Question:
Gall Bladder

Hello, all. I am puzzled. The other night, 3 days after getting my gall bladder removed, I had a horrible pain attack exactly the same as the pain that brought my surgeon to the conclusion it was my GB in the first place. Upper abd pain, across the top to both sides, shooting through to my back and up to my shoulder blades. It was worse than ever and I was in tears. I thought that was the whole point of getting the GB removed? Could it be something else and they just so happened to find that my GB was blocked? There weren't any stones and my gastroenterologist wasn't even sure that the pain was from a GB attack in the first place. Thanks for your help.    — Kelly C. (posted on March 10, 2003)

March 10, 2003
Kelly , always consult with your doctor to make sure it's not anything major. I had my gallbladder taken out in 1980 the old fashioned way. I remember to this day how bad the pain was about 3 days after surgery. The doc said it was muscle spasms. Maybe that's all it is. It will go away.
   — Debbie W.

March 10, 2003
It seems to me I remember my surgeon telling me after my GB was removed to watch for symptoms of another attack because it could mean that one of the stone had made it through the valve on the GB and had gotten into the bile duct. You might want to call your surgeon. Watch and see if it happens again, I'd go to the ER.
   — KelBurt

March 10, 2003
Have them check to make sure you don't have any stones lodged in your bile duct. That happended to me and I it caused some many problems. It felt like a gall bladder attack. An MRI or CATSCAN should be able to tell. If that is the case. It can cause your liver to become infected from the bile. Good Luck and I feel for you.
   — Lora T.

March 10, 2003
I had open RNY 2/21/02, 325/218. On 2/8/03 I had emergency gall bladder surgery, not lap because there were stones they had to go after. On 3/1/03 I had a terrible attack, far worse than any gall bladder attack before. Called WLS surgeon and he thought it was a blockage and told me to take Adolph's meat tenderizer. The attack stopped at 4:45PM and I didn't get the tenderizer until 6:00PM but I took it and had no more attacks. Then I got to thinking...how like a gall bladder attack this was, so I call GB surgeon. Sure enough, she told me that it is not unusual to miss a stone, no matter how carefully they search. She also said if it happens again to (1) call the ambulance and (2) then call her and she'll authorize a CAT scan and blood work. I am terrified of another attack -- with the others I moaned and groaned and cried, but with this one I was shouting and hollering and I haven't done that since I went into back labor with my last child in 1961! I would strongly suggest you speak with your gall bladder surgeon and see what s/he says. I feel lots better knowing I will be under medical care immediately if it happens again. Nina in Maine
   — [Deactivated Member]

March 10, 2003
Well I thought I was the only one who had a gallbladder removed and still have attacks and WORSE afterward than before. The surgeon who removed my gallbladder said a duct (?) collapsed but he was pretty sure he got them all. Well I'm thinking perhaps he did'nt. I've had xrays and still don't know what causes this. I've had around 7 attacks in a years time. When they hit the pain is so bad that I would'nt be surprised if I was dying. I've had alot of surgeries and I am used to pain, but when these hit it is some of the worse pain I've experienced. I'm going to keep watching this question. Hopefully I will find some answers. Just know, you are not the only ones experiencing this!
   — Danmark

March 10, 2003
Well you say you didn't have stones in your gallbladder but were there stones in the bile ducts leading from the liver to the gallbladder. These are often the size of sand and can block the duct and cause the same pain as if there were stones in the gallbladder. I used to work in surgery Xraying to see if they got all the stones when they did GB surgery. You might want to check with you doctor about the possibility of some sandy particles left in the duct. It may have been so small that it didn't show up when they did you surgery and has washed down the duct now after surgery. Good luck and I hope you get this resolved soon.
   — Gay S.

March 11, 2003
Thanks to all who responded and good luck to all who have the same problem! I spoke to my GB surgeon right after the attack and she blamed it on me drinking regular milk which has a high fat content. BS! I can eat fried chicken all day and still not have an attack (not that I would, but you get my drift). Nothing in particular brings it on, I even have attacks when I haven't eaten anything at all. I had my GB removed due to "sludge" and "gravel" blocking one of the ducts (not the common bile duct). No real "stones". I have an appt. today, we'll see! :)
   — Kelly C.

March 11, 2003
Kelly, I too have expirienced msytery GB pain and my GB was taken out in 2001... and what everyone else writes- it's true, and it is what my Doctor told me as well. As for what triggers them- it can be ANYTHING. So while fatty milk may do it to you, it doesn't for me. Or if fried chicken doesn't for you, it can for me... and it always isn't consistent. Something bad today, is something OK tomorrow. The GB is a very tricky fella. Good news is that these twinges have faded considerably since 2001, and when I get it- I know what it is and it passes quickly.
   — Karen R.