RNY or Lap RNY ?

I have heard that Lap Rny has an easier recovery time than RNY, but wouldn't it be best to have RNY so they can take your gallbladder out at the time of Surgery, Also for the ones of you that has had Lap were your gallbladders already out? I am hoping to have surgery would rather have the Lap for easier recovery time but would also prefer my gallbladder out as well, so I am torn, any suggestions??? Melissa (hoping to have surgery)

They can do both of them at the same time. Actually Dr Hart will do that especially if you have stones because of the higher incidents of gallbladder attacks after surgery because of the drastic diet change. They both can be done Lap...so dont worry about that.

I had heard that they can't take the gallbladder out through lap tho, only open, thi info was just told to me by a friend tho. Melissa (Hoping to have surgery)

I actually had BOTH! LOL!! I had lap, and if he had needed to take my gallbladder he would have. However, when they got in my liver was VERY big, so they had to open me up and move my liver with his hands, in lieu of the prongs to avoid tearing. I recovered VERY well. I went back to work in three weeks. I was very tired but I recovered well. Oh yeah, I've had NO problems with my gallbladder to date. Best wishes to you Melissa!!! GOOD LUCK! Tami 340/205/PRAYING for at LEAST 185!! LOL!

My husband had his gall bladder out over 10 years ago - not any WLS, just the gall bladder, and it was done lap. I had my WLS lap, and my gall bladder DIDN'T come out, but I have had no problems with it. I didn't have any before, either. If you are already having trouble with your GB, they should be able to get it lap while doing the RNY - it just depends. However, as Tami says, open isn't that much worse usually (as far as recovery). I wasn't working when I had my surgery, but probably could have gone back to an office job within two weeks. Hang in there, and don't sweat the small stuff!!! Ann in Duluth

Hi, Melissa, I wish I could shout to the world, "BEFORE YOU HAVE SURGERY, CHECK OUT THE STATISTICS ON THE MINI GASTRIC BYPASS!" I had this done in NC and have gone from 378 to 230 since then---with no complications. Please check out CLOS.net before making a final decision. Good luck. Sandy

I just had my WLS on May 4th and my gall bladder was taken at the same time. So I can vouch for it being done Lap. I have had no problems and my recovery has been very smooth in fact I went back to work in a week. I still have a little tiredness in the late evenings but nothing that a quick lay on the sofa won't fix... Good luck with whichever way you choose to go. Patrice

I would rather have mine done lap, I am having NO problems with gallbladder whatsoever, but I read that it is better to have it out at the time of surgery because the risk is greater to start having problems with the WLS. Melissa

Hi Melissa, I had open gall bladder surgery 15 years ago and lap rny 12/03. The gall bladder surgery I was working full time in retail and I went back to work at 3 weeks but did no lifting for the full 8 weeks and then still took it easy and changed the way I did some things. The fear of a developing a hernia kept me vigilant and compliant. I was not working when I had my lap rny and was at a Xmas party 4 days after surgery and driving 2 days later. While the gallbladder can be removed during lap rny surgery unless there is some evidence of disease or gall stones an ethical surgeon will not do it. Often times it does have to be removed later on due to gall stones (which are a side effect of rapid weight loss) but removing a healthy organ goes against the "rules". Hope this helps and good luck in your journey! Marie post op 12/02/03 lap rny, Dr Hart 539/382/250

After having gall bladder removal before WLS, I can tell you that if there's a good chance you may have trouble, get it out now. I had about eleven attacks before the doctors and surgeons figured out what was wrong...checked for ulcers, kidney stones, etc. Several friends kept telling me it was my gall bladder. Here's are five Fs for tendency to have gall bladder failure. " In medical school, the "five F's" help doctors to remember the usual patient with gallbladder disease: "fair, fat, forty, fertile, and female." Sexist as it sounds, it describes the group most frequently affected by gallbladder disease: overweight middle-aged white women with a history of several pregnancies. Excess estrogen may be implicated, since hormone replacement after menopause increases the likelihood of stones." For some reason, rapid excessive weight loss does tend to bring on gall bladder failure. I had lost 99 pounds right before mine went bad. I had both surgeries LAP but at different times. I would find a surgeon *****moves the gall bladder as a precaution especially if there's family history. Hugs, Becky