u/Danny_Boy_79

Hi all,

I've joined this group hoping to connect with others who may have experienced something similar after gallbladder removal.

I had my gallbladder removed in June 2023 following severe cholecystitis and jaundice. Looking back, I did have some bowel changes and digestive discomfort afterwards, but at the time I was also dealing with a separate chronic pain issue (epididymitis) and was taking naproxen and dihydrocodeine following an epididymectomy in May 2023.

Those medications slowed my bowels significantly, so in hindsight I suspect they may have masked some of the digestive problems that were developing after my gallbladder removal.

Unfortunately, the testicular pain continued and I eventually underwent an orchiectomy in January 2024. I remained on pain medication until around April 2024, when I gradually weaned myself off.

That's when everything seemed to change.

Almost overnight I developed ongoing diarrhoea, urgency, nausea, bloating, retching, vomiting and persistent right upper quadrant (RUQ) pain under my ribs, often radiating around my side and into my back.

Between April and July 2024 I lost almost 5 stone due to the nausea, vomiting, retching and diarrhoea. I went from being a 22 stone, 6'4" competitive powerlifter to around 17 stone and so weak that I struggled to squat an empty Olympic bar. It was during this period that I was finally referred to Gastroenterology.

I underwent numerous investigations including CT scans, MRI scans, ultrasounds, endoscopy, colonoscopy and repeated blood tests. Everything came back normal apart from a SeHCAT scan, which confirmed bile acid malabsorption (BAM).

Initially I was prescribed cholestyramine, but it made me feel quite unwell and I struggled to tolerate it. I was then switched to colesevelam, which does help control the diarrhoea and urgency. Unfortunately, if I stay on it for too long it causes significant constipation, bloating and nausea, forcing me to stop it for periods. When I stop it, the diarrhoea and urgency return.

In June 2025 I was admitted to hospital for three days with mild pancreatitis after blood tests showed raised amylase levels. Since then I've continued to suffer with ongoing RUQ pain, nausea, retching and loose bowels.

I've also tried prochlorperazine for nausea, but again I struggle with the side effects if I take it continuously.

For pain management I've been prescribed tramadol, pregabalin and nortriptyline, but honestly none have provided significant relief and I'm currently in the process of reducing them.

In February 2026 I even paid privately for nerve block injections into my RUQ, at a cost of almost £3,000, but unfortunately they only worked for around three weeks before the pain returned.

This week has been particularly rough. Constant nausea, bloating, retching and very little appetite, despite keeping my fat intake as low as possible.

The thing I struggle with most is that whilst I fully accept my gallbladder needed to come out, at no point was I warned that complications such as BAM, chronic digestive issues, ongoing pain or long-term nausea could occur afterwards. Had I known these were recognised complications, at least I would have understood what might be happening when the symptoms started.

I'm now nearly three years post-surgery and still trying to understand whether all of this is simply severe post-cholecystectomy syndrome combined with BAM, or whether anyone else has experienced a similar journey.

Has anyone here dealt with ongoing RUQ pain, nausea, retching or vomiting long after gallbladder removal, even after being diagnosed and treated for BAM?

I'd be really interested to hear other people's experiences.

👍🏼

I'm everything Apple; but getting bored with it all, bar my M4 Mac Mini which does all of it that I need it to; so decided it's time for a change and I'm selling off my M4 MBA, iPhone 17 Pro Max, AWU3 and moving across to the Google Eco system :)

I've ordered the Fold Pro 10 this afternoon, alongside the Pixel 4 45mm LT watch and a Lenovo Chomebook Plus (which arrives tomorrow); the Google phone and watch should be with me later in the week

Looking forward to getting back to Android; I did have the Samsung S24 Ultra and 1st Galaxy Watch Ultra a year or so back; but needed to move back to Apple for the contract I was in etc

As soon as it all lands I'll get some pictures up

But so far for the phone; I've got the Spigen front screen protector and the Slim Armor case on their way to me

Hi All

I'm considering an E60 as the potential new BMW to me here in the UK

I've had x5 BMW E39s inc x2 Japanese imports; an E65 730d M Sport in Le Mans Blue (stunning colour); an F01 730d SE Luxury (superb car and regretted selling that); and most recently an E81 130i LE with the N52 also

We currently have an F31 M Sport touring which is a superb car; that's now my wife's as she has to commute to her work 2-3 times a week; I'm fully remote / home-based so generally only use a car on the weekends

I've seen an late 2008 E60 530i M Sport that's a Japanese import; been in the UK around 2 years and bar a small scuff on the front bumper where someones caught it, it looks to be in superb condition, with just over 70k miles on it and it's a part leather / part cloth interior with heated seats and the rest of the usual gadgets (memory seats, power-fold mirrors, iDrive etc)

Having never owned an E60; but very familiar with the N52; what do I need to look for on the car specifically (bar checking codes etc which I'll do)

And for those either in the UK; or that live in countries where the roads aren't the best and you generally have to dodge potholes; how does the E60 ride on 18s and 19s, on non runflat tyres and on standard M Sport suspension?

The E60 looks superb on 19s, same with the E39s etc; but 18s always make better sense, and more so over winter etc