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Pain 10 after gallbladder removal

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I had my gallbladder removed 10 days ago. I feel like i was recovering pretty normal the first 5 days. Pain more then I thought I would but for the most part normal. Then the night of day 5 I decided to sleep in my bed (instead of propped on the couch) because I was feeling pretty good. Well I turned to lay on my left side and all of a sudden I felt the worse pain I have ever felt in my life on the whole right side of my stomach. I couldn't move and was stuck there for 45 min until my husband who was working on his car in the garage came in. He came in to find me sobbing. It took about another 10 min just to calm down enough to have him move me.
Once I moved positions and 2 vicodin later I got the pain under control. The pain wasn't that bad again but definitely set me back on my recovery.

I didn't call my doc waited for my post op appointment 2 days later. He told me he didn't know what it was, and didn't feel like it was necessary to do any test, just had me take another week off of work. I felt like he just looked at me like a baby and that I was trying to milk it. Which is quit the opposite! I hate this and want to just bounce back like I was hoping too!

Never the less the next few days I tried the whole mind over mater thing thinking it was just all in my head. I feel like I was getting a little better, but then today day 10 I have an increase in pain again. Almost like intense gas pain on the right side, but not constipated or feel that gassy. But sharp pain on the whole right side of my abdomen going through to my back. Doesn't seem to make a difference on what I eat, actually it wakes me up in the middle of the night and so hard to move when I wake up in the morning.

Anyway just wondering if anyone has had this issue, and if I should be doing anything else?

Thanks!
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replied March 7th, 2012
Welcome to e health forum.


Persistent pain after cholecystectomy, is associated with post cholecystectomy syndrome (PCS).

Such symptoms occur in about 5 to 40 % of patients undergoing the procedure and may include - Upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, Gas, bloating, diarrhea and persistent pain in the upper right abdomen.

Such symptoms are usually due to either sphincter of Oddi dysfunction or to post-surgical adhesions.

Other conditions which can give rise to such pain can be many, including :-

1. Retained stone in the cystic duct, gall bladder duct.
2. Inflammation of gall bladder duct, if long enough had been left behind.
3. Inflammation of the part of gall bladder, if some part of gall bladder had been left behind as in case of partial Cholecystectomy in a difficult to remove gall bladder,
4. Overlooked stone in the common bile duct.
5. Already narrowed opening of the bile duct.

Treatment of the condition might need treatment with antacids, proton pump inhibitors, antispasmodics, Cholestyramine or sedatives. Lifestyle changes specifically adopting a low fat diet and weight loss might also be very helpful.

You might considered a experienced gastroenterologist for additional information and proper advice regarding further treatment.
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