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What Causes Severe Diarrhea After Hiatal Hernia And Gallbladder Surgery?
I had Hiatal Surgery & Gallbladder Removal on 8/31/16. The surgery went very well. My surgeon used the DaVinci Robot and I had no soreness or pain in my abdominal area. I had 5 small incisions across my abdomen. I also had 3 gallstones so he removed my gallbladder also. I followed my surgeon s instructions first staying on a liquid diet, soft food diet and now he says I can eat regular food. I was able to return to work 2 weeks after my surgery. I worked an entire week and then came down with what I thought was a bad virus. I had awful diarrhea and it will be 3 weeks Sat and I still am having diarrhea. I am unable to work because I never know when it will hit me. I have been on a starchy diet since the diarrhea started except for going off briefly but found I had to go back on it. I called my surgeon and they said they did not think the diarrhea was related to my surgery and for me to stay on a starchy diet. I even went to my Family Phyician which stated that some people who have had their gallbladder removed get diarrhea after they eat. She put me on Cholestyramine daily which I mix with my applesauce. She even ordered a hemocult test which I did yesterday and have not found out the results. I am eating very little. My meals consist of 2 slices of toast for breakfast and then I eat my applesauce with the Cholestyramine. For lunch I usually eat Rice and today I ate a banana. I usually don t eat supper or if I do it too is starch. Just when I think I am getting better I get diarrhea again. I do have a lot of pressure and gas. I have lost some weight but I can afford to. Do you have any suggestions as to what could be causing this and if something I am eating is causing the diarrhea.
Fri, 12 Apr 2019
Hi,
This looks to me like so-called postcholecystectomy syndrome which has all these symptoms and this occurs in about 10 percent of patients who undergo cholecystectomy, usually can be transient, and rarely persistent or lifelong.
Symptoms include systemic symptoms such as sweating and heat sense but also dyspepsia, nausea, and vomiting, flatulence, bloating, and diarrhea, Persistent pain in the upper right abdomen.
Some individuals may benefit from diet modification, such as a reduced fat diet, following cholecystectomy since it may be more difficult for digestion of fatty foods.
Postcholecystectomy syndrome treatment depends on the identified violations that led to it.
Typically, the patient is recommended dietary restriction table with fatty foods, enzyme preparations, antispasmodics, sometimes oral ursodeoxycholic acid can alleviate the condition.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Ivan R. Rommstein, General Surgeon
This looks to me like so-called postcholecystectomy syndrome which has all these symptoms and this occurs in about 10 percent of patients who undergo cholecystectomy, usually can be transient, and rarely persistent or lifelong.
Symptoms include systemic symptoms such as sweating and heat sense but also dyspepsia, nausea, and vomiting, flatulence, bloating, and diarrhea, Persistent pain in the upper right abdomen.
Some individuals may benefit from diet modification, such as a reduced fat diet, following cholecystectomy since it may be more difficult for digestion of fatty foods.
Postcholecystectomy syndrome treatment depends on the identified violations that led to it.
Typically, the patient is recommended dietary restriction table with fatty foods, enzyme preparations, antispasmodics, sometimes oral ursodeoxycholic acid can alleviate the condition.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Ivan R. Rommstein, General Surgeon
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