gallstones

[dianeseattle]

developing gallstones as we age is common. When I went for my RYGB in 2007, my doctor didn't ask if he could remove my gallbladder. He informed me that he would be removing my gallbladder. I was 56 and I had experienced some pain that I had self-diagnosed as a gallbladder attack, but I don't know for sure if it was. Imagine my surprise when they dissected my gallbladder and found four stones.

I vomited bile for days but aside from that I have had no effects whatsoever from having my gallbladder removed. And I don't need to take any special medication.

I do recommend it because what science knows now is that a post-op patient will most likely develop gallstones, and lots of them, if he/she loses weight rapidly. That is why most surgeons offer the option of gallbladder removal.

And yes it can be done with the sleeve. So if you have gallstones and have gallbladder attacks, it probably won't be very difficult to take that gallbladder out. It's a small organ and can probably be pulled out through one of the incisions.

 

[Brenda2010]

developing gallstones as we age is common. When I went for my RYGB in 2007, my doctor didn't ask if he could remove my gallbladder. He informed me that he would be removing my gallbladder. I was 56 and I had experienced some pain that I had self-diagnosed as a gallbladder attack, but I don't know for sure if it was. Imagine my surprise when they dissected my gallbladder and found four stones.

I vomited bile for days but aside from that I have had no effects whatsoever from having my gallbladder removed. And I don't need to take any special medication.

I do recommend it because what science knows now is that a post-op patient will most likely develop gallstones, and lots of them, if he/she loses weight rapidly. That is why most surgeons offer the option of gallbladder removal.

And yes it can be done with the sleeve. So if you have gallstones and have gallbladder attacks, it probably won't be very difficult to take that gallbladder out. It's a small organ and can probably be pulled out through one of the incisions.

And a misconception is that you have to be older or have weight fluctuations or be obese to have stones.

My mother, suffered with attacks through her teens until they finally removed her gallbladder at 21. She was thin, 5'4" and maybe 120 lbs at that time.

My sister, also suffered for years in her teens and was even thinner, 5'7", maybe 115 pounds soaking wet. She finally had it removed at 17 years old.

When I started having attacks later in life (around 33), I basically insisted to the docs that it was my gallbladder. I had experienced the the attacks through my sister & had heard stories about my mom's attacks. Mine were exactly the same. But doctors transferred me from one specialist to another. I believe this to be obesity related, meaning they were thinking, of course, she's having stomach issues, look at her. I actually overheard an ER nurse say to a Dr, "She had Wendy's for dinner and now has an upset stomach". Fuck her.

Finally in July of 2018, 10 years later and somewhere around my 25th attack I made a final trip to the OR. They did an ultrasound & a scan and had to perform emergency surgery because I was so full of stones that it was about to rupture.

It was done laparoscopically as my RNY was and I would say recovery was very similar.

So I have a very strong opinion on this subject. Please have the damn thing taken. You never want to feel those hours of unrelenting pain that these attacks bring.

 

[BAB]

I also had my gallbladder removed when I was 21. I had been suffering since I was 17 with the attacks, but the doctors never checked because they did not think I was old enough to have stones . Of course this was in the old days (the 70's).

 

[missdarmitage]

Diane, I was the same. The dr just told me she was taking my gallbladder, she didn't give me the option. Come to find out I had only one stone, but it was enormous! I've very grateful I never had an attack and that they just did away with it when I had my surgery.