The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped sac located below the liver (on the right side of the abdomen) that contains about a half cup of a greenish-yellow fluid called gallbladder bile. Bile originates in the liver before passing to the gallbladder, where the bile becomes 4 to 12 times more concentrated. The healthy, functioning gallbladder acts as a storage reservoir for concentrated bile before it passes into the duodenum (small intestine).
The main function of bile is to help the body digest fat by breaking the fat into thin droplets. It helps pancreatic enzymes to break down fats into small particles that can pass through the walls of the intestines.
When semi-digested food leaves the stomach and passes into the small intestine, the gallbladder contracts and the concentrated bile moves through the bile ducts into the small intestine. Once the gallbladder is removed, liquid bile from the liver constantly flows from the common bile duct directly into the small intestine instead of being stored in the gallbladder. This low-quality, liquid hepatic bile that constantly flows into the duodenum cannot properly digest fats, leading to fat intolerance and diarrhea in some people.
Bile is essential for removing dangerous toxins such as bile pigments, bile acids, cholesterol, and heavy metals. The antimicrobial property of concentrated gallbladder bile helps keep the small intestine away from dangerous invaders like bad bacteria, parasites, and yeast. Consequently, the absence of the gallbladder leads to candidiasis and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) which can lead to gas and indigestion.
Healthy alkaline bile neutralizes acidic half-digested food in the stomach, thus creating the proper alkaline environment in the small intestine for pancreatic enzymes to function. It is well known that pancreatic enzymes require an alkaline condition in the duodenum to digest food consumed. When bile from the gallbladder is not alkaline, undigested food in the small intestine ferments, causing gas, bloating, abdominal cramps, and uncomfortable bathroom trips.
The gallbladder acts as a cushioning reservoir to prevent bile buildup and to prevent high pressure in the bile and pancreatic ducts. This high pressure expands the common bile duct and causes pain. Common bile duct enlargement is a common finding after gallbladder removal. When there is no gallbladder, increased pressure within the pancreatic duct can lead to activation of pancreatic enzymes within the pancreas and, as a consequence, inflammation of the pancreas can develop.
The liver, gallbladder, pancreas, duodenum, bile ducts, and muscular valves work together due to the perfect regulation of the body. Doctors and researchers have discovered that cutting the nerve branches that surround the gallbladder can disrupt the proper function of the sphincter of Oddi, the valve between the bile and pancreatic ducts and the duodenum. Almost 20% of patients after gallbladder surgery suffer from sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. Spasm of this strategic valve leads to accumulation of bile and pancreatic juices with consequent pain, nausea, and possible development of pancreatitis.
Concentrated gallbladder bile is necessary for intestinal motility, digestion, and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. The lack of bile in the gallbladder creates less peristaltic motion, making people are prone to constipation.
The main reasons for gallbladder surgery are inflammation and/or stones in the gallbladder. Removal of the gallbladder does not stop the production of stones or the inflammation of the bile ducts. Therefore, inflammation and stone buildup, both in the liver and bile ducts, can often be seen in people without a gallbladder.
Although the loss of these gallbladder functions is not life-threatening, removal of the gallbladder can cause many unpleasant symptoms. For some people, life after gallbladder removal is a miserable existence. This condition is called post-cholecystectomy syndrome. The term post-cholecystectomy syndrome (PCS) describes the presence of symptoms after cholecystectomy (surgery to remove the gallbladder).
What can be done to reduce the consequences and symptoms of post-cholecystectomy syndrome?
Many non-drug and non-surgical healing techniques can alleviate many of these uncomfortable symptoms. Some of them have been widely used for hundreds of years all over the world.
A healing diet is one of the oldest, cheapest, safest and most effective medicines in the world.
Diet changes are vitally important for a person suffering from postoperative digestive problems.
In a healthy, functioning body, the gallbladder, pancreas, bile, and pancreatic juices are naturally alkaline. The acidity of the whole body is one of the main causes of the malfunction of the liver, gallbladder and pancreas. The acidity causes biochemical changes in the bile that make it corrosively irritating to the bile ducts, the sphincter of Oddi, and the small intestine. Aggressive acidic hepatic bile irritates surrounding tissues, causes spasmodic contractions and reflux. This aggressive mixture of acidic bile and pancreatic juices regurgitates into the stomach and esophagus and/or spasms the sphincter of Oddi. This can be the cause of heartburn, nausea, and upper abdominal pain often experienced after gallbladder surgery.
An alkaline diet consists of eating mostly alkaline-based foods and avoiding acidifying foods such as sugar, red meat, soft drinks, dairy products, white flour, white rice, alcohol, etc. A separate diet requires eating only one type of food at a time. Mixing foods like salad, soup, main course, dessert, soft drinks and alcohol in one meal, as people often do, puts a lot of stress on the digestive system. When people without a gallbladder (who do not have good quality bile present) continue to eat in this way, many symptoms of indigestion occur such as abdominal pain, nausea, belching, gas, heartburn, diarrhea, and/or constipation.
Usually, people without a gallbladder have two problems: one is Candida yeast overgrowth, another is food sensitivities. An elimination diet and an anti-Candida diet can be very beneficial for these conditions.
In simple chemistry it is known that to neutralize acidity the body needs a lot of minerals and bicarbonates. Unfortunately, today’s foods contain very little of these vital nutrients, so supplementation is a practical way to get them. The easy way to get minerals and bicarbonates is by drinking healing mineral water.
Doctors in Europe have used healing mineral water for hundreds of years. There are many mineral spas in Germany, Austria, France, Eastern Europe and Russia. Thousands of people travel to these spas for cleansing, rejuvenating, and healing procedures. The most researched mineral water with 500 years of use is the Karlovy Vary thermal water in the Czech Republic. It is hard to believe that the first medical book referring to the use of this water in digestive problems was written in 1522. Since then, many medical articles, books and dissertations have described the healing actions of Karlovy Vary Healing Mineral Water for many digestives. and metabolic disorders including post-cholecystectomy syndrome. Millions of Europeans have drunk healing mineral water prepared from genuine Karlovy Vary thermal salt steamed at home for over 250 years.
According to European doctors, this mineral water favors the production and rapid transit of bile, alkalizes it and improves the function of the pancreas. All of these actions are beneficial for people without a gallbladder to improve digestion and decrease symptoms of post-cholecystectomy syndrome.
Cellular magnesium-potassium, another alkalizing agent, can also decrease acidity in the body.
How can we know if our body is acidic or alkaline? Checking the pH of saliva and urine with litmus paper is the easy and inexpensive way to check body acidity. If the pH of saliva and urine is frequently below 6.6, it may be a warning sign of total body acidity.
Drinking herbal tea can relieve spasms, gas, heartburn, and indigestion. A skilled herbalist can customize herbal remedies for many conditions. Some European and Chinese herbal medicine formulas can decrease the number of stones in the bile ducts, make the bile in the liver liquid and less aggressive, and decrease spasms and pain.
People with post-cholecystectomy syndrome can lessen many unpleasant symptoms by using herbal formulas. They are not a quick fix, but in the long run, herbs are safe and effective remedies.
Some people who have had gallbladder surgery lose the proper interaction between the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, duodenum, and stomach. To normalize this teamwork, one can be treated with acupuncture. Acupuncture is the oldest healing method for digestive disorders. Numerous medical works have been published during the last decades that confirm the positive action of acupuncture in the treatment of post-cholecystectomy syndrome. Another positive result of acupuncture is that it can help cure addiction to alcohol and pain relievers.
Medical science has not yet developed a surgical technique to replace the gallbladder once it is removed. However, we can control the terrible symptoms of post-cholecystectomy syndrome using various non-surgical and non-drug healing methods. These methods are safe, effective, and relatively cheap, and can be used in conjunction with modern medicine.
The information in this article is presented for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for the diagnosis, treatment and advice of a qualified licensed professional.