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Having Loose And Light Colour Bowel Movements. Had Gall Bladder Removed. What Would You Suggest?
Question: the last week or so my stools have been light in color, formless, and float. The only other thing I've noticed is some slight back pain (high and to my right side by the rib cage). I have had my gall bladder removed -- I used to have severe gall bladder attacks and some of the residual pain would be in that area at times. I had some pain under my right ribcage reminiscent of a gall bladder attack about 9 mos. ago and went in to the doctor. They did an ultrasound to see if my bile ducts were open and they were. The pain stayed with me for awhile, then subsided. I'm concerned this may have something to do with my liver. I am significantly overweight (300 lbs, 5'11") and know that fatty liver can be common in such overweight people. What would you suggest I do?
hi and thanks for contacting healthcaremagic
Stools that float and and are light may represent -
1) Excess gas in the stools and is usually seen in people with sugar intolerance especially milk intolerance. this can be a temporary phenomenon in any intestinal illness
2) Excessive fat in the stools. This can be because of either a deficiency of bile salts, pancreatic insufficiency, or small intestinal disease
In people with hypothyroidism there can be an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine with in turn can cause bile salt abnormalities and fat malabsorption leading to excess fat in the stools.
Gallbladder removal rarely causes diarrhoea secondary to inappropriate exposure of the intestine to bile salts but doesnot cause fat loss
Hence first get a stool examination fo fat and if found to be excess get yourself evaluated for bacterial overgrowth
Regards
Dr XXXXXXX KS
Stools that float and and are light may represent -
1) Excess gas in the stools and is usually seen in people with sugar intolerance especially milk intolerance. this can be a temporary phenomenon in any intestinal illness
2) Excessive fat in the stools. This can be because of either a deficiency of bile salts, pancreatic insufficiency, or small intestinal disease
In people with hypothyroidism there can be an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine with in turn can cause bile salt abnormalities and fat malabsorption leading to excess fat in the stools.
Gallbladder removal rarely causes diarrhoea secondary to inappropriate exposure of the intestine to bile salts but doesnot cause fat loss
Hence first get a stool examination fo fat and if found to be excess get yourself evaluated for bacterial overgrowth
Regards
Dr XXXXXXX KS
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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