Calling all MC people with gallbladder problems!

desertrat · Post by **desertrat** » Fri Nov 18, 2011 8:17 pm

Not only do I have MC, I found out that my gallbladder is dysfunctional too. I've let my gallbladder take a back seat to the MC for awhile, but was curious as how other people here handle both. Any tips, advice? And Tex, if you are reading this, my bowel movements before the MC took over, were yellow/green. Does that show a lack of bile? Does the lack of bile conflict with MC? Should I be taking anything(meds, vitamins, etc) for my gallbladder that could possible help my MC?
Mandy

Lesley · Post by **Lesley** » Fri Nov 18, 2011 9:46 pm

Mandy,
I had D with stools that color about 12 years ago and a lot of pain, even though imaging only showed one gallstone, and a small one at that, and my blood tests weren't anything to write home about. A bit high, but not too terrible. Anyway, I had my gallbladder out, and things settled down. I am not sure that I had a gall bladder problem, or, specifically, if my gallbladder would have played up like that if I did not have a tendency to MC.

desertrat · Post by **desertrat** » Fri Nov 18, 2011 9:52 pm

Lesley, did you have your gallbladder taken out after you were diagnosed with MC or before?
Mandy

Post by **tex** » Fri Nov 18, 2011 10:47 pm

Mandy wrote:And Tex, if you are reading this, my bowel movements before the MC took over, were yellow/green. Does that show a lack of bile?

Bile initially turns the stool green, and a chemical reaction subsequently changes the color to brown, during the normal passage through the colon. Yellow would indicate a low bile level, but green usually indicates adequate bile, but insufficient transit time to allow the normal chemical transformation to take place, during the normal leisurely trip through the colon. IOW, green color indicates rapid transit. Grayish to greenish stool is common with celiac disease and MC driven by gluten-sensitivity.

Mandy wrote:Does the lack of bile conflict with MC? Should I be taking anything(meds, vitamins, etc) for my gallbladder that could possible help my MC?

Low bile might not matter much with active MC, because most of us can't absorb fat anyway, when we're reacting, even it it were properly broken down. I'm not aware of any pharmaceutical or supplemental treatments that can help with gallbladder issues, but I'm certainly no expert on gallbladder issues.

Have you seen this poll?

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7226

Tex

Robin.booboo · Post by **Robin.booboo** » Fri Nov 18, 2011 11:28 pm

Hi Mandy,

No gallbladder problems here, afaik, but when I first went to see my GP to get started on this whole journey (because I could not get an appt with a GI specialist, without first being evaluated by a General Practitioner), I brought up that it had been constantly watery and yellow, for months. Since I have been on the Imodium, that has changed. Now it is still watery or, if I am lucky, just fluffy bits (only the frequency and the rumbling and urgency changes have "stuck", although that is a HUGE improvement) but the last few times I checked it was brown. When the whole thing kicked off, for months, it was consistently yellow and pretty foul smelling stuff. It's hard to say, though, because I got sick of looking in the toilet, after a while, and also it was almost impossible at work because the only way I could handle my work situation was to try to get to a less public toilet (10th floor, noisy fan) and then start flushing after each D, to keep the smell down, so if anybody came in partway through they would not be completely grossed out, and hopefully would not take note of my shoes under the side of the bathroom stall and recognize me as the culprit!! So, it's hard to say if the color has changed now or if I am just looking less.

Take care,
Robin

Post by **tex** » Fri Nov 18, 2011 11:37 pm

An antibiotic, such as Cipro, will also turn stool color to yellow, (similar to baby poop).

Tex

Lesley · Post by **Lesley** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 12:13 am

Mandy,
WAY before. I was only dx'd a few months ago. I had the gall bladder surgery 12 years ago.

Robin.booboo · Post by **Robin.booboo** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 12:49 am

tex wrote:An antibiotic, such as Cipro, will also turn stool color to yellow, (similar to baby poop).
Tex

For me, I don't think this one applies (though I could be wrong). I didn't have any antibiotics before the flare started. I am allergic to Amoxicillan/penicillin and the Sulfas, so I generally get prescribed the Z-Pac when I get my sinus infections a couple times a year. That doesn't seem to correspond to the timing of my onset of D.

Post by **tex** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 9:52 am

Robin,

Cipro, (or any of the other fluoroquinolones), are the safest group of antibiotics that anyone with MC can take. For about 99% of us, Cipro will actually stop a flare, for as long as we are taking it. It can't safely be used for long-term treatment, though, because of the risk of tendonitis and/or tendon rupture. Azithromycin seems to be the second safest antibiotic for most people with MC, FWIW.

Tex

Robin.booboo · Post by **Robin.booboo** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 7:00 pm

tex wrote:Robin,

Cipro, (or any of the other fluoroquinolones), are the safest group of antibiotics that anyone with MC can take. For about 99% of us, Cipro will actually stop a flare, for as long as we are taking it. It can't safely be used for long-term treatment, though, because of the risk of tendonitis and/or tendon rupture. Azithromycin seems to be the second safest antibiotic for most people with MC, FWIW.

Tex

Oh, good, my general practitioner always gives me the Z-Pack when I get my sinus infections. I'll ask about trying cipro next time.

Post by **tex** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 9:21 pm

Unfortunately, while Cipro is a broad spectrum antibiotic, and I suppose it could be used for that purpose, it's not ideally suited for sinus infections - azithromycin is usually considered to be a much better choice for that purpose.

Tex