gallbladder problems?

[lgehrke 0]

I am 6 month post surgery and have been having problems and was just to the doctor and she feels that with my rapid weight loss I probably have gallbladder problems. After blood tests and an ultrasound next week I will know if I need it out or not. Has anyone else had this problem? My doctor says it is common in large weight losses. I would appreciate any input.

[piercedqt78 658]

I was 6 months out almost to the day when I had my gallbladder removed. If you are having pain and the ultrasound is normal ask for a hydascan, it tests the function of the gallbladder. I had no stones, but my gallbladder wasn't contracting, and I have having severe pain. It felt like a balloon being inflated under my ribs after almost every meal. My band doc sent me for the hyda scan after my PCP told me it was NOT my gallbladder. I had my 6 month check-up for my band and told him I was living with major pain and living off yogurt, he set up the hyda scan for the next day, 4 days later I was having surgery. I haven't had that feeling or pain again. The gallbladder issues come from the modified diet, not the weightloss. My mom did major diet changes a few years ago due to chrones disease and she didn't lose a single pound but her gallbladder had to be removed. The surgeon blamed the diet changes. ~Mandy

[Malice X Girl 0]

I was almost a year out when I started waking up in the middle of the night with INTENSE pain...after a few times I finally went to the doc, who said to get an ultrasound. A week or so later I was getting my gallbladder out. BEWARE THOUGH. It is still possible to have gallbladder attacks even if you don't have a gallbladder. So really look into it and talk to your doctor.

[piercedqt78 658]

When you continue to have pain, there can be a stone in the duct. I would ask for another ultrasound. ~Mandy

[lgehrke 0]

Thanks for the responses. I will insist on the hyda scan.

[S@ssen@ch 745]

Well, you didn't give us any symptoms to go by. But I can tell you that it is VERY common to have gall bladder issues with significant weight loss. Obesity is actually a contributing factor to gall bladder disease, then with significant weight loss (especially if you've lost before then gained it back). There's an old saying that those at risk for gall bladder are: The 5 F's (fair, female, fat, fertile, forty).

Remember that the gall bladder helps to process fats when we eat them, so if you're eating foods that have a good bit of fat in them and you're gall bladder is "acting up" then you're at risk for an attack whether that be stones or spasms of some kind. In a severe case, something as simple as an egg or piece of cheese can trigger an attack.

The blood work will probably be to check your liver because the gall bladder irritates the liver when it's not working properly. If the ultra sound shows stones and you're having symptoms of severe pain in the epigastric area or the right upper abdomen that occasionally goes into your back then you're gall bladder will probably need to come out. Sometimes a stone can get lodged in a duct. Not only is that very painful, but depending on the duct it can also make you yellow (jaundiced) because it affects the liver. If for some reason, your ultra sound does not show stones and you are still havine symptoms of gall bladder, a HIDA scan will check the function of the gall bladder-to make sure it can empty. If it doesn't that's not good either and can be very painful.

Good Luck. Gall bladders can be nasty little buggers when they're not working as they should.

[juliegeraci 7]

I had mine out just after giving birth to my 2nd child. Its a very easy sugery. Good luck.

[lisah25 3]

I am 6 month post surgery and have been having problems and was just to the doctor and she feels that with my rapid weight loss I probably have gallbladder problems. After blood tests and an ultrasound next week I will know if I need it out or not. Has anyone else had this problem? My doctor says it is common in large weight losses. I would appreciate any input.

Very common. I had mine out about 5 years ago, after losing weight on a low-carb diet.

[~Jules~ 0]

Mine has been gone a few years as well. I don't miss it. lol

[Bostongurl 0]

So I'm still not completely clear on what the symptoms are here. Over the last 24 hours or so, I've had very uncomfortable feeling in my uppper stomach, under my rib cage. It almost feels like terrible gas, but I'm not gassy. It's sensitive to the touch, and feels like an over inflated balloon... does this sound familar to those of you who have had thier gallbladers out?

[On My Way 0]

I had gall stones for 2 years prior to my surgery. My surgeon wouldn't do my lap band until my gall bladder came out. Because of the problems that can happen after lap band. So had gallbladder out 1 month before lap band. My symptoms: pain like yours, also had sweats, and nausea, of course there are others... If you need it out you will feel alot better afterwards.

[piercedqt78 658]

So I'm still not completely clear on what the symptoms are here. Over the last 24 hours or so, I've had very uncomfortable feeling in my uppper stomach, under my rib cage. It almost feels like terrible gas, but I'm not gassy. It's sensitive to the touch, and feels like an over inflated balloon... does this sound familar to those of you who have had thier gallbladers out?

I had the exact same symptoms as you. Everything seemed to affect me, and then other times I was fine. It was my gallbladder not functioning, detected by a hidascan. My pain never returned after the gallbladder came out. ~Mandy

[S@ssen@ch 745]

So I'm still not completely clear on what the symptoms are here. Over the last 24 hours or so, I've had very uncomfortable feeling in my uppper stomach, under my rib cage. It almost feels like terrible gas, but I'm not gassy. It's sensitive to the touch, and feels like an over inflated balloon... does this sound familar to those of you who have had thier gallbladers out?

You didn't specify which side of the rib cage. Classic symptoms of gall bladder occur on the right side and sometimes/often radiate around to your back.

Mine felt like an intense pressure kind of in the center of my upper abdomen. The pressure would increase to the point that I felt like I was going to explode.

Now that I've got it out, I really don't get the pressure much. I get pressure in my left side in my stomach if I overeat or if food isn't moving down the pike as quickly as it should. But this is stomach related/band related, not gall bladder related.

[piercedqt78 658]

My gallbladder pain was always central, the doctor claimed it was heartburn at first. ~Mandy

[Bostongurl 0]

Mine is definitly in the uppper right side - and when it's bad it also feels like I'm going to pop like a balloon...I called my doc today and am going in tomorrow am for an ultra sound.