Re: Re: Gallbladder

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/6/01 5:26:29 PM, duodenalswitch writes:

<<

Yes, you can but most drs. advice that you have the gallbladder taken out.

This surgery tends to make us get gall stones and you'll have to have it out

anyway. I don't know about the appendix. I still have mine. It's a useless

organ. So, I don't know why you would need to keep it or have it taken out.

>>

Micky: I think the statistics are more like 60 pct of people may require

their gallbladders out after surgery. The surgeons who do not remove the

gallbladders do have a regimine for reducing risk of developing future stones

(especially in the rapid weight loss period where they are most likely to

form) - they usually put the patient on bile salts or something and monitor

them closely. This of course does nothing to dissolve existing stones, but

if the person has not experienced pain or problems they may never need to

have the gallbladder removed regardless.

My surgeon feels that removing the gallbladder at the time of surgery is much

more complex than having a risk (as mentioned above) of the possibility of a

quick lap gallbladder removal after surgery (within the first year most

likely). The patient would also be lighter and most likely withstand the

gallbladder surgery better at the lower weight.

I can also totally understand why surgeons WOULD remove the gallbladder when

performing the DS. I almost had to beg my surgeon to do this (thank GOD he

did because I did experience rather severe pains from huge 1 cm stones). I

think it has something to do with the bile limb hookup, etc. It can be done

(and actually is done pretty routinely), but Dr. Gagner has stated that he

feels it makes the surgery riskier, longer and more difficult. He mentioned

to Dr. Quinn (his assistant on my surgery) that they should write a paper on

it so perhaps we'll see hard evidence for his point of view in the future!

all the best,

lap ds with gallbladder removal

January 25, 2001

Dr. GAgner/Mt. Sinai/NYC

seven months post-op and still feelin' fabu!

preop: 307 lbs/bmi 45

now: 223 (I lost two lbs -- yipee!!!)

[Guest guest]

My surgeon (Dr. Hares) routinely removes the appendix and the gallbladder. In

my case, it was a good thing because both of them ended up being diseased. My

appendix was hidden behind my bowel and he had a hard time finding it. Besides

that, it was double its normal size so he did some extra exploratory in that

area. I am glad to have both of them gone. My mother had bypass surgery 3

years ago and ended up having her gallbladder go bad 6 weeks after bypass. She

had lap to remove the gallbladder, but it was very hard on her since she had

just recently had bypass. She was 54 at the time and in good health (no weight

problem, ate healthy). I figure if they are already in there and I don't need

it, take it out.

Kathy M.

DS 7/19/01 Dr. Hares

213 pre-op

173 9/6/01

[Guest guest]

Dear GH:

Dr. A removes the gallbladder and the appendix so if there is any problems

later, (blockage or such) another doctor won't waste time checking out the

gallbladder and appendix when they could be treating something that is

causing you sever pain.

Huggles,

Tiger

[Guest guest]

Again we can see that all drs. are different. Mine told me taking the gall

bladder out was the easiest part of the surgery! LOL!

Recently, I had to have a lump in my breast aspirated and that surgeon asked

me if I'd had my gall bladder taken out with the DS. He said he thought it

was best, too. Because of the possibility of gall stones later and it was

much easier to take it out during the DS.

Micky

Re: Re: Gallbladder

>

> In a message dated 9/6/01 5:26:29 PM, duodenalswitch

writes:

>

> <<

> Yes, you can but most drs. advice that you have the gallbladder taken out.

> This surgery tends to make us get gall stones and you'll have to have it

out

> anyway. I don't know about the appendix. I still have mine. It's a useless

> organ. So, I don't know why you would need to keep it or have it taken

out.

> >>

>

> Micky: I think the statistics are more like 60 pct of people may require

> their gallbladders out after surgery. The surgeons who do not remove the

> gallbladders do have a regimine for reducing risk of developing future

stones

> (especially in the rapid weight loss period where they are most likely to

> form) - they usually put the patient on bile salts or something and

monitor

> them closely. This of course does nothing to dissolve existing stones,

but

> if the person has not experienced pain or problems they may never need to

> have the gallbladder removed regardless.

>

> My surgeon feels that removing the gallbladder at the time of surgery is

much

> more complex than having a risk (as mentioned above) of the possibility of

a

> quick lap gallbladder removal after surgery (within the first year most

> likely). The patient would also be lighter and most likely withstand the

> gallbladder surgery better at the lower weight.

>

> I can also totally understand why surgeons WOULD remove the gallbladder

when

> performing the DS. I almost had to beg my surgeon to do this (thank GOD

he

> did because I did experience rather severe pains from huge 1 cm stones).

I

> think it has something to do with the bile limb hookup, etc. It can be

done

> (and actually is done pretty routinely), but Dr. Gagner has stated that he

> feels it makes the surgery riskier, longer and more difficult. He

mentioned

> to Dr. Quinn (his assistant on my surgery) that they should write a paper

on

> it so perhaps we'll see hard evidence for his point of view in the future!

>

> all the best,

>

> lap ds with gallbladder removal

> January 25, 2001

> Dr. GAgner/Mt. Sinai/NYC

>

> seven months post-op and still feelin' fabu!

>

> preop: 307 lbs/bmi 45

> now: 223 (I lost two lbs -- yipee!!!)

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

>