# Need Advice - Gallbladder (In or Out?)



## itsmebaby (Apr 15, 2010)

Hi all. I need some advice from all you patient-experts on this forum.

I'll try to make this brief:

Chronic diarrhea that has been worsening over time in the past several years. After colonoscopy and upper endo, I was diagnosed with IBS-D.

Suspect endometriosis, but never got a diagnostic lap (got pregnant, symptoms improved, went on progesterone, symptoms improved).

Within a few months after delivery, started getting an intermittant pressure in upper right abdomen; right under my rib. Feels like something is there; in the early days, it seemed to coincide with my menstrual cycle.

The weird feeling in my upper right abdomen has been increasing in frequency and intensity. Never to the level of having to go to the ER, though.

(Usually diarrhea is light colored; and, on a few occasions, it has been the acidy burning yellow diarrhea.)

Been taking Align probiotic, Viactiv chews (calcium + D) which both helped with the diarrhea up until about 6 months ago. Been on Nexium for years, but am down to half the dose (20 mg) for past 2 months - dosing down to eventually come off Nexium.

After an extreme increase in all my symptoms in the past 6 months (including new pressure/pain just under my back right shoulderblade), I went to a new gastro doc.

Normal HIDA

Normal ultrasound

Normal labs

Based on my symptoms/complaints, my gastro doc still wants me to speak to a surgeon about getting my gallbladder out. He says there is an approximate 85% chance I will see an improvement in my symptoms.

Right now, I can't eat anything with fat in it. For example, last time I tried italian salad dressing, the pain came back more intense than ever. I cut red meat, gluten, and dairy out, with some improvement in my symptoms. Eating out has pretty much assured that awful malaise, bloat, pressure/pain, and diarrhea.

What do you think? Thanks so much, in advance, for your advice.


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## Colt (May 5, 2011)

Many people who do not have IBS end up with bile-salt diarrhea after a gall bladder removal. I would think that removal would quite possible exacerbate existing symptoms. It guess it comes down to how bad the gall bladder symptoms get.

It is one of those "damned if you do and damned if you don't" kinda things.

I feel for ya.....best of luck.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

If all the tests are normal, I'd be unlikely to get my gall bladder out. There can be IBS pain from the upper right quadrant, and sometimes there can be a functional problem with the sphincter of Oddi that causes gall-bladder like pain, but they usually only diagnose that after the gall bladder is removed and the same pain persists.

I'd like at least some evidence the gall bladder was the problem, especially since some people do get diarrhea from bile salts (like 10% i think was the last number I saw tossed out).

If it is the gall bladder itself, removing it may get rid of the pain, and I guess it depends on how bad that pain was, and how much trouble maintaining the lower fat diet was for me. I have eaten out on a low fat diet, and it can be done, but you really have to go to places that will do substitutions and custom order (like all sauces and dressings on the side and will bake/broil/steam things without butter or other fats that usually make the restaurant food so tasty).


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## itsmebaby (Apr 15, 2010)

Thanks for your replies. The comment about bile salts is interesting... I had not thought about it before, but I googled it and found a small investigator initiated trial where IBS patients (who still had their gallbladders) were actually given Questran and saw improvement in their symptoms. I am searching alternatives to removing an organ and will check this out further. Thank you again.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Questran can be constipating (it's most common side effect when used for the original purpose) so it is unclear in IBS-D if it is all about the bile, or it is only the normal side effect counteracting the diarrhea.


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## Colt (May 5, 2011)

itsmebaby said:


> Thanks for your replies. The comment about bile salts is interesting... I had not thought about it before, but I googled it and found a small investigator initiated trial where IBS patients (who still had their gallbladders) were actually given Questran and saw improvement in their symptoms. I am searching alternatives to removing an organ and will check this out further. Thank you again.


Yes, Questran powder WITHOUT artificial sweetener in it is very effective for many people. I use it from time to time when I take breaks from Imodium.


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## Lauram58 (Apr 23, 2014)

Hi i suffer with IBS D and had my gallbladder removed around 18 months ago, my IBS has hot alot worse since having it removed! Im in pain daily after everything i eat and have to rush to the loo within about 5 mins if eating! Its awful! However i also know how awful the gallbladder pain is too, if i had of known it would have made my IBS worse i would never of had it removed!


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## ellewhite (May 3, 2014)

I've had ibs-d since 2005 (officially at least) during 2009 I started getting nauseated couldn't even smell food let alone eat any buy 2010 they figured out my gallbladder no longer functioned cause my body decided it didn't need it. It was removed and I got better by 2012 I was feeling normalish and my diarrhea has regulated itself on its own now for the most part.

Truth be told I'm glad its gone. I miss fatty foods like bacon but I survive


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## itsmebaby (Apr 15, 2010)

Thanks for your responses. I wanted to do an update. I went to see a surgeon and he mentioned that my gallbladder ejection fraction rate is 95% (HiDA scan result). This indicates a hyperkinetic gallbladder, especially with all of my symptoms. What makes me mad is that the nurse that called with my test results weeks ago just told me it was "normal." This is a perfect example of how we should all, as patients, ask for a copy of our lab reports! (Just like my lab report from two years ago showed a "borderline" wheat allergy. I only got a copy a year later because I switched doctors and transferred records. Seriously, with all the diarrhea I was having... Something like that could have been significant. grrrrrrrrrr!


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## thebigboo (Dec 17, 2007)

Well, I got me gallbladder taken out. It has been 24 hours. My whole abdomen is hurting and I'm breathing shallow. I hope I will feel better tomorrow. Turns out that my gallbladder was inflamed and there were a lot of adhesions (in addition to the very high ejection fraction rate). This was not found on any of the tests, so it goes to show you that the tests available today can't pick up everything.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

True Bigboo.. they can't show everything. Go easy and let your body heal... The pain should ebb with each day. Try eating low fat for a bit until your body adjusts to life without a gall bladder. Hope you heal well and swiftly!


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