Gallbladder Attack | Gallbladder Removal Side Effects
Gallbladder Attacks may still occur after gallbladder surgery. Gallbladder removal surgery or, cholecystectomy, is not without side effects such as bloating, diarrhea, gas, heartburn and constipation. Pain can sometimes persist after gallbladder removal and gallstones can, unfortunately, still form in the liver bile ducts.
When food has been through the first stage of digestion in the stomach, the role of the gallbladder and the bile which it stores becomes important. A water-regulating hormone called secretin, stimulates the common biliary duct to add water and bicarbonate to the bile and increase the volume of it, depending on the acid level it detects in the food. Another hormone called cholecystokinin or, CCK, is secreted by cells in the duodenum and responds to the presence of fats. Its reaction is responsive to increased fat and it will send corresponding signals through the nervous system to the pancreas and gallbladder, triggering the release of fat- emulsifying bile and enzymes for efficient digestion.
We can certainly live without a gallbladder and we can continue digesting food relatively well. Bile will still be manufactured in the liver and be released continually into the small intestine. It will no longer be concentrated however, nor will its various components be fine-tuned to specific digestive needs. The dumping of bile which flows unregulated may cause diarrhea and difficulty digesting foods with high fat content. A more common side effect after gallbladder removal is a decrease in the secretion of bile. When the liver produces thick, sluggish bile, painful symptoms and bile stones can occur in the liver bile ducts themselves eventually leading to a gallbladder attack.
Having cholelithiasis or gallbladder stones may mean considering dietary changes and non-invasive treatments first, before considering surgical removal. Cleaning up the diet with the aid of a nutritionist or dietary expert may help you to restore regular function and flow of the gallbladder and bile to reduce or eliminate stones. Bile salts or choline supplements may help your body to digest fats more efficiently. Certain medications and ultrasound treatments can break up stones however they are more likely to return when they have developed once.
After recovery, many people reman asymptomatic however it is possible to develop stones and have them lodge in a bile duct even years later and still experience gallbladder attacks. Gallbladder removal does not always address the source of a dietary/digestive problem which has caused gallstones. Various underlying problems, aside from diet, biliary duct issues, and including a malfunctioning thyroid, may cause ongoing issues if not investigated and treated.
