Gallstones Anyone?

DAA · March 27, 2009

Hi Eyeryone! I had my lap band in Feb 2006. I have done very well. lost 85 pounds. Feel great and look great! I found out 2 years ago I had gallstones. 2 trips to the er after a holiday meal. Last month I got sick all of a sudden, could not eat, bloating, burning in stomach, burping, fullness, constant loose stools with mucus (sorry for the details) It was horrible. Well I had an upper GI, it was all normal, my band is perfect and showed great restriction. It did show "Minor Gastritis". I had an ultrasound, all organs normal, no masses, but did show "Multiple Large Gallstones" Blood work was all good but I did test positive for H Pylori and was treated for 2 weeks on antibiotics. I feel much better after the treatment but I still have the loose stools. Seems like my food is running right through me. there is also yellow mucus. My Band doc seems I need to have my gallbladder out. I have beem eating very low fat for a month and have lost 15 pounds. Has anyone had any gallbladder problems? Im going to do the "Wait and See" approach but Im not sure if i should wait too long. I have not had an attack in 2 years but the stones are present. My doc said the surgery is done by LAP and its not a big deal. Any insights you can share with me? also Congrads you all you new Bandsters. It was the best decision I made to help me with my obesity. Thanks again!

ParrotheadCathy · March 27, 2009

More than 25 years ago, I was diagnosed with gallstones. I pretty much ignored the whole thing. The whole head-in-the-sand thing. Well, one day, there was this TERRIBLE pain like hot fire that started in my belly and went straight up through my chest and into my jaw. I thought I was having a heart attack. I went immediately to my doctor, who sent me straight upstairs in his building to a surgeon who put me in the hospital that afternoon and removed my gallbladder (and 4 very large stones) the next morning. Please don't wait until it's that bad. The stones won't go away. You'll have good days and bad days and the bad will quickly start to outweight the good. It's laprascopic surgery these days (not like what I had). The surgery will end all those problems and you'll only be out of commission for a very few days. Good luck!

HeatherO · March 27, 2009

If I could suggest anything, it would be to have it taken out before you have an emergency situation and have to have it out immediately. Why suffer any longer or any more than you have already when it can be addressed?

Also, it is only a matter of time before you will have to lose it . . . so why not schedule it at a time that is more convenient in your life.

DAA · March 27, 2009

yes it seems like I may have to. Did you all have bowel problems with your stones?

ParrotheadCathy · March 27, 2009

well, this is TMI for most people, but I had multiple greasy, loose BMs daily well before diagnosis even. That ended about 2 weeks after the surgery. So goodbye to that AND to the pain. I could not have been happier!

DAA · March 27, 2009

I feel the same way about TMI, but we all need to share all of our medical stuff so we know that it can be common or can happen. Oh well thats what im having, no attacks or pain, just the weird bowel movements. it seems like the food i eat is just not being digested. I think i better go see my LAP surgeon and set up a date for GB removal.

k_hite · March 28, 2009

Parrothead,

Are you banded? I will be in June of 09. I had my gall bladder out 20 some years ago where the surgeon was looking for a football according to my scar. I am afraid I may have scar tissue that will keep me from being able to get banded. Did you have any problems?

Kelly

ParrotheadCathy · March 28, 2009

I was banded 2/10 by Dr Chris Hart (in Atlanta). I'm down 37 pounds so far. When I first met with Dr. Hart, he examined my big old gallbladder scar (HUGE, like you say yours is). He told he has had one patient who had so much scar tissue around their scar that he coulnd't finish the surgery. Then he said that he didn't think I had to worry, that my scar felt pretty "normal" (whatever the heck normal is). And, sure enough, he had no problems at all. Dr. Hart established the first bariatric surgery practice at a leading university hospital here in Atlanta and has done a huge number of lab band AND bypass surgeries. If he has only had one patient who had a problem, I'm going to bet you'll be fine. But do keep us posted!! Good luck with surgery.

k_hite · March 29, 2009

Thank you so much for sharing. I have talked to Dr. Hart's office before. I had a friend refer him. He did her bi-pass. I am self pay, so needless to say I am going to Mexico to be banded. The state ins. will not pay for anything to do with weight loss; however, will pay for all of the illnesses caused by it. Does Dr. Hart do your fills or do you go somewhere else? I will be using Fill USA in Roswell. I live in the Mall of Ga area. I am so ready. I teach so the summer was the best time for me to go. Which band do you have, the lap or realize? Congrats on your loss. I will keep posting. This is a great place to learn.

ParrotheadCathy · March 29, 2009

I went to Dr. Hart through True Results. I have the Lap Band brand band. 10ccs. Dr. Hart has a private practice at Johns Creek, through True Results (doing Lap Band brand bands) AND through Realize (doing, of course, the Realize Band). True Results has a full service office, with three physicians assistants and that's where I go for my fills. I, too, was self-pay. $15,000, which includes the first 10 fills. I really didn't consider Mexico as an alternative. I didn't want to be alone, and by the time TWO people flew round trip, had hospital stay, cost of surgery and if I had problems that required the surgeon's attention then I'd have to go back, well, I just decided doing it close to home was the best thing for me.

inri09 · March 29, 2009

I had my gall bladder removed yesterday. I was banded on 3/3 and they found the stones during the pre-op testing. My surgeon also suggested getting them out before a major attack, felt I would definitely have problems with them. Weight loss actually helps create new stones, small stones can move into the duct and cause more problems. Doctor said that it's better to take out now, if you wait until it's inflamed and painful, can be a harder surgery, more chance of infection. It was laparoscopic similar to the banding. 4 small cuts. Only difference is one is through the belly button so I can't lift for 3-4 weeks. Not much pain from surgery, can feel incisions a little more than the banding, but walking fine, sleeping on side... no major problems. Hopefully recovery will remain as easy as for the band. Good luck.