Gallbladder can't be taken out during surgery?

[janedoe92 260]

I told my pa I was already diagnosed with gallstones and she told me the surgeon doesn't typically take them out at the same time, which I find odd. I plan on asking him personally, but I wonder if anyone has insight as to why this would be?

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[Djmohr 6,965]

My surgeon said if I had a gallbladder they would automatically take it out when they did my bypass because it is very common to have trouble with your gallbladder after WLS.

I had mine out in an open surgery many years ago so it wasnt necessary.

Many surgeons do things differently though. There are many people on this site that ended up having to have it out in a separate surgery which seems crazy to me.

Then again, many people have no problem with their gallbladder after surgery so it all depends on the surgeon and the insurance company.

Best of luck to you!

[Bufflehead 6,358]

I know many surgeons won't take out the gall bladder at the same time unless you have active gall bladder problems. Perhaps the PA didn't understand you correctly or is just blowing you off for some reason? Make sure you bring your lab results/ultrasound results on the gall stones to your surgeon so that he knows there is an ongoing problem and can see the medical documentation of it. Good luck!

[janedoe92 260]

My surgeon said if I had a gallbladder they would automatically take it out when they did my bypass because it is very common to have trouble with your gallbladder after WLS.

I had mine out in an open surgery many years ago so it wasnt necessary.

Many surgeons do things differently though. There are many people on this site that ended up having to have it out in a separate surgery which seems crazy to me.

Then again, many people have no problem with their gallbladder after surgery so it all depends on the surgeon and the insurance company.

Best of luck to you!

Yeah I thought it was crazy too because I've had a gallstone pass in the past and definitely do not want to experience that again, so I'm hoping my surgeon will just take it out.

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[janedoe92 260]

I know many surgeons won't take out the gall bladder at the same time unless you have active gall bladder problems. Perhaps the PA didn't understand you correctly or is just blowing you off for some reason? Make sure you bring your lab results/ultrasound results on the gall stones to your surgeon so that he knows there is an ongoing problem and can see the medical documentation of it. Good luck!

Maybe that's why because she did ask how long it's been since I've had any episodes and it's been a little over 2 years. I would hate for this surgery to set off a chain reaction though because that's definitely not something I want to experience again. I'm going to definitely take all my documentation so he can see, and hopefully he'll take it out.

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[BayougirlMrsS 3,933]

if mine had not already been removed years before.... mine would have taken out at time of LB placement. That was one of the first questions he asked.... I asked y and he said because a large % of people who get WLS will have to have it removed shortly after.....

I think it's odd that they won't do it at the same time.... i would get another opinion since you already have documented DX....

[heidikat72 935]

my pre-op abdominal ultrasound showed I have gallstones. But the surgeon said since they haven't given me any problems - i've never had a gallbladder attack/pain from it, he'd prefer not to take it out during the surgery. If I was having gallbladder attacks, he said he would take it out during surgery and told me what symptoms to look out for but I didn't have any of those between then and my surgery. So, I still have it.

[janedoe92 260]

my pre-op abdominal ultrasound showed I have gallstones. But the surgeon said since they haven't given me any problems - i've never had a gallbladder attack/pain from it, he'd prefer not to take it out during the surgery. If I was having gallbladder attacks, he said he would take it out during surgery and told me what symptoms to look out for but I didn't have any of those between then and my surgery. So, I still have it.

Yeah I'm going to talk to my surgeon because it was his pa that said they don't do it, but I've had gallbladder attacks, so I would like to get it out while they're already in there instead of having to get a whole other surgery again.

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[theantichick 2,204]

My surgeon said they don't usually take them out unless there have been issues already. Which seemed to indicate to me that they would if there had. So I don't think it's an issue of "can't". I'm fairly certain the incisions are already in the general location needed for gallbladder access, and if not it would only be one or two more small incisions and you're already under anesthesia. So if it is indicated I would think it would make sense. So yes, talk to the surgeon, the PA may just not know.

[RickM 1,747]

With sleeve patients, my surgeon takes it out if he feels gallstones in there, otherwise he leaves it alone. With his DS patients he takes it out as a matter of routine as he doesn't want another surgeon going in and getting lost in the altered anatomy should it need to be removed later.

[Airstream88 361]

My surgeon took mine out at the same time. I had never had issues with it but the ultrasound showed some gallstones so out it came. He also repaired an umbilical hernia I didn't know I had. My surgeon not only does WLS but also does other laparoscopic surgeries so maybe he feels more confident in doing them at the same time.

[GinaCampbell 434]

My surgical team decided that my post op abdominal pain and blood tests showing infection was definitely gallbladder issues and wanted to take it out. He poked my tummy, I winced in pain and he referred me for gallbladder removal. I was devastated after having had post op complications and was terrified of further surgery so soon after.

I didn't have gallstones or gallbladder issues at all.

I had a clostridium difficile infection in my bowel.

So even though I lost a shocking amount of weight in 4 weeks due to illness, my gallbladder has not suffered, that we know of.

Yet my daughter, who lost weight on a conventional diet, had to have her gallbladder out on an emergency basis.

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[janedoe92 260]

I want DS so I'd just in general prefer it be taken out. The pa mentioned they used to, but not anymore, she was vague on why. I know the incisions are fairly the same as wls, so I don't understand why taking it out would be a problem, but like I said she didn't really seem to know.

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[theantichick 2,204]

I want DS so I'd just in general prefer it be taken out. The pa mentioned they used to, but not anymore, she was vague on why. I know the incisions are fairly the same as wls, so I don't understand why taking it out would be a problem, but like I said she didn't really seem to know.

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I don't know about DS, but for VSG my surgeon said that while it might not seem so, the number of people who needed it removed after WLS wasn't as high as they used to think. At least in people who didn't have gall bladder problems before the surgery. So taking out a functioning organ that is needed for best fat digestion as a preventative measure isn't a great idea. Now, if there's a problem, that's different.

[janedoe92 260]

I want DS so I'd just in general prefer it be taken out. The pa mentioned they used to, but not anymore, she was vague on why. I know the incisions are fairly the same as wls, so I don't understand why taking it out would be a problem, but like I said she didn't really seem to know.

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I don't know about DS, but for VSG my surgeon said that while it might not seem so, the number of people who needed it removed after WLS wasn't as high as they used to think. At least in people who didn't have gall bladder problems before the surgery. So taking out a functioning organ that is needed for best fat digestion as a preventative measure isn't a great idea. Now, if there's a problem, that's different.

Yeah I have gallstones, so I was hoping it could be taken out because I already have the problems wit it.

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