Questions for those who had gallbladder surgery post-sleeve

[flmama 105]

Pre-surgery testing, my gallbladder was great...showed nothing. Over the last few weeks, I've had increasingly bad attacks...a CT scan during an ER visit showed it was enlarged and bloodwork showed elevated liver enzymes, but no other issues. No fever, no aches or chills...just pain on the right side and nausea/vomiting.

Averaging a couple of attacks a week, and finally my hospital appt for an ultrasound and hida scan rolled around. Ultrasound showed sludge and stones, so they canceled the second part of the hida (CCK) and just did the first part, so I don't know EF and it doesn't really matter because at the end of the test, my gallbladder wasn't showing, so I had to wait around for another 45 minutes and do another series of photos.

PCP says it has to come out. I go to referred surgeon and he keeps referring to my surgery as a "bypass" (and I keep correcting him), and he tells me he has to do the gallbladder surgery OPEN instead of laparascopically, because he knows I will have lots of scar tissue and he is sure I have an infection in my gallbladder. But then tells me he can't do it for 2 weeks b/c he is going on vacation. And he doesn't do any bloodwork or put me on antibiotics for this alleged "infection" or anything. I've requested a second opinion, and am also going to ask my sleeve surgeon when I see him next week (he is 4.5 hours away, so initially, I didn't think it made sense to involve him...but he may be my best option, even if it involves more travel).

So my questions for those who had their gallbladder removed post-sleeve:

1. Was it automatically open for fear of your new anatomy and scar tissue?

2. If it wasn't scheduled for open, did it end up being open because of unforeseen issues?

I know that there is always the risk of having to be opened up when you have surgery, but I thought they did everything they could to avoid it and was really put off by this guy saying he was going to do it open because it was such a concern to him, yet he wasn't concerned enough to get it done before his vacation or to do any bloodwork or antibiotics or anything while I'm waiting. Seems like a $$ to me.

[SerendipityHappens 1,594]

I did not have gallbladder post surgery BUT I can tell you that where the scar tissue is with the sleeve is different than where it is with the bypass.... With the sleeve all the action happens a lot higher in the abdomen than with the bypass.. so if he's thinking bypass the scar tissue is NOT going to be in the same place for you. I had gallbladder surgery several years prior to having my sleeve and it was a VERY nasty surgery as my gallbladder was ruptured and gangrene.. I worried that this would affect my ability to have sleeve surgery as laproscopic.. my doctor said no.. because the two surgeries take place in different areas.

BTW, when I had my gallbladder out.. it was HIGHLY infected and My gallbladder had actually ruptured and was in pieces and it was GANGRENE.. and the infection was on my liver too and the doctor had to poke around in there in order to remove all the infection and my surgeon STILL managed to do it laproscopically.. He warned me ahead of time that he MAY have to open me to do it due to the complex nature of my issues, but that he would do everything he could to not have to do that. I'm not a surgeon, but I do have to question a doctor who wants to jump right in to the open surgery...especially where he doesn't seem to be paying attention to exactly WHAT procedure you had previously that he thinks MAY be causing scar tissue. I think you're right to get the second opinion.. Best of luck to you!

[flmama 105]

Thank you! My husband's gallbladder was almost as bad as yours was, many years ago, so I knew going into this that I wasn't facing quite the same he was. And they still managed to do his laparascopically. It took a lot longer, but still they avoided fully opening him up.

I appreciate your feedback...I was second guessing myself and wondering if I was being a ninny about this. You definitely helped me!

[npm518 146]

Fortunately enough my weight loss surgeon is also a gi surgeon so he was able to do it for me. I had small attacks but never realized it (just stomach pain) my first huge attack I was in so much pain from the front to back no nausea no fever ect but a ultrasound showed stones. I had my surgery the following week. So maybe check in with your surgeon also? It was done laproscopically with no complications

[Corky6984 134]

I had gallbladder surgery 6 months prior to my sleeve surgery. A gallstone got out and gave me pancreatitis and they did it laparoscopically. My dr also said that that area looked really good during my sleeve surgery, so I don't think scar tissue would be a problem...

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[FoxyRoxy 35]

My same surgeon that preformed my sleeve removed my gall bladder 6 months post sleeve lapro not open go to another surgeon that knows what the sleeve consists of

[Carrie's Journey 130]

I'm a year out and I just had my gallbladder removed after a bad attack. It was enlarged and I had lots of stones. We talked about the possibility of the surgery being open depending on scar tissue but everything went fine and it was done laparoscopically. I just have a few extra scars. I would consult another doctor for sure...an open surgery would be such a longer recovery.

[imworthit 156]

I'm 3 days post op gallbladder removal and 9 months post sleeve same surgeon did both. He used two of my old incisions and another is hidden in my belly button. Recovery wise I'm in a lot more pain and discomfort from the gb vs the sleeve. Good luck!!

[Nicolanz 1,484]

I just had mine out last month, 8 months post sleeve. It was done laproscopically and recovery was a breeze!

[imworthit 156]

I just had mine out last month' date=' 8 months post sleeve. It was done laproscopically and recovery was a breeze![/quote']

How long was your recovery? In day 3 Nd still very sore

[flmama 105]

Thanks so much everyone! I have a second opinion scheduled for next Tuesday and then my sleeve surgeons office moved up my next appt to next Wednesday so he could see me as well.

I hope gb recovery isn't worse than sleeve...my sleeve was awful! I'd never had general anesthesia before and was so ill. I also couldn't tolerate the liquid hydrocodone when they took me off the pump, so I just went without pain meds. It sucked! I didn't have gas pain...just lots of nausea and incision pain for a couple of weeks.

[Corky6984 134]

I'm 3 days post op gallbladder removal and 9 months post sleeve same surgeon did both. He used two of my old incisions and another is hidden in my belly button. Recovery wise I'm in a lot more pain and discomfort from the gb vs the sleeve. Good luck!!

GB is worse than sleeve. I was wondering the next day after my sleeve if I even had surgery since my GB was so bad!

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[Nicolanz 1,484]

How long was your recovery? In day 3 Nd still very sore

I was only in pain for about 24 hours but sore for about 4 days. I had a hard time with the sleeve though.

[Corky6984 134]

Thanks so much everyone! I have a second opinion scheduled for next Tuesday and then my sleeve surgeons office moved up my next appt to next Wednesday so he could see me as well.

I hope gb recovery isn't worse than sleeve...my sleeve was awful! I'd never had general anesthesia before and was so ill. I also couldn't tolerate the liquid hydrocodone when they took me off the pump' date=' so I just went without pain meds. It sucked! I didn't have gas pain...just lots of nausea and incision pain for a couple of weeks.[/quote']

My GB was my first surgery ever. I did okay with anesthesia, but when they blew me up, the gas stayed in my lower left side of my back and I was very uncomfortable. Walking didn't help me any and since I was on liquids the whole time, I couldn't have a BM, so they ended up giving me an enema (sorry if TMI).

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[Nicolanz 1,484]

My GB was my first surgery ever. I did okay with anesthesia' date=' but when they blew me up, the gas stayed in my lower left side of my back and I was very uncomfortable. Walking didn't help me any and since I was on liquids the whole time, I couldn't have a BM, so they ended up giving me an enema (sorry if TMI).

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Yes! The Constipation was the worst part for me!!!