Gallbladder and digestion problems since

ams1507

So, here I am, 67 years old, pretty healthy, but would like to lose weight (about 20 pounds) which I gained since I met the new guy in my life 5 years ago.
Then 1 1/2 years ago I had pancreatitis and they removed my gallbladder. Since then I had an overproduction of bile and mostly diarrhea.
Talked to a new friend just a week ago, she went through the same problem and suggested to drastically change my diet, which I did that same day.
I switched from a piece of toast with jam in the morning to oatmeal, instead of crackers and sweets for lunch to a healthy smoothie with chia and hemp seeds, almond milk and fruit (banana, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries. I kept eating my zero fat and sugar greek yogurt in the afternoon and a much smaller but fairly regular dinner, veggies, chicken etc.
My diarrhea was gone a day after I started that regimen, but now I am constipated, had a lot of gas yesterday.
This morning I took some milk of magnesium trying to help my system.
I keep track of everything I eat with MFP, and yes, I drink a lot of water, so that should not be the problem.
I am 5'6" and currently 150 lbs., I used to be 130 and that's what I would to be again, but 140 would be ok for now. Even staying within my calorie intake range I haven't lost an ounce since January.
I do not take any Rx meds, just a multi vitamin, Vitamin D, B, Garlic and a magnesium. My last blood work in February came back great.

cmriverside

Are you getting enough fat and fiber? Some fat is needed, even without a gallbladder. That would be my first guess on the constipation but I'm not a doctor and of course know nothing about your complete food plan.

Talk to your medical team and ask for a referral to a dietician, it will be money well-spent.

ams1507

I do not have a medical team. My PCP seems deaf when it comes to my concerns, and due to the pandemic I have not been able to find a new PCP.

AnnPT77

Your situation is unusual, complicated. It would be ideal if you could consult a medical specialist, or at least a registered dietitian.

If you can't, I'll repeat what I've said on other threads as generic advice about constipation, a problem I've had in the past (as a recurring thing). I also have no gall bladder, but have not had problems eating fat, as you have had. I'm around your age, too (66).

Generically - so may not apply to your unusual case - the main things that can trigger constipation are:

* Too much fiber, too quickly. (Bodies tend to adapt better if fiber is increased gradually.) However, getting too little fiber would be a common cause of constipation, too. For most people 25-35g of fiber ought to be adequate, but a combination of soluble and insoluble fiber is good for you. It's the insoluble fiber that tends to most affect digestive throughput (whole grains, fruits & veggies, beans, bran, etc.).

As a side note, gas can occur when suddenly increasing fiber by a lot, too. Some fiber is food for our gut microbiota. When they're asked to adapt too quickly, intestinal gas can result, basically waste products from the microbes, I think.

* Inadequate hydration, not just water, but other fluids we may consume. Essentially, if there isn't enough liquid to keep the waste soft, it doesn't move through the body well.

* Inadequate fats. This is somewhat common among people who're trying to lose weight, because fats are calorie dense, and people cut them in order to reduce calories. But bodies require a certain minimum of fats to function well. One of those functions is smooth digestive throughput. (Something in the range of 0.35-0.45g of fat per pound of body fat will be adequate for most people. Things like olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds have especially healthful types of fats that many people under-consume.)

Because of your gall bladder situation, I wonder if you've become accustomed to eating very low fat, but now require more because of significantly increased fiber?

* A little less common, but too little exercise can contribute to constipation. Things that move the midsection can be especially helpful.

* Also less common, specific nutritional deficiencies can increase the probability of constipation. Magnesium may be helpful, in particular, if there's not enough in the diet. (I know you mention supplementing that already.)

* At the margin, some people find adding pro-biotic foods to be helpful. That would be things like live culture yogurt, kefir, raw/unpasteurized sauerkraut or kim kim chi, miso, raw fermented pickles, kombucha, raw vinegar, and more. (I see that you've included some already, assuming your yogurt is live culture yogurt.)

If you're completed constipated, no bowel movements for days at a time, please seek medical attention, before it becomes an emergency.

I hope you're able to find a solution.

fatty2begone

Hi Op,
I still have my GB, however my brother and father both had theirs removed about 10 yrs. My father has never had any issues since day 1.

My brothers case appears to be very similar to yours. If he eats any type of fried foods, high fat foods, diarrhea occurs within minutes. He struggled for years with trying to find the right diet and foods. What has really helped him is live culture probiotics. I dont know the specific brand but, if you would like, I can certainly get the information. He has rare bowl problems anymore and he swears by this. It did take a little while for the probiotics to take effect. I recall about 1 to 2 months.

Best of luck.