Dr.Gagner:Gallbladder removal vs. Actigall

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/1/01 12:20:48 PM, duodenalswitch writes:

<< r. Gagner does not remove the gallbladder and appendix

" prophylactically. " I think it was , however, who begged? him

to take out her gall bladder and it turned out being diseased? I'm

really not sure of this, though, so maybe she'll read this post and

correct my guess.

>>

Hi! Yes, I did BEG (even on the operating table! LOL) but my gallbladder

was NOT diseased. I think he would have taken it out if it were. It was

considered 'healthy' (without gallbladder wall irritation or blockage, etc.)

BUT I had HUGE stones (1 cm) and they were bothering me. I had a documented

history of abdominal pains and had diagnostic tests with me to show him that

I had presence of stones AND they had been bothering me (this is something

called 'biliary colic' -- when there's pain in the gallbladder area but no

presence of disease).

He did call down the OR and ask Dr. Quinn to see if I really, really wanted

the gallbladder out... Honest to God, I almost fell off that puny little

table! My last words before being totally knocked out were 'please... please

take it out!' I think he did so because I strongly desired it but ALSO

because me surgery was a breeze for him... I had no previous abdominal

surgeries, starting bmi of 45 and everything went well, I guess he decided

'why not?' The entire surgery took 3 hours with the gallbladder removal.

So, I'm SO GLAD I got it out -- It had been giving me problems and I knew it

would in the future. I was especially concerned about future gallbladder

cancer, which has been linked clinically to huge stones.

All the best,

lap ds with gallbladder removal

January 25, 2001

Dr. Gagner/Mt. Sinai/NYC

10 months post-op and still feelin' fabu

preop: 307 lbs/bmi 45

now: 199 (YAHOOOOOOOOO) lbs/size sweet 16

[Guest guest]

I had my BPD-DS over two months ago. When I had my consultation with

Dr. Gagner, he told me that he does not remove the gallbladder but

puts patients on Actigall to prevent gallstone formation. Is removing

the gallbladder standard procedure for this surgery? Is there

anyone out there that Dr. Gagner did remove your gallbladder at the

same time of surgery and why? What have you all heard about the

success rate of using Actigall instead of gallbladder removal? I

appreciate any information you can give me on this gallbladder stuff.

Thanks.

[Guest guest]

Hi, .

Dr. Gagner does not remove the gallbladder and appendix

" prophylactically. " I think it was , however, who begged? him

to take out her gall bladder and it turned out being diseased? I'm

really not sure of this, though, so maybe she'll read this post and

correct my guess.

When I saw him last week I confirmed that Actigall does, indeed, slow

down weight loss because it promotes better absorption of food by

putting acid in the belly (which, of course, continues to work

downstream in the intestines). In this sense, then, Actigall

somewhat negates SOME of the effects of the surgery. I told Dr.

Gagner very nicely that I had no intention of taking the medicine

because of this effect, and that if my gall bladder becomes diseased

later on that he can remove it laparoscopically, robotically, and

remotely, just as he did for the patient in France (while HE was in

NYC!) this fall. (He wasn't sure if they had the robotic equipment

here in Virginia, though!) I believe that there is a 20-40% chance

that my gall bladder will develop gall stones, but I'd have to double

check those figures. I guess that I'm a gamblin' woman! But as long

as I'm " out " for the gall bladder removal (IF it goes bad) maybe

someone can do a little plastic surgery here and there!

Best,

> I had my BPD-DS over two months ago. When I had my consultation

with

> Dr. Gagner, he told me that he does not remove the gallbladder but

> puts patients on Actigall to prevent gallstone formation. Is

removing

> the gallbladder standard procedure for this surgery? Is there

> anyone out there that Dr. Gagner did remove your gallbladder at the

> same time of surgery and why? What have you all heard about the

> success rate of using Actigall instead of gallbladder removal? I

> appreciate any information you can give me on this gallbladder

stuff.

> Thanks.

>