# Any big girls out there had their Gall Bladder out?



## MissStacie (Aug 26, 2008)

Or, I should say ANYONE(you BHM's are included, too..sorry!)

I've been pretty miserable with it lately and while I haven't officially been diagnosed, I think its only a matter of time before I have to have it removed.

I'm about 460 now and I'm afraid that they'll have to "open me up" as opposed to doing it laparascopically, so I'm curious as to what anyone has experienced?

Thanks a bunch...I'm kinda flipping out about it..

Hugs,


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## Sandie_Zitkus (Aug 27, 2008)

Hey Stacie,

I had mine out almost a year ago. I found a wonderful bariatric surgeon who did the surgery laproscopically and I was also 460 lbs at the time of mt surgery.

Take the time to find a surgeon you like and who respects you - it makes a difference. 

Also if you are in pain - see a doctor - your gall bladder could be infected (mine was) and that's really dangerous.


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## washburn (Aug 27, 2008)

Someone that is very close and dear to me :wubu: is facing a similar possibility . I would like to know the repercussions, side effects, post op management and anything else of that matter so I may pass the NFO along. Ten thousand Thank yous (plus a buttload of rep!) to anyone that can post more NFO on this thread....


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## moore2me (Aug 27, 2008)

Miss Stacie, I had my gall bladder out several years ago the old fashioned way. Everything went okay & I healed fine. The only problem now is that my gastro tolerance for fats & greasy stuff is much lower than it was previously - which is probably a good thing. For example, if I want to eat french fries, I can only eat a handful (about 1/2 of a small serving at MacD's) and that is pushing it.

Several ladies on these boards have also have gall bladder surgery & have posted about it. As Sandie Zitkus said, her surgery was one of more memorable. I have attached some links to some of the previous discussions. I think you will gain a lot of knowledge by reading these previous threads.

http://www.dimensionsmagazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29334&highlight=gall+bladder

http://www.dimensionsmagazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27664&highlight=gall+bladder

http://www.dimensionsmagazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25116&highlight=gall+bladder


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## ValentineBBW (Aug 27, 2008)

Miss Stacie,

I just had my gallbladder out in Feb of this year and it went great! They did it lapro and had no problems. Please feel free to ask me any questions you want, I'll be glad to help.


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## Miss Vickie (Aug 27, 2008)

Miss Stacie, like the others, I had mine out. It was about ten years ago (that long, already?) and I'd gone months with horrible gut wrenching pain before doing anything about. (Something I don't recommend, by the way). Mine was done laparoscopically, went quite well, and I felt great right afterward. I did have some problems with greasy foods for awhile but not very long at all. I just avoided deep fat fried foods for a bit. 

It's definitely better to get it taken out sooner, rather than later. I spent a week in utter agony until they could get me in. I've never had pain like that -- and I've had three babies, many abdominal surgeries and a kidney stone. Plus, you can end up damaging your bile duct by getting a stone stuck in it. Trust me, you don't want that.

So, if you can get in to see your doc and arrange it on a non-emergency basis, you'll do so much better. Good luck!


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## Dr. Feelgood (Aug 27, 2008)

What Miss Vickie said. Plus, let me add this footnote.

Last year my wife began to have pains. She put off going to see a doctor, since they came and went. Then one day as she was driving to work the pain got so bad she turned around and headed for the ER. It turns out that her gallstones led to pancreatitis: in effect, her pancreas was digesting itself with its own secretions! Her doctor put her into the hospital immediately: apparently pancreatitis can be fatal if it isn't treated in its early stages. As it was, it took a week before she stabilized enough to have her gallbladder out and another week before she was released. So please go see a doctor.


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## Shosh (Aug 29, 2008)

Hi Stacie,

I had my gall bladder out in an open procedure as a 15 year old in 1985 before the surgery was routinely performed via keyhole surgery.

I will not lie, it is more painful and invasive, I know, because my lap band was inserted laporoscopically and the pain and down time was nothing compared to an open surgery.

I hear that it is rare to perform open gall bladder surgery now.

Hugs to you 

Shoshieboo


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## MissStacie (Aug 30, 2008)

I've really been in a little bit of a panic about this, not because of the type of surgery/recovery, etc but because of the money and time off of work. I know, I know...its silly to worry about that kind of thing over your health, but since my divorce, I've incurred a lot of costs that carried over to ME and I'm trying to get caught up and surgery was the LEAST likely thing that was to happen to me! lol

I'm more calm about it now, so thank you all for your kind and informative replies, I really appreciate it!

Hugs,


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## prettyssbbw (Sep 2, 2008)

MissStacie, I am sad to hear your having these problems. I am in the same boat as you. My surgeon is confident if i decide to go through with it that at my size (550+) that it can be done laparascopically. I hope so because i don't want to be opened up either.Been there and done that and i had a horrible recovery. Sending lots of prayers and good wishes for you!:wubu:


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## Clariposita22 (Sep 2, 2008)

i had mine taken out 2 weeks after labor. The doctor told me sometimes labor triggers gall bladder to act up. Mind you, not once in my life was i ever in pain from gall bladder attacks. hell, i didn't know i had a gall bladder.... two weeks after my son was born, i woke up with a dull pain on my side and called the doctor. she told me to go to the ER and they kept me for a week  don't mean to be gross but my gall bladder was gangrened and had they not taken it out, i would have died.


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## No-No-Badkitty (Sep 5, 2008)

I had mine taken out at 16. The doctor let me go a year with the pain because it was "impossible" for a 16 year old to be having a galbladder issue so I just had to be making it up.
Well....

I was one of the first to have the lazer surgery on and I was fairly heavy then. I would think it would be EASIER to do the lazer than do the traditional on a larger person...but maybe that's just wishful thinking who knows.


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## Deidrababe (Sep 6, 2008)

Stacie....

I had mine out when I was 23 after loosing 110 lbs. in five months from a stupid diet that killed my Gallbladder - the old fashion way - huge incision and yes, I got a huge ass infection - it was a nightmare - 

BUT......Had my Lapband done Laprascopically and had NO problems what so ever and I was 480 when I had the band put in.

If they can do WLS laproscopically, they can do the gallbladder on you at 460!

Serioulsy, you'll be fine for sure - don't worry about it at all. And don't worry about work and all that stuff. You'll be back on your feet before you know it. It's not like your a construction worker, If you had it done on a Thursday, you could go back to work by Monday I'm sure.

Hope you feel better.

Deidra


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## MissStacie (Sep 6, 2008)

Deidrababe said:


> Stacie....
> 
> I had mine out when I was 23 after loosing 110 lbs. in five months from a stupid diet that killed my Gallbladder - the old fashion way - huge incision and yes, I got a huge ass infection - it was a nightmare -
> 
> ...




Deeds, you have made my day! Thank you so much, and you know, you're RIGHT, if they can to the lap-band laproscopically, this is not a big deal. 

I've just never had anything WRONG with me, so its freaking me out!

Hugs,


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 6, 2008)

I had mine out back in 1996. I only weighed about 210 at the time but the surgeon seemed to think I was MASSIVE. He had a specialist come to put a thing on my legs to make sure my circulation was normal during the procedure. He seemed to be afraid I would suddenly up and die from the small holes and laser in me....I was only 28 years old at the time :doh:

The complications I had from it were due to scar tissue that came about from the infected gall bladder in me- I had no insurance and had to wait 2.5 years before I could get the money to put down on the surgeon.


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## sscurves (Sep 8, 2008)

Ok, I am in the same boat as you, I need my gall bladder out. I have had the tests, and its only functioning 16%. I do not have any stones, just a gall bladder that isnt working very well. So...I've been to 2 surgeons, and neither will take it out. 

Of course they are concerned about the risks of doing surgery on someone "my size" (approx. 475 lbs.). And the last doctor said, "since you dont have stones, its not life threatening, and I know you hurt and are sick, but you may just have to learn to live with it. Going on a zero fat diet will help it some." Nice, huh? Its to the point that it doesnt matter if I eat anything with fat or that is spicy or not, Im sick at my stomach most of the time!

The last doctor consulted with the bariatric doctor in his group, and she agreed that its just too high risk. Since I have a scar above my belly button from another surgery, they say that scar tissue right where they need to go in, combined with my size to just too risky. And that living with it will be much less risk. My question is, why is it that if I were ready to have WLS, they would jump at the chance to do surgery on me? But because I have made it clear that I am not interested in that, they think its ok to make me live in pain and be sick all the time? How does that make any sense at all to a normal thinking person??

The good news I can tell you is that they did say IF I had stones, they would be willing to take it out, and do it without making the big dreaded incision. He said it should be no problem to do it the other way as long as they dont get in there and find it really enlarged or infected. Which btw, if they did it on a thin person and found that, they would have to do the large incision on too, he said. So....I see no reason why they shouldnt be able to do that for you too. 

I hope your experience goes better than mine has so far. West TN. is lacking in good doctors, who care, and who are capable apparently!

Good luck and keep us informed!
Nancy


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## MissStacie (Sep 9, 2008)

And she ordered an ultrasound that I'll have as soon as I can schedule one. She also started me on Zantac 150mg BID, so we'll see what happens.

Thanks for all the wishes!!

Stacie


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