Update: Bad news

I fought mine for a couple years till it started to get the best of me. It is NOT worth the wait, easy surgery overnight stay. I was back at work in two weeks could have gone back in 1 week with my job but took the time off for the hell of it. Get it done asap, you'll be back to normal routine in no time to take your classes. You help other people with their quality of life, take the next step since you've already had WLS and get that thing out for your quality of life. I passed 17 stones trying to wait for the right time, not FUN get it done you'll feel so much better.

Hi Kevin,

Sorry to hear about your troubles!  I Dn't know about sludge - but I have indirect knowledge of gall stones and gall bladder sttacks.  My mother is a very strong, powerful woman and I saw her brought screaming to the floor by a gall bladder attack.  

I probably wouldn't panic over the sludge, but I wouldn't let it go too far after youe exams!

I haven't had mine looked at, but this reason is why my surgeon had me on ursodiol for 6 months after my surgery.  Gallbladder and gall stone issues are a known consequence of rapid weight loss.

Let us know how things go!  Best wishes my friend! 

Rob,

I've been on Ursodiol for 6 months but from what I know .. it only works maybe 40%-50% of the time.  The dice were not in my favor this time.  Many surgeons don't prescribe this medicine because its just so variable with the results.  Mine did but apparently it has not worked like I had hoped.

 I had the sludge issue too. My surgeon at the time said it was good that we got it out when we did because it was inflamed. I would get it done ASAP. You will feel SO much better. Mine was outpatient.. I went home that night. I think I was feeling a lot better within a week. The sleeve was easier, but not by much.

I suffered with gallbladder attacks for a year - thought they were really bad indigestion - before having it removed.  Ended up in the hospital for a week with pancreatitis before they could do the surgery.

It's not an emergency, but sooner is better than later.  It's a lap procedure and recovery was pretty fast.  I was more dopey from the anesthesia than having any issue with pain or fatigue.

Hi Kevin! So nice to see a post from you, but I'm very sorry to hear that you are still feeling poorly. I second all the other advice here- get that gall bladder out now. The recovery period is pretty quick, and you'll feel soooo much better. Lots of good wishes coming your way!

I am having some of the same issues this past week. In fact, I just lost all 5 bites of my dinner. I have been fine since surgery in June until the first week of August. I started having really sharp spasms in my diaphragm area, lasting about 4-5 days and then subsided. Last Saturday they started again for 5 days. Now twice today I have lost it. I shared it with my doctor's office and was told they would call yesterday when the right nurse was in the office. No call yesterday or today. Of course, they won't be back in the office until Tuesday. I have to say I am quite disappointed with them right now. I think this might be my gall bladder too, but I don't have any way of knowing. If tomorrow isn't any better, I'll go to ER, I guess. Sorry, didn't mean to take anything away from your problems, but this sounds so similar. I just signed on to see if anyone had any advice.

I too had a funky gall bladder with sludge and a golf ball size stone, not fun! I'd do it right away if you can because it can go frrom OK or OMG very quickly. If you did it now you should be back to normal within a week or so and ready for tests, unless they require lifting. I healed up vey quickly and I'm an old broad (60) so you should snap right back being a youngun! Good luck to you!

Yeah there will be some lifting and bending over type of things during the practical part of the class when we work on the dummies and such to simulate emergencies.  I don't know for sure but the Fire Department kept me off for many months after the VSG because of the abdominal surgery.  I'm hoping to get these classes out of the way first because there is no way of knowing how long before they will let me go back to work.  If I cant go to work then I cant go to class either.

 When I was in for wls my hospital roommate just had her gallbladder out.  She declined all pain meds and had similar pain as far as moving around- both of us were moving around great very early out.  I would think that if you can put 2 weeks between surgery and classes you would be ok, but run it by the doc.  I do not see any advantage to putting it off.