If you’re considering – or if you’ve already undergone – gastric bypass surgery then you need to be aware of the possibility of gallstones. Studies show that up to one third of gastric bypass patients will develop gallstones following surgery. And they’re most likely to occur in the first year.

It seems that very low-calorie diets (like you have after gastric bypass) don’t contain enough fat to cause the gall bladder to contract and empty it’s bile. If the gallbladder doesn’t contract enough to empty it’s bile, gallstones can form.

While some patients may develop so-called "silent" gallstones that cause no symptoms (and therefore can be ignored), symptomatic gallstones make their presence painfully known.

It often starts with a horrible pain at the top of your stomach, sometimes off to the right, that can radiate all the way around to your back. This pain happens when you eat and it is intense! You can also experience a burning, acidic feeling in your stomach.

Sometimes there is nausea and vomiting. But these don’t always seem to make the pain go away. In fact, pain medication may not even make the pain go away. Nor does changing your position.

Once you’ve had a serious gall bladder attack, you will not want to experience another one. So often, the only thing to do is to have the gall bladder removed.

In the past, gall bladder surgery was a major ordeal that required a hospital stay. Today, it can be performed laparoscopically and is often an outpatient procedure.

If your gastric bypass was also performed laparoscopically, chances are your doctor can use 1-2 of the same incisions when removing your gall bladder. My own surgery had 5 small incisions, 2 from my previous surgery and 3 new ones.

Recovery is nothing like your gastric bypass surgery. But you will want to give yourself several days to take it easy.

After your gallbladder is removed, you may notice changes in what you can eat. Many gastric bypass patients experience dumping more often and on more foods than they did before the second surgery. And you can often experience a burning sensation when your pouch is empty. This is due to increased acid production in glands that are now closer to your stomach (since the gall bladder is no longer between them).

You may also notice that you can no longer tolerate some foods that were fine before having your gallbladder removed. It can be a lot like the days when you were first put on solid food as you gingerly try new things to see how your body will react.

The good news is that you can live without your gall bladder. Once you get used to the foods you can tolerate after having it removed, you can continue on with your efforts to meet your gastric bypass surgery goals.

Author: Lisa Packer

What’s life really like after gastric bypass surgery? Lisa Packer had hers on 7/19/07. She shares the honest truth – both good and bad – about this life changing surgery at Gastric Bypass Truth : The Skinny On Life After Weight Loss Surgery. Whether you’re considering surgery, have already gone through it, or have a loved one who has, you’ll find a wealth of information on what to expect. Visit www.gastricbypasstruth.com today and share your thoughts!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Packer

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