Alissa has written in with an interesting question – what happens if you are an IBS sufferer already when your gallbladder is removed? Regular readers of this blog will know that gallbladderless people can be prone to diarrhea because of an excess of bile in their intestines, and this bile can often be treated with medications like Welchol and Questran.
But what you have gut troubles before your gallbladder goes? If anyone here has experienced that, Alissa would like to hear from you (just leave a reply in the comments section). She says:
“I’ve noticed that quite a few sufferers experienced the onset of IBS after removal of their gallbladder. I’ve been dealing with IBS since I was 14, and I was diagnosed at 16. I guess I’m a ‘C’ type – I deal with (thankfully) very mild constipation, that now with a careful diet erupts into an all-day bathroom session with progressive diarrhea (you must really love this work to deal with all this TMI! 
)
Anyway, I am now faced with gallbladder surgery. The surgery bothers me not one wit – it’s a simple procedure and it will be what it will be – but I am very concerned that my now blessedly-easy-to-deal-with IBS will turn into a nightmare situation. Even knowing I have IBS, my current doctor actually said to me, ‘You’ll try different foods – if something gives you diarrhea, you know not to eat it.’ (!)
Has anyone experienced having gallbladder removal while already having IBS? I know we all are different and have different symptoms and triggers, but I would appreciate hearing other people’s experiences.”
