Hello everyone, I need to hear from you bandsters out there that have had gallbladder problems. I know many of you had yours taken out during your banding procedure, but I really need to hear from the ones that felt the symptoms coming on. Please explain how it feels and what problems you expierenced. Also how long did you wait b4 having it checked out. Thank you in advance for your feedback.

I only have free fills for my first year, my year is up in June, so if I have to be unfilled and have surgery I dont want to be starting over again with fills when I have to start paying for them. That would really suck!!!

Dang, I'm glad you mentioned that! I'm in the same situation as you, but have free fills until September. I was going to put off gall bladder surgery indefinitely (until more frequent/severe attacks), but with the fill situation in mind, I'd be better off getting the surgery out of the way so that I can get my re-fills for free!

I've only had a few attacks. The first two or three were relatively mild. The last one was 5-6 weeks ago, and was fairly severe. It started after lunch, and lasted until dinner time or so. I was in bad enough pain that I knew that I couldn't drive myself to the hospital, so it was either wait it out or call 911. Fortunately, it passed before that was necessary. An ultrasound the next week showed the stones. I visited my bariatric surgeon a few days later, and he recommended I go ahead and have surgery. He said that something like 80% of the American population has gallstones, but once you become symptomatic, it usually goes downhill, and that eventually surgery is necessary. He added that women are more likely to go ahead and have it taken care of, whereas men usually wait until they have "the big one" that makes them regret delaying surgery!

Wheetsin, what are you waiting for, girl?? You seriously need to go on and get that baby taken care of! Don't be such a "guy"!

Tami

I'm telling y'all.....the Papaya Extract is what the doctors have told three of us who've had problems. Different doctors...Please try it. I swear by it.

I had my gallbladder out a few weeks ago. The pain was in the upper left part of my back and side. It would just hit me and I felt like I couldn't breathe. The ultrasound showed that they were as much as 1cm. in diameter. After the surgery the surgeon told me they were cholesterol which is consistent with typical gallstones from rapid weight loss. Don't mess around with your gall bladder. It is a relatively simple thing to get rid of and a dangerous thing to ignore. My surgeon gave me the sermon on that!

Dancing Queen

Dr. Rumbaut

6/27/06

257/184c/145 goal

Well I have my ultrasound today at 11:15, wish me luck!!