gallstones even after gallbladder removal.

That is good to know.  My PCP did say it was strange that I had no symptoms so maybe that is the case.  I am not concerned since I am having no pain or discomfort.  Hopefully the CT scan will show nothing and we will re-do the tests in a few months as I am not looking forward to a 4th surgery in less than a year.  It is really a good thing I am having the scan anyway because there were some nodules discovered on my kidneys that the urologist wanted to re-check so I can get that taken care of at the same time. 

please keep this post going

what every happened with your gallstones?  I am six years out of WLS and they have now found a 2cm stone in my gallbladder and want to remove gallbladder.  Did you find a way to flush or cleanse without surgery?

Hi,

I am 5 years out from a gastic bypass revision. I orginally had a VBG in 1997 and had my gallbladder removed then.
Over the past few years I have been having occasional SEVERE mid epigastric pain with n/v. I was told that it was due to a peptic ulcer and overactive nerves due to all the abdominal surgeries. Two weeks ago I had another one of these "attacks" and became really sore after and ended up going to the ER. There they tested my blood for a liver function panel and it showed really abnormally high AST and ALT levels (4300 and 2700), my lipase was elevated also close to 200. The ER doc. first asked if I had my gallbladder and I told her that was taken 13 years ago with my orginial sugery. So, then she started diagnosing me as a acute hepatitis and even approached me asking if I had a drinking problem (I don't drink). I have been thru 2 weeks of bloodwork with everything negative (I was tested for every known hepatitis, HIV, Lupus and rare genetic issues that affect the liver). A couple of nights ago I had another "attack" and didn't go to the ER cause I knew that I had bloodwork scheduled in the AM. I wasn't surprised that my LFP was abnormally high again (2700 and 1300). I scheduled a dr. appt. in the PM to discuss my lab results. It was then that they finally put it all together.....I have either stones or sludge built up in my bile ducts somewhere or the spincter of oddi is malfunctioning (this connects the liver to the duedoduem). So, on Thursday I am having a ERCP. Luckily, I work at Mayo Clinic as a ICU RN. But I too am concerned that this is going to be difficult. The GI drs. here feel it will be relatively easy and told me that they are seeing more and more gastric bypass patients who don't have their gallbladder developing bilary stones and sludge. So, it seems that is not a rare thing and can be acheived thru a ERCP.
I will update you all on what happens after my ERCP.

Cheers,
Dawn

Hi all....

I thought I would update on the ERCP situation. The GI Endoscophy specialist told straight forward that there is only a 50/50 chance that they are able to transverse the blindlimb and enter into the papilla right below the spincter of oddi. Unforunately for me I am in the 50% that they can't get a canulla into. So, I find out next Wednesday what they recommend. The endo dr. said that they can do a percutaneous CP or a lap. CP. I will update everyone on what they recommend.

Cheers!
Dawn

so you went in for an ercp and they couldnt do it?  did they make an incision or go down your throat?  i was told they may not reach it either but im being cut open.  what did you end up having done?

I will also be 5 years in december.......weird we have the same pain at 5 years

I just found this thread as I was searching for someone who had this surgery.

I'm scheduled for a Lap Assisted ERCP on October 12th. I had my gallbladder removed in 1998.  My gastric bypass was in 2005.  I began having horrible attack about 2 years after the bypass.  It took many doctor visits and many tests for them to tell me they think I was passing sludge(small stones)through my bile ducts and that it was getting stuck. I was put on a medication called Ursidol which worked very well for another 2 years. Then I started getting attacks again.  The attacks are very painful.  Almost worth a trip to the ER but I know they will eventually go away.  My surgeon said the surgery is the next step because I have got use to the medication.  There is no other medicine out there.  I will be under anesthia and have to spend a couple nights in the hospital.  The incision will be the same as the bypass.  My GI doctor will assist my bypass surgeon.  Apparently they will dilate the ducts so the stones will not get stuck.  There is also a sphencter that will creates the bile, it will be cut so it creates less bile.

He said he does about 3 of these a year.  I will be inserted into his schedule of Gastric bypass surgery patients schedule on the 12th.  He said I will be last on that day because I can not be rushed.  He does so many gastric surgeries he is very quick at it.  So my surgery is not scheduled until noon that day.  I do hope it takes my attacks away!!

Is there any one else out there that had this done?

I had mine done when they also found a antegrade intussception (which required 45 cc of my deuodenum to be removed) and a new entroanatamosis created. They did the ERCP while I was open thru the incision that they created and ended having a g tube placed that I ended up having for 6 weeks.They also did a sphincterotomy on the spincter of oddi, which was having dysfunction issues!
Hope that everything goes well....and you feel better quickly!
Dawn

Thanks.....I had 3 attacks yesterday.  Never had that many in one day.  I hope it works!!

It has been 3 weeks today since my surgery.  My surgeon said it all went as planned.  3 days in the hospital.  So far no pain and no more medication.