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One thing I'm wondering about is adhesions. I don't know too too much about them, and it seems like most doctors don't either. But from what I understand, it's when excess scar tissue forms around your organs, often attaching them to each other etc and impeding their functioning. Surgery is one risk factor. I wouldn't be surprised if the bile had caused some scar tissue to form, too. The adhesions would of course be outside your intestines, so they wouldn't see it on a lower GI. I'm not sure how they're diagnosed (perhaps with a lap procedure??) but I think the hardest part of it is convincing your doctor to look.
Another thing that comes to mind is the normal GB surgery complications. For some reason, doctors LOVE to pretend that GB surgery will make you all better, but a small but significant portion of patients end up with just as much trouble as before. Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction is one common problem. You could have uncontrolled release of bile into the intestines, which could be controlled with bile-binding medications like Questran. Those typically occur when there are no complications. Since your surgery was more, um, complicated - I'm not sure what the full ramifications would be, but I'd have to assume you've got more chance of after-effects. I don't know if a bile-binding resin would help your situation, but it may be something to ask your doc about.
So, your homework assignment: google adhesions, sphincter of oddi dysfunction, and bile-binding

Did you change your diet after the GB surgery? Low fat, etc? Do you know what it was your mother was diagnosed with? At least they're starting to take this seriously, it seems... Keep us posted on here... getting a GI diagnosis tends to be a long process, and you tend to have to inform yourself & do a lot of pushing, but it can be done!!View Thread

I'm not saying that's necessarily what it is, but since CD is so common, and so commonly misdiagnosed, it's the first thing I think when someone has a list of issues and no diagnosis. And osteoporosis at such a young age?? Very common with Celiac.
One thing that's always a good idea is to ask your doctors for copies of your test results - blood work, EGD results, etc. Sometimes information that's in the results doesn't get communicated to the patient - doctors may ignore tests that come out "only a little" abnormal, or they may feel that "a little" inflammation isn't important enough to tell you about. Plus, you can't always assume that your doctor is fully familiar with everything in your file. They don't have time for that. Sometimes we're the only ones who will take the time to look at everything. Many of us have found interesting things when we look at our records.
GI disorders are just devilishly hard to diagnose, unfortunately - so many different conditions share overlapping symptoms, and the same condition can present with entirely different symptoms in different people. Add to that the fact that "tummy troubles" don't get a lot of sympathy from people who haven't experienced them, and it can get pretty frustrating. I think we've all shared your experience with the ER - unless you're dying or losing a limb, they don't do much for you. When I went., they were convinced my pain was due to pregnancy, no matter how many times I tried to explain to them that I'd had a D&C the day before (if I had been pregnant, a D&C would've terminated it). And that was at a good hospital.
Hope you find some answers, and please keep us posted!View Thread

Have you seen a doctor about this? Have you noticed any connection with what you eat? It sounds like your diet is pretty healthy, but things like dairy, gluten, or artificial sweeteners can still be problems for some people. Dairy is a notorious constipater. Do you have any other conditions, or anything that runs in your family?View Thread

(why won't WebMD's filter let me use the word "out-ward"!?)View Thread




You haven't given a lot of details, but I'm not entirely convinced what you're describing fits "IBS" though. Have you considered seeing a gastroenterologist? If it's been going on for a while, you shouldn't have trouble getting a referral. Also, if you're getting a lot of watery diarrhea, that may mean an infection of some sort.View Thread

Foul odor can be from a number of things. It could be an imbalance in gut flora (the bacteria, etc., that normally live in your gut, many of which help with digestion). If that's the case, a good probiotic may help - not immediately, but over a week or several. It can also be from a food intolerance - some food your body isn't able to fully break down. Intolerances can be hard to track down because 1. they don't hit immediately after you eat and 2. often they're foods you eat traces of in every meal, like dairy, wheat, etc. If your problem continues, try to keep a food/symptom journal to record everything you eat/drink/take, and see if you can find a pattern.
There aren't a lot of good short-term fixes for gas and bloating, unfortunately. Some people swear by fennel tea - may be a good thing to try. Beano seems to work for some people but not at all for others.
I would NOT recommend a colon cleanse. Those can be dangerous.View Thread
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