Removing Gall Bladder during Bypass

[Deannie 1]

My doctor has suggested removing my gall bladder during my gastric bypass. Has anyone else had this done? I have one stone now but it doesn't really bother me but both my surgeon and my PCP said it's common to get gall stones when losing a lot of weight. Would you recommend this or weight until I actually need my gall bladder removed?

[photomadsue 0]

I have watched a lot of videos in the UK where Shaw Summers, a leading bariatric surgeon, removed gall bladders seemingly as routine during bariatric surgery.

I had mine out separately prior to my bypass and I'd say go for it. Anything that saves an extra surgery down the line is worth it. The gall bladder surgery I had was keyhole and easy to recover from, but one anaesthetic has to be better than two I think. My own opinion only of course.

[Cervidae 2,389]

my bariatric team makes it standard to take out gall bladders during surgery, as the incidence of stones and other issues after surgery is so high and it can cause serious health problems while you're healing. I'd also say go for it. No point in going under the knife and risking your life more than necessary. I had mine out about a year before I had surgery and have noticed no difference whatsoever. Though, to be fair, I never ate much of a high fat diet to begin with. Most people in my family develop gallstones before age 25 regardless of diet of health status, for some odd reason.

[catwoman7 11,219]

mine doesn't automatically take them out. He does put his patients on ursodiol for the first six months post-surgery, though. It doesn't necessarily *prevent* gallstones, but it lowers the risk pretty considerably.

[esskay77 785]

Some dr's take them out automatically. Mine does not but that meant a year later I had to go back under the knife to have it removed and now I have 2 sets of scars. If I had to do it over again, I would have insisted on having mine out during the WLS even though it hadn't been a problem at the time.

[heather5565 959]

mine doesn't automatically take them out. He does put his patients on ursodiol for the first six months post-surgery, though. It doesn't necessarily *prevent* gallstones, but it lowers the risk pretty considerably.

Same here.

[Deannie 1]

Thanks everyone, I think I will have it removed to save the trouble of another surgery. You guys are the best!