First signs of gallstones?

[looly 361]

Well....the title says it all really.

I was wondering what the first signs of gallstones were for those of you who suffered from them after being sleeved. I've had a couple of episodes lasting a few days (a couple of months apart) of severe abdominal pain after eating anything containing even a little fat. I wasn't sick or nauseous and didn't have diarrhoea (though my stools weren't right). It didn't feel like dumping syndrome. I've tested my urine with a dipstick and there's elevated levels of urobilinogen in it. I've got a doctor's appointment, but there's quite a long wait for it, and the pain seems to have passed. I've had recent blood tests that show I've been getting adequate Vitamins and Iron.

Does that ring a bell with anyone?

ps On the plus side, I lost 4 lbs in a week while my tummy was dodgy!

[danieocean 260]

I had a gallbladder attack suddenly last month, had no idea my gallbladder was full of stones. I chalked the pain I had up to Constipation or dehydration. I had felt the pain several times before, but it would always resolve itself pretty quickly. One day last month though, the pain came on and didn't go away. Like a constant burning in my stomach right below my ribcage. The pain was also in my back and there was no comfortable way to lay or sit or stand. I drove myself to the ER where they did an ultrasound and saw the stones were present. They proceeded to admit me and do a CT scan where they found stones blocking the ducts to my liver. It was told the extreme pain that compelled me to got the ER was pain from the blockage and subsequent infection. Had the blockage cleared and gallbladder out in 2 procedures over a 5-day hospital stay. A quick ultrasound would tell you if you had stones...I hope you don't have to go through all that nonsense and you feel better soon. Could be a bad bout of gastritis?

[Darktowerdream 419]

Prior to surgery, during my first weight loss effort I didn’t realize I was starting to have gallbladder attacks. Over time I tried avoiding certain foods like meats and fats. I’d started getting worse attacks. It wasn’t until last year maybe when I mentioned to my gastroenterologist the symptoms, like burning pain, spasms, sorry I can’t think of them all. He finally did a hida scan. This was when I started seeking out gastric bypass surgery when I was suggested my gallbladder was low functioning. They didn’t see stones but when I had my surgery it turned out to be chronic inflammation. My suggestion is see a gastroenterologist about a hida scan. Mine recreated the symptoms of the attacks. Your body doesn’t process fats properly, nor fat soluble Vitamins. Most doctors don’t discuss that part. Take digestive enzymes to help with certain foods but likely the only relief is cholecystectomy. And dietary changes. Plus bile salts and digestive enzymes. My doctor didn’t quite believe it was a problem until they took it out.

[Kimberly3 71]

I had issues with my gallbladder after my first pregnancy. Just a few weeks after it kept feeling like I was throwing my back out. I chalked it up to shlepping the baby stroller etc. then I started to get violently I'll. I had ten atacks in ten weeks. Primary Dr at the time claimed it was acid reflux. Went to ER, (after Dr blew me off). After my 10th attack. I had a stone stuck in my bile duct and was in liver failure. Had a procedure to knock stone back into gallbladder, the next day they took it out.

My pain would always start in my back travel under my rib cage make me violently toss everything in my stomach. It resembled a heart attack. The pain was worse than childbirth it was that severe and I would know, I had just given birth 10 weeks earlier.

[Losingit2018 1,170]

I had mine out years ago. An attack felt much like I would imagine a heart attack feeling. The pain was severe and would not let up.

I did get nauseated towards the end. I had to do no fat at all for a few days before my gallbladder surgery in fear of having another attack. I would say that it is very likely what you are experiencing. You may need to go to an er next time it happens. If it is your gallbladder you don’t want it to rupture.

Goid luck and keep us posted

[Darktowerdream 419]

@Kimberly3

my pain also started in my back and traveled to my chest under my rib cage. Dealing with chronic pain I actually tended to downplay it. I have high tolerance but at some point I was like enough is enough please do something because pain is exhausting.

to the OP. Persist in getting answers and a solution that works for you. Mine was having my gallbladder removed during my gastric bypass surgery. My doctor almost didn’t want to because of the risk but thankfully he did.

it is extremely common for rapid weight loss especially after bariatric surgery to cause gallbladder problems that need surgery to remove it (cholecystectomy)

[looly 361]

Thanks for the replies guys. I haven't been in agony like you've described, so maybe it's not serious. I'll see the doc anyway though. 🙂

[looly 361]

Went to the doc's today...she reckons I might have gallstones, so is referring me for a scan...so I wasn't barking up entirely the wrong tree.

[mr.sean 60]

About a month ago, so 10 weeks post-op, I was sitting at my desk at work and had a sudden, sharp, severe pain on my right side underneath my rib cage. I had to put my head down and close my eyes and just breathe through it. It lasted about 20 minutes. I haven't had any issues since then, but I think that must've been a gallstone.

[Krestel 329]

I was wondering the same question. Did any of you have light clay coloured stool? A while after the surgery, mine started to look like that and Im wondering it that might be a precursor. Any ideas? I want to get out ahead of the problem since I had SUCH a horrid time with recovery after my GBP. (Damn phrenic nerve! Not to mention my bladder not wanting to restart. Gah!)

[looly 361]

Well I had my scan today (told you it was a long wait - but at least it was free!).

Apparently, I have several small gallstones. I've been told to make an appointment with my GP and discuss what to do. As I've only had 5 attacks of severe pain in the last 17 months, I'm thinking I might just grin and bear it, especially as I've heard that having your gallbladder out can alter the way you digest fat and cause the trots in the long term.

Has anyone here done that?

Or, has anyone had the op and not experienced any digestive issues after it?

Thanks in advance for any replies!

[Darktowerdream 419]

On 12/31/2019 at 5:31 AM, looly said:

Well I had my scan today (told you it was a long wait - but at least it was free!).

Apparently, I have several small gallstones. I've been told to make an appointment with my GP and discuss what to do. As I've only had 5 attacks of severe pain in the last 17 months, I'm thinking I might just grin and bear it, especially as I've heard that having your gallbladder out can alter the way you digest fat and cause the trots in the long term.

Has anyone here done that?

Or, has anyone had the op and not experienced any digestive issues after it?

Thanks in advance for any replies!

Did your doctor do a HIDA scan with CCK? This would indicate how well your gallbladder is functioning.

a lot of doctors will suggest gallbladder removal for gallstones as a preventative measure to reduce risk of future blockage of bile ducts.

for most people any gastric issues after gallbladder removal is temporary, you can help with fat digestion after surgery with use of bile salts and digestive enzymes, which most people should be taking anyway with harder to digest foods.

for me my HIDA scan was borderline low function, I had no stones, but had constant pain and symptoms. At first they didn’t think I needed surgery but when I had my gastric bypass surgery the doctor did the gallbladder removal at the same time and it turned out my gallbladder had chronic inflammation.

likely it had been an issue for years.

it is extremely common for bariatric surgery patients to later need their gallbladder removed due to the rapid weight loss.

[looly 361]

Thanks for the reply. I just had an ultrasound scan and gallstones were visible on it. My GP appointment isn't until 16th January, but as I'm not in any pain at the moment, that's OK. I will ask about bile salts when I see her!

[catchthewind 12]

I started getting gallbladder attacks three months after my sleeve. When I called my surgeon, she says it happens to about 30% of sleeve patients.

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[catchthewind 12]

For me it was an unrelenting, excruciating pain in my mid-upper abdomen, like somebody was squeezing my innards and wouldn't stop. Both times it occurred about half an hour or an hour after lunch. The first attack only lasted an hour and-a-half, but came back after dinner. The second time, it lasted several hours.

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