OT: Gall bladder removal for normies

That is good to know.  I'll be interested to see what her surgeon tells her.  I don't think she'll listen no matter, but it is good to know that she may be fine with a "normal" 26 yo diet.

~Becky

I had to have my gall bladder removed due to stones. I had really bad pain and finally went in and discovered I had passed stones. If you pass stones, its more than likely you will keep passing them. You could try to eat a low fat diet but.... that does not garantee you won't have more attacks. Having it removed was amazing for me! My first few months after surgery was a bit of loose stools but it got better and better. Soon I could eat normal again:) Honestly having the gall bladder out was a great thing!

I hope she has an equally good opinion of this in a few months!!  Thank you.

~Becky

 I had mine removed years before my DS. It was done lap and I stayed overnight. I only had one major attack and that was enough! It was brought on Christmas Day from eating red-eye gravy over biscuits...LOL The grease did me in. After it was removed I was sensitive to fatty foods for a couple of months and then it settled down and I had no diet restrictions which was evidenced by my pre DS surgery weight of 263 lbs.

I'm sending good wishes your Daughter's way and to you too. As Moms we never cease to worry about our kids!

Thanks Renee.  I'm a bit worried as this has been an atypical presentation of symptoms.  She has not had an "attack", instead has had body aches/pains for 5 weeks.  Then she got an infection but they think it is UTI and not an infection in the GB itself.

The mom thing is for life!

~Becky

 She might not have full blown stones but "sludge". That junk moves around in and out of the ducts and it can cause an overall crappy feeling. The attacks usually come on when the sludge or stone sits in the duct long enough to prevent the bile from being able to be excreted. I had stabbing pains on my right side under my rib cage that radiated into the middle of my back between my shoulder blades. I was having trouble breathing and there was no position where I could get comfortable. It happened in the middle of the night and I just walked around the house and sat on the edge of the bed and it passed. I had an upper GI done and it showed that I had several stones and sludge. It had to go.

I was 23 when I had my gall bladder removed on an emergency basis.  I had been getting gallbladder attacks off and on for about a year.  Finally a few days went by of more frequent attacks until about the third or fourth day when I couldn't keep any food down and was in horrible constant pain.  I went to emergency, they did tests, then next thing I know I was in emergency surgery.  My gallbladder was full of granular sand like material.  It became infected and sent me into pancreatitis.  I spent weeks in the hospital recovering.  Prior to surgery I knew I needed my gallbladder removed, but I put it off because I didn't want surgery or want to take time off work...lesson learned there not to put off health issues.  Anyways at the time I was about 170 pounds.  My younger (always slim) sister also had hers removed at 23, but on a non-emergency basis. 

I'm sorry if what I said freightens you, but it can happen and I know you only want what is best for your daughter.  Imo don't wait around, get that second opinion and encourage her to get surgery asap if that is what is recommended.  

Best of luck to you both!  (((HUGS)))

~Roxy

Thanks Roxy,

I have found the surgeon I want for her so hopefully on Friday we will get an appointment with him scheduled.

~Becky

I had had an occasional GB attack, but didn't know what it was.  I thought it was an exceptionally stubborn bout of gas.  The last time I vomitted (which has only happened 3 times in over 25 years), so I knew something was terribly wrong and went to the ER.  I had it removed on a Wednesday, released on Thursday and had no problems since then.

That was about 9 years ago.  Considering the weight I gained since that time (hence the DS in 2006), I'd say I didn't have any problems with fatty/friend foods, etc.  My recovery was fine.  I stopped taking the pain pills the 2nd day out of the hospital and was back to work teaching middle school a week later.

My prayers that everything will go smoothly.

On a side note, when I had the follow up with my surgeon a week later.  He said to me that while he was operating on me, he said to himself that I would be on his table again some day having WLS and tried to sell me on the RNY.  I'm curious to know if he's graduated up to the DS by now.  I'll have to look into that.  My curiosity is peaked now.

Thanks Jo.

~Becky