Question:
Why is it that I see a lot of people who had WLS getting their gallbadder removed?

   — Amy E. (posted on October 7, 2003)

October 7, 2003
My surgeon explained it to me that rapid weight loss will cause your gallbladder to go into a "depression" and then it doesnot function as it should so it develops stones or cholestrotitus. Alot of surgeons are now removing the gallbladder along with the WLS surgeries. Hope this helps. Good Luck and God Bless you.
   — CARLA C.

October 7, 2003
The last posted is right; rapid weightloss can cause gallstones and thus require having y our gallbladder out. This can happen to at least 20% ... so alot of surgeons recommend taking out at the same time. This way you only have ONE surgery instead of two. It can be done as a precaution. You dont have to have your removed; but then y ou run the risk of having tohave it removed later....
   — star .

October 7, 2003
I asked my surgeon at my consult to remove my gall bladder. He informed me that unless I had problems right now he did not feel it was necessary since the percentage of people who develep gall stones was low. He informed me that it is a simple outpatient procedure if it would need to be done in the future.
   — Larissa D.

October 7, 2003
The gallbladder stores bile, which is used to break down fats. When you are eating a low (or lower) fat diet, less of that bile is needed to break down the fat. So, it starts to store in the gallbladder, and turns in to gallstones. When the gallbladder contracts to release the bile for digestion, it pushes those stones into the outlet for the bile and the stones usually won't go through, and that's what causes the pain. The stones being pushed into wall of the gallbladder. Sometimes the stones do get through, and they can get stuck in the small intestine, they can block it and stuff backs up, you turn jaundice (yellow), and then you really have a problem. The pain is terrible. Friends who've had children have said it's as bad as labor pains. If you find yourself having gallbladder problems, just get it removed. The surgery is almost always done lap and it's done as day surgery a lot of the time. I was in overnight for mine, but only because the surgeon didn't get around to see me until after visiting hours, and my family had already left.
   — KelBurt

October 7, 2003
funny you asked,i had my gallbladder removed 4 days ago.lap with 5 sites. 3 weeks out of wls and i was having major attacks.altrasound showed stones.my surgeon will not do both together he saids if you have complications its hard to pinpoint.plus wls is enough to deal with trying to relearn how to eat.im still very sore.my wls was a piece of cake.surgeon saids i had alot of stones some the size of a dime.most of his gallbladder surgerys ar female in 40s.this is due to hormone changes as well as diet.I had the stones way before i had wls.they just stayed quiet untill a drastic diet change.
   — patty L.

October 7, 2003
Due to the massive weightloss, it causes the gallbladder to develop stones and/or become diseased and not function at full capacity. I'm having gallbladder removal in 6 weeks. I have multiple stones and a totally dysfunctional gallbladder per my ultrasound. I will a little over 2 years LAP RNY when I have my gallbladder removed.
   — Patty H.

October 7, 2003
I too have gallstones my surgeon will remove my gallbladder during my lap gastric bypass surgery. The pain is terrible when you have an attack. I have had them since 1996. They found them when I was pregnant with my daughter. As the other posters said it is a simple procedure. Good Luck and God Bless.
   — jennie_jen