Gall Bladder questions--NEED HELP

I have noticed over the last week or so, basically since I graduated from liquids to starting to eat soft foods that I sometimes have a dull discomfort/pain around my lower rib cage on the RIGHT side.  It's It comes and goes and isn't constant but seems to get worse later in the day--not necessarily at night.  It doesn't keep me up at night which is good.  I've also noticed that it seems to be worse near the end of my workday and hurts me as I'm driving home.  But I have felt some discomfort in that area this morning too so it's not just in the evening.  It seems to hurt right near the last 2-3 ribs on my RIGHT hand side--no pain/discomfort on the left side at all. 

I'm now wondering if I have some gall bladder issues due to losing weight and need to go see my RNY surgeon about this.  Chances are I'd have to be referred to someone else to do this procedure...not sure my RNY surgeon would perform something like this or not.  Not sure if I should just go to another doctor, like my general internal med doctor to have it checked out as opposed to going to my RNY doctor just to be referred to someone else. 

Anyone had gall bladder issues after RNY and if so--what did the pain feel like??  Did you end up having the gall bladder removed?  Any suggestions on what to do next?  Any tests I need to get done to check & see if it is indeed the gall bladder that is causing me this discomfot near my rib cage?  Any comments will certainly help.  Thanks   

Well i had my gallbladder issues before my RNY, when i was about 16. But i didnt have much pain just alot of puking! Every time i ate no matter what it was i would be in the bathroom within the next half hour pukin my brains out! I would call your surgeon and find out if they would do the gallbladder surgery if need be...im not so sure i would want someone who has no idea what my stomach looks like now messing around in there...

When I went for my 3 month post-op, my surgeon asked me about pain. I told her about the right sided pain, and attacks I was having. She sent me for an ultrasound (8 hours fasting). I had stones and she scheduled me to have it removed. She performed the surgery.

The pain went into the shouler at times and between the shoulder blades.

I would call the RNY surgeon and see if they will perfom the surgery if needed. I would ask for an appointment either way. It may not be gallbladder. Better to be safe than sorry

Good luck

I was able to get an appt for this Friday afternoon.  So I'm happy.  I don't know that it's gall bladder related but it sure seems like it after reading about the common symptoms.  One symptom also associated with gall bladder problems is some pain or discomfort when trying to take a deep breath.  I can kinds feel that tightness in my abdomen area today.  That along with the pain/discomfort in my right side upper abdomen lead me to believe it might be gall bladder related.  Yes, that would be great if my RNY surgeon would be able to perform the procedure as well.  Hopefully she can.  At least I'm getting it checked into this Friday...that was as soon as someone could see me.  Hope it's early enough.  Until then, I'll just wait and see.

Thanks for the advice.

Donna

 I had my gallbladder removed last year after having my baby and losing around 60 Lbs. The pain started between the shoulder blades, and within hours I was screaming. They gave me meds to calm it down and suggested I waited because they didn't think it was bad enough to need surgery. 
Friday night I was getting ready to go out with my husband for a romantic dinner and I felt a little chilly.. Then I started sweating, then chilly again and then I started throwing up, 8 times to be exact. The pain was beyond imagination, this is coming from a woman who had just given birth. 
So my advice? REMOVE IT, don't wait til it is infected. I don't wish any one goes through such pain even if they were the most evil people LOL. 

Now the surgeon that removed it for me last year is the same one who will perfom my RNY for me in a couple of weeks. They know what they are doing. 

Best of luck.

Thanks for the advice.  I called the office and they gave me an appt for Friday so I've got the ball rolling on it.

I agree, I'd just rather have it removed if it can be done laparscopically and get it over with.  I don't want to allow it to get worse or have other issues with it.  I'm pretty confident that's what it is.  It kinda started last week with me.  I'm only a little over 1 month out from surgery and I've lost about 35 lbs so they say losing weight rapidly caused gall bladder problems.  Just my luck.  I kinda wish that they would go ahead and remove it as part of  the RNY procedure but I don't think my surgeon did.  Guess I'll have to go under the knife again.  Bummer.  Guess I'll know more on Friday.

never had gallbladder problems until I had the surgery.  They started out as dull pains and grew very sharp and then like a stabbing feeling.  I lost 106 lbs total and had the GB removed 8 months after the surgery.

Yep, right now I have a dull discomfort around my right side lower rib cage area.  I also have a tightness in my abdomen when I try to take a deep breath.  All symptoms of gall bladder problems as I've read online.  If that is what it is--I sure do hope my RNY surgeon will just go ahead and remove it for me.  My insurance is maxed out now due to my RNY surgery a month ago...but if I wait passed June 30th--my insurance flips over to a new calendar year and the surgery would cost me big time.  I can only hope that I can persuade my surgeon to go ahead and remove it NOW if she thinks it will only cause me trouble down the line.

Have you had any problems now that you've had it removed?  It is okay for us RNYer's to live well without our gall bladder, or what?  haven't read up on that.  I'm sure they'll try you with medicines and that's okay but I'd sure hate to come up about 6-8 months down the road and need gall bladder removal surgery.  I'd rather do something now since insurance would cover 100% of it.  Guess I'll find out more on Friday at my appt. 

Thanks again for all of your helpful advice.

I have been having pain in my right side since January.  Some pains brought tears to my eyes and mostly, it was just a pain that came and went.  I had an ultrasound a week ago and just got my results back and there it was - moving gallstones with no inflammation. 

My pain would come more if I was walking, then it would disappear, some times for days or a week, then when I went shopping, it would come back again.  My PCP said since they were moving, then when I did certain things they would move and if I didn't do things they would not move. 

My surgeon said he would "yank it out" but he is 2 hours away and my insurance approved my RNY there cause it was the only place my insurance would cover, but on the gallbladder surgery, they will not cover him because there are doctors here where I live.  I would love to have my surgeon do it and not someone I am just meeting for the first time.  Oh well...I've got to do what the insurance people want.

So i have a consult with a surgeon on Friday morning and I am guessing he will remove it. 

I am a little over 9 months post-op RNY.  So the attacks really started in my 7th month. 

You're not alone!  Hugs!!!

Yep, this sounds like the beginning of problems with it for me.  I made an appt today to see my surgeon on this Friday 4/8.  Hopefully they can help me with it.  I really do feel that it's gall bladder problems and I am going to try me best to get them to remove it if they think it will only get worse for me down the line.  I have until June 30th to get procedures done to have insurance cover it 100%.  I maxed out my Blue Cross Blue Shield co-insurance when I had my RNY done last month.  If I had the gall bladder surgery prior to June 30th it should be 100% covered.  Waiting until after July 1 would cost me a whole lot more if they then decide the gall bladder needs to come out.

Perhaps they can try me with some medications...don't know.  All I know is that if they think it's only going to get WORSE--I'd rather go ahead and remove it so insurance would cover it.  Surely my doctor can understand that.  I'm guessing that the same surgeon who did my RNY would do this procedure too since she's involved in gastroentrology stuff as well as weight loss.  I'm sure I'll have to do a few tests to see if that's what it is and if so then proceed with the next step.  I hate I'm up against a time factor but I am.  I really need to act now and get things taken care of before June 30th if at all possible.  Hopefully I will be able to do that. 

Thanks for your advice/comments.  Very helpful!