No Gall Bladder

[Marlene]

Hey,

I know from reading previous posts that a number of you have had your gall bladder removed so i'm hoping someone can help me with this question.

I had my gall bladder removed in May because my specialist was so sure that was what was causing my diahrea and pain. After I had the surgery I became much worse and it was then that I discovered I am gluten/casein intolerant (through Enterolab test). I have improved a lot on the diet (it's been 4 months now) but I still have days where I get a lot of pain where my gall bladder used to be. The pain often goes through and into my back. Sometimes when I get this, I have to find a bathroom in 5 minutes or less. I don't get diahrea with it anymore -- just a real feeling of urgency and I end up having a major dump (sorry for the details but I know you guys can handle it).

Have any of you found that not having a gall bladder has complicated healing from Celiac/gluten intolerance? Could it be possible that having bile constantly dripping into my intestines is what causes this? Not only that, but having a leaky gut means that the bile is also passing through and into my blood stream, right?

For the record, some days I wish they could get my gall bladder out of the garbage, wash it off, and put it back Especially since I did not even have gall stones, my gall bladder was just not functioning properly. This is a symptom of gluten intolerance which I knew nothing about until after the fact, sigh.

Thanks for the help,

Marlene

[gf4life]

I haven't had a gall bladder for 7 years and I've been gluten free for 4 years. I didn't notice that it caused any delay in healing, but I did notice that that sense of urgency is common for those of us without gallbladders whether they are gluten free or not. I've found it does get a little better with time.

It is too bad that they didn't catch the gluten intolerance before taking out the gallbladder. You might have been able to keep it. For me it had to come out since it was not only full of gallstones, but they were trying to get out and kept getting caught. I ended up having it removed 10 days before my secheduled surgery when I showed up in the ER again with such severe pain. It was a horrible ordeal, but at least having it out got rid of the constant nausea and occasional acute attacks of severe pain!

[celiacgirls]

I had my gallbladder out right around the time I went gluten-free. The ultrasound supposedly showed gallstones but when they took it out there weren't any. I'm convinced they took it out for no reason and it was really gluten intolerance causing my pain in that area. Mostly because I still have that pain at times. I think it is connected to getting glutened but I'm not positive. I don't have the problem with D and don't think the lack of gallbladder has affected my recovery. I haven't noticed any problems from not having it.

[Guest adamssa]

hi marlene,

i had the same thing happen to me! they thought my symptoms were from my gallbladder, and removed it. even though there were no gallstones. i feel the same way you do, some days i want it back. but, i do think that since ours weren't functioning properly they were only helping us so much...and so, taking it out, while not as helpful as it should have been, couldn't really be setting us back all that much because it wasn't helping us all that much. (except i have been getting major sinus problems since removing my gallbladder that i never had before )though i am really unhappy that i had a surgery i feel like i didn't need...

good luck,

sara

[casnco]

Marlene:

I had been gluten free for about 1.5 yrs when again I had horrible epigastric pain. It radiated to my back. I was doubled over in pain. I too felt that if I could just have a BM I would be alright. Unlike you I was never able to accomplish this. I ended up in the emergency room. I told them these pains were related to celiac. They were angry with me because I would not concider gall bladder issues. They gave me demerol and sent me home with my husband.

6 months later, I had a great meal of chirizzo stuffed jalipino's and some wonderful cheese infused with lemon zest. The next morning my breakfast consisted of a starbucks coffee drink. And about an hour after ingesting that I had another attack. Of course this time I was at work. EEEsh! So down to the ER I went. They insisted on an ultrasound. Yep, there were gall stones and the gall bladder was enlarged. They wanted to take it out immediatly. I wanted to wait. Fortunately I didn't wait until it was ruptured. So, now I have no gall bladder. (It did need to come out) The surgon suggested that now I would probably not need to worry about gluten. Of course he said that in front of my husband. 4 months after having the gall bladder out I tried a Beer. Well, I had all of the reactions I did before, except the stomach cramping. So, I felt I was still had my celiac (which was blood work positive, biopsey negative, symptoms positive)

I shared this long story because last week I started feeling the stomach issues again, they were mild, but definately precursers to the big cramps. It has been 6weeks since my purposeful glutening. Then yesterday it hit. Big time cramps in the afternoon. They passed quickly. I was stupid and didn't treat my stomach tenderly and went ahead and ate dinner. Fish, rice, green beans, glass of white wine. 20 min. after the meal, Big time cramps! Vomiting, no D. This attack lasted quite a while. The only thing I can think caused them was the "FiberOne" I recently introduced to my diet. There must be a hidden gluten or I just don't know what the ingredients really are.

So, having the gall bladder out has not stopped the cramps. And indead taking out a gall bladder does not take away Celiac disease. I wish my surgeon had been right, but not everyone really understands this disease.

[Marlene]

The more I find out about the connection between gall bladder and celiac, the more shocked I am that doctor's don't know anything about this. I had a real bad feeling about getting my gall bladder out because I never had gall bladder attacks after eating fatty meals. This made me think that it had to be something else wrong with me that was making my gall bladder misfunction. I asked the surgeon, the GI specialist, the nurse at the Pre-op clinic, and who knows who else if there was any chance that having my gall bladder taken out would make me worse. They all assured me that I would be fine. HUH! Well, I guess there is no use crying over spilt milk (I've done enough crying in the last few months due to the whole gall bladder disaster, not knowing what the heck was wrong with me, etc etc). Now I'll just have to keep looking forward and doing everything I can to get better.

thanks a lot for all your replies, they have been very helpful!

Marlene

[Robina]

Hey,

I know from reading previous posts that a number of you have had your gall bladder removed so i'm hoping someone can help me with this question.

I had my gall bladder removed in May because my specialist was so sure that was what was causing my diahrea and pain. After I had the surgery I became much worse and it was then that I discovered I am gluten/casein intolerant (through Enterolab test). I have improved a lot on the diet (it's been 4 months now) but I still have days where I get a lot of pain where my gall bladder used to be. The pain often goes through and into my back. Sometimes when I get this, I have to find a bathroom in 5 minutes or less. I don't get diahrea with it anymore -- just a real feeling of urgency and I end up having a major dump (sorry for the details but I know you guys can handle it).

Have any of you found that not having a gall bladder has complicated healing from Celiac/gluten intolerance? Could it be possible that having bile constantly dripping into my intestines is what causes this? Not only that, but having a leaky gut means that the bile is also passing through and into my blood stream, right?

For the record, some days I wish they could get my gall bladder out of the garbage, wash it off, and put it back Especially since I did not even have gall stones, my gall bladder was just not functioning properly. This is a symptom of gluten intolerance which I knew nothing about until after the fact, sigh.

Thanks for the help,

Marlene

You may want to have an ultrasound to ensure that you don't have any gallstones that "got away" from the surgery... a friend of mine had similar symptoms and became very ill because apparently a gall stone was lodged inside a liver duct...

[imagine22]

I had my gallbladder out at age 27 as i had a few attacks from where the gall stones were blocking the duct and trying to escape! since its removed i have had no issues from its loss at all. have only been Gluten free a month or so and have seen improvement so I dont think the lack of gall bladder is hurting me

[ana]

Here's a question then. Will any symptoms I had that were always thought of as due to my gall bladder clear up? I didn't have it removed, i was told i had a sludge, but no stones were visible. I had terrible pain , but i was very very reluctant to have the surgery and gave all kinds of reasons not to. I dn't have the symptoms very much at all anymore, i'm careful about my food intake now. Will my gall bladder issues clear up now? I really hope so. this diagnosis looks better and better all the time.

[plantime]

Stones are not the only reason gallbladders have to be removed. Mine was just plain diseased, it was full of scar tissue from being inflamed so much. My daughter's had scarring around the opening of it, which caused her severe pain every time the gallbladder tried to empty itself. Now, I get that pain in my right side, and I know that I have 5 minutes to find a bathroom. What I am feeling is the bowel contracting, which is a normal event. Feeling it the way I do simply means that I am more sensitive to it, much like some women are more sensitive to menstrual cramps than others.

[Marlene]

Here's a question then. Will any symptoms I had that were always thought of as due to my gall bladder clear up? I didn't have it removed, i was told i had a sludge, but no stones were visible. I had terrible pain , but i was very very reluctant to have the surgery and gave all kinds of reasons not to. I dn't have the symptoms very much at all anymore, i'm careful about my food intake now. Will my gall bladder issues clear up now? I really hope so. this diagnosis looks better and better all the time.

From what I have researched, it is possible for the gall bladder to begin functioning better after you go gluten free. (Darn that *&%$# surgeon who took mine out!!) Even though someone has gall stones, that does not necessarily mean the gall bladder has to be taken out. I just hope that as I heal, my body will better be able to cope with not having a gall bladder. If I had to do it again, removing mine would have been the very last option. But who knows, maybe it would have become so inflamed and infected and then burst. That's not a good situation to be in either.

Marlene

[Guest CarBear]

The more I find out about the connection between gall bladder and celiac, the more shocked I am that doctor's don't know anything about this. I had a real bad feeling about getting my gall bladder out because I never had gall bladder attacks after eating fatty meals. This made me think that it had to be something else wrong with me that was making my gall bladder misfunction. I asked the surgeon, the GI specialist, the nurse at the Pre-op clinic, and who knows who else if there was any chance that having my gall bladder taken out would make me worse. They all assured me that I would be fine. HUH! Well, I guess there is no use crying over spilt milk (I've done enough crying in the last few months due to the whole gall bladder disaster, not knowing what the heck was wrong with me, etc etc). Now I'll just have to keep looking forward and doing everything I can to get better.

thanks a lot for all your replies, they have been very helpful!

Marlene

Marlene,

Can not tell you how much I sympathize. I feel that Celiac Disease still seems to be a mystery to so many doctors! I am having problems with my gall bladder recently and my kidneys, as well as UTIs about once or twice a month. I was diagnosed 5 years ago and it took me a long time to get healthy. It seems that once I finally reached that point that all these other problems poped up and I wind up becoming overwhelmed with anger and frustration as to why no one can give me a strait answer. Not knowing what is wrong with your body is the WORST feeling in the world and I have certainly done my share of crying as well! Keep fighting! I know how much it sucks but keep pushing for better doctors for better care.

[Rusla]

I had my gallbladder removed 35 years ago. It was a great thing having that and all it's nasty stones out as they callled me great pain. Gallbladders are not really useful for much. However, my body went into changing when I had mono which was two years before my gallbladder was removed. Until I went gluten-free it was the big "D" all the time. Now, it is just a urgent. Not "D" unless I am glutened but very urgent otherwise.