Gallbladder????

I am at a support group meeting and it is freaking me out hearing all the horror stories. Does everyone get their gallbladder out? I haven't had any major problems but now I am scared.

No, not everyone. About 32% get gallstones after RNY, unless they take a medication called Actigall.  Only 2% of people taking Actigall end up with gall stones.

About 35% of post ops have gallbladder trouble, and there is a portion of non ops who do as well. But rapid weight loss of any sort can cause issues. Honestly, don't be scared. I had mine out at two months post op. Yes, it hurt, but it was by no means awful. I think people have a tendency to get caught up in telling war stories. Just let a group of women get together and start hashing over childbirth. There are always some who have to try to outdo everyone else. Probably the same thing is happening right now with the GB stories.

According to the information from my surgeon, about 30% of those who have WLS need to have their gallbladders out within 2 years.  (That seems to be the usual timeframe, although some do develop problems further out than that.)  It is a function of the rapid weight loss, though, not something that is specific to RNY.

Lora

When I did Medifast , people talked about it too , anti e with rapid weight loss is at risk but my friends husband is a surgeon and he calls it bandaid surgery , very quick and you go home. Just take one day at a time.

Mine lasted about 16 months after WLS. I didn't have stones but sludge was causing pancreatitis. The recovery was not bad at all. I used the same surgeon and he used some of the same incision spots as he did with RNY.

Listening to everyone here makes me thankful my Dr took out my gallbladder at the same time. He said mine was the worst he had seen and yet I hadnt had any problem or pain. Glad it was done.

My surgeon said that they found a smal gallstone when they did my pre op testing.  I asked for the actigal and he said it was a waste of my money and not necessary.  I wish he would have taken mine out when he did my surgery, he fixed a hernia.  I wonder what's going to happen with my little stone.  He said I should pass it.  My husband passed one and It was the most pain I have ever seen him in.

They found one stone on the ultrasound pre-op and the surgeon took my gallbladder out during my RNY.  I think with my age at 59 may or may not have had a single thing to do with it, but just finding the stone qualified me for removal at the time of the surgery.  I will never know if I suffered more or what with the gallbladder out at the same time so it was a good thing for me over all.  Don't let the horror stories do you in.  My mom at 78 went in at 8 am and left at 12 that afternoon so go figure.  Good luck, Jane

I think in the normal population, only 3 percent of people with stones have to get them out.  With our surgery, they usually do an ultrasound of your gallbladder and take it out during surgery if there are any stones.  I don't think people pass these stones.  Good luck to you!