diarrhea is troubling in 10% of people who have their gallbladders removed. the diarrhea is believed to be due to the fact that following removal of the gallbladder the intestines contain more bile acids than under normal conditions in which bile acids are stored for much of the day in the gallbladder. bile acids cause diarrhea by promoting the secretion of fluid by the intestines and perhaps by stimulating the intestinal muscles to contract. there are no good studies of treatment of this type of diarrhea but two treatments have been proposed and appear to be effective. the first are medications (for example cholestyramine) that attach to bile acids in the intestine and prevent them from interacting with the intestine. the second are fatty acid medications (for example oleic acid) that may act by slowing down the intestinal muscle and perhaps by reducing secretion of fluid although the exact mechanism of action of oleic acid in these patients has not been studied. it is also important remember that there are many other causes of chronic severe diarrhea such as celiac sprue ulcerative colitis crohn's disease microscopic colitis and many more. it is important to work with you doctor to arrive at a firm diagnosis for best treatment results.
is there any treatment for chronic severe diarrhea after gall bladder removal?