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Gallbladder removal complication of Celiac?

ChristianGrey

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ChristianGrey Rookie
ChristianGrey
Posted

I was curious as to if - consequently, anyone may have had gallbladder disease/cholecystectomy - gallbladder removal - as a complication of the disease

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tom Contributor
tom
Posted

I haven't but I've gotta say it's one thing that's really surprised me reading here through the years.

Many more than I would've expected have had their gallbladder removed w/out the expected reduction/elimination of symptoms. Too often it's years before they found that the real issue was gluten. :(

Hopefully THAT situation is growing scarce as celiac & gluten issues have become better-known.

mommida Enthusiast
mommida
Posted

I've read medical reports on gallbladder removals relating to Celiac. I have even herad of a 12 year-old having hers removed when she was trying to get diagnosed.

My gallbladder was removed a few years ago too. (I was gluten free for about 6 years before surgery)

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Since the majority of my health issues began with gall bladder disease and a cholecystectomy, I am going to say YES. And since practically no one in my family has a GB left (mom, sister, niece, cousins, aunts) and they are probably undiagnosed celiacs themselves, given their symptoms and various AI diseases, I am going to say yes again--to the gall bladder becoming diseased as a result of gluten intolerance or celiac.

I wish I could say it resolved my GI issues, but it did not. Then, the "symptom-treating" started-- and various other health issues and AI problems, miscarriages, blah blah blah. I was not DXed with celiac (until I was very ill) -- another 27 years later.

Had I known back then (at 25) what I know now, and if an astute doctor had checked me for celiac disease when my GB went south, perhaps things may have been a whole lot different.

here are some things I have found:

https://www.celiac.com/articles/119/1/Gall-Bladder-Disease-and-Celiac-Disease---By-Ronald-Hoggan/Page1.html

Gallstone Diseases

"Impaired gallbladder motility has been reported also in patients with celiac disease in relation to reduced secretion of enteric hormones and/or decreased gallbladder sensitivity to them. In particular, untreated celiacs showed low postprandial cholecystokinin and increased fasting somatostatin levels ."

M. Fraquelli, M. Pagliarulo, A. Colucci, S. Paggi, and D. Conte, “Gallbladder motility in obesity, diabetes mellitus and coeliac disease,” Digestive and Liver Disease, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. S12–S16, 2003.

Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

My stupid useless gallbladder is the only reason I know I have celiac. It's a long story, but between the underhanded betrayal by my gallbladder and the backstabbing of my insurance I found myself having emergency surgery one day and and endoscopy the next and home cooking a Christmas ham and opening presents high as a kite the next... and here I am! I'm surprised I remember any of last Christmas. :lol:

I was already sick enough to be pretty close to housebound. I spent my whole life, literally all 34 years of it, suffering with problems. Many of them I though were just normal. Others I was told I would have to learn to live with. I can't imagine how much worse it would have gotten if my gallbladder hadn't decided to stop playing nice. I'm actually thankful to be rid of it, because the way it worked out it could be the symptom that saved my life.

  • 2 weeks later...
shadowicewolf Proficient
shadowicewolf
Posted

I believe mine was starting to go before hand and this just intensified it and literlly killed it rofl. So happy not to have it though.

Roda Rising Star
Roda
Posted

Having mine rechecked with ultrasound and a HIDA scan today. I have had slight issues for 2.5 years but it was still functioning at 48% which I was told was above the 35% threshold for removal. Symptoms have been very mild since then, so when I would have them I'd just deal with it. My symptoms decided to "morph" about 1.5 weeks ago which brings me to getting it rechecked again. My GI also wants me to have another EGD to check things out. He is now recommending all his celiac patients be scoped yearly. So we will see..

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Bubba's Mom Enthusiast
Bubba's Mom
Posted

Having mine rechecked with ultrasound and a HIDA scan today. I have had slight issues for 2.5 years but it was still functioning at 48% which I was told was above the 35% threshold for removal. Symptoms have been very mild since then, so when I would have them I'd just deal with it. My symptoms decided to "morph" about 1.5 weeks ago which brings me to getting it rechecked again. My GI also wants me to have another EGD to check things out. He is now recommending all his celiac patients be scoped yearly. So we will see..

My gallbladder was working at 30%. I was on a "wait and see plan". I got glutened and my gb symptoms have gotten much worse. So much so, that I went back to the GI that first DXed my Celiac. Since Mayo said to wait it out..she doesn't want to redo the HIDA scan. :(

I hope yours tests OK. Having a surgery is no fun.

Roda Rising Star
Roda
Posted

My gallbladder was working at 30%. I was on a "wait and see plan". I got glutened and my gb symptoms have gotten much worse. So much so, that I went back to the GI that first DXed my Celiac. Since Mayo said to wait it out..she doesn't want to redo the HIDA scan. :(

I hope yours tests OK. Having a surgery is no fun.

Thanks. Ultrasound was normal yesterday which I already figured it would be. I go today to get the HIDA scan done. I have a feeling I'll be in the same situation as last time. If so, I guess I'll manage like I have been.

Roda Rising Star
Roda
Posted

To the OP did you have your gallbladder out or are you currently having problems? I just found out today that I have chronic cholecystitis and poor gallbladder ejection fraction of only 21%. I've been very uncomfortable since my HIDA scan today. It has really went down hill from the tests 2.5 years ago. I knew it was worse since I've become more symptomatic. I guess after my vacation this coming week I'll consult with a surgeon to get it out. I'm bound and determined to have a great time while at the Outer Banks, NC if I have to live on applesauce. :P

I don't really know if celiac played a role in it's decline, but it probably didn't help any. I've been gluten free now for almost 4 years. That's not to say there haven't been bumps in the road. Back in 2010 I had an eight month spell where I was having a lot of trouble. I didn't realize I was getting gluten free oat cross contamination in the gluten free products I used. Once the light bulb went on I fixed that problem. I'm severely intolerant to the avenin protein in pure oats that the CC did a number on me. I react just as bad as if I ate gluten. So I'm sure that didn't help the issue either.

I've been seeing the humor in it though. I have other risk factors for GB disease..I'm female, fat, fertile and almost 40. Great combo with the celiac! : :o:lol:

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