Constipation....is it common after gallbladder surgery?

Here is the deal........RNY done 8/29/07, gallbladder removed 3/18/08 due to stones. I had ZERO difficulty with constipation UNTIL I had my gallbladder removed....ever since then, I no longer go daily, it has become typical to go 4 and 5 days without having a BM.  Honestly I start feeling crampy, bloated and start burping alot when just 2 days pass. What has changed so drastically?  Or are the two not related? I have been using Colace lately and it doesn't really help.  Missy

Adding a litte fat usually helps me get things moving along.  Try adding a little butter to what you cook.  Don't go over board though!  A tablespoon will do it! Michele

Have you tried Miralax??  Dr. C suggested Miralax and Colace daily with Benefiber. That worked some but not very well for me but everyones different.

I am desperate....I will try this and see if it helps. Missy

i had the opposite problem, was constipated all the time prior to gall bladder removal..now i go 2 to 3 times a day.... prior to the GB surgery i used miralax daily...it worked wonders good luck

are you using any painkillers like Vicodin or Percocet?  These cancause constipatlion

For those not having RNY, gallbladder surgery usually leads to bile salts diarrhea. I think most RNYers avoid fats, and have constipation instead, no matter if they had gallbladder removal or not. For myself, I eat natural fats like butter, and healthy ones like olive oil, so i rarely have any problems with constipation. Eating neccessary fats doesn't mean you soak everything in grease. Hopefully, you are able to eat fats without dumping, although I'm not clear on what dumping on fats really means. I understand dumping on sugars.

Missy, I have the same problem. I had my gallbladder removed almost one year after RNY and I have constipation issues all the tiem now. It is normal for me to go once ever 2-3 days now (sometimes longer). A Rny friend of mine hs the same problem. It is strange because gb removal usually causes the opposite problem. I find adding fat helps but sometimes when it goes to long, try taking a little something or eating a couple of dried plums, coffee also helps me...weird, huh? Best of luck!

Are you by chance still taking pain meds?  Many of them will constipate you.

I was taking Hydrocodone initially after the gallbladder surgery.  That was 1-2 a day, for about a week post op.  Since about the last week of March, it has been nothing but ES Tylenol as needed. But thanks for the thoughts.... Missy