Re: Diarrhea after the removal of my gallbladder

I am writing this in response to all fellow dumpers out there who have had their gallbladders removed, and need to stay close to a toilet. I had my gallbladder removed in February 2003. Since then I am having all the same symptoms that everyone else seems to be having. About a half hour after eating I have the runs, and it is really anoying the hell out of me and ruining my life. I have done as much research on this as possible, and I just wanted to pass along the information that I have found. The reason we are having diarrhea after eating is because the bile that was once stored in our gallbladders is still being manufactured by our livers, but is now being stored in our intestines. When we eat, our intestines are over stimulated by all the bile, and that is what causes the diarrhea. From what I understand, some medications that are used to lower cholesterol will help to bind these bile acids to allow you to have a normal stool. I have been told that the medication called Welchol works though I have not tried it. I have also been taking calcium pills which have been working but you have to make sure that you don't take too much, otherwise it will make you constipated. I would rather take care of this situation with an herb or vitamin rather than having to be on medication for the rest of my life, so I will most likely be sticking with the calcium unless anything else natural comes along. But for those of you that are intersted in a prescription, just to let you know, they no longer make Questran. But they do make cholyestrimine which is a powder that you have to mix with a liquid and drink (yuck, no thanx), and of course the Welchol, which are pills. I am still searching for other means, and reading up on herbs that lower cholesterol to see if they work, if they do I will post my findings. If anyone out there has used anything natural besides calcium please let me know. I am also dumbfounded with the fatigue I experience now after having my gallbladder out. What is this all about? I sometimes wonder if there is a single doctor out there that has lost their gallbladder. They seem to quick to remove the organ and leave it up to the patients to do their own research afterwards. Good luck to all, and let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanx... Tweet