what happens when your gallbladder doesn't empty?
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If the gallbladder doesn't empty completely, particles in the bile — like cholesterol or calcium salts — can thicken as a result of remaining in the gallbladder for too long. They eventually become biliary sludge, which is commonly referred to as gallbladder sludge.
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It also stores, concentrates and secretes the bile your liver makes. After surgery, your liver will still make enough bile, but you might have difficulty processing fatty foods – at least for a while. More than half of patients who have their gallbladder removed have trouble digesting fat.
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If a gallstone lodges in a duct and causes a blockage, the resulting signs and symptoms may include: Sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the upper right portion of your abdomen. Sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the center of your abdomen, just below your breastbone. Back pain between your shoulder blades.
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Living without a gallbladder Your liver will still make enough bile to digest your food, but instead of being stored in the gallbladder, it drips continuously into your digestive system. You may have been advised to eat a special diet before surgery, but this doesn't need to be continued afterwards.
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Symptoms can include upper abdominal pain after eating, nausea, bloating, and indigestion. Eating a fatty meal may trigger symptoms. There are usually no gallstones in the gallbladder with biliary dyskinesia. Your doctor may need to use a test called a HIDA scan to help diagnosis this condition.
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If you eat low fat less bile is needed to digest your food. More bile thus stays in the gallbladder. Long enough, perhaps, for stones to form. It's been shown that people who (instead of fat) eat more carbohydrates are at increased risk of gallstones.
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The risks of not treating gallstones may include: Unpredictable attacks of gallstone pain. Episodes of inflammation or serious infection of the gallbladder, bile ducts, or pancreas. Jaundice and other symptoms caused by blockage of the common bile duct.
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Stomach Pain If you cut down on fat in your diet, your gallbladder doesn't contract as frequently, allowing bile to become concentrated in the organ, which leads to the formation of stones, she explains. Your move: Include fat in your daily diet to keep your gallbladder functioning properly, Dr.
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Bile from the liver creates the typical brown hue of a healthy bowel movement. When the stool is very pale, it often means that not enough bile is reaching the stool. Problems with the gallbladder, pancreas, or liver are reasons why stool may not contain enough bile.
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When the body adjusts to changes caused by gallbladder removal, it impacts how the digestive system processes energy. In some cases, this leads to weight gain. The body may not be able to digest fat and sugar efficiently. The energy from food is then stored as fat in the patient's body, causing weight gain.
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['Pain. The most common symptom of a gallbladder problem is pain. ... ', 'Nausea or vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of all types of gallbladder problems. ... ', 'Fever or chills. Chills or an unexplained fever may signal that you have an infection. ... ', 'Chronic diarrhea. ... ', 'Jaundice. ... ', 'Unusual stools or urine.']
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Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of all types of gallbladder problems. However, only chronic gallbladder disease may cause digestive problems, such as acid reflux and gas.
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Computed tomography (CT) scan. CT scans can show gallstones, or complications such as infection and blockage of the gallbladder or bile ducts. However, CT scans also can miss gallstones that you may have.
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Drink Lots of Water Not everyone needs that much. But if you get less than your body requires, it can take a toll on your gallbladder. Water helps the organ empty and keeps bile from building up. This protects against gallstones and other problems.
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Infection. Some people develop a wound or internal infection after a gallbladder removal. Signs of a possible infection include increasing pain, swelling or redness, and pus leaking from a wound. See your GP if you develop these symptoms, as you may need a short course of antibiotics.
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Without a gallbladder, which gives bile a chance to pool and stones a place to form, you still have enough bile to aid digestion. So, there's little reason for you or others who have had their gallbladders removed to take bile salts.
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Most people with gallbladder sludge can lead normal, healthy lives. Many require no treatment at all. But an accurate diagnosis can rule out potentially dangerous problems, such as a pancreas infection or pancreatic cancer.