For those who have had their gallbladders removed - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

Jen · 03-17-2004, 12:03 PM

Just wondering if any of you have had any of the same pain you had before the surgery. My dh had his out in November and starting having the same pains a couple of weeks ago. Don't know what it is yet, he can't get in to see the dr til next week. I'm hoping it is not more gallstones, apparently they can form in the bile ducts even when the gallbladder has been removed.

dowsx4 · 03-17-2004, 09:49 PM

I have gotten a few twinges in my back and some pain if I over do it in the gym but no pain like a full blown attack. I hope everything turns out ok. Please keep us updated!

barbygirl43 · 03-17-2004, 10:38 PM

I've never had any pains since having mine out in June 2001 but mine was so compacted down they couldn't even tell if I had stones or not when it was removed.

Sandi · 03-18-2004, 12:51 PM

A few pain in the immediate weeks following, but none since!

Jenaya · 03-18-2004, 07:40 PM

If you do an internet search for Merck Manual and then look up cholecystis there is a section under "treatment" that describes gallbladder type pain after gallbladder removal. Hope hubby feels well soon!

Jenaya

Charbar · 03-19-2004, 07:30 AM

I had mine removed when I was 16 - it was 1986!!! I never felt anything bad after my surgury.

jkfla · 03-19-2004, 12:22 PM

i had mine out in 1996!....... but i was 18. my aunt and i had ours out the same day.

i had pain for years after i had mine out. they called them phantom pains. like if you have a limb amputated you can still feel it........ i had them really bad during the pregnancies.... and that's really the last time i felt them.

hopefully its nothing but phantom pains but let us know though!
i didnt have gall stones though. mine just quit working.

Raelynn · 03-20-2004, 05:21 PM

I had mine out in 1999 and I have had a few minor phantom pains, but nothing like I use to get before having mine removed.

Jen · 03-22-2004, 09:39 AM

I have done internet searches about what could be causing this pain my dh is having and because his symptoms are so similar to the pains he had prior to having his gallbladder out I am thinking he has developed gallstones again in the bile ducts. We'll know more I hope when he gets to see the dr this week and hopefully she'll send him for an ultrasound to see what is going on. I don't think it could be phantom pains particularly as they didn't start til 5 months after he had his gallbladder out and also they are very severe. Well we'll see. Thanks everyone for their input.

Sandi · 03-22-2004, 09:49 AM

Jen -

If he gets more stones in his bile ducts, it can be very serious, becuase if the bile duct gets blocked the bile has no where to go because there is no gallbladder. It can lead to complications such as pancreatitis (sp?). Make sure he sees his Doc as soon as possible. I had stones in my bile duct and that is why they postponed my surgery so they could get them out first.

Let us know what happens.

jkfla · 03-22-2004, 05:39 PM

my first phantom pain was about 5 weeks after i had it taken out. i was scared to death that they took the wrong thing out and i'd have to go back in for another surgery. LOL during pregnancy it got so bad i couldn't move. i'd be stuck where i was til it quit hurting. it hurt from my front all the way through to my back just like it did before i had it taken out. it hurt so bad i just wanted to die.

please update us as soon as you find out what is going on..

Jen · 03-24-2004, 03:39 PM

I can't believe that phantom pain can be that bad!! I wonder if you had just developed more gallstones in the bile ducts but they were small enough that they had passed. Did you see a dr when you had the pains and how did she/he determine that it was only phantom pain and nothing more serious? How on earth do you treat phantom pain?? I'm really perplexed by this whole thing!

My dh is going to the dr tomorrow morning and I'm insisting on an ultrasound, x-rays and the whole shebang. We aren't going to wait longer while they're slowpoking around sending him to "specialists" particularly when it takes forever to get appointments. Ah the wonders of public health care! So far nothing else seems to have developed, my dh is just having tons of pain. I've been checking him over as best I can, mostly I've been watching for jaundice. I do hope in some ways that it is just phantom pain as I don't want anything to be wrong with him that is going to require more surgery but I don't know how he'll overcome phantom pain. Oh well, I'll keep you updated on what happens.

jkfla · 03-24-2004, 10:52 PM

the first time i had the pains was before my post op follow up so i did have the ultrasound and all that for the check up. that's when they told me about phantom pains......... and that i had scar tissue build up around the incisions and they could cut that out but it would only lead to more scar tissue.

my pains were most painful during pregnancy and my ob even said phantom pains without even knowing my gall bladder history.

i really believe part of my problem when the pain was at its worst is because of the weight gain i had. i've only lost 20 pounds from my highest weight but i haven't had the pains since.

and yes phantom pains can be that bad........ or maybe i'm just a huge wimp LOL
but anyway. i'll be checking back throughout tomorrow to see what the doc says so please let us know as soon as you find out! and i'm hoping its nothing serious!

Jen · 03-25-2004, 09:38 AM

Thanks for posting back Shelly. Haven't been to the dr yet but my imagination has gone wild thinking of all the things it could be. Sadly being a nurse in these circumstances is not always a good thing. My dh is not overweight so it isn't like he would have a lot of pressure on the scar tissue that would cause pain. Actually he's lost tons of weight because of having these problems because he is in so much pain he doesn't want to eat. Yesterday all he had was a bowl of soup. He stayed up really late doing work and I woke up when he came to bed and he said that he felt like he was dying, he was in so much pain and then also that it hurt to have his shirt on, just the fabric touching the skin on his chest and abdomen hurt. You know to me that sounds like something is definately wrong. Oh well, his appt is in about an hour and I suppose he'll have to wait for an ultrasound but I'm making sure he is getting all the tests he needs. Also what meds did you take for the pain? I suppose being pg you couldn't take much but even Tylenol #3's aren't doing much for the pain. I am very frustrated because my dh is in so much pain and there isn't anything I can do to help him.

jkfla · 03-25-2004, 05:38 PM

are you back from the doctor yet? i wasn't able to check in like i had planned (dillon had a bad day at school so i ended up having to go get him)

are his incisions already healed up? is it hurting around the incisions?
is he going through a lot of stress?
i didnt take anything for the pains.... i'd just try to sleep it off.