6 months of Keto and have developed gallstones

itsryanneyo

So after a month of horrible stomach pains, I finally went to see my alternative medicine doctor. My gallbladder is sludgy and full of pebbles, and she's put me on a pretty good dose of hydrangea root to break up the stones and hi-lipase to get everything flushed out of my g.b... I've read so many different versions of what causes this--eating high fat / eating low fat / eating low fat and then going to high fat. I'm not too terribly wrapped up in what caused it, but rather getting it taken care of. I still battle the constipation that everyone else seems to get past after the first 4 weeks, and I'm sure that this has contributed to my g.b. issues. Anyone else had to deal with this? My results and every other aspect of my well-being are so great, I can't fathom not being on a LC lifestyle. I love my bulletproof coffee, but even sometimes just a few sips is now sending my gut into the ultimate knot. I haven't let this issue keep me from working out, still going strong 6 days a week, but not sure how much longer I'm gonna be able to keep that up...

Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated!

SisterMable

Have you tried eliminating one of your bigger keto food groups to see if you are incompatible with some finite part of it?

I had my gallbladder out years ago, but I do know a few people who were high HWC/dairy keto-ers who, due to terrible gas, the combo constipa-runs, and gallbladder issues, had to cut out the dairy and nuts for a month, then slowly add them back in at reduced levels in order to have less crazy bile activity. I'm glad you have a doctor who didn't just immediately insist you stop low carb eating.

You can never go wrong with keto if you take a soup break. Don't add carbs, just live on good healthy broths with plenty of (but not overboard crazy) fats and moderate proteins. Loads more water. Avoid nuts and dairy for a week. And see if your belly and overall gut system starts to smooth out.

Also, if you have access to it, get some of that "low salt" that's chock full of potassium. Electrolytes play such an important role in feeling better and gut health.

itsryanneyo

Thank you so much for your words of wisdom! I'm willing to try anything at this point! On it (:

Athena98501

So after a month of horrible stomach pains, I finally went to see my alternative medicine doctor. My gallbladder is sludgy and full of pebbles, and she's put me on a pretty good dose of hydrangea root to break up the stones and hi-lipase to get everything flushed out of my g.b... I've read so many different versions of what causes this--eating high fat / eating low fat / eating low fat and then going to high fat. I'm not too terribly wrapped up in what caused it, but rather getting it taken care of. I still battle the constipation that everyone else seems to get past after the first 4 weeks, and I'm sure that this has contributed to my g.b. issues. Anyone else had to deal with this? My results and every other aspect of my well-being are so great, I can't fathom not being on a LC lifestyle. I love my bulletproof coffee, but even sometimes just a few sips is now sending my gut into the ultimate knot. I haven't let this issue keep me from working out, still going strong 6 days a week, but not sure how much longer I'm gonna be able to keep that up...

Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated!

I can tell you what helped me in the constipation department. Of course, fiber and water are vital, but something that made a big difference for me was coconut oil. The less refined the better, and if you shop at Costco, look for Nutiva. If you like coconut, it's amazing. If you aren't using it yet, add it in slowly (or you may be spending a lot of time in the bathroom). Start with 1 tbsp/day, and adjust from there. I love it in coffee.

Another thing that can be helpful is finding the right probiotic. This took a lot of trial and error for me, I tried 3 or 4 before I found one that helped me. If you're interested, that one was Nature's Bounty Ultra Strength Advanced Probiotic 10 (in this month's Costco coupon book).

Best of luck in resolving this, and being able to stay keto.

itsryanneyo

Thanks so much for you advice! I love coconut oil, eat a minimum of 1 Tbsp / day, sometimes as much as 3. I love it in my coffee, too! I've added a dose of mirilax every other day that seems to be helping.

I've been getting my probiotics by way of my homemade kefir I make with raw Guernsey milk. I've slowly been upping my intake a Tbsp/week since this chaos has started. I may need to take a capsule as well, thanks for the reminder!

AlabasterVerve

Here's a great article you might find helpful:

"Caveat: Those with known gallstones need to watch fat intake at first until the stones are dissolved. Most people with gallstone problems are aware of how much fat they can get away with eating. I wouldn’t push it much beyond that until the gallstones are gone. Then increase fat intake to keep the gallbladder contracting and new stones from forming."

How to get rid of gallstones without surgery
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/low-carb-diets/get-rid-gallstones-without-surgery/