Gallbladder removal and pain – Part 1

Doctors will tell you that having your gallbladder removed is minor, insignificant surgery. But half or more of the people who have their gallbladders removed experience post-cholecystectomy syndrome, or significant pain following gallbladder removal. If you are about to have the surgery, I recommend you do everything else first and leave surgery as a final option. If you’ve had the surgery and our now experiencing post surgery pain long afterward, you have post-cholecystectomy syndrome which is very real and can be very painful and disabling. You need to find a qualified gastroenterologist, preferably in a large well known clinic, to perform a procedure called an ERCP. You may have a type of MRI done first for a less invasive approach, known as an MRCP. The ERCP will stick a camera down your throat, while you’re sedated, and check out what is causing your pain. It is also possible for the doctor to fix the cause of the pain while they are in there. You may have residual stones, infection, strictures, swelling, blockages, or even perforations from your gallbladder surgery. These can cause long term chronic intermittent symptoms including: epigastric pain, upper-right quandrant pain, vomiting, diarhea, excessive heartburn, inability to digest certain foods, etc. An ERCP can significantly decrease or even eliminate these symptoms. Even if you have no discernable cause for your pain, a sphincterotomy, which is performed during an ERCP, can help relieve some negative symptoms. Feel free to research these terms but don’t let them tell you it’s all in your head or just IBS or fatty foods.

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