Pros/cons of gall bladder removal?
Discussion
Johnspex said:
I had mine out 4 years ago.
It's essential to have it done, or so I was told. I believe peritonitis can set in and kill you.
I eat anything now BUT if I don't take my medication twice a day (colestyramine) backed up with loperamide the effect on my bowels within MINUTES of eating is catastrophic. I can't venture far from a toilet. It also led to weepage and soreness that led my doctor, on examination, to say " Oh God , you poor man".
A gastro-enterologist friend said a number of patients end up with diarrhoea for the rest of their lives
However, as I said, on the medication I'm absolutely fine.
Get it done.
I'm a thrice before lunch man, so that sounds the norm.It's essential to have it done, or so I was told. I believe peritonitis can set in and kill you.
I eat anything now BUT if I don't take my medication twice a day (colestyramine) backed up with loperamide the effect on my bowels within MINUTES of eating is catastrophic. I can't venture far from a toilet. It also led to weepage and soreness that led my doctor, on examination, to say " Oh God , you poor man".
A gastro-enterologist friend said a number of patients end up with diarrhoea for the rest of their lives
However, as I said, on the medication I'm absolutely fine.
Get it done.
Johnspex said:
I had mine out 4 years ago.
It's essential to have it done, or so I was told. I believe peritonitis can set in and kill you.
I eat anything now BUT if I don't take my medication twice a day (colestyramine) backed up with loperamide the effect on my bowels within MINUTES of eating is catastrophic. I can't venture far from a toilet. It also led to weepage and soreness that led my doctor, on examination, to say " Oh God , you poor man".
A gastro-enterologist friend said a number of patients end up with diarrhoea for the rest of their lives
However, as I said, on the medication I'm absolutely fine.
Get it done.
+1. Bowels like a teenager now but would rather do without the meds if I'm honest. BTW OP, this is a very rare result from a gall bladder removal operation. It happens to only a small percentage of people (the special ones obv!). Most people just cary on as before. Have it done and dont look back.It's essential to have it done, or so I was told. I believe peritonitis can set in and kill you.
I eat anything now BUT if I don't take my medication twice a day (colestyramine) backed up with loperamide the effect on my bowels within MINUTES of eating is catastrophic. I can't venture far from a toilet. It also led to weepage and soreness that led my doctor, on examination, to say " Oh God , you poor man".
A gastro-enterologist friend said a number of patients end up with diarrhoea for the rest of their lives
However, as I said, on the medication I'm absolutely fine.
Get it done.
JM
Johnspex said:
I had mine out 4 years ago.
It's essential to have it done, or so I was told. I believe peritonitis can set in and kill you.
I eat anything now BUT if I don't take my medication twice a day (colestyramine) backed up with loperamide the effect on my bowels within MINUTES of eating is catastrophic. I can't venture far from a toilet. It also led to weepage and soreness that led my doctor, on examination, to say " Oh God , you poor man".
A gastro-enterologist friend said a number of patients end up with diarrhoea for the rest of their lives
However, as I said, on the medication I'm absolutely fine.
Get it done.
What the actual fIt's essential to have it done, or so I was told. I believe peritonitis can set in and kill you.
I eat anything now BUT if I don't take my medication twice a day (colestyramine) backed up with loperamide the effect on my bowels within MINUTES of eating is catastrophic. I can't venture far from a toilet. It also led to weepage and soreness that led my doctor, on examination, to say " Oh God , you poor man".
A gastro-enterologist friend said a number of patients end up with diarrhoea for the rest of their lives
However, as I said, on the medication I'm absolutely fine.
Get it done.
k - there's medication to treat this ?Since having my gallbladder out 3 years ago, I suffer from this after any main meal. Explosive diahorrea, and I do mean explosive - measured in megatons, exactly 20 minutes after eating.
Eating out - forget it, in fact its unbelievably limiting. I won't venture anywhere after eating lunch or dinner.
Its not like they didn't follow up on this. Umteen hospital followup appointments, colonoscopies etc and all they could tell me was they couldn't find the cause.
Actually, I'm pretty f
ked off nowEdited by littlebasher on Friday 28th October 21:52
Edited by littlebasher on Saturday 29th October 00:28
littlebasher said:
Johnspex said:
I had mine out 4 years ago.
It's essential to have it done, or so I was told. I believe peritonitis can set in and kill you.
I eat anything now BUT if I don't take my medication twice a day (colestyramine) backed up with loperamide the effect on my bowels within MINUTES of eating is catastrophic. I can't venture far from a toilet. It also led to weepage and soreness that led my doctor, on examination, to say " Oh God , you poor man".
A gastro-enterologist friend said a number of patients end up with diarrhoea for the rest of their lives
However, as I said, on the medication I'm absolutely fine.
Get it done.
What the actual fIt's essential to have it done, or so I was told. I believe peritonitis can set in and kill you.
I eat anything now BUT if I don't take my medication twice a day (colestyramine) backed up with loperamide the effect on my bowels within MINUTES of eating is catastrophic. I can't venture far from a toilet. It also led to weepage and soreness that led my doctor, on examination, to say " Oh God , you poor man".
A gastro-enterologist friend said a number of patients end up with diarrhoea for the rest of their lives
However, as I said, on the medication I'm absolutely fine.
Get it done.
k - there's medication to treat this ?Since having my gallbladder out 3 years ago, I suffer from this with following any main meal of the day.Explosive diahorrea, and I do mean explosive - measured in megatons, exactly 20 mins after eating.
Eating out - forget it, in fact its unbelievably limiting. I won't venture anywhere after eating lunch or dinner.
Its not like its they didn't follow up on this. Umteen hospital followup appointments, colonoscopies etc and all they could tell me was they couldn't find the cause.
Actually, I'm pretty f
ked off nowcrofty1984 said:
smiffy180 said:
You'll never be able to have a takeaway again if you don't get it removed, or I couldn't. Set it off every time 
WHAT??? Someone get me a broken bottle and a spoon - that fker's coming OUT!Even funnier, both me and my Mrs had at the same time!
We didn't have takeaways for weeks!
Don't really have them much now but it's nice not having to worry about setting it off. It was pot luck.
I had mine out in early 2014. I already had IBS digestion issues without the GB playing up... Anyway, out it came - I got a couple of stones to bring home (whoopee) and it screwed around with my gut symptoms - nausea, bloating - for months. Ultimately I cut down on dairy (I use lactose free milk) and am mostly gluten free, which eventually seemed to help.
Anyway as far as the GB removal goes, I don't have the diarrhoea thing I'm glad to say. My body digests food pretty slowly though and I get full quickly - I rarely eat pudding with a meal now. That's the main thing - getting full quickly and not eating as much. I was told to stay away from fatty foods but I have done for years anyway really. On balance, being without it is better than having an inflamed GB with stones in but doctors who say "you don't really need it" are talking crap...
Anyway as far as the GB removal goes, I don't have the diarrhoea thing I'm glad to say. My body digests food pretty slowly though and I get full quickly - I rarely eat pudding with a meal now. That's the main thing - getting full quickly and not eating as much. I was told to stay away from fatty foods but I have done for years anyway really. On balance, being without it is better than having an inflamed GB with stones in but doctors who say "you don't really need it" are talking crap...
I had to go to hospital with horrendous stomach pains a couple of weeks ago. I thought I'd had it.
I had loads of tests, heart, CT, bloods and it turned out there was an inflamation in my gall bladder.
Foolishly I had been pigging out on st, too much chocolate/fatty stuff for weeks and my body said...enough.
A course of anti-biotics for a few days and I am now right as rain.
Not touched chocolate since. Have gone cold turkey.
I have learnt my lesson, also lost nearly half a stone since.
I had loads of tests, heart, CT, bloods and it turned out there was an inflamation in my gall bladder.
Foolishly I had been pigging out on s
t, too much chocolate/fatty stuff for weeks and my body said...enough.A course of anti-biotics for a few days and I am now right as rain.
Not touched chocolate since. Have gone cold turkey.
I have learnt my lesson, also lost nearly half a stone since.
I had terrible aches high up in my chest which would subside after about an hour and I put it down to heart-burn. I also had really sharp pains all round my chest which I put down to over-exercise.
However my new wife, who cared more than the first one, insisted on me going to hospital. They did Murphy's sign (or test) which involves sticking their fingers in your ribs while you cough or something. They diagnosed Gall bladder problems immediately. I was in for 2 days on morphine and drip anti-biotics. They sent me home on the Tuesday saying they would take it out when the infection had cleared. I was back on the Thursday, nil-by-mouth, more anti-biotics and more morphine.
Eventually I was sent home to wait for an appointment for an op.
They lost my notes and it took months all the time on a fat-free diet.
Anyway, they did the op and the next day the surgeon came round and said "I suppose you've heard?" I said no and he said " very tricky, lots of stones, lots of stones"
I've got the stones at home it looks like someone smashed an bar of peanut brittle.
The op it self was fine but the after effects were terrible.
Explosive bowel movements as I and others said above in a few minutes of eating. Ruined my life for a while and the anal weeping was phenomenally unpleasant and uncomfortable. However the hospital and the GP sorted that out with Questran (colestyramine) which I take twice a day and MUST not be missed. I'm now perfectly fine.
Don't put up with the pain from the gall bladder and don't put up with the after effects.
As already said, not everyone gets the same problems after, but if you do see the doctor.
However my new wife, who cared more than the first one, insisted on me going to hospital. They did Murphy's sign (or test) which involves sticking their fingers in your ribs while you cough or something. They diagnosed Gall bladder problems immediately. I was in for 2 days on morphine and drip anti-biotics. They sent me home on the Tuesday saying they would take it out when the infection had cleared. I was back on the Thursday, nil-by-mouth, more anti-biotics and more morphine.
Eventually I was sent home to wait for an appointment for an op.
They lost my notes and it took months all the time on a fat-free diet.
Anyway, they did the op and the next day the surgeon came round and said "I suppose you've heard?" I said no and he said " very tricky, lots of stones, lots of stones"
I've got the stones at home it looks like someone smashed an bar of peanut brittle.
The op it self was fine but the after effects were terrible.
Explosive bowel movements as I and others said above in a few minutes of eating. Ruined my life for a while and the anal weeping was phenomenally unpleasant and uncomfortable. However the hospital and the GP sorted that out with Questran (colestyramine) which I take twice a day and MUST not be missed. I'm now perfectly fine.
Don't put up with the pain from the gall bladder and don't put up with the after effects.
As already said, not everyone gets the same problems after, but if you do see the doctor.
ReaperCushions said:
Had it done in 2011 privately (work insurance). So didn't have to suffer the 18 months waiting list I was quoted on the NHS.
Zero ill effects for me.. Back to eating anything I like.
No weight gain at all or feeling full quicker? Your body can't digest as quickly without a GB.Zero ill effects for me.. Back to eating anything I like.
Flip Martian said:
ReaperCushions said:
Had it done in 2011 privately (work insurance). So didn't have to suffer the 18 months waiting list I was quoted on the NHS.
Zero ill effects for me.. Back to eating anything I like.
No weight gain at all or feeling full quicker? Your body can't digest as quickly without a GB.Zero ill effects for me.. Back to eating anything I like.
ReaperCushions said:
Maybe a bit of weight gain, but not enough to think it wouldnt have happened anyway with my poor diet (Hence the gallstones in the first place)
Fair enough. I found myself eating less - I just get too full too quickly. Strange to think I used to eat a sunday roast and then have a pudding afterwards; can't now.Flip Martian said:
ReaperCushions said:
Had it done in 2011 privately (work insurance). So didn't have to suffer the 18 months waiting list I was quoted on the NHS.
Zero ill effects for me.. Back to eating anything I like.
No weight gain at all or feeling full quicker? Your body can't digest as quickly without a GB.Zero ill effects for me.. Back to eating anything I like.
I find high fat meals go through me quicker but eat anything I like
smiffy180 said:
I'm in the same boat. Still eat 3800 cals to maintain weight.
I find high fat meals go through me quicker but eat anything I like
Sorry to drag this up again - what's the recovery like? I mean I won't be immobile the day after I'm assuming. As long as I can hobble round the house to get to the loo I'm all good.I find high fat meals go through me quicker but eat anything I like
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff