Gallbladder removal w/Crohns?

[pancakemaker]

Hi you all.

I had a gallbladder HIDA scan last week and my ejection rate was 16% (apparently normal is 35-75%). So now I'm going to go see a surgeon next Thursday about getting it removed.

I have been having horrible abdominal pain. I don't know if its from Crohns or the gallbladder stuff. It feels like acid/burning between my belly button and ribs.

Just wondering if anyone has experience with the HIDA and gallbladder removal with Crohn's and can tell me anything?

Thanks!!

 

[Crohn's 35]

I have had my gall bladder removed, I had one bad attack and thought it was a crohns attack...got that sucker out. Had it done laproscopically done and day surgery and piece of cake. The only thing was the gas...very painful. So walk it off as soon as you are able.

 

[SawyerAshton]

The only thing was the gas...very painful. So walk it off as soon as you are able.

Definitely. The gas from my lap caused pain in my right shoulder so intense that I ended up sleeping sitting at the kitchen counter the second night so that I could keep my arms elevated.

 

[kss]

I had my gallbladder removed. But it was at the same time as I had a resection. There's some issues. Especially with fatty diets. You'll want to eat a low fat diet and probably look into psyllium husk powder (or flakes).

And I had a bile taste in my mouth for a month or so. It wasn't that bad. If I think of anything else I'll write more but that's all I can think of right now.

 

[Crohn's 35]

Definitely. The gas from my lap caused pain in my right shoulder so intense that I ended up sleeping sitting at the kitchen counter the second night so that I could keep my arms elevated.

You know what I completely forgot about that, and now I remember them telling me that is a very common spot!

 

[pancakemaker]

Thanks for the replies you all. I asked my sister about hers earlier and she mentioned the right shoulder too so I guess that's very common. Not looking forward to that! haha. But hopefully getting it out will make some of this pain go away.

 

[Crohn's 35]

It will, trust me. Only problem is your bile could increase which could mean...heartburn or diahreah... BUT that was only my experience.

 

[Sunshine]

I started with right side pain -abdominal and back pain, last Dec. GP thought it was a muscle strain. 3 weeks later, more severe pain - abdominal ultrasound and labs ok, 2 weeks later - doubled over pain that sent me to the ER - more normal labs and HIDA scan. I was at 37% ejection, doctors called it normal function and set me home even though I was vomiting but no fever and HIDA reproduced pain. Contacted my GI and he arranged for an ERCP - it's like an endoscope but to collect bile secreted from the gallbladder. Turns out I was producing sludge. 10 days later gallbladder came out laproscopically. I agree with Pen, the pain from gas was the worst but walking and staying as active as you can post procedure helped. For me it was the best thing that helped my crohns calm down...not to remission but significantly better. Just wish it didn't take 2 months from the onset of symptoms to getting relief.

Good luck and keep us posted on what your surgeon recommends.

 

[Jenny06xx]

I started with pain below my ribs from the middle to the right side, severe vomiting , an then the pain went to my back .
It took 9 a+e visits in ambulances with gas and air etc to get a diagnosis !!
I kept having fine bloods an the pain an vomiting would go after a couple of hours, so I'd b sent home , with gas, colic u name it they said it !!
Eventually the gallstones cause a blockage in my pancreas causing pancreatitis , meaning they had to do an abdominal scan and hey presto full of stones !!! it had to come out ASAP , I had to wait 11 days for the inflammation to subside then they whipped it out an sent me home the next day .

 

[kss]

I forgot to mention with my gallbladder removal that I also take lecithin. And I think I got that idea from Patrick Holford's book called The New Optimum Nutrition Bible. I'm pretty sure it helps.

 

[mtborn52]

Recovering from gall bladder removal 2 wks ago - open abdominal surgery as this was my seventh Crohn's surgery so I'm not able to have lapriscopic procedure - going into surgery also thought I needed intestinal resection as my small bowl series showed active crohn's at my jejunum, narrowing and distention, but they found no crohn's activity at the site so just had a strictureplasty. I have found walking to be the best help in relieving the gas now that the bile just leaks into my intestine. I already ate low fat, low fiber, non-spicy diet so I didn't need to change as it still works but I did need to add protein powder as I wasn't getting enough protein. My albumin levels dropped way down after surgery. So you may want to watch that - signs are low to no energy, toxic fatigue after any activity. Hope that helps.

My question - has anyone else experienced false readings from small bowl series?? I don't want to have any unneccessary surgeries - granted this time I did need my gallbladder removed as it was riddled with stones. Are there other tests (C-scan, MRI, ultrasound) that I can request to double check or do I need to have 2 small bowl series??? Oh, and the sm bowl test takes me 6-7 hrs!!! Sorry this is so long but hope someone has some experience.

 

[Ihurt]

I had the small bowel follow through years back when I was having some upper gut issues. It only took about 2 and half hours and I was done. It just depends on how long it takes the barium to get to the bottom of your small bowel. Some people are done within an hour or so. Just depends on your system. There are other tests that can look at your small bowel like an MRE of the small bowel or a CT scan. I would Never undergo ANY surgery unless I absolutely had no choice. Always double check and get a couple opinions or more before deciding to go under the knife.

Recovering from gall bladder removal 2 wks ago - open abdominal surgery as this was my seventh Crohn's surgery so I'm not able to have lapriscopic procedure - going into surgery also thought I needed intestinal resection as my small bowl series showed active crohn's at my jejunum, narrowing and distention, but they found no crohn's activity at the site so just had a strictureplasty. I have found walking to be the best help in relieving the gas now that the bile just leaks into my intestine. I already ate low fat, low fiber, non-spicy diet so I didn't need to change as it still works but I did need to add protein powder as I wasn't getting enough protein. My albumin levels dropped way down after surgery. So you may want to watch that - signs are low to no energy, toxic fatigue after any activity. Hope that helps.

My question - has anyone else experienced false readings from small bowl series?? I don't want to have any unneccessary surgeries - granted this time I did need my gallbladder removed as it was riddled with stones. Are there other tests (C-scan, MRI, ultrasound) that I can request to double check or do I need to have 2 small bowl series??? Oh, and the sm bowl test takes me 6-7 hrs!!! Sorry this is so long but hope someone has some experience.

 

[mtborn52]

Thanks for the info - don't think I've ever had and MRE. I'll check with my gastro. Believe me all 7 of my surg. have been because i'm no longer able to eat and in great pain with the addition of pics showing the closure(s) in the intestine. This was a first time that I got false information from the radiology procedure and I don't want to go thru that ever again.