Gallstones and surgery coming up.. what did I do wrong? nearly 6 weeks out from my...
I am a little on the bummed out side. I have done EVERYTHING right. I have followed the diet prescribed to me to the tee but yesterday I ended up in the ER.
I went to my Primary Care doctor thinking I had a virus. She wasnt so sure. She was worried about Stoma stenosis so she sent me to the Emergency room. After test it confirmed that wasnt the issue but what is causing it is Gallstones. They line up with the symptoms im having.
So, how many people have dealt with this after their procedure? I dont like the fact that i have to go in for another surgery but I know I have to. I have an appointment with my surgeon in the morning. In between the times ive been awake today from the pain meds and nausea meds I have had pity parties cause i feel like there has to be something? Im back on liquids for now. A step back from Pureed stage.
Im scared though hes gonna wanna go open surgery since my RNY was open? anyone ever been in this position? I just need some info and some encouragement right now.
I did not go through this, but gallstones after rapid weight loss are common, which is why many surgeons prescribe actigal to try to prevent them.
Laura in Texas
53 years old; 5'7" tall; HW: 339 (BMI=53); GW: 140 CW: 170 (BMI=27)
RNY: 09-17-08 Dr. Garth Davis
brachioplasty: 12-18-09 Dr. Wainwright; lbl/bl: 06-28-11 Dr. LoMonaco
"May your choices reflect your hopes and not your fears."
As Laura said, gallbladder issues are very common. And it isn't related to weight loss surgery, but rapid massive weight loss.
Actigall can't fix a bad gallbladder. Some think it can help prevent problems. My surgeon doesn't prescribe it either. The studies he's seen say it doesn't make a difference.
This does happen a lot, so you aren't alone. I hope they get you fixed up soon.
6'3" tall, male.
Highest weight was 475. RNY on 08/21/12. Current weight: 198.
M1 -24; M2 -21; M3 -19; M4 -21; M5 -13; M6 -21; M7 -10; M8 -16; M9 -10; M10 -8; M11 -6; M12 -5.
Kala, gallstones commonly follow both large amounts of weight loss AND a sudden large decrease in fluid intake. It is common, for people that have dehydration from other illness..for example,.. gallstones often follows Malaria. My surgeon removed my gallbladder when my surgery was done, years ago, so I did not have it.attacks....my gall bladder was bad, and He said the only thing that it could do was go from bad to worse. after my hybrid surgery, it would not be used.
There are herbals that can give relief, but in the middle of an attack is not the time to begin them,. ginger and tumeric helped my daughter get thru 6 weeks of awaiting surgery. They did hers with the scope. Recovery is rapid generally. You won't be on liquids long... it's not the diet type giving you the issue, but the decreased water and the excretion of some of the by-products of digestion, usually bilirubin and cholestrol .
Hang in there you will get thru, this. Don't think of this as a set-back but just another health issue taken care of... ie it can't go bad again after it is gone.
I can't speak to the issue of having gallstones after WLS. I had my gallbladder removed before WLS... literally ALL of the women on my mother's side of the family have had gallstones, regardless of size (my mother was about 100 pounds and in her 20's when she had hers). I had a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) and the incisions were very small and I healed quickly. Due to having back to back surgeries, you may heal more slowly, just because your body is working to heal so much. More than likely, you'll feel MUCH better after your surgery though!
You did NOTHING wrong. Gallstones even happen to normal weighted people. People have been of a "normal weight" their entire life like my mentor.
Sometimes medical stuff "just happens", with no rhyme or reason. The diagnosis is just "the cause" of the symptoms and not why "the cause" happens in the first place. Sometimes it is obvious (someone has high triglycerides and eats lots of fats), other times not so obvious (a person has high triglycerides, eats low fat, but their is a familial propensity towards high triglycerides and they have to eat low fat AND low carb).
In this case, it is likely just "one of those things".
Stop beating yourself up over this and control what you CAN control which is your weight loss efforts, exercise, and following your surgeons plan.
:)
RNY Surgery: 12/31/2013;
Current weight (2/27/2015) 139lbs, ~14% body fat
Three pounds below Goal!!! Yay !
You aren't alone! I had my gallbladder out at 21. My whole life I was dieting. I would lose seventy pounds and gain it back, plus some. I had mine done laparoscopically and it wasn't bad. In fact, it's so much better than gallbladder attacks. I would joke about having ten more kids before I would ever have one more gallbladder. You will do great. If you need us, we are here to get you through it.