2006-09-12 17:35:07 · 9 answers · asked by nicnac 1 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
I'll spare you the complete explanation of how gallstones form unless you contact me directly and ask, but you need to know the following in order to understand your question and my answer.
Bile is a substance that has physical properties similar to liquid soap. Bile (like soap) is an "amphipathic" substance which can combine with both oily and watery substances - a neat trick! The job of bile (very much like soap) is to help dissolve oily material into tiny droplets which can intermix with the otherwise watery material that flows in the intestine. The gut benefits from having very tiny oil droplets to deal with because they have a very high surface area to volume ratio, and enzymes can quickly access the surfaces of these droplets and break down the contents for absorption.
The anatomy of the bile system involves a system of microscopic ducts in the liver, which flow together into larger and larger ducts, finally culminating in a right and left hepatic duct (coming from the right and left halves of the liver). These ducts leave the liver at the center and join together to form the common hepatic duct. Coming off the side of this bile duct system is a floppy pear-shaped sac called the gallbladder. The singular duct coming out of the gallbladder (the cystic duct) joins with the common hepatic duct and forms the common bile duct which flows into the intestine only a few inches downstream of the stomach.
The liver makes bile constantly, but it is used in the digestive tract only intermittantly. Between meals, while there is no stimulus for bile release (no fat in the gut) the bile being formed by the liver is routed into the gallbladder, which stretches and fills. During this time, the gallbladder is constantly absorbing water out of the bile, making the liquid more and more concentrated. After a fatty meal, a gut hormone known as CCK is released into the blood and this stimulates relaxation of the sphincter muscle holding the bile duct closed, and it simultaneously stimulates gallbladder contraction. Concentrated bile is squeezed out of the gallbladder, down the duct and into the gut where it mixes with the fatty food.
Stone formers have bile which tends to precipitate solids when the process of concentration occurs while the gallbladder is reabsorbing water and concentrating the bile. It is for this reason that the only effective treatment for gallstones which are causing problems is to remove the gallbladder. After the gallbladder is removed, the remaining bile system is essentially incapable of concentrating the bile, and therefore of forming stones.
In people with gallbladders, the flow of bile is normally episodic and follows after meal ingestion. The flow in patients who have had their gallbladders removed is essentially constant and nonconcentrated. It turns out that essentially the same amount of bile is put into the intestine each day by people who do and do not have gallbladders, the main difference being that with a gallbladder in place, the bile is released in a more concentrated form, and only after meals.
People who have their gallbladders out sometimes report a period of diarrhea following the procedure. I'd say that the incidence of this complaint is about 10 to 15 percent. In general it's non distressing and limited to about 2-3 weeks before it resolves on its own. Ultimately, what happens is that the gut gets used to having some bile in it at all times, and having the food move down into the bile and then mix, rather than the other way around. Within a month or so of surgery, people typically have no further digestive symptoms.
... Hope that helps!
2006-09-12 18:01:08 · answer #1 · answered by bellydoc 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
strange thing is, doesn't seem that much different, unfortunately. I had my gall bladder removed about 4 years ago. Have IBS and I have similar digestive problems. my mom had her gall bladder out at the same age as I did.
2006-09-13 00:39:30 · answer #2 · answered by Cara B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No.
But you need to be more careful about what you eat in the future anyway. Gallbladders only commonly come out because we have ruined them with a fatty diet.
2006-09-13 00:37:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
None that I have ever experienced. The doc said I was fine to eat whatever I wanted. That was 2000 I had mine out. I have to disagree with the answer above me, mine was ruined from dieting and eating only fat free.
2006-09-13 00:37:48 · answer #4 · answered by Fleur de Lis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had mine removed about 12 years ago. I have had no complications in eating fruits, veggies or meat.
2006-09-13 00:37:32 · answer #5 · answered by Baseball inquisitive 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It usually improves digestion.
2006-09-13 00:45:45 · answer #6 · answered by frank m 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
mine took like 6 mo to calm down my husbands is still not right ( 4 yrs) and my mom is having trouble also ( 2 yrs)
2006-09-13 00:46:12 · answer #7 · answered by MayberryNR5 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Had mine out 2 months ago. Don't notice any difference yet.
2006-09-13 00:44:41 · answer #8 · answered by gizzardout 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have to stay close to a bathroom just after eating.
2006-09-13 00:37:34 · answer #9 · answered by ncgirl 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋