Hello Everyone,I suffered for a long time before this finally got some recognition. I thought I would share this info with you due to the fact many Doctors are just now starting recognize it.I had my Gall bladder removed about 4 yrs ago, 24 hrs after the surgery, I tried to eat a small sandwich. I don't think I was 2 bites into it when I got ran to the bathroom with extreme abdominal pain. I didn't think too much about it until the next time I went to eat, then Boom here we go again. My life was never the same after that. One month after my surgery, I ended up in the E.R. from losing 15 lbs and being totally dehydrated from not eating. The Dr. that performed the surgery was a great Dr., but he prescribed a powder called Cholesterine and I had to mix it with water and drink it up to 2 times a day, this was not a cure all and did not help very much. I was working 65 hrs a week and everytime I would even think about eating a meal at work I ended up in the bathroom reeling in pain. At home I would cook for my family or order food out and sit and watch them eat. People almost didn't even seem concerned about this, and just looked at me like I was weird or had a disorder. I would mention to the Dr's that it happened right after my Gall Bladder was removed and that had to be a link, they would just blow me off.Forget about going out to eat or eating at parties, I missed out on a lot! Finally, about 2 years ago a Dr. finally mentioned IBS to me and prescibed a anti-spasmodic called Bentyl. It works well, but I almost ended up with my head on the table. Aftermuch experimentation with nutrtion and studying several articles on latest findings I have learned a lot that may help other sufferers. I'm now learning of several people who have had their Gall Bladders removed and are now being diagnosed with IBS, and people are not putting 2+2 together. Some of this info may be applied to people who have not had the surgery as some principles apply and should look into it.1. Your Gall Bladder releases a bile that breaks up certain fats in your food, this is needed for proper digestion of food, w/out it, all those fats are going right to your intestines never broken down. (Then you go right to the bathroom)2. After your intestines and stomach have gone through this abuse over and over again, you destroy the natural good bacteria that is vital to your digestive system and the bad bacteria sets up camp causing the bloating, the pain and bouts of the runs and bouts of not going at all. 3. In the end, your poor nervous system has been put through the mill, (because pain causes stress!) you now end up so tied up in knots that even being a little anxious turns into an erruption.SO, what do you do? Get your digestive system back in order first! No saturated fats! Stay away from the chemicals (pesticides, additives, artificial flavoring etc..) No red meats! If you have to eat meat, eat Tuna, Salmon or Chicken cooked very well, and please wash all your meats properly before cooking very important! Your trying to evict evil bacteria. Water, Water and more Water! Filtered only not from the tap! Cleanse that body out, no sugar and lay off the dairy for a while, both of them cause inflammation in the body. Drink Green tea instead of coffee or cut back on the caffeine, it makes it worse trust me! Stay away from the fiber drinks, they make IBS bloating worse. Drink pure un-sweetened cranberry juice mixed with filtered water, tastes pretty bad but this works miracles in washing years of garbage out of your body. Do not skip meals! We all know what not eating for hrs then stuffing our faces does for IBS!Small healthy meals up to 5 times a day if possible and get the good veggies out and eat!!!!!!, replacing the good bacteria in our stomachs will come from plant life and its the Phytonutrients we need most. This works wonders and its not just putting a temporary band-aid on the problem this will help get you back in shape and may even cure some people of the problem. Remember, that they say their is no cure, but Professionals are discovering these things that are helping, I learned all this from a few brave Dr's that bothered to look a little further than writing prescriptions.Hope it helps! Good luck all!
Gall Bladder Removal & IBS Link
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Hi Wendella,I am sorry to hear about all the trouble you had after the removal of your gallbladder. I have heard many people describe symptoms for up to two years after they had their gallbladders removed....mainly suffering from major D. I have had IBS for many many years and recently was diagnosed with a low functioning gallbladder and I will at some point need to have my gallbladder removed. Since I don't have stones right now I try to manage until I decide to schedule the surgery.The first thing my surgeon and GI told me is to expect D after the surgery. Some people they told me will be over the initial shock and symptoms of D within a few weeks but there are some who can suffere up to 2 years or more. I know many people on this board have posted similar symptoms post gallbladder surgery and have found much success in adding more calcium carbonate to their diets. The calcium will bind the extra bile salts that are now in the intestine due to the gallbladder being removed.I am a C - type myself and I can't imagine becoming a D type after surgery but my Dr. tells me it is highly probable. The way he described it.. is you no longer have the sac to hold the bile for release on meals and instead the bile goes directly from the liver to the small intestine ...creating an excess of bile in many people...until your body adapts to no longer have the gallbladder. He says after time the liver will produce less bile and your intestines will adapt to the increase in bile. I guess in some people it might take longer for your body to make the adjustments.I think the nutrition recommendations are also good suggestions..because I know for myself right now the way that I manage my symptoms is by diet and if I eat right I feel pretty good.
You are so right.......and what a great post. 10 years after gall bladder removal here I am, with IBS-C. One of my, older, alt. med. M.D.'s said to me, "Do you understand you CAN'T process fats, any kind, now with your gall bladder out?". Sorry to say I didn't. Well, that did it, I went vegan vegetarian and absolutely no fats of any kind. In fact I'm on more of a Dean Ornish type diet.......not even nuts allowed. It was an avacado that brought on the initial gall bladder attack which caused me to have it removed (it had a stone the size of a golf ball in it) and I didn't touch avacados for nearly 8 years. Got back on them and now with IBS. Go figure. You better believe I will pass on those again as long as I live. Strange ey? Anyway, your advise is good. I just so wish the docs that are so ready to take gall bladders out would advise their patients to what their condition, for life, will be after the removal. Unfortunately the $$$ means more to them then the future of their patients. Thanks again. I hope everyone reads your post!
Wendella I had my gallbladder taken out 4 years ago to. I lost 100 pounds in a year. Everytime I ate I would have to run to the bathroom. It has gotten just a little better over the years but not much. I still have "D" all the time, but every now and then now I get "C" and end up taking something to make me go and then I start the cycle again. I went to the doctor the other day for my thyroid{had it taken out 10 months ago had a hugh tumor on it} I told him about the "D" and he said that it was not caused by having my gallbladder taken out that I had IBS. I listened to him but you can not tell me that it was not started with having my gallbladder out. He said that it was an old wise tell. that having your gallbladder taken out caused "D". But until you live through it you do not know. He is doing some test and wants to start me on antidepressants to help with the "D". Have you tried this are any other drugs?
Always get a second opinion before having your gallbladder out!!!I had mine removed in 1996 after having only mild cramping and D after eating. I had no pain, only mild cramping and D. Not all the time, just more than I was comfortable with. After a couple of tests, I was told I had stones and that my gb needed out. I did not get a second opinion because I was so ready for a quick fix that I just wanted it done and over with. I am still paying for it after all these years
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I now have IBS-D which I am trying to keep under control with calcium and citrucel as well as fiber cereals(I've already been through all the meds and now am trying it to control it more naturally). After the gb surgery I immediately developed a severe pain that comes in "attacks". It centers in the sternum area and radiates to my back. Feels like a heart attack or something. It is absolutely excruciating. I never know when an attack will raise it's ugly head and we still do not know what it is! I was diagosed with acid reflux at first but NOT EVEN ONE of the acid reducing drugs helped me so they have now decided that is probably not it-duh!Now is the kicker...when my gallbladder was removed, no stones were found. My gb was fine.Get a second opinion before ever having it removed. I didn't and now I have more problems than I started with
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Jleigh
Oops, didn't meant to post that incomplete message, here's the rest--What you have is bile salt D, and it is treatable with a drug called Questran, and for some people Calcium also works. Hop over to the D or otc boards to check this out. The D we get after gall bladder removal is completely different than IBS. Doctors shouldn't be so quick to label patients with IBS without completely analyzing the symptoms and any causes. I think it's disrespectful to those who are truly suffering with IBS to just lump any old D victim in that group.
HereIam,I had IBS-D BEFORE my gallbladder was removed, I just had not been officially diagnosed yet. I still have IBS-D only it is worse than it was before and I also have some other stinking pain that started after the gallbladder removal that I did not have before.Questran DID NOT work very well.Jleigh
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I just saw this post as I am not on here much. I had my gall bladder taken out 1 year ago. I have not noticed any problems as far as D at all. It sounds as if I will be better off if I stay on as low fat a diet as possible. I do have bowel movements 3-4 times a day but ususally of normal consistancy.Mom
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