Gallbladder sufferers--how did you eat pre-surgery?

obscuremusicreference

I went from 200 to 170 in less than 4 months by eating a 1200 calorie diet. Then I spent a couple days eating every buttery cheesy thing I could lay my hands on. Christmas Eve, I had my first gallbladder attack, lasting 14-15 hours. Aside from the (rapid?) weight loss and the fatty foods, I have several relatives who had their gallbladders removed.

I have decided against a cholecystectomy for now. I am going to bump up my calories, but I have been worried so much about what will give me an attack that I've been struggling to eat. The doctor was very vague and just suggested cutting down on animal fats. How much do I need to cut down? I have been avoiding them entirely and that's miserable for me.

epido

While avoiding fatty/greasy foods will help, I found that having it removed was really the only way to avoid having attacks. I know everyone is different, but for me, I couldn't eat any of those types of foods without having severe pain prior to having the surgery. Simply eating one slice of greasy pizza or an ice cream cone was enough to have me doubled over in pain. I couldn't wait to have the cholecystectomy once I was diagnosed, and felt so much better once it was done!

Your best plan is to speak with your doctor and follow his/her recommendations.

obscuremusicreference

Thank you epido. I should clarify that pizza and ice cream and fatty foods in general are rarities for me, but I do eat eggs and cheese most days. I'm just scared to eat them again. I have not seen a regular doctor yet and the ER doctor really only offered surgery and waiting as my options.

obscuremusicreference

I also have a lack of appetite and I've struggled to hit 1000 today, let alone 1200.

meritage4

I had gasll stones diagnosed with first prenatal ultra sound. No symptoms . 6 years later I had an attack-after yummy homemade mexican food. I thought I was dying. Called doctors emergency number. Remembered about gallstones when she called back. She said either go to emergency or take pain killer and hang on till morning. Saw her in the morning. Referral to surgeon. It was May-he took summer off so scheduled Sept. appointment. Tiny incisions. Quick recovery.

Acquaintance, at the time, had her gall bladder burst and spent a lot of time in ICU.

I'd get it out.

But to answer your question-I ate low fat-just a little butter on my toast and avoided spicy food. I also walked daily to get in shape for surgery.

obscuremusicreference

meritage4--Spicy food set you off? Oh no, I love spicy food!

Thank you for your reply. I'm glad to hear that you were able to wait that long, because I don't even have a regular doctor right now. Daily workouts are happening!

mykaylis

i never did identify what to eat to prevent attacks. on the one hand, i could eat a big mac and not have attack, and then a month later, eat a lean cuisine entree and have an attack. best advice? limit fat intake and pay attention to your own body's reactions.

mykaylis

ps. agree with the above, getting it out is the best answer. i didn't want unnecessary surgery so i wanted to control it with diet, which didn't work, so after 2 years of random agony, i had it out. no big deal. recovery was fast.

obscuremusicreference

Thank you mykalis. I'm glad to hear you're doing better and your recovery was fast!

mommarnurse

I'm going to tell you right now, that regardless of what you eat or don't eat, there is a high likelihood if getting another "attack". In which case, you'll have to get it removed. Remember, it can happen to anyone, even the healthiest with the low-fat diets and what not. It's a terrible pain. Like, bring you to your knees and you're crying out to God, pain. It's a day surgery. It's called Bandaid surgery because literally, there's 4 tiny holes made for the surgery. You will never regret getting it out.

NikonPal

mommarnurse wrote: »

I'm going to tell you right now...it can happen to anyone...low-fat diets and what not. It's a terrible pain. Like, bring you to your knees and you're crying out to God, pain. You will never regret getting it out.

You brought back bad memories. It was around 1990. I had been on Nutrisystem. Got my attack and it was like you described. I have EXTREMELY high pain tolerance and I was brought to my knees like a baby. I'll skip the gory details.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was just coming about and I had the "old fashioned" surgery with hospitalization -- I would do it all over again - if that pain was the alternative. You obviously already know each case is different and where / how many / size of stones can vary and the dangers of a bile duct blockage.

I agree with your comment.

obscuremusicreference

I thought it had burst, I was in so much pain that night. I'm sorry you had to go through that @‌ NikonPal

I appreciate the reassurance, mommarnurse. I'm trying to delay it for financial reasons, but I'm also a big baby hiding behind those financial reasons, you know?

SexyKatherine73

I could not eat fat at all, so no butter, cheese, nuts and very lean meat .... the pain OMG that fear kept me away from all oils and fats .... don't do what my mother did and leave it, hers ruptured and little stones went all over the show, one managed to get court in her lungs and she needed more invasive surgery to fix it.

Key hole surgery was not so bad, I was sore and puffy for a few weeks. but get it done left too long you could be like my Mum

geneticsteacher

I was told (more than 20 years ago!) that surgery was an option but not a necessity because ultrasound revealed inflammation but no stones. I cut back drastically on fat - no butter, oil, fried foods, only lean meat, skim milk, very limited nuts and cheese for almost 2 years. I have since had only very occasional pain (once every couple years), usually when I overdo the fats. I probably should have had it removed, but laparascopic surgery was was not being done at the time. I would find out what is causing your pain; did you have any gallstones?

AmmB23

I had my gallbladder removed a few years ago. No stones, just inflammation. It was about 8 months from the time I started having pain until I had it removed and those were some of the longest months of my life! Definitely start paying close attention to what causes the attacks (wish I had MFP to help me do that!) but like others said, the best thing for me was to just remove it. I have felt so much better since then!

Elise4270

I'm not sure if any one made this point, but your body-your brain needs fat. A low fat diet is not a long term solution. I dont think your weight loss necessarily caused the gallbladder problems. I think you would be more incline to have just exacerbated the condition. I have a family history of it too- every female on my dad's side has had theirs removed, my grandmother died getting in to the ER for gallbladder surgery. My daughter has had hers out at 18 mine came out at 38. Sometimes there is no way around it. Ours just quit working, no stones. The surgery was easy, I am left with IBS, so is my daughter. But that really is easily managed. good luck!

lalepepper

Prior to developing my gallbladder issues I had a very disordered relationship with food. I binge ate processed foods all the time, especially meats and cheeses. When I left high school and went to college I didn't binge as much, but I didn't know much about healthy eating and continued to eat rich, cheesy and meaty foods without much thought. I didn't realize how this was affecting my body, and combined with a familial tendency and increased cholesterol due to my eating habits I developed a lot of sludge and stones.

Since needing an emergency removal after an extended, miserable attack that led to an infection, I've modified my diet to reduce animal fats, however I still eat about 30-35% of my calories in the form of vegetable and legume fats with some limited meat/cheese fats. I eat eggs very frequently as well as cheese (though I try to stick to lower fat % for cheese), and cutting down my meat intake/limiting myself to lean meats has helped a great deal. My doctor explained that its less about the total fat, but the type - animal fats are more difficult for the body to break down without the extra "oomph" the stored bile from the gallbladder can provide.

Unfortunately since my removal I have had some digestive issues, but they can generally be avoided. Indulging in a heavy, greasy meal like pizza or a fried egg, meat, and cheese sandwich can result in nausea and diarrhea, and I also experience pain just like an attack for brief periods (~5 min) after eating meals that would trigger an attack in the past. It seems that this is likely related to scarring in the area sustained during my infection/swelling/surgery.

If it's any comfort, I eat foods most people consider "normal" and generally only run into issues when eating out or having food prepared by others. For example, I make my eggs on a nonstick pan, rather than frying in oil. Unfortunately you will need to do some trial and error to determine what foods tend to trigger you, as everyone has different levels of sensitivity. From what I've heard, most people will continue to have attacks once they appear if stones have developed, and they often get worse over time. From my experience, I wish I had acted sooner - I had my first attack 8 months before needing the emergency surgery, and thought I could wait it out. Someone here had recommended asking the surgeon "What would you recommend if I were your family member?" - maybe this would be helpful for your situation. Best of luck, and I hope you're feeling your best ASAP!

Psychgrrl

I was really young and ate whatever. Lots of fast food. It was the 80's--what can I say? We weren't all that up on nutrition.

Had a couple mild attacks, thought it was indigestion. Then I had a bad one that made me pass out. Ended up in the hospital having emergency surgery at 19. The stones were traveling and causing other internal problems, one of which was life threatening.