Mind you, mine goes down, but I would think it would work for going up as well.

Also, try to eat more frequently to keep your stomach from sitting there with nothing in it but acid and bile and avoid acidic foods like orange juice (all of which your dr. probably recommended already).

Keri
Posted 10/27/2005 12:14 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your response Keri...sounds like you've been through what I'm going through now. In answer to your questions, I do have stomach ulcers according to my gastro doctor after doing an endoscopy. Here's a little more history. about 7 years ago when my husband was active duty military, I had issues with a heel spur. I went to a doctor who tried everything including NSAIDs, splints, etc. until he gave me a shot of cortizone in my foot. Worked like a charm for about 5 years. I started having problems with my foot again early last year, the government sent me to another foot doctor (this time in a new location, new doctor) who thought she needed to re-invent the wheel and try all these things again before giving me a cortizone shot. She put me on NSAID's (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) and about 5 days into the treatment, I became very, very sick vomiting about every 15 minutes over an 8 hour period including some blood-tinged. It was determined that I could no longer tolerate anti-inflammatories and was told to never take them again unless they were the cox-2 inhibitors that have recently been taken off the market.

When the endoscopy was done earlier this year, I was told I had numerous tiny ulcers in my stomach and that I should take Nexium every day most likely for the rest of my life. The Nexium has helped with the pain in my stomach but now I have this re-curring problem under my rib cage. I have wondered if it is caused by excessive gas but nothing, including Gas-X, seems to help. My Gastro guy has given me Donatal/Mylanta mixture to try but I've been somewhat hesitant to try it because Donatal is a barbituate.

The Gastro Doctor also said that I had an elevated eosinophil count inside my stomach which would indicate that the ulcers were caused by an allergic reaction to something. He sent me to an allergist who did the normal allergy testing and it came up with nothing. The only thing he hasn't done is the blood test that tests for allergens. I may push for that if this keeps up.

I have an appointment with my MD today. I think I'm going to ask for additional testing to determine if this could be a pancreatic or liver problem. I live with this pain every day. Gas or not, I've got to get some relief.

Sorry to bore you with the details....it's nice to bounce this info off of someone who's been where I am. It's just so frustrating as I've always been healthy. I just keep waiting for them to come up with a reason for this and then fix it!

Melanie
Posted 10/27/2005 6:19 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, my name is Tammra and I suffer from IBS, I was also diagnosed with Celiac Disease and prior to that had my gall bladder and appendix removed. I suffer every day with abdominal pain, gas, constipation and or diarrhea. I can't plan to do or go anywhere. I feel like a prisoner in my own home. I have had every test imaginable to see if there is something else going on but everything comes back negative. I just can't believe that all this pain is caused by IBS.

A few months ago I was taken to hospital by ambulance in excurtiating pain. I was admitted and remained in hospital for 9 days, 5 of which I was hooked up to an NG tube which sucked the contents of my stomach into a glass jar. For three days that contents were black and then turned to a greenish colour. Four doctors were called in to access me and all came up with different answers as to what I had. To this day it remains a mystery. I live in fear that that will happen again. I have not been able to work for 14 months now and I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel.
Like I said before I can't believe that all this pain and grief is IBS!

Any comments

Tammra
Posted 10/27/2005 6:44 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Tammra, welcome to HealingWell!
I'm sorry you are having such a difficult time. Please give us some more history.... What meds are you on? Fiber? Probiotics? Do you have gas? Have you been tested for Celiac's? Do you suffer from anxiety?
IBS can be really debilitating but usually docs prescribe anti-spasmodics if the cramps are terrible.
I'm sorry I can't really help you. I just wanted to give you a great big WELCOME! Hopefully someone here can help you.
Keep posting!
Posted 10/28/2005 1:24 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Tammra here again!

In the past four years I have been to several different clinics and hospitals and I have seen 14 different doctors (and that is not an exaggeration) and have had several different medications prescribed which did nothing for me.  Since I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2001 I have had nothing but problems.  Even though I follow a strict gluten free diet and dairy free diet (I am also lactose intolerant).  I have severe gas, bloating and pain.  I don't go anywhere anymore because I'm afraid my bowels won't co-operate.  I also get car sick now which I never did before all this started.  I should also mention that I had Thyroid Cancer and had my thyroid removed.  I am on thyroid supplements.  I have been to see a shrink and he informed me that there is nothing wrong with me mentally and even mentioned that he is surprised to see me so well adjusted for what I've been through.  I feel guilty  because sometimes I do feel sorry for myself.  Then I give myself I kick in the butt and say to myself there are so many people so much worse off then you, so smarten up.   I'm not sure else what to say but it sure is a life altering experience.

Tammra

Posted 10/28/2005 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
Tammra,
Sorry to hear of your difficult journey and all the docs. The fact that you have severe gas and bloating suggests to me that you could benefit from a general reduction in dietary carbs. I believe tha the source of gas in the intestines if from consuming excess carbs. Fats and proteins don't have the same effect. Please check with your (latest) doctor, but I really think you (and others with these symptoms) could benefit from removing the fuel (carbs) that drive intestinal gas production. Its the microbes consuming carbs that escape absorption that produce the gas (C02, H2 and methane in some cases). Give it a try, you might be surprised.

Norm
Opinions based on my research into GERD (may or may not be applicable to IBS).
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