Gallbladder - She's Gonna Blow!

[Globetrotter 1,340]

I am 18 months out, 128 pounds down, still 40 away from goal. I have recently started having painful attacks that are being attributed to my gallbladder, an ultrasound revealed stones. I've done some research though and have discovered that just because you have your GB out doesn't necessarily mean that the painful attacks will stop! I've also heard that it can completely derail your weight loss or even make you gain weight, and that for the REST of your life, you will never again be able to eat some of the more beautiful things in life - a good french cheese, red wine, a rich sauce, red meat. =( =(

Can anyone weight in and clear some of this up for me? I'm putting off having surgery because I can't get an answer that I trust from anywhere, so I'm coming to my VST homies.

[Navelbunnie 13]

I'm laying here after just getting my gall bladder out two days ago. Good news is that while its not fun, its way easier than the sleeve surgery. (I'm 8 months out, 80 lbs down, 70 more to go.)

Heres what my doctor told me - while I need to avoid fatty foods at first (like 2 to 4 weeks), after that initial period of adjustment, I can eat whatever I want. Your gall bladder sends squirts of bile to help you digest food. Without it, your stomach gets a steady drip of bile instead of sudden squirts. He assured me that my body will adjust to this without a problem very quickly. He compared it to having your appendix out - nice to have, but you can easily survive without it.

It doesn't make sense that the attacks wouldn't stop after having it removed if you've confirmed you have stones. There wouldn't be anything there to cause it anymore.

Personally, I was relieved to get it out after the pain of the attacks. It was so stressful to never know when they'd strike and ruin my day!

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Actually, the bit about continued pain after removal is legit - doctors admit that this can and does happen and no, they can't explain it. Everything I mentioned in the post is of great concern to me but I guess if I had to choose, considering that I still have 40 lbs to go, I would say that the idea of slowing my loss or stopping it is of greatest concern.

[Afro_Cyster 74]

I am having the same issue. My stone has been caught before it gives me problems. Of course the first thing the doctor screams is to cut it out. Um, wait a minute. I only have one and there are ways to shrink/shatter my measley stone. Can we try those options before surgery? So, I called my primary to get a referral for a second opinion.

I scar easily and am not prepared to undergo another surgery. So unless this thing is giving me problems, I am not taking it out.

And yes, I have read about additional stones being created, resulting pain, and other medical issues being created by the removal of the gallbladder. So if they think it's no big deal, it's a big damn deal to me.

[Foxbins 625]

I had my gallbladder out 10 months post-op, so it's been gone 3 1/2 months now. My surgeon also warned me that stones still in the bile duct (they don't remove that) could continue to cause pain in the future, and that 2% of patients have what he delicately called "intestinal issues" (diarrhea) permanently. Neither of these has happened to me. I feel fine, normal, lost another 4 lbs without really trying after surgery...I eat steak and drink wine with no problems. I have noticed that I consume a lot of fat at one time, I will have looser stools the next day, but no other issues.

[swizzly 901]

Everyone I know (I mean EVERYONE, and there are more than one hand of fingers' worth LOL) has totally lost weight after having their gall bladder out, and these are normal-stomached people. So I wouldn't worry too much about that one. Anyhow going a couple of days on IV fluids and not a ton of food (plus the post-op restrictions on certain things for a week or two) are bound to help.

Also, the stones in the remaining bile duct thing is a possibility, but a pretty low one...so go with the numbers on this one and don't borrow trouble! You'll feel much better for having it out!

[MegInNOLA 531]

I had my gallbladder out a few years ago and I have to say that it did not stop me from losing with the sleeve at all. I also noticed that I had issues with fatty foods pre-sleeve, but since I don't eat a lot of fatty foods now anyway (sleevie hates them), no more problems. The pain is just not worth it--that is the worst pain I've ever experienced... I had four serious gallbladder attacks and that was more than enough. That surgery was a lot easier than the sleeve to get over, too.

[Xoxojanexoxo 9]

6 months after having my sleeve I had a bad gall bladder attack where I was unable to eat or drink for a few days. My surgeon who did my sleeve and my gall bladder said this is becoming common in sleeve patients. My gall bladder has been gone for 6 months and have zero issues except for some acid reflux but other than that everything is fine

[Globetrotter 1,340]

I have a friend, non-VSG, who had hers out a few years ago and she blames everything on her not having a gallbladder, claims she can't lose weight because of it, claims she gains weight more easily because of it, is adamant that it is unnecessary to have it out and that all manner of bad things are a result of having it out. She blames quite a bit on not having a gallbladder, come to think of it. I'm 40+ lbs away from goal so it is scary to think that having it out could negatively affect my weight loss =(