Did you guys all get your gallbladder removed and not tell me?

[birdwhacker]

Down about 18lbs in 5 weeks on Reta, and I'm starting to have issues with gallbladder pain while running. I know fast weight loss causes gallstones.

I decided to search for "gallbladder" on here and it sounds like everyone who lost weight on a GLP had to have it removed.

Is that it? Do I just wait until it becomes painful enough to warrant an ER visit and then hope they do the surgery for zero down?

Update:
Stats, 236->216, week 7 of reta, started at 2.33mg/wk titrated to 4.66mg at week 5.
6ft tall male 27 years old

Gallbladder pain while running yesterday. Possibly related to taking a calcium supplement I probably didn't need. Felt gallstones shifting just under my ribcage at the 2 o clock position in bed last night.

Went for a run this morning and cut it short due to gallbladder pain again. I only had a protein shake with skim milk this morning, no fats at all, and have previously had pain in the same area during morning exercise when having only a protein shake and some heavy duty brownies I had made (unhealthy fat).

Came home and had a big meal with a lot of olive oil, chicken, garbanzo beans. An apple before and after the meal. Chased it with a few tsp of fish oil. Took some vitamin D. 3 hours later had a big smoothie with frozen fruits, whey protein, and shim milk. Had a few more TSP of fish oil then went out again.

Managed to do six miles of alternated walking and jogging without any more pain in the gallbladder! Crisis averted. I also take a lot of magnesium.

Courtesy of others on here, I might add in malic acid as well.

 

[woundcarping]

I haven't had issues and had my lipase and amylase checked last month just to be sure.

If you're of interest/want confirmation, you could do some bloodwork as well.

It sounds like less calorie deficit could help with your symptoms?

 

[Birdie]

My daughter has been having issues with her gallbladder, but she lost weight very rapidly.
I haven't had an issue, but I have lost my weight slowly over the course of two years, at a rate of about a pound a week.
I would like to point out that major weight loss, regardless of how it occurs, is a risk factor for gallbladder issues.

 

[Chili777]

Down about 18lbs in 5 weeks on Reta, and I'm starting to have issues with gallbladder pain while running. I know fast weight loss causes gallstones.

I decided to search for "gallbladder" on here and it sounds like everyone who lost weight on a GLP had to have it removed.

Is that it? Do I just wait until it becomes painful enough to warrant an ER visit and then hope they do the surgery for zero down?

That's a lot of quick weight loss. No more than 2 lbs a week is supposed to be a healthy rate. Can you lower the dose or increase your intake? I've averaged 2.2 lbs a week over 9 months and I've had no issues.

 

[Smiter]

Muther...terrified the feces outta me

 

[birdwhacker]

That's a lot of quick weight loss. No more than 2 lbs a week is supposed to be a healthy rate. Can you lower the dose or increase your intake? I've averaged 2.2 lbs a week over 9 months and I've had no issues.

Here's hoping it's just the calcium supplement I took the other day. I seem to have issues mostly on heavy deficit days. I had the issue yesterday during a walk, and it happens occasionally especially when I'm doing mostly liquid, but it happened again today so I turned it around and had a rich meal full of healthy fats.

Gonna skip the calcium moving forward and I will update here with any gallbladder related issues.

As for your question... I will be a little more careful about the deficit, but I'm not going down on the dose. I'm not doing this for my health, I'm in it to lose weight. 3lb per week is what I'm shooting for.

For reference, 6' 236lb male, on week 7 of reta, 2.33mg per week starting dose titrated to 4.66mg after week 4.

 

[birdwhacker]

I would like to point out that major weight loss, regardless of how it occurs, is a risk factor for gallbladder issues.

I can't say with absolute certainty but I feel like I've had gallbladder pain off and on for a while. Just a lot more rare than this.

I could be getting it mixed up with precordial catch or liver pain though, but it's not an unfamiliar feeling for me.

 

[5byfive]

I had never heard if this so I did some quick googling.

From a JAMA paper: Association of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Use With Risk of Gallbladder and Biliary Diseases A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

This is the first paragraph of the discussion session: This systematic review and meta-analysis of 76 randomized clinical trials found that randomization to treatment with GLP-1 RAs compared with placebo or active controls was associated with increased risk of the composite outcome of gallbladder or biliary diseases and for cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, and biliary diseases. Risk was increased in trials of patients treated for diabetes and for weight loss and was higher in the trials for weight reduction. Higher doses and longer duration of GLP-1 RAs treatment were also associated with increased risk of gallbladder or biliary diseases, although the association was not statistically significant.

Damn, sounds scary, right? But digging deeper: (The) absolute risk difference (range) was an additional 27 (17-38) events per 10 000 patients per year.

So it what you would call a "significant" risk in clinical terms, but still a very small relative risk. Mostly at high doses for long periods of time. Seems kind of like the blindness risk. You have double the chance of a certain type of blindness if you use GLPs but the base risk is <1%.

That was from some quick reasearch; I could have missed some details, but I think thats the gist if it.

 

[Chili777]

Here's hoping it's just the calcium supplement I took the other day. I seem to have issues mostly on heavy deficit days. I had the issue yesterday during a walk, and it happens occasionally especially when I'm doing mostly liquid, but it happened again today so I turned it around and had a rich meal full of healthy fats.

Gonna skip the calcium moving forward and I will update here with any gallbladder related issues.

As for your question... I will be a little more careful about the deficit, but I'm not going down on the dose. I'm not doing this for my health, I'm in it to lose weight. 3lb per week is what I'm shooting for.

For reference, 6' 336lb male, on week 7 of reta, 2.33mg per week starting dose titrated to 4.66mg after week 4.

3 lbs a week a lot, over the long term. I've read that anything over ~2 lbs on a consistent basis invites gall bladder issues. I lost the highest percentage at the start but evened out over time.

 

[Birdie]

I can't say with absolute certainty but I feel like I've had gallbladder pain off and on for a while. Just a lot more rare than this.

I could be getting it mixed up with precordial catch or liver pain though, but it's not an unfamiliar feeling for me.

I am so sorry to hear that, and it can be hard to be sure which is the problem with the history you mentioned.

So far, my daughter has been avoiding surgery like the plague, taking malic acid and trying to be careful about hydration (she is in nursing school, and they will bench her until the next class if she goes out for surgery). She also started keeping a food journal (not to obsess over intake, but to track the pain in association with her food choices). Interestingly, the pain has not really been impacted by withdrawing the injections, so she started back up. She believes her pain was worse without the injections because the food noise came back and she ate more/worse.

 

[birdwhacker]

I am so sorry to hear that, and it can be hard to be sure which is the problem with the history you mentioned.

Really great information. I will see about adding magnesium malate along the way. And thank you for the condolences, they're unnecessary though! My body is a temple, but it's one of those temples in Thailand where monkeys shit everywhere. Believe it or not, this is probably the healthiest I've been since I was 17 years old (am currently 27).

 

[Birdie]

I had never heard if this so I did some quick googling.

From a JAMA paper: Association of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Use With Risk of Gallbladder and Biliary Diseases A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

This is the first paragraph of the discussion session: This systematic review and meta-analysis of 76 randomized clinical trials found that randomization to treatment with GLP-1 RAs compared with placebo or active controls was associated with increased risk of the composite outcome of gallbladder or biliary diseases and for cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, and biliary diseases. Risk was increased in trials of patients treated for diabetes and for weight loss and was higher in the trials for weight reduction. Higher doses and longer duration of GLP-1 RAs treatment were also associated with increased risk of gallbladder or biliary diseases, although the association was not statistically significant.

Damn, sounds scary, right? But digging deeper: (The) absolute risk difference (range) was an additional 27 (17-38) events per 10 000 patients per year.

So it what you would call a "significant" risk in clinical terms, but still a very small relative risk. Mostly at high doses for long periods of time. Seems kind of like the blindness risk. You have double the chance of a certain type of blindness if you use GLPs but the base risk is <1%.

That was from some quick reasearch; I could have missed some details, but I think thats the gist if it.

My kiddo swears it was worse without the meds.

 

[woundcarping]

3 lbs a week a lot, over the long term. I've read that anything over ~2 lbs on a consistent basis invites gall bladder issues. I lost the highest percentage at the start but evened out over time.

Being 336lb is probably a mitigating factor.

I’m on week 21 of losing 2.7lb/week, starting weight of 282lb.

 

[desinr-gal]

Here's hoping it's just the calcium supplement I took the other day. I seem to have issues mostly on heavy deficit days. I had the issue yesterday during a walk, and it happens occasionally especially when I'm doing mostly liquid, but it happened again today so I turned it around and had a rich meal full of healthy fats.

Gonna skip the calcium moving forward and I will update here with any gallbladder related issues.

As for your question... I will be a little more careful about the deficit, but I'm not going down on the dose. I'm not doing this for my health, I'm in it to lose weight. 3lb per week is what I'm shooting for.

For reference, 6' 336lb male, on week 7 of reta, 2.33mg per week starting dose titrated to 4.66mg after week 4.

I understand the imperative.. we all would love instant change. but the consequences of too fast weight drop can be severe.
My sister had her gallbladder removed, I am fine at 52 weeks later with 52 lbs loss.
Take care of yourself, you need those organs.

 

[Birdie]

Really great information. I will see about adding magnesium malate along the way. And thank you for the condolences, they're unnecessary though! My body is a temple, but it's one of those temples in Thailand where monkeys shit everywhere. Believe it or not, this is probably the healthiest I've been since I was 17 years old (am currently 27).

From that response, I can tell you are going to be just fine!!
You reminded me of something. About six months ago, I actually apologized to my body for not loving her no matter what, not appreciating her endurance, all the things I had done over the years trying to be enough, etc. That has been another great thing about the food noise being quieted--I am actually present in the moment in ways I never was before. I would like to think I am the personality she deserved a long time ago.

 

[birdwhacker]

Being 336lb is probably a mitigating factor.

I’m on week 21 of losing 2.7lb/week, starting weight of 282lb.

Holy shit LOL, typo! I was 236 starting. Probably 260 at my highest and around 240 for most of the last couple of years.

Congrats on the loss, it must feel pretty good to be where you are now. I already feel a lot better, but cosmetically I'm gonna be much happpier when I get below 200.

 

[birdwhacker]

I would like to think I am the personality she deserved a long time ago.

You can only do what you can do. Couldn't do it then, can do it now. Made the most of it then, and I'll make the most of it now too – just in a better way.

 

[woundcarping]

Holy shit LOL, typo! I was 236 starting. Probably 260 at my highest and around 240 for most of the last couple of years.

Congrats on the loss, it must feel pretty good to be where you are now. I already feel a lot better, but cosmetically I'm gonna be much happpier when I get below 200.

I like the progress but I still have another 3-4 months to my target. Overall I’m not very emotional about my progress, I’m somewhat surprised it’s going to plan as well as it is.


3lb at 240lb is 1.25%, more aggressive than the plan I built for me, which is 1% give or take a tenth.

 

[Stay gold]

Down about 18lbs in 5 weeks on Reta, and I'm starting to have issues with gallbladder pain while running. I know fast weight loss causes gallstones.

I decided to search for "gallbladder" on here and it sounds like everyone who lost weight on a GLP had to have it removed.

Is that it? Do I just wait until it becomes painful enough to warrant an ER visit and then hope they do the surgery for zero down?

I mean, if someone isn’t having gallbladder pain they’re not posting anything that’s coming up in your search for “gallbladder”.

I had mine removed years ago cause just being fat can cause it.

I still get liver pain on Reta if I don’t focus on hydration and electrolytes. Fast weight loss puts a lot of pressure on your organs so maybe reduce your dose to be losing 2lb/week.

 

[JourneyToPerfection]

Down about 18lbs in 5 weeks on Reta, and I'm starting to have issues with gallbladder pain while running. I know fast weight loss causes gallstones.

I decided to search for "gallbladder" on here and it sounds like everyone who lost weight on a GLP had to have it removed.

Is that it? Do I just wait until it becomes painful enough to warrant an ER visit and then hope they do the surgery for zero down?

I had my gallbladder out, but it was long before I started Mounjero, then Reta. I was on saxenda for a year way back when but I didn’t drop much weight. As someone who was adversely affected by losing their gallbladder, I’d urge you to do whatever you can to avoid it. Look into what foods to avoid (mostly fatty foods, sometimes even healthy ones). Since my surgery 4 years ago I’ve been unable to eat red meat and only very recently able to tolerate chicken again without becoming chronically ill. Dairy for me in very small amounts. It sucks, I miss eating steak so bad 😭😭🙃

 

[birdwhacker]

I mean, if someone isn’t having gallbladder pain they’re not posting anything that’s coming up in your search for “gallbladder”.

Yeah but what was worrying was that I saw no mentions of gallbladder pain... Just "I had gallbladder pain one day and then I had it removed!" Here's hoping I'll be the exception for them that stumble across this thread in the future.

Probably just a nutrition issue coupled with the quick weight loss. I also had gallbladder pain on days where I would have junk food (brownies) and hit my protein goals with liquid while maintaining a 700+ deficit.

 

[woundcarping]

…while maintaining a 700+ deficit.

If you’re losing 3.6lb a week after the initial water weight drop (probably not a huge amount given you’re starting weight) math says your daily deficit is more like 1700 calories than 700.

 

[birdwhacker]

If you’re losing 3.6lb a week after the initial water weight drop (probably not a huge amount given you’re starting weight) math says your daily deficit is more like 1700 calories than 700.

It very well might be. I overestimate the calories I consume wildly, and I shoot for 1500 and I rarely eat above 2000. And my TDEE should be around 3000 calories.

I think my heaviest day of overeating on reta has been like 2600 calories, which is really probably closer to 2400 based on how I count them.

 

[Lear00]

Can you explain in more detail your exact symptoms and how you’ve come to the conclusion it’s your gall bladder? There are many confounding conditions that could cause right upper quadrant pain. Not to mention people being able to feel cholelithiasis is not really something I’ve heard of.

 

[birdwhacker]

Can you explain in more detail your exact symptoms and how you’ve come to the conclusion it’s your gall bladder?

The location of the pain is about, from an upright sitting position, five inches down from the right nipple and one inch south. Right at the bottom line of the lowest rib.

It almost only happens during exertion, and almost only happens during very tight calorie deficits and when eating unbalanced meals beforehand, like brownies and protein drinks with fat free milk.

While running I start to feel a mounting sharp pain in that area that becomes larger with continued exertion, similar to precordial catch pain if you've ever had that but in a different location. If I let it go on for too long, breathing will make it hurt worse too. If I stop exercising, the pain doesn't get much worse, and then dissipates slowly after 15-30 minutes.

As for people being able to feel things moving around in that area, it's not unheard of. I only felt the movement those two times, last night and again after eating my meal with healthy fats earlier. It was pinpoint in the exact location that the pain has been in, which is very far removed from where I feel gas, stomach pains, heartburn, or heart palpitations.

Considering the location and type of pain, the amount of weight lost, and my diet leading up to it (a lot of red meat and fat, big calorie deficit, and the calcium supplement) it seems like the best explanation. I realize that I'm inferring dynamics from kinetic data, but I can't exactly go to the doctor and ask them, so it's the best I've got. It seems like some people describe gallbladder pain differently, with differences between males and females, but a subset of people like me seem to only describe upper right quadrant pain.

 

[Lear00]

The location of the pain is about, from an upright sitting position, five inches down from the right nipple and one inch south. Right at the bottom line of the lowest rib.

It almost only happens during exertion, and almost only happens during very tight calorie deficits and when eating unbalanced meals beforehand, like brownies and protein drinks with fat free milk.

While running I start to feel a mounting sharp pain in that area that becomes larger with continued exertion, similar to precordial catch pain if you've ever had that but in a different location. If I let it go on for too long, breathing will make it hurt worse too. If I stop exercising, the pain doesn't get much worse, and then dissipates slowly after 15-30 minutes.

As for people being able to feel things moving around in that area, it's not unheard of. I only felt the movement those two times, last night and again after eating my meal with healthy fats earlier. It was pinpoint in the exact location that the pain has been in, which is very far removed from where I feel gas, stomach pains, heartburn, or heart palpitations.

Considering the location and type of pain, the amount of weight lost, and my diet leading up to it (a lot of red meat and fat, big calorie deficit, and the calcium supplement) it seems like the best explanation. I realize that I'm inferring dynamics from kinetic data, but I can't exactly go to the doctor and ask them, so it's the best I've got. It seems like some people describe gallbladder pain differently, with differences between males and females, but a subset of people like me seem to only describe upper right quadrant pain.

Very interesting! I think at the very least if you haven’t already gotten one, I’d ask my doctor for some liver function tests and a right upper quadrant ultrasound. Both pretty minimally invasive tests and super helpful here.

Oddly enough one of my friends went through something similar to you for a few years and recently was diagnosed with slipping rib syndrome that she got surgery for.

 

[woundcarping]

It very well might be. I overestimate the calories I consume wildly, and I shoot for 1500 and I rarely eat above 2000. And my TDEE should be around 3000 calories.

I think my heaviest day of overeating on reta has been like 2600 calories, which is really probably closer to 2400 based on how I count them.

As long as you’re eyes wide open, full burn my guy.

Hopefully you keep the gallbladder, I 0/10 wanna part with mine.

 

[birdwhacker]

I’d ask my doctor for some liver function tests

Kent I'm in America. If I go to the doctor I'm going to be bleeding and my wallet will be at home. Private labs are an option, but those are for wealthy men who have a hundred dollars to burn. I have better things to spend my money on!

All jokes aside, good information I appreciate it.

Based on what I'm seeing with slipped ribs it just doesn't seem anything like that. The two shifting sensations I felt were vaguely pleasant, came with no discomfort, and happened while stationary. And the sensation seems way too high to be the liver.

 

[lastresort]

Oh shit, I remember.

3 years ago, I went to visit my friend in Australia and i was taking a compound wegovy. While there, I took a swig of chocolate milk and I had the worst pain in the middle section that I ever experienced. I thoght it was a spoiled milk, but I kept throwing up multiple times, sweated bullets and couldn't eat anything the whole day. I had to get a virtual urgent care (thank you Austarlia!) and the doctor told me I may have had a gallbladder attack from GLP1.

Thankfully, I m not having any such effect with reta.

 

[Derby]

Your gallbladder doesn't know the difference between "healthy" fats and garden variety fats. You should reduce your overall fat intake and see if it makes a difference.