Question:
How soon after WLS can our gallbladder go bad?

I am four weeks out of surgery and am trying to get in my daily dose of medicine to prevent stones. It is so vile, I often can't keep it down. Now I am having some pain in my upper right side and I am worried. Why are we more susceptible to these?    — Laurie C. (posted on June 18, 2003)

June 18, 2003
Rapid weight loss (whether it is through WLS or other means) promotes the formation of gallstones...JR
   — John Rushton

June 18, 2003
Seven weeks after WLS I was diagnosed with gallstones. I'm pretty sure they were there before the surgery as I had been having attacks over the past several years, but my surgeon didn't check for them. Not fun at all.
   — Vicki H.

June 18, 2003
It can bad really quick! I started have problems a couple of weeks post op. It is due to the rapid weight loss and you may not always form stones but sometimes the gallbladder only functions a little and you start forming "sludge." If the doctors do an ultrasound or X-ray and don't find stones maybe ask for doing a HIDA Scan - this checks for the functionality of the gallbladder. I had my gallbladder out less than 2 months postop and felt soooo much better once it was out. Good luck!
   — jbekke

June 18, 2003
Laurie: What are you taking to prevent stones? My doctor started me on Actigall about 3 weeks after surgery. I don't have ANY problems taking them. They're capsules and go down better than my calcium! I take one in the morning and one at bedtime. He said I only have to be on them for 4 months. He did not promise they'd 100% prevent gallstones, but he said my chances are much better with the Actigall. Of course, they did a complete abdominal ultrasound right before surgery and indicated I had a stone-free gallbladder...not that this would be any indication for future problems, but it's always good to know what you're starting with. Good luck!
   — Amy A.

June 18, 2003
I'm 19 months post-op and have been having pains in my upper right side for about 6 to 7 months. I finally had an ultrasound and I have gallstones. I'll probably get it removed sometime in the next couple of months. I've not had any major attacks and the pain isn't severe so I don't see the need to have it removed right now. The cause of the gallbladder stones is the massive weight loss. I've lost over 120 pounds in about 11 months. That would do it!!
   — Patty H.

June 18, 2003
I had mine removed at ten months post op. Pain started about 9 months out.
   — Danmark

December 11, 2004
11 months to the day I had to have my gallbladder removed. At the time of my bypass it was perfectly healthy, but when they removed it, they could have made a small beanie toss toy out of it :)
   — Phyllis G.