Bile Salts

Noll:

Welcome to the best CC site on the internet, and so sorry to hear about your Mom. Although no one wishes to join this site, it has given many people good information and is a comfort to those of us who are caretakers for our loved ones fighting CC.

My husband Tom had his gallbladder removed with his resection and I had my gallbladder removed about 5 years ago. Neither of us ever had to take bile salts. The bile that your liver produces contains a lot of salt and the bile still goes into the intestines even if the gallbladder is removed. It’s one of the body organs that we can live without. The liver will produce bile when you smell food and when you begin to eat. So as long as the bile is getting into the intestines there should not be any need to take any bile salts.

But this would be a question to ask your mom’s doctors. After Tom’s liver resection he developed a bile leak and had a bile drain tube for 7 1/2 months. After his reoccurance of a new tumor (inoperable) his bilirubin level rose to dangerous levels and he now has another external drain tube to drain the excess bile off his system. Even with all that, none of his doctors ever suggested bile salts. He does take Lactobacillus to help with his digestion as that keeps the good bacteria going in his intestional tract. He also drinks a lot of gatoraid which helps with low sodium in the system.

Tom also experiences a lot of Acid Reflux or heartburn and taking smaller meals and eating more often seems to help with that.

Write down all your questions and ask your mom’s doctors about them. Experience shows that if you don’t write them down, you will forget to ask them!

Prayers are coming your mom’s way from Wisconsin.

Go with God and KEEP KICKIN’ THAT cancer.

Margaret

Noll……Small, frequent meals, increased fluid intake had been suggested at one of the conferences. In addition to enzymes it was recommended to stand after a meal or, if possible during meals, and additional moving around for 1/2 or 1 hour post meal ingestion has been recommended by physicians. (It takes 4 hours for complete digestion.) Plenty of liquids and high protein meals are preferred. Meat may be more difficult to digest. Additionally, our JeffG had numerous postings regarding food intake and he was a strong believer in stool softeners prior to a meal in order to encourage regular bowel movements. (At least one every three days.)
Good luck and best wishes,
Marion

I would love to join Gavin in welcoming you to our family! Not sure about the bile salts, I would ask the doctor. I & my husband who has the CC have both had our gall bladders removed and honestly we have felt no difference in our digestion. Just curious if you have tried to get a second opinion? We sure hate to be told how many months are left without seeing what another opinion may be. Oh, at the top of the page is a search space. If you type in bile salt you may get and answer here as well. Good luck and please keep us posted.

Hi Noll,

Welcome to the site, although I am sorry that you have to be here. Please come back often, ask any and all questions that you will have and I know that you will get a load of support and help from us all.

I can’t help you specifically with your question regarding bile salts and surgery as my dad never had surgery, but I am sure that someone will be along soon that can help you with this. My dad’s CC was inoperable and he had PDT as his treatment with a metal stent also inserted. He used to get twinges of pain around the stent area and also in the back, especially so just after it was put in place. He started off on paracetamol then moved pretty quickly onto Solpadol 3 times a day. This seemed to work for him pretty much but he still got the occasional twinge.

My dad also had problems with digestion of food and his specialist advised him to eat small amounts of food but eat more often. So instead of 3 meals a day, your mum eating 6 small meals each day sounds good. Also eating foods that are easier to digest was what we were advised to do, such as mince and soup etc.

My best wishes to you and your mum,

Gavin