I have irritable bowel syndrome; is it related to having my gallbladder out?

I have had varying degrees of chronic stomach cramping and loose bowel movements for my entire adult life. I had my gallbladder removed when I was 23 and the IBS symptoms seem to go back to that time now that I think about it. I never thought to connect it to my gallbladder surgery. Is there a connection? What exactly is the function of the gallbladder and what are the possible consequences of having it removed? There doesn't seem to be much relation between getting these symptoms and what I eat anymore. Lately, Ive had accidents because I was more than a couple minutes away from a bathroom. This is becoming such a crippling problem. Will losing a substantial amount of weight help? I'm 5'2 or so and 267, never have been this heavy. I have developed bladder incontinence since gaining so much weight, I wonder if that is why the sudden increase of bowel incontinence has appeared as well. Sorry for the long question, but I'd really really appreciate some advice.

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