Gallbladder issues???

[gingerjane 5]

So, I think I had a gallbladder attack this weekend and I wanted to see if any other bandsters have had this problem. I've lost about 50+ pounds so far and on Sunday I found myself with tremendous pain in my sternum and uncontrolled vomiting for about 5 hours.

The hospital checked my band via x-ray and said there were no issues there. It had not slipped or anything. And I had not ate prior to the attack, so I don't think it was anything viral, either.

I e-mailed my gastric surgeon and he wants to schedule a scan right away. I definitely do not one to go through another one of those attacks for fear of slipping my band.

Has anyone else had this happen?

[honk 780]

I had to have my gallbladder removed after I lost about 100 pounds when I was 18. I had horrible attacks but must say they did not include vomiting. My pain was more in my back. It was an incredible pain that made it hard to breath and I would lay on the bed in a fetal position. The attacks are'nt instant. It takes a while for the body to start digesting the fat you've eaten and that's when the attacks start. So it could be an hour or two after eating when you have an attack. I would eat 0 fat until you have an ultrasound of your gallbladder. Trust me when I say it is easy to not eat fat when you know that a gall bladder attack WILL happen if you eat it.

[gingerjane 5]

I ate some chicken pesto the night before and onion strings, but felt fine after that, but slept most of the evening after dinner because I couldn't physically stay awake. That morning, I didn't have anything but a few sips of Water. I had that pain where I couldn't breathe and the only thing that relieved it was to get sick. It was in my sternum where it meets my abdomen.

I literally thought I was going to die. I've never had something that terrible. I'm not kidding. The EMTs met the plane when we landed and took me straight to the hospital. I thought I was going to pass out and was sweating. (Sorry for the TMI)

I'm waiting for my band surgeon's office to call me back about a scan now.

[reverie 49]

Definitely go to your doctor! Hope things turn out okay for you. My surgeon puts all of his patients on gallbladder medication (Ursodiol) to prevent gallstones. They're common when you lose a lot of weight quickly. Sadly I had an allergic reaction to it so I've been off of it for about 2 weeks; hopefully he can prescribe something new.

[honk 780]

From your description it seems like you will do anything not to have that pain again. I have a really high pain tolerance and it was horrific. I think I had such a problem because all of my aunts and at least on of my uncles on my mother's side had to have gall bladder sugery. Genetics what can you do?

[gingerjane 5]

Oh - it was the worst pain. I've had two kids, had the lapband surgery and NOTHING was as bad as that pain. LABOR wasn't that bad. I literally thought "I'm going to die and I'm fine with that as long as the pain stops."

I'm still waiting for them to call me back. Ugh.

[nyllrap 0]

I am so glad you are having your scan, because I don't want what happened to me to happen to you. My experience was NOT typical, but it does happen occasionally. I had the lapband for 8 months, when I suddenly got very sick. Long story short: 4 gallstones lodged in the pancreatic duct, which caused severe acute necrotizing pancreatitis. I very nearly died a few times. I was hospitalized for 6 months, have had 7 operations, lost half the colon (and now have a temporary ileostomy, which should be reversed within the month), went into kidney failure several times and was on dialysis (just a month - ok now), had lung failure and was on a respirator, had blood clots in both legs, had sepsis and 4 hospital acquired infections, etc. I am doing well now, but it has been a year and a half and I am still dealing with repercussions. Most people with gallstones don't get pancreatitis, but you don't want to take any chances.

[Sweet 0]

I am 3 months post-op. About 2 weeks post-op I had my first ever gallbladder attack. I went to a GI, had an ultrasound, and they discovered stones. They said it wasn't urgent and I should wait. Well, I waited over 2 months which landed me in the ER with gallbladder pancreatitis. Thankfully, mine was caught early and a simple procedure removed the stones from the ducts and my pancreas healed. The next day I had my gallbladder removed. That was a few days ago.

DEFINITELY go see a doctor. The pain is worse than any I have ever felt and being untreated could lead to much more serious issues. Honestly, one of my biggest questions is why they don't do a gallstone screening pre-banding. I think if that were done many of us could avoid this.

I'm still in recovery from surgery but I know my life is going to be a lot simpler without the frequent gallbladder pain.

Keep us posted and let us know how you are doing!