# Post Gall Bladder Removal Changes



## BLUEeyedBanshee (Sep 14, 2007)

I've learned something recently. Since I have had my Gall Bladder removed. I'm learning that I have to deal with intestinal distress again.

Ya see, being that I'm have celiac, and was diagnosed a year ago, and adjusted my diet to get rid of intestinal distress, this upsets me.

Also being that I'm the queen of grossness...let me tell you I've determined that I can no longer really eat salad. In particular tomatoes. However, even the spinach and some lettuces do a number on me. I become, for lack of a better term, a salad shooter.

My diet is already restricted because I can't have gluten, wheatstuffs are out, I am not going to give up my greens, but the intestinal distress sucks. 

I guess I'll try a little bit at a time and see if my body finally accepts it again.

Anyone else who's had theirs out experience this?


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## Brenda (Sep 14, 2007)

I had my gall bladder out about 8 years ago. The first year afterwards I was constantly ill with cramping and very soft stools. Seemed like any time I ate a full meal I was ill, small meals did not cause these problems.

After about a year I was fine.

Brenda


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## Sandie_Zitkus (Sep 15, 2007)

Ditto from me. I had to go back on a low fat diet. *sigh*. Freakin irritable bowel is back too.

Did anyone have hair loss after surgery? Mine is falling out a bit and I'm kinda upset about it.


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## BLUEeyedBanshee (Sep 15, 2007)

Ok, glad to know I'm not alone in my frequent bathroom visitations.

As for hairloss...I haven't had it, but I haven't felt really stressed. Anytime I'm really stressed my hair falls out like mad.


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## Sandie_Zitkus (Sep 15, 2007)

BLUEeyedBanshee said:


> Ok, glad to know I'm not alone in my frequent bathroom visitations.
> 
> As for hairloss...I haven't had it, but I haven't felt really stressed. Anytime I'm really stressed my hair falls out like mad.




Apparently the operation shocks your body and along with the anesthesia (I was intubated and under for 18 hours because of my sleep apnea) it can cause hairloss. I'm not happy


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## BBWTexan (Sep 15, 2007)

The only thing I've noticed since my surgery (2 years ago) is that I'm no longer in constant pain. I limited my fat intake for a while, but I quickly went back to eating the way I had before. If I over-do it I'm usually stuck with some indigestion, but I think that goes for most people. 

I felt so much better after my surgery - I had forgotten what it was like to not have back and other pain constantly.


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## Miss Vickie (Sep 15, 2007)

Besides the pain being gone (hey, BBWTexan, haven't seen you in awhile -- nice to see you back!), I did notice fat intolerance for awhile. For about two weeks it was really really bad if I ate any kind of fried food, and then it got better and it was only if I ate something fried all by itself (fries without a burger, that kind of thing). Then I was just fine. It just took a little while, but my body adjusted in time. 

The hair loss thing? Most definitely the anesthesia, Sandie, I'm sorry to say. It'll grow back, though. I do know how irritating it is, though. Maybe try some Nioxin?


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## Sandie_Zitkus (Sep 15, 2007)

Miss Vickie said:


> The hair loss thing? Most definitely the anesthesia, Sandie, I'm sorry to say. It'll grow back, though. I do know how irritating it is, though. Maybe try some Nioxin?




I figured Vickie - thanks 

I am upping my protein intake - I just bought some Nioxin - again - and I am taking a good multi-vitamin with Biotin.

I hope this works. I worked so hard to get my hair back after I lost so much 5 years ago - it's frustrating.


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## SparklingBBW (Sep 16, 2007)

Hi All! I had my gallbladder out when I was 17, which was 23 years ago and right before they started doing it laparoscopically, so I have the long scar across my liver. I was appalled at the time to be having problems with gallstones at such a young age, but I now believe it to be because I had been on a very low calorie diet and then went off of it, and I think that caused the stones. And I think since 1985, doctors have found this to be the case with very low calorie diets, which is why, I think, that most people having bariatric surgery have their gallbladders removed before surgery. 

Anyway, they told me back then to avoid the fatty foods after surgery, but being a teenager...hehehehe...I didn't listen and still don't always for that matter, but what I notice then and now is that if I DON'T eat anything say for 6-8 hours then I'm going to pay for it later with GI upset. I hardly ever ate breakfast before my surgery, but afterward, I was so hungry and had stomach pain in the morning that I absolutely HAD to put something in my stomach or I would be in pain. 

They way I figure it is the function of the gallbladder is to store the bile that helps digest your food. No gallbladder, no storage system, so the bile that the liver produces goes straight into your stomach. If there isn't anything there to digest, then the bile (which is basically an acidic type of solution to break down the food) has to just sit there or move through your system -- thus the pain and eventual GI problems. So I would suggest maybe discussing with your doctor taking some kind of acid-reducing agent like Prilosec (or even TUMS or Maalox if you need immediate relief) that might help with some of the pain and eventual problems and also help you eat more of what you might like to eat. Again, I'm not a doctor so talk to yours about whether or not this might be a good idea for you. 

Take care one and all! 
Gena


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## hymie1964 (Sep 18, 2007)

I had my Gall Bladder removed 4 weeks ago and it was the best thing I have ever done. I constantly suffered from nausea. To make this go I would eat to make it go away. One thing I was terrified about was the attacks. I have never felt so much pain. I had about 4 of them over 2 months and they lasted about 8-9 hours. All my family have now had their Gall Bladder removed. Mum, Dad and brother. Mum and dad the old fashion way my brother 5 years ago and I had it removed by key hole surgery. 5 little incisions on ur tummy. I had surgery at 2pm on the Monday and was home by 11am the next day. Just amazing.


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## LillyBBBW (Sep 18, 2007)

I've been having some digestive problems since forever. The symptoms are uncomfortable but not life altering so I've been just dealing with it but I'm getting sick and tired of constant gastro issues. Either I'm constipated or I've got diarhea and my stools are a funny color. Things seem to be getting progressively worse of late though and the symptoms have become a bit painful and intolerable. Someone suggested that I might have gallbladder issues. I started doing some internet searching and I've been reading up about gallbladder cleanse techniques and so fourth. They involve lots and lots and LOTS of apples/apple juice over a week with olive oil, lemon juice, enemas and other pleasantries. Has anybody ever tried any of these things before or heard anything about this, good or bad? It goes without saying that I should see my doctor but if I can put in my mind to do something to stave off drugs or surgery that would be better in my view. What have you ladies heard, is this holistic mumbo jumbo a dead end?


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## Sandie_Zitkus (Sep 18, 2007)

The Holistic approach does work from what I have heard. However there are a couple of reasons why I didn't do that.

#1 - if you have one or several large stones it won't work and could bring on an attack..

#2 - If a stone gets stuck in one of the bile ducts while trying to exit the gall bladder - you will have an attack.

So - if you are going to do this you really need your doctors OK and you need to be in close contact with your doctor as you are going through the cleanse. I'm all for Holistic alternatives but there are some holistic practices that are just too high risk - IMHO

Now I did find out from my surgeon (pre-surgery) that there are gallstone desolving drugs out there. They might work for you.

Lilly - please don't fool around with this - take it from me see your doctor - have the tests - and decide with your doctor what is the best approach for you.  The pain of an attack is unbearable - I wouldn't want to see you go through that if you don't have to. 





LillyBBBW said:


> I've been having some digestive problems since forever. The symptoms are uncomfortable but not life altering so I've been just dealing with it but I'm getting sick and tired of constant gastro issues. Either I'm constipated or I've got diarhea and my stools are a funny color. Things seem to be getting progressively worse of late though and the symptoms have become a bit painful and intolerable. Someone suggested that I might have gallbladder issues. I started doing some internet searching and I've been reading up about gallbladder cleanse techniques and so fourth. They involve lots and lots and LOTS of apples/apple juice over a week with olive oil, lemon juice, enemas and other pleasantries. Has anybody ever tried any of these things before or heard anything about this, good or bad? It goes without saying that I should see my doctor but if I can put in my mind to do something to stave off drugs or surgery that would be better in my view. What have you ladies heard, is this holistic mumbo jumbo a dead end?


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## LillyBBBW (Sep 18, 2007)

Sandie_Zitkus said:


> Lilly - please don't fool around with this - take it from me see your doctor - have the tests - and decide with your doctor what is the best approach for you.  The pain of an attack is unbearable - I wouldn't want to see you go through that if you don't have to.



Thanks for the response and the advice Sandie. I'll take it!


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## BBWTexan (Sep 18, 2007)

LillyBBBW said:


> It goes without saying that I should see my doctor but if I can put in my mind to do something to stave off drugs or surgery that would be better in my view. What have you ladies heard, is this holistic mumbo jumbo a dead end?



Hey pretty lady,

My best advice is to be careful. For YEARS I had went off of my self-diagnosis of IBS and had done everything needed for that: no fried food, low dairy intake, daily Metamucil, etc, etc. However, I was wrong and when I finally got around to going to the doctor my condition had worsened to the point of where I not only had the gall stones, but I also had this lovely stuff called gall sludge. The problem with the sludge is that it can leak into your kidneys and cause kidney failure - and you never know at what point that can happen. 
Initially I had wanted to postpone the surgery for a few weeks because I had an important trip for school coming up, but my doctor said that was not an option. My initial visit to her was on a Thursday, I met with the surgeon on the following Tuesday, and my surgery was on that following Thursday. I stayed in a Vicodin coma until Saturday, rested for the remainder of the weekend and was back to work the next week.

I hear the natural stuff can do wonders, but just make sure there isn't anything more going on - like the gall sludge (ewwwwwww) issue or something along those lines.

Best of luck!


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