Health advice for bile salt diarrhoea

I have bile salt diarrhoea (after getting my galbladder removed in Jan 2006). Can you recommend anything to maybe counteract the bile salts in my colon?
( 8 Jun 2006)

Bile salt diarrhea is one of the side effects or rather disadvantages of having your gallbladder removed. Bile salt diarrhea is also referred to as bile diarrhea. It is well known that any sort of surgery in the area of the abdomen could have a serious effect on the working of the entire system.

However, in most of these cases, the side effects do not last long and disappear within weeks from the time of the surgery. However, this may not be so in the case of bile salt diarrhea. Bile salt diarrhea refers to the buildup of excess bile salts in the small intestine. This bile salt diarrhea would cause trouble with the normal bowel movements. Many people who have had their gallbladders removed experience persistent diarrhea after eating their meals. In fact, some people are so plagued by this constant diarrhea that they even stop going out to eat for fear of the diarrhea. What causes bile salt diarrhea after gallbladder removal?

As we now know, the gallbladder plays an important role in the digestive process. The gallbladder is a small pear shaped organ which is situated right under the liver. The gallbladder stores and secretes bile which is made by the liver. Bile refers to a thick and yellow digestive fluid which helps in the digestion of the fat present in your meals. The fats in the ingested foods cannot be broken down in the absence of bile. Keep in mind that bile is made up of bile acids and bile salts that help in digestion. As you consume food, the gallbladder contracts and bile is released in the small intestinal area to help you with your digestion. The small intestines absorb all the essential nutrients from the food that is ingested. The bile salts which go from the gallbladder of the person to the small intestine aid in the absorption of these nutrients as well. Once the food has been digested in the system and absorbed by the body, the reabsorbtion of the bile salts take place at the last part of the small intestine. These bile salts are then recycled and used time and again regularly. Now once the gallbladder has been taken out, the liver has to produce some extra bile salts. More bile salts are released during the time when no meals have been eaten. This is because of the lack of place to now store them. This excess amount of these bile salts then gets transferred down to the colon or large intestine. Bile then performs the role of a laxative which leads to diarrhea. Bile salt diarrhea symptoms are urgency and watery diarrhea shortly after eating. Therefore a person who is suffering from the problem of bile salt diarrhea would always be in a rush to visit the washroom after eating a meal. This presence of bile salts after surgery of the gallbladder leads to the constant diarrhea that some people will experience. It is interesting to note that not everyone who has had gallbladder surgery will have bile salt diarrhea.

Since the gallbladder is absent in the body, bile salt diarrhea is likely to be a lifelong problem. The problem of multiple bowel movements due to the excess bile salts in the large intestine will not go away for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, this side effect cannot be prevented.

This brings to mind the question of how to deal with the problem of bile salt diarrhea. However a specific test for diagnosing this condition is not available so the doctor must rule out other factors causing diarrhea like that of colitis, an infection, and cancer and so on. Blood tests and stool tests may be recommended and a proper physical examination may be carried out as well. There is no fixed and sure cure for this treatment, but it can be helped with medication which your doctor will prescribe. Another effective method of dealing with bile salt diarrhea aims at following a low fat diet. Include foods that are rich in or even fiber supplements as this helps to better the shape and texture of stools.

answered by G R on 17 Feb 2011, 2:18:02

A number of people suffer from bile salt diarrhoea after having their gall bladder removed.Some home remedies you can try are:

Intake of nuts such as : cashews,almonds etc. Have a handful throughout the day at short intervals. Another effective remedy is to consume Calcium Citrate supplements,regular intake of a single tablet twice a day is known to be beneficial.

Health advice for bile salt diarrhoea

I have bile salt diarrhoea (after getting my galbladder removed in Jan 2006). Can you recommend anything to maybe counteract the bile salts in my colon? ( 8 Jun 2006)

I have bile salt diarrhoea (after getting my galbladder removed in Jan 2006). Can you recommend anything to maybe counteract the bile salts in my colon?
( 8 Jun 2006)