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Hey Everyone

Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 12:21 pm
by Gailann
Hi. This is my first post here. In early in 2016 I was diagnosed with Stage 3B colon cancer. I was 50 and had never had a colonoscopy before. My cancer presented in an odd way. On October 26, 2015 I had a cardiac arrest at my home. I was very lucky my kids were home that night. They are all in there 20's. My daughter heard the IPAD hit the floor and came in - she came in and I was not breathing and she called the others. My son did CPR until the ambulance got there. I died several times on the way to the hospital before the Doctors were able to stabilize me. I was found to have (in addition to the heart problem) severe anemia.I had to have blood transfusions and was in a cold come for 2 days. I had a defibrillator surgically placed the following week. They did the test with the camera down the throat but everything was fine.Later I had the colonoscopy and they found colon cancer and that I had been bleeding and that is where the severe anemia came in. They took the right half of the colon out and I had the chemo. I am back at work but was still having the pains and now I am told that my gallbladder is bad. I have read here many people also have had gallbladder problems after colon cancer. I don't want another surgery - I just had to go into the hospital in March and have a new defibrillator put in. I also feel like I have gained weight and now I think maybe the gallbladder has something to do with it. Does the bad gallbladder cause diarrhea? or is that a leftover problem from the colon resection?

Re: Hey Everyone

Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 6:11 pm
by DarknessEmbraced
How scary!*hugs* I'm sorry you've been through so much!*hugs* I can't answer your questions but I'm sure others on here will be able to help! :D

Re: Hey Everyone

Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 6:52 pm
by Lee
Gailann wrote: . . . Does the bad gallbladder cause diarrhea? or is that a leftover problem from the colon resection?


Hi and welcome,

Not sure about the gallbladder issue, butt my theory on diarrhea issue is this. We were made with a certain amount of colon to process food, water, etc. You lose a chunk of your colon and now your colon is expected to work/produce the same result prior to surgery with far less to work with :shock: .

Some people have found great results with daily enemas. If you enter that word in the search bar, there is one thread by tammylane where a lot of information is documented on that subject.

Yes I believe weight gain becomes a problem after chemo. I am not overweight, butt I am a card carrying member of Weight Watchers to keep my weight in check. I've gain 10 pd since my diagnoses.

Good luck,

Lee

P.S. Edited to add this. Result of chemo, my fingers gained weight. Could not take my wedding ring off if my life depended on it. 3 years out, I need surgery for something else. Was told if my wedding ring was on, they would cut it into pieces to get off prior to surgery. I soaked my hand in ice water for 20 mins, no success. DH and DB were there with me, ring was not coming off, PERIOD! Went to hospital, surgeon was like tape it up and don't worry about it. A year later I was messing with my wedding ring, REALIZED I could take it off (had done this many time before without success). Worked, worked, worked, and took some skin off, BUTT ring was now off. Told my DH I was going to keep it off until AFTER the end of summer. DH agreed, went to Kohl's and got a cheap silver ring. After summer, got ring/finger resized, gained 1/2 size in my fingers. I've been wearing my wedding band (with new size) ever since and no problems. Often wondered, if in time, would need to reduce ring size, did not happen.

Re: Hey Everyone

Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2017 12:30 pm
by TXLiz
I had my gallbladder out about 20 years before I was diagnosed with colon cancer. I just remember pain and nausea.

My son had his gallbladder out a few years ago, and he had terrible diarrhea as one of his symptoms.

His Gastro doc said with the GI tract, it could be multiple issues, and after extensive testing they took out his gallbladder because when injected with a specific "nuclear" drug and watching his gallbladder excrete during an MRI, they concluded it was not functioning as it was supposed to. Thus, they thought it may be causing his symptoms. They cautioned that even after surgery he may not be "cured."

He was, but this is a hard one. I have diarrhea now after a right colectomy almost every day.

You will have to discuss this with your doctors and make the decision if you want to have your gallbladder removed.

It may solve your problem, or not. That's what my experience has been.

Good luck!

PS- what an extra terrifying way to find out you had colon cancer! My goodness! I can see why you are hesitant to undergo another surgery. My gallbladder pain got progressively worse, so keep an eye on it. You don't want to be doubled over in pain and undergoing emergency gallbladder surgery.

Re: Hey Everyone

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2017 8:31 am
by canadiandaughter
My husband had gallbladder issues and never had diarrhea. It was more indigestion type pain, chest pain. After he had it removed is when he had bowel issues.

Re: Hey Everyone

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 7:04 am
by Ron50
I had my gall bladder removed several years after cancer. I had no choice the small black gallstones were blocking off my pancreatic duct causing acute pancraetitis. They were able to flush the stone with saline and oxygen. (don't ask me how that works but it did) . after gallbladder surgery I started to develop severe diarrhea It was finally dxed as bile salt malabsorption or bile salt diarrhea. I still have bouts of it and control it with cholestramine which binds the bile salts and free cholesterol and takes them thru the system without them causing any problems.. Kidney stones are also quite common in survivors as well. Ron.

Re: Hey Everyone

Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 3:44 pm
by Gailann
Hello,

Thanks for all the information. I guess with this kind of thing not everyone will react the same way - even if the diagnosis is the same. I need to get a gallbladder scan done soon so I will know more then. I was more worried that it was my liver - so if it is the gallbladder causing the pain I am alright with that. My Doctor told me that I had a high threshold for pain - but that is not a good thing when pain is a symptom.

Also, what is a good healthy snack that you like that does not bother your stomach or digestion and does not cause you diarrhea or gas?

Take care everyone,

Re: Hey Everyone

Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 4:43 pm
by Lee
Gailann wrote:Hello,
Also, what is a good healthy snack that you like that does not bother your stomach or digestion and does not cause you diarrhea or gas?


Not sure about some thing that will bother your stomach, digestive tract, butt I'm a big fan of watermelon. We are having a heat spell here in the southwest. Yesterday and today high 120. When I went walking this morn at 5am, it was 84. So it's real popular snack around here especially at this time.

Lee

Re: Hey Everyone

Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 8:50 pm
by jep
Hi Gailann...my gall bladder was not functioning at all and was removed about 15 years ago....my main symptom was terrible pain in the middle of my abdomen that would last for hours (and it always happened at night)....I know that there are different symptoms, but I didn't experience diahrea with my non-functioning gall bladder. I hope you get some relief soon!
jep