I had to have my gall bladder out last year, and since then my IBS has got rather worse. I've been reading about our gut bacteria and all that and wonder if having my gall bladder out is the cause for my bloating and diarrhoea since then.
Any suggestions as to what would help? Can't put the GB back again!
Cant go wrong with taking probiotics daily, it could be the bad bacteria have increased which can make it all worse, try that for a month or so
i had my gall bladder removed 2 years ago and have had nothing but problems since ,months of being told it was body memory by one doc (idiot) told to take 2 paracetomol every 4 hours for the bloating ,pain ,discomfort on a daily basis ,i was diagnosed with ibs 25 years ago and it has got worse ,then the nurse asked me if id had an h,pylori test which i have had done and am awaiting tests results ?keep annoying your doc as some of them are stuck in their ways even if this test comes back negative its one more crossed off the list as some days are unbearable and uncomfortable but dont give up
i had my gallbladder removed in march and since then my symptoms have not improved i had an endoscopy in august which came back normal
im now awaiting a colonoscopy
my pains are unbearable i have plans for next month but the thought of going out for lunch scares the hell out of me incase something triggers my pain
does anyone have any suggestions that could maybe help???
I found the colonoscopy a very nasty experience - hope its better for you. Maybe they can find the cause, personally I think parts of our colon get very tender and all sorts of things just make them flare up. On the other hand it could be diverticuli, whichif it is, the colonscopy will find and something can be done to help.
Good luck!
Please check out the link - theibsnetwork.org/wp-conten... and theibsnetwork.org/the-self-... if you have diarrhoea after a gallbladder removal it could be bile acid malabsorption. You doctor can diagnose this and prescribe medication to help.
Dear 1934g,
I am sorry to hear you are experiencing problems since your gallbladder removal, it is rare but about one in 10 people who have their gallbladder removed do experience diarrhoea afterwards. This is because once your gallbladder is removed the bile salts in your body that help break down the fats in your food are no longer regulated and are released continuously causing irritation to the digestive system. You may have been more susceptible to this because of your already existing IBS.
It usually improves over time but if it doesn’t, or you feel it needs treating, your GP or specialist can prescribe you something to slow the bowel movements down.
Kind regards
Sandy Forsyth
British Liver Trust
Patient Support and Information Manager
This is just my own experience of course but I had what my mum always called a 'cast iron stomach' before my gallbladder was removed. I could eat anything, never had any problems with digestion and enjoyed my food. Since my gallbladder removal pretty much everything I eat causes cramps and violent diarrhoea. This was never mentioned as a possibility before the op, I was told that once the gallbladder was gone I would be able to eat what I wanted with no problem - if I knew then what I know now I would have refused the surgery that's for sure!
I eat a very low fat diet and have tried various natural supplements but nothing has helped.
Fortunately I do have a sympathetic and understanding doctor who is trying to find a way to help me, I'm currently taking Mobeverine which does reduce the cramps and buys me a bit of time before the inevitable dash to the loo.
Definitely keep asking your GP, sadly we can't get a replacement gallbladder lol but help is available to lessen the symptoms it's loss can cause and definitely worth trying. I hope you find a solution that works for you soon x
I had exactly the same experience as you, and what was frustrating was that the doctors at the time wouldn't recognize the condition as related to the gall bladder removal. I actually never had IBS until my gall bladder was taken out. I've learned that it is actually COMMON to get bile acid malabsorbtion after having your gall bladder taken out, though most doctors don't like to acknowledge it. It's become more or less accepted now. The problem is that all the bile acids that would get stored in the bladder just get dumped into your stomach, leake into the intestines and cause such irritation that they immediately purge all contents. Luckily I've found a solution for my condition which is working perfectly for me.
I hope it will for you too.
Very soon after my surgery, I found that I would have extremely loose bowel movements after the first meal of the day. Sometimes this would happen after the first cup of tea or coffee or whatever. I did notice that the volumes I consumed would affect the urgency. i.e. more volume consumed meant more urgency immediately thereafter. This condition lasted for years. I was able to mitigate the condition somewhat by modifying my diet somewhat, such as eating a lot of non-soluble plant matter, eating very small breakfasts, low oils and fats, though at best these ended up working as half measures for me. I also tried a number of binders, enzymes etc.
Eventually what I've found works perfectly for me, though dosing might need to be adjusted. Basically I start by taking 250mg ursodeoxycholic acid and 2 mg loperamide three times a day. It usually takes three or four days for the morning urgency to subside. Eventually it does. Once I get into a routine where the urgency is gone, and I have a movement only once a day or even once every two days, I cease taking the medication. Eventually, some time later I will have a loose but not too urgent bowel movement, at which point I immediately take 500mg of ursodeoxycholic acid and 4mg of loperamide. This generally returns me to a regular schedule. If it doesn't and the urgency continues, I start again by taking 250mgx2mg three times a day etc.
I've been doing this for over a year now and it's made things much much easier.
Generally, the lower fat/oil and more fresh fiber in my diet the longer the periods of stability last. Hope this helps you and others.
Ibs to bile salt malabsorbtion
Bladder pain 
A supporting partner
Biliary colic attack. 
