What does NOT having a gall bladder do to your body? Is there anything specific I should be doing?

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Generally speaking, as the others have said, people adapt beautifully to removal of the gallbladder. Some have diarrhea and cramping with high fat meals early in recovery, but this is usually self limiting. There is a post cholecystectomy syndrome that affects as many as 10-15% of patients and can involve upper GI symptoms such as esophagitis and ulcers, but again this is usually self limiting.

Mizzi syndrome can cause symptoms such as you report. This results from a retained stone in what is left of the gallbladder (cystic) duct. The resulting mass can put pressure on the main (hepatic or common bile) duct and lead to symptoms which are hard to pin down. Keep in mind, though, that there have been less than 5 confirmed cases in the medical literature of Mizzi's to date (I checked medline to make sure)

Ultrasound is a good place to start for screening, but again will probably be normal. If anything is found, you may need to see a gastroenterologist who can do a test called an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. This is a contrast (dye) study that outlines the ducts flowing from the liver and can also outline the pancreas if it is suspected.

If you are having persistent symptoms, you may want to start with an experienced gastroenterologist, but your surgeon should be able to start the workup as well. One note, though. A lot of general surgeons are not very good at welcoming back a patient who is having problems. The bedside experience can be a little disappointing, even if everything medical is done correctly. Why? Well, surgeons are human and they want everything to go perfectly and some don't react as well as they should when they do not.

Hope things turn out well for you

Other Answers:
Did you just have it taken out? If so watch what you eat for the first couple weaks. I had mine out last summer. I am just fine. There was nothen I had to change.

NOT having a gall bladder, if you are having gall bladder problems, will be a great relief to you. you should immediately feel better after it is removed. you may however, experience some heartburn still, but nothing like before. Just watch what you eat for a few weeks after the surgery, then life should be fairly normal again. your gallbladder for the most part works in breaking down fats. a meal high in fat is harder on your body to break down after having it removed. heart burn is common also.

well you just have to go pee every 45min. thats all

I had my gall bladder removed in 1976 and I have had no ill-effects from it besides some heartburn that I control with OTC medicine. Occasionally I have some symptoms of gall stones, and my doctor said that stones can sometimes form in the ducts. He said that this is nothing to worry about and is normal post-cholecystectomy.
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What does NOT having a gall bladder do to your body? Is there anything specific I should be doing?

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