This past week as been one of the WORST ever. I ended up in the emergency room with SEVERE abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. I threw up all over the emergency room staff and was really scared something was wrong with my band. After being told it was only the "stomach flu" I finally got a decent dr who ran 3 or 4 more tests and viola! My gallbladder was infected and had to come out. I got my gallbladder out yesterday and am feeling like I got the band all over again. Ouch!! This explains why on a previous post I was complaining of constant nausea!! It hurts to breathe and the awful awful nausea! :sick

So apprently after you lose a bunch of weight it's really commom to develop gallstones and possibly a gallbladder infection. So, if any of you guys end up in the ER with abdominal pain and vomiting insist on a gallbladder check bc weight loss can do that to you. If they tell you it's just the stomach flu don't buy it!!!

After a few days I should be good as new! Can't wait to feel normal again! :phanvan

Hamu,

So glad you found out what was going on and that you're home safely! Yes, gallbladder problems do erupt due to weight loss. Many of us have had our gallbladders removed after being banded. I was rebanded July 16th, 2004 and my gallbladder was removed exactly 6 weeks later. It is definitely a reality. Good luck with your recovery and take care of yourself!

The reason that so many people have problems with their gallbladders once they've lost a significant amount of weight is the dietary changes. When you eat a diet high in fat, the body increases its production of bile. Bile is stored in the gallbladder and aids in the digestion of fat. When the body detects a high fat intake, it signals the gallbladder to release bile.

Once we switch to a low fat diet, an increased amount of bile is stored in the gallbladder but is not released as often as before the low fat change. This predisposes us to the formation of gall stones, crystals and sludge. A simple, non-invasive sonogram is the first test to evaluate for gallbladder disease. Other tests include DISIDA and HIDA scans as well as spiral CTs, etc.

I'm glad that your problem was found and treated and that you're on the road to recovery. I had my gallbladder out 3 years ago and know how awful the pain of those attacks can be. Some surgeons who do RNY surgery are electing to remove the gallbladder at the same time they perform the RNY.

I will definitely be on guard for this. Thanks for sharing and I'm so glad you are now on the road to recovery. I know my surgeon pointed this out several times during various consults & such. I guess it must be something they see a lot.

Hey Hamu, I'm so glad it was "just" your gallbladder, and not something really serious.

Glad it was the gallbladder and not the band! I was lucky, my gallbladder was taken out quite a few years ago! Hope you start feeling lots better!

My doc told me in my preop visit that 5% of LapBand patients end up having their gallbladders out. He just wanted me to be aware that it could be a possibility.

M

Thanks for the info. I hope you feel better soon.

What people say vs. what people hear:

So, what you're telling me is that I need to occasionally indulge in a high fat food like, say, ice cream, so that my gallbladder will release it's bile? All right!

Waiter? Reality Check Please!

(LOL, of course I'm kidding! It's a nice dream though.)

Glad to hear you're on the mend, HamuChan!

How scary. I didn't know this was such a common problem. I hope you are feeling better soon!

I may be mis informed lol, not the first time but one reason we need to drink so much water is to help to keep ours systems flushed, Any body else under that impression?

fair fat forty fertile and flatulent dont they say? It is really common after weightloss to have gallstones and gallbladder attacks, as it is after pregnancy.

No more pain! I am feeling so much better. I didn't realize that gallbladder problems were so common! Hope everyone is doing well! :biggrin1:

I'm happy to learn that you're feeling better! and thanks for sharing this info with us.

I guess that everytime something hurts here insisde we automatically think there's some problem with the band... I wonder if drinking lots of water will help to avoid this kind of problem.

niki

That must have been so scary - I'm glad that doctor found you before they sent you home!!! Take it easy & get yourself healed -- and then be glad to know that everything was caught in time and your symptoms should be all gone!!! What a blessing -- thank you for sharing your story. Its good to know that this could happen and what to look out for.

Kristin

Victoriana, yes we need to drink water in order to flush our systems and stay hydrated, but water doesn't go through the gall bladder, so wouldn't have much of an effect.

Hamu~ glad that you are feeling better. That area of my body has been bothering me some, but not to the effect that you describe. Hopefully I can get a diagnosis BEFORE it gets to that point!

Was it sudden, or did you have minor symptoms before?