Re: Post-op:Gallbladder removal-Question

[Guest guest]

Philosophical Question: To remove or not to remove

I know there is a lot of controversy regarding gallbladders and which

surgeons routinely remove them or not, and I was interested in

getting some different perspectives on this issue.

I had my gallbladder removed when my son was one month old. It was

emergency surgery and one of the worst experiences of my life. Along

with dealing with post partum blues, I was having horrendous pains

which felt similar to having an elephant tap dance on my chest! After

being rushed into surgery, I was told I could lift nothing for 8

weeks. I don't know how many of you moms ever tried taking care of a

newborn baby, breast feeding without being able to lift them, but I

never figured it out and have the 10 long 1 inch wide scar to prove

it! (ripped the incision about 3 times while healing!)

My bowels were never the same after that surgery. I feel that my

diagnosis of IBS was just the after affects of my having my gall

bladder removed. Any rich or greasy food...(I consider grease to be

the 6th food group!) caused me immediate and intense reminders!

I know that actigall is supposed to slow weight loss, and I feel that

rapid weight loss is a sure bet on losing your gallbladder, so what

is the answer? Personally, my opinion, (based on no medical

evidence, just personal experience) is that many of the post op after

affects many describe is just related to their gallbladders being

removed.

So, the question is, do you hang on to your gallbladder and hope for

the best, hang on and take actigall which can slow things down during

your window of opportunity, or elect to not have to go through

additional potential surgeries and have it taken out at the time of

surgery....(This is for a non diseased gallbladder that is).

In my opinion, my decision would be based first on the condition of

my gallbladder at the time of surgery. I would want my surgeon to

check it out in advance...(sonogram) and in surgery and if there was

evidence of disease or prior attacks, I, like , would beg to

have it removed. If my gallbladder was fine, I think I would really

try to do everything to preserve it even if I slowed down my loss by

taking actigall. I would not leave it up to chance, having gone

through the pain and risk of diseased gallbladder, it is just too

large a personal risk to attempt to deal with it once its " too late! "

Thanks for letting me ponder. This will teach me not to get sleep!

Hugs,

Theresa

DS 11-19-01

Dr. Jossart

-16#s

> > Last week,two and a half months out from my BPD-DS, I collasped

at

> > work from abdominal pain. (When I woke up that morning I was

having

> > abdominal pain but had eaten my first salad the day before at

lunch

> > and I thought I was having a delayed reaction). I thought it was

> gas

> > and was going to pass. The pain did not. My surgeon (Dr. Gagner)

> > ordered an ultrasound. The ultrasound revealed no gallstones but

a

> > distended gallbladder. Gagner said that was not necessarily

> > abnormal. Two days later I had a CT scan. The doctor's nurse said

> she

> > spoke with the doctor and I have to have the gall bladder

removed.

> I

> > am scheduled for surgery later this week. I can't believe I have

to

> go

> > through the whole surgery !@$* again. The freaky walking in to

the

> > operating room and lying down on the operating table, waking up

in

> the

> > recovery room (when I woke up from my wls surgery, I vomitted --

it

> was

> > horrible). And those miserable, uncaring nurses at Mt. Sinai.

> Before I

> > had my wls surgery, I felt I was going to die anyway the way I

was

> > going and I really had nothing to lose. I wasn't scared. Before

my

> > gallbladder attack, I had been feeling really great - down 60lbs.

> Has

> > anybody else out there been through this? I would really like to

> hear

> > from you.

> > Thanks.

[Guest guest]

Lis,

That is a critical consideration, especially if you are at a distance

from your DS surgeon or travel a lot.

Hugs,

Theresa

DS 11-19-01

Dr. Jossart

-16#s

Philosophical Question: To remove

or not to remove

>

> I know there is a lot of controversy regarding gallbladders and

which

> surgeons routinely remove them or not, and I was interested in

> getting some different perspectives on this issue.

>

> I had my gallbladder removed when my son was one month old. It was

> emergency surgery and one of the worst experiences of my life.

Along

> with dealing with post partum blues, I was having horrendous pains

> which felt similar to having an elephant tap dance on my chest!

After

> being rushed into surgery, I was told I could lift nothing for 8

> weeks. I don't know how many of you moms ever tried taking care of

a

> newborn baby, breast feeding without being able to lift them, but I

> never figured it out and have the 10 long 1 inch wide scar to prove

> it! (ripped the incision about 3 times while healing!)

>

> My bowels were never the same after that surgery. I feel that my

> diagnosis of IBS was just the after affects of my having my gall

> bladder removed. Any rich or greasy food...(I consider grease to be

> the 6th food group!) caused me immediate and intense reminders!

>

> I know that actigall is supposed to slow weight loss, and I feel

that

> rapid weight loss is a sure bet on losing your gallbladder, so what

> is the answer? Personally, my opinion, (based on no medical

> evidence, just personal experience) is that many of the post op

after

> affects many describe is just related to their gallbladders being

> removed.

>

> So, the question is, do you hang on to your gallbladder and hope

for

> the best, hang on and take actigall which can slow things down

during

> your window of opportunity, or elect to not have to go through

> additional potential surgeries and have it taken out at the time of

> surgery....(This is for a non diseased gallbladder that is).

>

> In my opinion, my decision would be based first on the condition of

> my gallbladder at the time of surgery. I would want my surgeon to

> check it out in advance...(sonogram) and in surgery and if there

was

> evidence of disease or prior attacks, I, like , would beg to

> have it removed. If my gallbladder was fine, I think I would really

> try to do everything to preserve it even if I slowed down my loss

by

> taking actigall. I would not leave it up to chance, having gone

> through the pain and risk of diseased gallbladder, it is just too

> large a personal risk to attempt to deal with it once its " too

late! "

>

> Thanks for letting me ponder. This will teach me not to get sleep!

>

> Hugs,

> Theresa

> DS 11-19-01

> Dr. Jossart

> -16#s

>

>

>

>

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

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Theresa -

Neither my wife nor I have our gallbladders. Neither of us has any problem

that followed it's removal.

For both of us, we feel that we are far better off without it.

Best--

Nick

Re: Post-op:Gallbladder removal-Question

> Philosophical Question: To remove or not to remove

>

> I know there is a lot of controversy regarding gallbladders and which

> surgeons routinely remove them or not, and I was interested in

> getting some different perspectives on this issue.

>

> I had my gallbladder removed when my son was one month old. It was

> emergency surgery and one of the worst experiences of my life. Along

> with dealing with post partum blues, I was having horrendous pains

> which felt similar to having an elephant tap dance on my chest! After

> being rushed into surgery, I was told I could lift nothing for 8

> weeks. I don't know how many of you moms ever tried taking care of a

> newborn baby, breast feeding without being able to lift them, but I

> never figured it out and have the 10 long 1 inch wide scar to prove

> it! (ripped the incision about 3 times while healing!)

>

> My bowels were never the same after that surgery. I feel that my

> diagnosis of IBS was just the after affects of my having my gall

> bladder removed. Any rich or greasy food...(I consider grease to be

> the 6th food group!) caused me immediate and intense reminders!

>

> I know that actigall is supposed to slow weight loss, and I feel that

> rapid weight loss is a sure bet on losing your gallbladder, so what

> is the answer? Personally, my opinion, (based on no medical

> evidence, just personal experience) is that many of the post op after

> affects many describe is just related to their gallbladders being

> removed.

>

> So, the question is, do you hang on to your gallbladder and hope for

> the best, hang on and take actigall which can slow things down during

> your window of opportunity, or elect to not have to go through

> additional potential surgeries and have it taken out at the time of

> surgery....(This is for a non diseased gallbladder that is).

>

> In my opinion, my decision would be based first on the condition of

> my gallbladder at the time of surgery. I would want my surgeon to

> check it out in advance...(sonogram) and in surgery and if there was

> evidence of disease or prior attacks, I, like , would beg to

> have it removed. If my gallbladder was fine, I think I would really

> try to do everything to preserve it even if I slowed down my loss by

> taking actigall. I would not leave it up to chance, having gone

> through the pain and risk of diseased gallbladder, it is just too

> large a personal risk to attempt to deal with it once its " too late! "

>

> Thanks for letting me ponder. This will teach me not to get sleep!

>

> Hugs,

> Theresa

> DS 11-19-01

> Dr. Jossart

> -16#s

>

>

> > > Last week,two and a half months out from my BPD-DS, I collasped

> at

> > > work from abdominal pain. (When I woke up that morning I was

> having

> > > abdominal pain but had eaten my first salad the day before at

> lunch

> > > and I thought I was having a delayed reaction). I thought it was

> > gas

> > > and was going to pass. The pain did not. My surgeon (Dr. Gagner)

> > > ordered an ultrasound. The ultrasound revealed no gallstones but

> a

> > > distended gallbladder. Gagner said that was not necessarily

> > > abnormal. Two days later I had a CT scan. The doctor's nurse said

> > she

> > > spoke with the doctor and I have to have the gall bladder

> removed.

> > I

> > > am scheduled for surgery later this week. I can't believe I have

> to

> > go

> > > through the whole surgery !@$* again. The freaky walking in to

> the

> > > operating room and lying down on the operating table, waking up

> in

> > the

> > > recovery room (when I woke up from my wls surgery, I vomitted --

> it

> > was

> > > horrible). And those miserable, uncaring nurses at Mt. Sinai.

> > Before I

> > > had my wls surgery, I felt I was going to die anyway the way I

> was

> > > going and I really had nothing to lose. I wasn't scared. Before

> my

> > > gallbladder attack, I had been feeling really great - down 60lbs.

> > Has

> > > anybody else out there been through this? I would really like to

> > hear

> > > from you.

> > > Thanks.

>

>

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

>

[Guest guest]

,

The other thing I have been told is that at the time of an attack, it

can become critical. It's not like everyone is guaranteed 3 or 4

warning attacks before they are in danger. Gallbladder attacks are

painful and spooky chit! laughing. I don't miss that part of it at

all!

Hugs,

Theresa

DS 11-19-01

Dr. Jossart

-16#s

> > Good question Theresa, I had my gall bladder removed during

> >surgery...I chose it that way because if I ever had any problems

in

> >the stomach region I wanted to rule out as many variables as

> >possible i.e. gall bladder, appendix....There are very few doctors

> >in the world who know about the DS and the last thing I would want

> >is someone trying to guess what is wrong with me....This way If I

> >have an ailment in that body region I cand narrow it down....That

is

> >my personal paranoid feeling

> >Lisbeth

[Guest guest]

Gee thanks, T. NOW you tell me. I went through six months of

attacks before I realized what was going on. Big D'OH am I !!!

-maria

At 11:11 PM -0800 12/2/01, Theresa wrote:

>,

>

>The other thing I have been told is that at the time of an attack, it

>can become critical. It's not like everyone is guaranteed 3 or 4

>warning attacks before they are in danger. Gallbladder attacks are

>painful and spooky chit! laughing. I don't miss that part of it at

>all!