Gallbladder Removal and IBS
Hey guys! I have a quick question. I have suffered from IBS for as long as I can remember. This past year has by far been the worse it’s ever been though. I will have alternating bouts of IBS-D and IBS-C. It’s straight miserable and sometimes causes me to miss work (especially with the IBS-D flare ups.)
I am also having problems with my gallbladder which is causing me significant pain in that area. I am scheduled to see a surgeon for a consultation on August 4th. My question is… will my IBS get worse after I get my gallbladder removed? Has anyone on here gotten there’s removed and had IBS prior to? Did it get worse after surgery? Just curious to know if I’ll be in even more pain after the surgery. I don’t think I can take any more pain to be honest. Any advice is welcome! Thanks in advance. 🙏🏼
- Thanks so much for posting. This is definitely a hot topic among the community. We have an article about gallbladder surgery where many folks have commented in the comments section: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/clinical/gallbladder-removal-ibs. If you have concerns about post-surgery IBS, you can certainly bring them up to your doctor. Keep us updated! - Chris, IrritableBowelSyndrome.net Team Thank you so much, Chris! You're welcome! Also, I did post the link to this forum on our Facebook page, and some additional people weighed in there: facebook.com/IBSDotNet/posts/2705752026391008?__tn__=-R. Take care. - Chris, IrritableBowelSyndrome.net Team
I have had IBS-D for 20+ years, and needed to have my gallbladder out last September after getting severely nauseous and hospitalized. Turns out some of the gallbladder symptoms were very similar to my IBS so I was dealing, but should have seen a doctor earlier. I had a huge stone lodged in the main duct and I had surgery to remove my gallbladder. Now without it my IBS-D symptoms are very similar, maybe a bit more painful cramping, but I don't feel I had a choice about removal. Thank you so much for this information! I have always had IBS-C and this past year have developed the IBS-D. I used to be someone who almost never had diarrhea until this past year. So wondering if it could be from my gallbladder problems or if it is in fact IBS. I don’t believe I have a choice about removal either, it causes me a great deal of pain.
I had my gallbladder removed around 25 years ago, and over time noticed my IBS getting worse (D). After another round of investigations in hospital, I mentioned that I thought it had gotten worse since my gallbladder was removed, and was told that other patients had a similar experience, but at that time there was no proven connection. Fast forward another 10 years or so, after more investigations after my IBS was out of control, along with a previous diagnosis (in hospital) of lactose intolerance, and after another test, it was discovered that I had bile malabsorption, which no amount of Imodium would stop me from dashing to the toilet! As our gallbladder stores bile, and when it's removed the bile continuously feeds into the stomach, I do believe there is a connection. I was given a treatment for this (granules mixed to a drink), which does help, but that brings it's own complication, of constipation! So now I have frequent flare ups of diverticulitis!!
