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Abnormal Gallbladder- Symptom Of Celiacs?

terribeth07

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terribeth07 Apprentice
terribeth07
Posted

Could an abnormal gallbladder be a symptom of celiac disease? I've had problems for 5 years now. Last April I had my gallbladder out & that relieved my problems up until december. My symptoms before surgery were nausea & severe stomach pains. I would have attacks about every 6 months that would last about 3 weeks & then I would be fine again for another 6 months. Now my symptoms are nausea & diahrea on & off. They last about 2-3 weeks at a time, but I also get nausea spells for a day or so off & on in between. Before I had my surgery they did a HIDA scan that showed it was abnormal but I didn't have any gallstones. They said surgery may or may not help. I decided to just have the surgery, hoping that it would solve my problems & it did for about 8 months. I am constantly tired from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed. I've been that way for probably atleast 5 years. I don't think I'm ever not tired.

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SLB5757 Enthusiast
SLB5757
Posted

I do not think it is related - but anything is possible. Did your doc only do a Hida? Did they do bloodwork and check for pancreatic function...or do something like a "gastric emptying scan"? I remember when I was in the beginning stages of having all of the tests run they did many blood panels, a Hidaa scan, Gastric emptying scan and numerous other things. If your food isn't moving through your body correctly then it would cause some nausea. The gastric emptying scan would assess that I think. It wasn't a bad test but you have to eat some radioactive food like eggs or something they prepare and then lay still for a few hours while the machine takes pics. Very similar to the Hidaa really. While I was having the diah in the early stages - I also had bouts of nausea. It wasn't something I could pinpoint as far as when it would happen. I can only tell you that eventually it went away. I started eating only grilled chicken and rice for a while and that helped. Also - they make the motion sickness wristbands that actually helped when I was pregnant and had morning sickness (I know different nausea....but if ur feeling bad you will try anything). Also - babies R us sells lolipops that help with nausea.

nasalady Contributor
nasalady
Posted
Could an abnormal gallbladder be a symptom of celiac disease? I've had problems for 5 years now. Last April I had my gallbladder out & that relieved my problems up until december. My symptoms before surgery were nausea & severe stomach pains. I would have attacks about every 6 months that would last about 3 weeks & then I would be fine again for another 6 months. Now my symptoms are nausea & diahrea on & off. They last about 2-3 weeks at a time, but I also get nausea spells for a day or so off & on in between. Before I had my surgery they did a HIDA scan that showed it was abnormal but I didn't have any gallstones. They said surgery may or may not help. I decided to just have the surgery, hoping that it would solve my problems & it did for about 8 months. I am constantly tired from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed. I've been that way for probably atleast 5 years. I don't think I'm ever not tired.

You might want to read this article (it's on this site):

https://www.celiac.com/articles/119/1/Gall-...ggan/Page1.html

I had my gallbladder removed about 15 years before the celiac disease diagnosis.

Good luck!

JoAnn

terribeth07 Apprentice
terribeth07
Posted
  • Author

Thank you for that link. It is very helpful.

Has anyone else had a link between abnormal gallbladder (not gallstones) & having celiac disease?

I guess I can tell you my 5 year long story (I will try to remember). Everything has been a blurr & I can

julirama723 Contributor
julirama723
Posted

I don't have much of anything to add, but I'm sort of having similar problems. I've been gluten-free since December, and in April, I began having nausea, cramping and early fullness with every single meal. I also had occasional diarrhea, usually the next day. I was exhausted, and my insides just felt raw. I felt that way for about a month. In that time, I had two really severe attacks, where I was laying on the floor next to the bathroom with severe nausea and stomach pain. I was shaky, short of breath, and felt out-of it. I would lay on the floor until I felt like I could go to bed and sleep it off.

I gave stool samples and was tested for a variety of bacteria and parasites, these tests came back normal. I also had an ultrasound, which revealed no gallstones. The doctor seems to think it's my gallbladder, and from the sounds of it (based on the testimony of others who have had gallbladder disease) I agree that he's right. At the moment, I'm feeling good, and I've felt pretty good for a couple of weeks. I'm waiting it out right now, hoping maybe it was some wierd virus (wishful thinking!) or something of that nature. If my symptoms return I'll be making an appointment with a gastroenterologist, to get a HIDA scan. If it is my gallbladder, I don't know what I'll do...I really don't want to have surgery...

terribeth07 Apprentice
terribeth07
Posted
  • Author

Hopefully they can help you figure it out. Have they checked for celiacs? Before going through the surgery like I did, I would do that. Obviously the surgery didn't help me. They say a lot of people who just have abnormal gallbladders & not gallstones, the surgery doesn't fix the problem. It may make it better for a little while (like me) but ultimately it won't fix the issue.

Libbyanne Newbie
Libbyanne
Posted

I had a similar experience - although I never really had any gall bladder attacks. I would have sharp pain under my right ribs - especially when I would laugh. I also remember having very bad D and nausea a lot. I went to doctor after doctor until one doctor finally did the HIDA scan - before that they had done an ultrasound and since there were no stones they ruled out gallbladder. The HIDA Scan showed that my gall bladder was functioning at a low level so they figured that's what was causing my problems. I had it removed and my advice to anyone I talk to today is make sure that is the cause of your symptoms before having the surgery because the recovery is not fun :(. I had horrible D, and nausea for a few months...everything went straight through me. I continued to go to doctors who all said this could go on for a year (A YEAR!!?). I had an endoscopy done and the result was "acid buildup" well I was also throwing up a lot so that would explain the acid...

Anyway, I recently went gluten free even with blood work coming back negative for Celiacs. I had my results from that endoscopy sent to me (done about 2 years ago) and it doesn't come out and say that they tested the biopsy for Celiacs but it does say "Crypt to Villous ratio is about 1:3 or 4" I know that is the normal ratio but I don't know if that means they actually tested, or maybe it means they wouldn't have to?? I've been meaning to call that specific doctors office and ask (the hospital didn't know the answer) but haven't gotten around to it. If anyone has any insight I would love to hear.

Anyway, after discovering that gluten-free diet solved all my problems I began thinking back to this surgery and wondering if the two are related so it's nice to hear that it's being researched. I wish I could have seen Dr. Joseph Murray (in the article posted by nasalady) since I was at the University of Iowa when all this happened!!

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WW340 Rookie
WW340
Posted

I had my gallbladder out several years before I was diagnosed with celiac. I did not have stones, my gallbladder was found to be infected when they got it out.

My mother had the same thing. She had no stones, but her gallbladder was turning gangrenous by the time they took it out. I am pretty certain I got my disease from her, as she died of intestinal Lymphoma at 56.

mckibster7 Newbie
mckibster7
Posted

I have had a very similar situation - I had a "gall bladder attack" - pain under my right rib that came on suddenly and increased significantly, so I was short of breath and had pain radiating to my back. I was rushed to the ER, where the doc pushed on my gallbladder - I screamed in pain and he said "you definitely have stones." After several tests later they didn't find anything and sent me home, with a follow-up to the GI doc. Follow up endoscopy and HIDA scan left me with these findings:

Blunted villi

Abnormal gallbladder from HIDA scan

I tested negative for celiac blood screening, but have since been gluten-free for about 8 months. The few times I have accidentally gotten into gluten I have some of the normal celiac reactions - gas, bloating etc - but I ALWAYS get searing pain under my right rib that takes a few days to go away.

I'm leaving my gallbladder alone after a consult with the surgeon - but based on the few articles I've found and searching for other folks, I DEFINITELY think there is a strong link between gallbladder disease and celiac disease.

Sliver Newbie
Sliver
Posted

I have been suffering from "something" since approximately last August. I am in the process of having my recent stomach and intestinal biopsies analyzed for celiac and also found out I have a hiatal hernia. Two weeks prior to my biopsy I had my gall bladder out. My HITA scan showed a complete failure of the gall bladder, which until then they told me was working "just fine and there is nothing wrong". Well, they took it out and it was HUGE! I do believe this is related to celiac or some other "allergy". I have two sections in and below my stomach that are swollen, constricted, red, and irritated. The doctor told me it looks very much like something celiac would do (he is the Colorado expert on it).

So, trust me that gall bladder is definitely related to celiac or some other "allergy" in the stomach.

My condition flared up several months after my hysterectomy. Interestingly enough, the nurses in the hospital after my gall bladder surgery, informed me that they see more women for gall bladder surgery after a hysterectomy than anybody. So, the trauma triggers it? Or is the lack of hormones? I found this connection to be very interesting. Also, when doing my research on celiac disease, I found so many women who found out a bit later in life about their celiac condition. Again related to hormones? Hm...

Could I have avoided having my gall bladder out? Maybe not, as mine was completely shut down and I did not have much indication that anything else was wrong until after my surgery. However, many months of incorrect diagnosis for celiac disease or a food allergy seem to have done the organ in. Only after I was still sick after having my gall bladder out did they even think about celiac disease; and then it was only because I listed a bunch of food I suspected I was having trouble with. Bingo!

My husband has also had his gall bladder out at the same time I had my hysterectomy and continues to have problems with certain foods. I do believe part of his problem is with a hiatal hernia, but he refuses to acknowledge it. Luckily, both my son and my husband really like gluten free foods, so both are toying with going gluten free. It will be nice to not have to do this on my own. Yay!

Good luck to others out there who have problems like this. I do hope others catch this much sooner than I did. :o

mckibster7 Newbie
mckibster7
Posted
I have been suffering from "something" since approximately last August. I am in the process of having my recent stomach and intestinal biopsies analyzed for celiac and also found out I have a hiatal hernia. Two weeks prior to my biopsy I had my gall bladder out. My HITA scan showed a complete failure of the gall bladder, which until then they told me was working "just fine and there is nothing wrong". Well, they took it out and it was HUGE! I do believe this is related to celiac or some other "allergy". I have two sections in and below my stomach that are swollen, constricted, red, and irritated. The doctor told me it looks very much like something celiac would do (he is the Colorado expert on it).

So, trust me that gall bladder is definitely related to celiac or some other "allergy" in the stomach.

My condition flared up several months after my hysterectomy. Interestingly enough, the nurses in the hospital after my gall bladder surgery, informed me that they see more women for gall bladder surgery after a hysterectomy than anybody. So, the trauma triggers it? Or is the lack of hormones? I found this connection to be very interesting. Also, when doing my research on celiac disease, I found so many women who found out a bit later in life about their celiac condition. Again related to hormones? Hm...

Could I have avoided having my gall bladder out? Maybe not, as mine was completely shut down and I did not have much indication that anything else was wrong until after my surgery. However, many months of incorrect diagnosis for celiac disease or a food allergy seem to have done the organ in. Only after I was still sick after having my gall bladder out did they even think about celiac disease; and then it was only because I listed a bunch of food I suspected I was having trouble with. Bingo!

My husband has also had his gall bladder out at the same time I had my hysterectomy and continues to have problems with certain foods. I do believe part of his problem is with a hiatal hernia, but he refuses to acknowledge it. Luckily, both my son and my husband really like gluten free foods, so both are toying with going gluten free. It will be nice to not have to do this on my own. Yay!

Good luck to others out there who have problems like this. I do hope others catch this much sooner than I did. :o

Sliver - I don't know if I'm clicking the right button - but can you tell me the name of the "Expert" in Colorado you visited? I too live in Colorado and am looking for a second opinion - as I continue to have gallbladder pain whenever i have a flair-up - so would like to see someone else who is a specialist in this area.

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