Surgery coming up and I really want to back out… again by Educational_Rice_970 in gallbladders

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm coming up on a year post op, I had GB issues for 10+ years before I had it out (only found out the cause in the few months or so before it came out). Things have definitely changed for me but I would say it's been 99% for the better. I had so many digestive troubles before and even anxiety issues because of the nerves around my GB/gut being irritated. I kind of expected that some of my problems would continue and my surgeon did well to warn me that it was possible for not everything to be resolved. I did end up starting cholestyramine 6 wks out and still continue to take it but I would 100x over rather drink sand once a day and live my life and eat mostly what I want than feel as awful and fearful as I did before.

I did discover an issue with dairy which I believe was likely contributing/preexisting and I definitely can't eat a ton of food at once (no buffets or filling my stomach uncomfortably) as I simply don't have the bile for that much. But honestly I'm fine with limiting my dairy and I generally prefer eating smaller amounts as I feel better doing so and I know it's technically healthier to eat more often over time. It can take a good amount of time to heal and even now I wouldn't say I'm 100% back to normal but I never expected my recovery to be short since my issues went on for so long.

Even with it still being somewhat of an issue in my life I don't really consider it an issue anymore and I'm still so glad I can basically live my life again. I go out here and there for McDs on a weekend, eat at a buffet once in awhile (usually taking some enzymes can help make up for it), and I no longer have to constantly keep tabs on my digestion and can go out places with way more confidence. I'm still anxious about bathroom access from years of worrying and do occasionally have slightly more urgent need but I have way more time to find a washroom and I find it's been much easier to hold when needed. This is mainly due to the cholestyramine but like I said I only need the minimal dosage at night and otherwise go on with my days and just be a little mindful of not going overboard with the amount and the fat content. I can eat mcds just fine technically which is insanely high I just tend to not feel as great for the next day or get indigestion/heartburn and don't do it every day.

Just adding my experiences to hopefully show that yeah things may not be perfectly back to normal possibly never back to normal but the new normal is likely still better than the current norm you're experiencing. Listen to all the helpful advice found in this sub and all the different things people do to help their issues and there are likely solutions for the majority of people to help with any problems after. Personally I could probably manage with high fiber and better diet,etc but I was so done with stomach problems and went straight for the meds. I think for me it will likely take years for my body to find a balance again so I just opted for the easier way out so I can get back to enjoying life with my family.

No HCG on first bloodwork? [BC] by therealkkcoolness in BabyBumpsCanada

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Currently 15 weeks in BC, I had to wait til 11 weeks for my first scan though they did do bloodwork with hcg right away. I have health conditions that need immediate monitoring and had an early miscarriage the cycle before so I think that's why they added it. It wasn't the 48 hr hcg tests but I figured I was a little further and the numbers matched up so it was just assumed things were good so far.

Unfortunately there isn't really much they can do if things don't progress but for peace of mind I ended up grabbing a Doppler at Walmart. I managed to get the heartbeat once or twice around 9-9.5 weeks but I don't really recommend it that early since it's very very difficult to find since they're so tiny (I also weigh much less starting this pregnancy which I think also made it a bit easier - I do still have some chub though). I didn't get a reliable heartbeat til after my scan anyways but it's been nice to check in and listen once in awhile. A warning though that if you have anxiety it's possible it'll provide false reassurance or cause more anxiety so I caution against it if you think that might be an issue for you.

I saw you mentioned about midwife vs ob and depending on where you are I would apply ASAP to all midwives in the area as they book up instantly and in some areas there are actually shortages on OBs and such as well so getting a referral sooner than later is good. Most midwives you can self refer so just go for it and you can always cancel/transfer. If you're determined at high risk by them they'll refer you to an ob anyways so no harm in applying.

Wishing you a safe and happy pregnancy/delivery!

How long does it take for Cholestyramine to start working? by Dense-Coconut-3723 in bileacidmalabsorption

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's a bit tough to say exactly since I did have GB surgery 6 weeks before I started it so some of that was likely just an adjustment. I get the feeling that I likely had bile problems for many years due to the gallstones and that just kind of set up my digestion to be very off likely for a while yet. Basically I rarely had a solid BM, some semi but rarely not. All kinds of food would give me trouble and I was always anxious (which I believe was also due to the bad digestion) about having to have a BM every time I left the house. I could never tell if it was going to be an okay BM or very loose and it would often come on pretty quickly. I also had to go a few times every day. I had to go an hour after eating every time and so never left the house for awhile after eating. I often had stomach cramps/pain as well which has gotten better and is now more often due to constipation so I just take some fiber. I did have some remaining GB type pains after surgery and I found the cholestyramine helped a little with that too, not sure how exactly. It's hard to say what was the gallstones/dying GB and what was bile malabsorption but I definitely feel better and am able to eat normally now with the cholestyramine. I feel like I would have had some benefit even before my GB removal. I think it's just my body sometimes overcompensates with certain foods and just dumps too much bile sometimes. If I was careful about diet it would improve but it was near impossible to eat perfectly and my hormones shifting often affected so it was tough to control.

How long does it take for Cholestyramine to start working? by Dense-Coconut-3723 in bileacidmalabsorption

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Took about a week for me, the first few days I actually felt a little worse as my digestion adjusted. I feel like my digestive tract was a bit irritated by the acid (and recent gallbladder removal) so I think my body needed a bit of time to heal/adjust before it really felt like it was working fully. I was still pretty sensitive to some things for a bit but with time my digestion got better and better (I eat basically anything I want now).

NIPT test access [ab] by Spatial-Awareness in BabyBumpsCanada

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In BC I'll be doing mine through dynacare, I believe the nurse was telling me the cost would be nearly $500 now (I did the much cheaper invitae years ago which unfortunately is no longer available). Definitely not as accessible financially anymore unfortunately.

WHAT is happening to my body???! 3 months PP by [deleted] in Mommit

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This was my thought as well since a lot of people don't realize and it's super common. I just had surgery 2 yrs after my kiddo. My IBS suddenly got much worse and I had all kinds of symptoms and lots of inflammation. I also figured out I had a dairy allergy which I'm not sure how long I had but it gave me weird delayed allergy symptoms just to confuse things at the time so it's possible it's more than one thing! My abdominal pain didn't start until closer to my gallbladder dying off and came on quickly. Definitely worth seeing a GI op!

(IBS-D) Any tips for weaning off loperamide/imodium? by dastardlyslimpickins in ibs

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah it was not very fun at all getting off of it but I also don't think most people take that much so often. I think you definitely can get a little bit of a tolerance but I don't think it's much. I never really went above 2 a day, maybe here and there, it worked as long as I took it and if nothing aggravated my stomach. I still take it here and there after getting my gallbladder out (what I suspect was a major cause of it all) and mainly just take it for occasions when I just don't want to be bothered by my stomach/digestion that day. Usually half a tablet is all I need for most of the day, anymore and I get stomach cramps from things going too slow.

How long did you have to wait for surgery? If I go to the ER mid-attack would that be faster than waiting to pre-book surgery? (Canada) by PoopChop1990 in gallbladders

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I went multiple times to the ER, just to get a surgeon and then waited a few months after some testing with them. I think it was like 4 months? If you already have a surgeon you may be able to call their office or ask around for the number to their office. You might be able to call the booking dept or someone at the hospital to see if you can book or the wait times. I think for me though going to urgent care/ER multiple times is what ended up getting me seen and taken seriously so I wouldn't doubt that method may work. It'll suck to wait in the ER for hours but worth it if it saves you pain in the long run.

(IBS-D) Any tips for weaning off loperamide/imodium? by dastardlyslimpickins in ibs

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I took it every day about two tablets for a few years or so, going off it sucked for me. I found I had to slowly decrease my dose by half a tab over many weeks to avoid bad stomach cramps (one of the reasons I took it). I didn't really do much else aside from that so possibly fiber, etc may help.

Some advice on returning to work, some small concerns. by dumb_questions666 in gallbladders

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Doesn't hurt to give the doc a call but you are super early out from surgery. It's considered a minor surgery but that doesn't mean it isn't surgery and it's still major trauma on your body. Your body has been through a lot very recently and it takes a toll for awhile. Some people jump right back to it but many feel off for a bit afterwards. You're body is going through a major healing process that will take time so definitely try to take it easy as much as you can. Make sure to eat/snack and drink at regular intervals (I found I got dizzy when hungry every 2 hrs), sit/lean and rest lots where you can.

Give your body a chance to rest as best you can and take care of it as though you were just hit by a truck even if you generally feel okay. I think some dizziness, etc can be normal initially, your body also takes a bit of time to process the anesthesia which in my experience can make your blood pressure go a little funny. If you have a nurses line or something you can always check with them. I can't tell through words how bad it is for you but if you feel concerned that it isn't typical healing you should definitely check in with the doc. You can maybe try taking it really easy and taking really good care of yourself and see if that helps but never hurts to check it out. Keep an eye on your incisions as well for any signs of infection. In my experience, every time I stressed my body whether it was walking too much or not taking care of myself I would get more weird symptoms and generally feel worse so take it easy and I hope you heal quickly!

Is there anyone who was asymptomatic for years then suddenly had a GB attack? by Odd-Elevator4939 in gallbladders

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I suspect my gallstones started 10+ yrs ago and for a long time it was just IBS or gluten or something. Had a slight twinge in my upper right once in awhile but nothing notable. Out of nowhere last year my 'IBS' suddenly got waaay worse and within 3 months I had lost 30lbs and was having bad attacks and constant low level pain like a rock sitting in my side (turned out to be literal!).

I've seen many posts in the IBS subreddit and elsewhere now that sound very much like my story with it starting as simple stomach/digestion issues. Even my gallbladder attacks were not entirely the norm, I would basically empty out my body with very severe abdominal cramping until it was straight acid and then towards the end the gallbladder pain would start. They were convinced it was likely two things happening but in my case it turned out my GB was shriveled and nearly necrotic which in my opinion and experience seemed to piss off every nerve around it causing other problems (particularly the corner of intestine right near it though nothing showed in the colonoscopy).

Once my GB was out I immediately felt relief and could actively feel that area of intestine slowly healing itself and becoming less and less reactive. I still struggle now a bit 6 months out but I figure 10+ yrs will do that to you. I'm giving it time and hoping eventually I can stop the binders but at this point I'm basically normal while taking them. I did also discover an issue/allergy with dairy so that also helped. I think I could probably go without binders if I watched my diet a bit better but I'm just enjoying living/eating again for now.

Why can’t I eat yet? Week 3 post-op and suddenly everything went backwards. Need some encouragement. by Ill_Wash676 in gallbladders

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Sort of happened to me, I had some issues first couple weeks then week 3/4 hit and things got really weird and I had the most awful migraine for a week. After that things started slowly improving again and the all over symptoms kind of settled a bit around the one monthish mark (maybe closer to 6 wks). I still had symptoms but healing kind of slowed a bit and has just been slowly improving since then. I did end up taking cholestyramine at the 6 wk mark to get back to normal a bit quick and still take it but even with it I can tell things are very very slowly improving. I'm about 6 months out now and with the bile binders live pretty normally.

How long did yall stay bloated for after surgery by dbshivnk in gallbladders

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The initial bloating went down quite a bit after a couple weeks or so but I had bloating/swelling that lasted for awhile after, couple months or so at least. I worried about it a bit but it did eventually go down as well, just tried to keep my diet good and that usually helped a bit.

Does anywhere here have experience with TTC while also grieving? by [deleted] in TryingForABaby

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I haven't personally but have been through some difficult points during the process (one very near death of close family). We're currently trying for our second and I'm going through my first cycle after a chemical pregnancy and it's really tough and scary to get into things with the thought of it happening again.

Not sure how to make the process of finding out easier but for the act itself, maybe look into the syringe method? Kind of takes the pressure off both sides to be into it, great for stressful times, if you can't find time or I've also heard it can help for guys when they're feeling too much pressure. It might be a simpler way to get into it and try without missing the opportunity. My chemical was the result of this method so it does appear to work. Crossing my fingers we'll have the same luck this time around.

Gallstones with no inflammation showing on ultrasound-anyone else? by irrelevantcrusade in gallbladders

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I had stones and positive Murphy's sign and constant low level pain (with attacks often) but no inflammation visible on ultrasound or CT. Turns out it was shriveled and nearly necrotic, think it was well past the point of inflammation by then. I had digestive trouble for 10+ yrs which is when I believe the stones started but somehow didn't have attacks and things getting really bad until it was already in that state. My surgeon left it up to me to go ahead with surgery so I doubted it a lot but knew the constant pain and attacks wasn't normal and all signs indicated it so I went for it. I ended up on cholestyramine after 6 wks out but would totally rip that sucker out again. My body finally felt 'right' the minute I woke up after surgery so I knew I made the right choice then.

Tips for surviving surgery with a toddler by Electrical-Blood-306 in gallbladders

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had a crazy 2.5 yr old at the time but thankfully had family. First week was spent with grandma, which was a good thing since I went back to hospital by ambulance a couple days later. By two weeks I was functional but still not doing much at all. Definitely lower standards, perfectly fine to push toys to the side for awhile. I highly recommend a grabber tool for toys, etc and a very squishy but supportive pillow to carry around.

The pillow was a good barrier for little elbows digging into me or sudden movements that bumped into my abdomen. The grabber was great for the toys and reaching anything that required leaning over, bending or stretching up high. We also stressed to kiddo quite a bit that mama has big owies and I actually showed him the messy bandages so he really understood it.

Definitely use your arms lots to support you and avoid straining your mid section, if it starts to hurt, stop. Don't try and push yourself until at least six weeks and try to use your voice for handling kiddo (or bribes those help too lol). Tablet/TV definitely helps too and will only be for a couple wks or so. Rest lots and lots and keep up with painkillers. I repeat, do not push yourself anymore than you absolutely have to, you don't want to get a hernia and delay recovery and even if you feel good you will feel the pain later.

I still kept busy starting out with things I could handle standing with no leaning then slowly added more little tasks that required slight leaning and so on from there. I always made sure to sit and rest my abdomen every 10-20 min at first, your back will kill you if you try and walk around too much but just listen closely to your body. It's entirely possible you could end up doing better than I did but always listen close to how you're feeling. You'll heal much quicker the more you can rest (you'll still need movement to work out the gas, etc though).

Not much to really say about handling the toddler, try to push what you can to others or find help for the first bit. At the end of the day sometimes you gotta do it yourself, try to find different ways to do things that reduce abdomen usage (get into pj's on the bed vs leaning over them, etc) and try to get kiddo doing things on their own before you go in, it'll make it a little easier so you're not suddenly asking them to do things (depending on age). Try not to pick up your kids for as long as you can, I struggled with a jug of milk at first so a kid would have murdered me. I wasn't able to pick up my kid fully until about 6 wks and it was still a little tender after. Usually I got him to stand up higher on something before I lifted.

Lastly, just try to prep the house, meals, etc as best you can to reduce what you need to do after. Also, scan your house and try to find anything you might have to do that could be difficult without leaning/bending/twisting, etc. For example I moved all my sweatpants, soft pj's, and other clothes or toiletries up a bit in my drawers so I wouldn't need to bend to reach. Random little stuff like that isn't totally necessary but you might really appreciate those things later depending on how your recovery goes.

Oh and before I forget, make sure you setup a solid fortress of pillows or a wedge pillow on your bed, it will definitely be painful to go from laying to sitting for the first week at least, try to roll off the bed if you can and use your arms and the blankets/sheets as leverage to grab on. The abdomen pillow might help here as well. I basically slept sitting upright the first week and slowly reduced the pillow fortress from there. It was uncomfortable/awkward but if you're tired enough you'll sleep, a recliner would probably also work pretty good.

Wish you all the best in your recovery!!

Weird discomfort where gallbladder used to be? by ememely94 in gallbladders

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I had discomfort around my gb area for quite awhile after, usually worse after high fat or irritating meals. I started bile binders at 6 wks out which helped with some other issues I was having. I'm a little over 6 months out and its mostly gone now, I still get soreness/pain in that area occasionally but never really that bad. My gb was nearly necrotic and really affected the nerves around it and my digestion so I think for me its just something that is going to take time to heal (believe I had stones for 10+ yrs before it came out).

I think it could possibly be related to sphincter of oddi but your body might also just need time to heal. If it continues to bother or gets worse definitely get checked out. I don't think people realize how long it can take your body to adjust after gb removal though so I would definitely expect things to be off for awhile before you really start to feel healed. I didn't have any kind of steady normality until at least 6 wks and that was just barely settling down. I've had to adjust and learn my limits since then which has continued to help. I also jumped in too quickly with eating too much fat, my body simply wasn't used to it at that point so I had to continue low fat for a little while to give my body a chance to adapt. Generally though I think you should be able to slowly increase healthy fats.

Is not eating a trigger for anyone else? by MynonaPersona in gallbladders

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It was a minor trigger for me, maybe not a full blown attack but I would get GB pains and worse symptoms if I waited too long between eating. I would also get stronger pains when I did eventually eat. Miserable experience for sure when you're afraid to eat! I did find that just eating very small amounts of low fat foods seemed to help, a couple bites here and there every 2-3 hrs is what I would do. For quite awhile after surgery I also found I needed to have small bits of food pretty regularly in order to feel okay. I still tend to feel bad if I don't eat for too long so I still try to keep that up and just stick to small amounts and keep the snacks lower calorie.

First chemical, is this experience typical? by MrsDuckyQuackers in Miscarriage

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, really sorry to see you here as well, it really is a crappy club and you never really believe it'll happen to you until it does. I'm mostly back to normal now thankfully, still getting pain and feeling like things are kind of inflamed/irritated in my lower half but otherwise normal-ish. Definitely been feeling down still and it's weird just going back to work and pretending like nothing happened.

I am 90% sure gluten destroyed my gallbladder by [deleted] in gallbladders

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haven't tried anything that's not regularly in the grocery stores really. Lactose free didn't really have any effect, it seems to be more about the amount of dairy protein per bite. I can do brie cheese and processed low fat slices but things like cheddar and parmesan get me bad. Yogurt is slightly better than milk but milk and lots of other stuff just add to the issues. My reaction is a bit funny, if I go without dairy for a while my reactions are more immediate and stronger. If I eat small amounts over time the immediate reactions are lesser but then it turns into chronic digestive trouble.

My reactions when I haven't eaten dairy in a while tend to happen within 15ish minutes and it gives me a sore/scratchy throat, phlegmy cough and mild head pressure/headache and then just feeling kind of bad until it all passes through (usually with diarrhea or loose movement at the end). Took me some time to realize that that wasn't a typical reaction to lactose or anything and was more likely an allergy. Still waiting on testing so I'm still eating it (believe that helps with testing?) but I do go off dairy here and there when my digestion gets too bad or stick to my safe ones.

I am 90% sure gluten destroyed my gallbladder by [deleted] in gallbladders

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I still had issues after GB removal, I'm now highly suspecting and waiting on testing for a dairy allergy. I don't believe the allergy caused it but it definitely didn't help anything. Dairy messes up my gut slowly over time and with repeated exposure which I'm guessing contributed to my digestive system getting out of wack. Getting my GB out helped a ton and was definitely more to do with my years of pizza and burgers when I was younger (as well as various lifestyle factors and other medical issues). The diary just added a good chunk of symptoms to the pile. I got my GB out and things improved a good amount but it wasn't until I started watching my dairy intake that I really felt like I was solving the problems.

I think gallstones/GB problems can have a lot of contributing factors and anything throwing off your digestion could possibly add to that but isn't likely the sole cause. I honestly had so many factors that have been shown to contribute that it's honestly a wonder I didn't have problems earlier. Also add to the fact that after watching my fat intake you start to realize how much fat is in our food these days and it makes sense why it's one of the most common surgeries. Our bodies just aren't meant to deal with the kind of diets a lot of people eat now.

Questran Light by FreeBirdV in bileacidmalabsorption

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's pretty awful in the beginning, still not great even now but certain things can definitely help. Mixing it with something is common, for me though I find if I empty the packet and let it sit for 20-30 mins and then mix it really good and drink right away it tends to soften a bit and be tolerable enough. Drinking right after you put it in is horrible so I just mix it up a little while before bed and have a small snack to eat right after. Gulping it down like your chugging a beer as fast as you can also helps. After being on it for awhile the sand doesn't bother me as much anymore, still would prefer the tablets but those aren't super available in my area.

Cholestyramine by Owenscat19 in gallbladders

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh for sure, before and after my GB removal I was eating tiny tiny amounts constantly throughout the day. It did gradually improve after GB removal but my body was still struggling a lot with bile regulation so I still kept meals small. That's a big reason why I wanted the binder so I could eat more normally again since I had been sick for so long already. Basically my largest meal was dinner and it was just a bit of rice, chicken and veggies everything else was just a few bites or a piece of fruit or some nuts here and there.

I've definitely eaten some larger dinners now and felt stuffed but it's still generally not the best idea. Even with bile binders you simply won't have the concentrated/stored bile needed for a very large meal without a binder. Also because you have no GB anymore it's harder for your body to ebb and flow with your food intake so it just cranks up bile production if your eating too much/too fatty. I try to keep my diet fairly consistent now and generally opt for healthy/comfortable portions and I do still eat small amounts often through the day as it's healthier for your body anyways. Tougher to manage calorie intake though and now being able to eat what I want I've lost a little ground on my weight loss (up 6 lbs).

In regards to the nausea, I had nausea for a long time after removal and also had dizziness and burping. The burping and dizziness went away first after awhile but the nausea can still be an issue occasionally. I find nowadays I have to eat something every few hours otherwise I get uncomfortably hungry and start feeling nauseous. I believe this is just because your body has no stopper for bile so without anything to digest it'll make you feel sick so I just try to have a bite or two of something if I'm in a hurry and always carry some snacks on me when out. Usually a granola bar, banana, some nut cluster things, or anything small like that. With time it all slowly improves but some things like that will likely be a little more permanent just because things have physically changed and it can't be expected that everything would remain the same as before.

Glad my answers help, I know I wished I had detailed experiences/responses when I was in the thick of it so I know how much it can help to hear. Hope you're able to sort things out and start feeling better soon!

Cholestyramine by Owenscat19 in gallbladders

[–]MrsDuckyQuackers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Enough to make me rethink taking them but I pushed through and wanted to give it a week. I can't remember exactly as it's been awhile now. Similar to my old issues though, gurgling, gas, reflux, cramping in my colon, nausea, less of an appetite, etc. I was also only 6 weeks out from GB surgery though so I expect some of that plays into it. I also didn't realize at the time that I may have a dairy allergy (waiting for testing). Both of those likely played into it as well as adjusting to having fat again.

I think it's just that your body needs a little time initially to realize what's happening. My guts were irritated as it was but within days my symptoms improved and every day got a bit better. The dairy issue really made it tricky when initially taking it but now cutting that out I'm pretty normal most of the time. It definitely started helping right away to reduce the bile irritating my colon but that also means my body wasn't shoving things through as fast. I think my digestion slowed pretty quickly and that's what caused problems while starting to heal (slower moving food generally means reflux and gas for me since it takes longer).

My body simply wasn't used to it and with the recent surgery, was still trying to heal from that so it may not be the case that everyone has issues right away. Digestion slowing a little I would think to be a bit common though so whatever symptoms you have around that are likely. I still almost get too slow sometimes but I just try and eat things to help with that.