Question:

I had my gall bladder removed 6 days ago. I am healing quite nicely however my GERD seems to be particularly bad now after the surgery. I am eating very small meals and taking my medication however it doesn`t seem to help. I did not have stones but a Hida Scan showed my gall bladder was functioning at 20%, I had nausea & pain so I had it removed. Is this increased problem with gerd common right after surgery and will it improve?

Answer:

Your symptoms of GERD may be exacerbated immediately after any surgery and is not particular to Gallbladder surgery specifically. I would recommend using some PPIs (OTCs like Prevacid or Prilosec) to control these symptoms initially, of course after consulting with your family physician or surgeon. Another thing to be aware of is that you may have had GERD in addition to Biliary Dyskinesia (20% ejection fraction). The first line of treatment for GERD is always medication.

For more information:

Go to the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) health topic.