Help! My gallbladder is gonna get me!

Help!  I know this can be a common occurrence with WLS but I'm pretty sure my gallbladder is about to explode...or implode.  Classic symptoms and I will be going to see a dr.later tonight.  Has anyone ever had theirs removed the same time as having WLS?  .  

Hi,

I am getting my gallbladder out on May 17th...and had I known that rapid weight loss would cause this problem, I would have asked the surgeon to take it out at the same time as I had my VSG.

When I met with my gallbladder surgeon she asked me why the wls surgeon didn't remove it at the same time I was having the VSG...so to me it can be requested and done.  I wouldn't wish the 5 months of symptoms I have endured on anyone. 

Good luck.

Linda

Hey Linda,

What symptoms did you have?  I guess its good timing in a way,  get a two for one deal! 

Hi again,

My symptoms have varied each time, but the one constant thing that happens is the extreme pressure I feel under my breast area that just won't let up...my stomach seems to enlarge and get very hard...and I am so nauseous but cannot be sick...all that seems to come up is bile.  This lasts a good 5 or 6 hours...and I just have to wait it out.  At first I thought I was suffering from the foamies...but quickly found out that was not the case.  I ended up in Emergency the 2nd time I had an attack and they kept me in for 2 nights.  They put the scope down my throat with the little camera on the end, and saw I had gall stones.  They were able to remove two right there and then by breaking them up.  I thought that would have fixed the problem until the gall bladder came out, but not so.  I have suffered a good 6 or 7  more attacks since hospitalization.  I asked the surgeon why and she said because I have other stones in there and they move around.  So as you can imagine, I will be very anxious for May 17th to come to have it removed.  All I can do now is watch my diet.

I hope it will work out for you that you can get the two for one deal.  I am sure you don't want to suffer any longer either with your gall bladder symptoms.  It certainly is not fun.

Good luck...keep me posted.

Linda

Hi there

It is quite common to have the galbladder removed during wls

Feel better

 I asked and was told they don't remove a healthy glallbladder with WLS unless something is wrong.  I doubt most would remove unless it had problems.

Emmie, I just had mine out at the Hotel Dieu 3 weeks ago. After losing 116 lbs my gallbladder filled itself with stones and the pain is ridiculous. It is pain beyond anything else and is kind of a burning that goes in waves...usually after eating food that is higher in fat, though mine didn't like anything at all and I was having attacks almost daily before it was removed. Dr Robertson took mine out, and it is a day surgery. You are in and out the same day. Good luck!!

Hi! I had my surgeons appointment a few weeks ago and asked about removing the gallbladder at the same time. He replied that they do not remove healthy parts but if you experience gallbladder problems before the surgery they will do both at the same time.  I really hope I don't have gallbladder problems after. It sounds very painful and scary!        Cindy

My surgeon would not take out the gallbladder (it needed taken out bad) but he said focus is just on the RNY and that the gallbladder would wait.. after a couple of months it was taken out. 

Pain felt like a steak knife going in and out and in and out .... and like a heavy elephant on sitting on you, sweats, nausea, runs... it is god awful

I just learned that I have gall stones.. although my pain is not in the "typical" spots.. an ultrasound revealed that I have several stones.. Family doc agreed that this was likely caused by rapid weight loss. He quoted some statistic like 1 in 6 develop gall stones with weight loss (not just surgical weight loss but any type of weight loss)..  He says I need to have my gall bladder removed and I should do it sooner than later as the stones can grow and if they block the bile duct it can create serious problems.. I had one week where I had belly pain after eating .. I thought maybe I had an intestinal infection.. Then it all kinda got better and I thought eh.. maybe I'll just live with the stones,, untill last weekend when I had another attack.. This time I was doubled over, writhing in pain.. I had some of the liquid Tylenol 3 left over from surgery.. I took some of that, but it didn't even touch the pain.. So I'll get that useless gall bladder ripped out asap..
If this is the only complication I have after surgery.. then I can't complain.
J