Gallbladder attack..

Tiff_skinny
Tiff_skinny Posts: 2
in Motivation and Support
I had a rough morning yesterday. Ended up in the ER for 4 hours come to find out I need my gallbladder removed. I have two jobs and eating fast food is the easiest thing for me to do. I can eat healthy things like salads, bit love to cover it in ranch or caesar dressing which defeats the purpose. I've come to be so used to eating like this that its going to be tough to stop. Wish me luck.. I'm also nervous due to all of the stories of how hard weight loss is after removal :(.
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Replies

  • Tanja_CHH
    Tanja_CHH Posts: 216 Member
    The only reason Ive found weight loss harder after losing my gallbladder is because now I once again feel the social pressure to have that chocolate someone's offered me for the sixth time in a row. It was easier to say no before. however its all psychologically. Biologically you should be just as able to lose weight without a gallbladder
  • Tenzuya
    Tenzuya Posts: 64
    I had mine removed last year, it was a difficult experience because i didnt listen to what my doctors told me about my diet, if you can get into some healthy living habits now, it will make the whole process heaps easier for you. Weight loss is more or less the same after the operation, it is much better to get the procedure done and over with, that way you can move on with your life.
  • sMCmason
    sMCmason Posts: 5 Member
    Had mine removed last year as well. You can definitely get through it. The key is to really start to learn about nutrition. You will need to dedicate a portion of your day to food preparation and exercise. No way around it. I also have 2 jobs, to go along with 2 kids. You can do it. A great motivator I once read is "Someone busier than you is running right now". I haven't had fast food in almost 3 years, and it is just not appealing to me anymore. It gets better. There is just going to have to be some other area of your life that will have to go with less attention. There is always time in the day, it's just not always easy to decide how to distribute it. The good news is that after a few months, you will be able to sleep less, and have more energy. Just remember to look and think long term. Set your goals as monthly or quarterly, and you will see great results. Good luck!
  • NewMnky1
    NewMnky1 Posts: 264
    I just had mine out on March 4/13. No issues whatsoever. I could have gone back to work in 5 days but my husband thought that was too soon so I took 7 days total.
    Have had no issues since and I have lost 3.8 pounds since the surgery, so you shouldn't worry about not being able to lose weight after.
    I think most people say they have a hard time because they feel now that the gallbladder is out they can go back to eating greasy fried food.
    Good luck!
  • jsiricos
    jsiricos Posts: 338 Member
    Had mine out.. years and years ago, before laparoscopy was available..

    Didn't make a difference to me, in fact if I recall, I lost a bit after
  • NCMeg
    NCMeg Posts: 57 Member
    I had mine removed in 2011, and I feel so much better since I had it done. You can still lose weight, but you need to make better food choices regardless if the majority of your diet is fast food. Plan ahead, pack your food and eat healthier.
  • Lonestar5775
    Lonestar5775 Posts: 740 Member
    I am praying your surgery and recovery go well. It may actually be a blessing to have had this wake-up call from your body. I left a high-stress but well paying job in mid-2009 after I saw a picture of myself in which I looked anorexic. I didn't know what job I would go to but I knew to continue where I was would either cost my health or my marriage.

    Almost 4 years later I am so much more content. I have regained weight, am exercising, and eating right. I feel great. My marriage is much richer and after bouncing between a few different jobs, I have found a fantastic company to work at.

    The bottom line I guess is, life forces you to set boundaries for your own good and when those boundaries are being violated you have to either change yourself to fit the situation or change the situation. It sounds simplistic I know but, that has been my experience.

    I wish you nothing but the best after you are back on your feet.
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
    Weight loss isn't hard after having your gall bladder removed. I had mine removed at age 35 or 36 and I lost 35 lbs at age 38. So, I'm not sure where the stories are coming from but they're untrue.

    First and foremost. I don't eat things that hurt my stomach now....ie full fat ice cream, butter, fried foods, foods laden with cream, etc. If I do...I pay dearly.

    My mother-in-law however, eats all the above and just suffers through stomach ache every day...yes every day and is round as a rolly-polly, she doesn't care.

    I eat lots of raw foods, or have them steamed or lightly sauteed with extra virgin olive oil - broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, green beans, asparagus, kale, squash (all kinds), corn, I do not limit any vegetables or fruits (okay I limit high glycemic fruits like bananas and pineapple, but I still eat them).

    If you are busy plan your meals ahead, pack your breakfast, lunch and healthy snacks every night to take with you to work...that is how I lost my weight.
  • Tiff_skinny
    Tiff_skinny Posts: 2
    Thank you all for your advice and encouragement! It happened out of the blue it seems, I had no clue what the gallbladder even did let alone it had been flaring up for over a year without me knowing what it was. I thought it was a pulled muscle :/. I ate a candy bar last night and got sick.. made me realize this is no joke, and I need to eat healthy to keep my health good!
  • season1980
    season1980 Posts: 129 Member
    I had mine out in 2003 and didnt gain weight. I ate the same as I always do, everything in moderation. However I will tell you that if I do eat full fat items......whole milk, bacon, sausage, etc....including my "in moderation" fast food (even healthy subway options with cheese!) then I had better be close to a bathroom in about 30 minutes. The only way it seems to affected me is the fat that isnt adequatly broke down moves things through the GI system a whole lot fast :ohwell:
  • Sqeekyjojo
    Sqeekyjojo Posts: 704 Member
    It's not hard as long as you eat well - my mother switched to high carb crap to compensate for having to reduce fat consumption. . She's now unfit for surgery. And no smaller.

    And improving your food now will make the operation safer.
  • futureshopaholic
    futureshopaholic Posts: 64 Member
    Good luck on your surgery! I have gallstones attacks too but I'm not doing anything about it since its not a emergency. In a way, I like having gallstones because it really helps with my diets. Sometimes I want to stray away but then I remember "Do I really want to be in so much pain again?" and it stops me from overeating or eating greasy foods.
  • iaminspired127
    iaminspired127 Posts: 12 Member
    Good luck with your surgery, I had my gallbladder remover December of 2008 when my little guy was only 2 months old. Recovery was hard for me since I was caring for a newborn at the same time but diet is key. Make sure you stay away from greasy, fried foods. Foods that contain alot of olive oil ect, if you don't you will notice a difference and your stomach will hurt really bad. For me, having my gallbladder removed has only made weight loss easier because I know my stomach cannot handle fried foods so I stay away and stick with healthier alternatives.
  • Kellyanne822
    Kellyanne822 Posts: 38 Member
    I also had my gall bladder out last summer. I understand that I'm in the minority, but I have absolutely no food issues! I can have full fat ice cream and a greasy hamburger and have no side effects. Not that you shouldn't take care of yourself and eat healthy foods, but I just thought I would give a little hope that it might not be all that bad. I was off work for a good week and took it easy for a few weeks after that. Good luck, it really wasn't so bad!
  • Pwrpuff83
    Pwrpuff83 Posts: 92
    I'm so sorry! GB attacks SUCK! I had mine out, though, 2 years ago with absolutely no effect to my weight loss efforts. Give yourself time to heal and then hop right back up on that horse! You'll be fine. Your health is what's most important so just be sure you're giving yourself the space to get better.
  • rubberbiscuit
    rubberbiscuit Posts: 128
    I had mine removed in December and life has been so much better since. I was having several attacks a week towards the end, and sometimes more than one a day. I did plateau for a few months after the surgery and actually gained 2 pounds at one point, but I'm not sure if it was from the surgery or if my body was ready to plateau anyway. My doctor told me that most people will gain weight after gallbladder surgery, but that it's more from feeling free to eat previously forbidden foods than from your body's response to the surgery. Just take care of yourself after the surgery and don't go too crazy eating and you should be fine. Good luck!
  • mattschwartz01
    mattschwartz01 Posts: 566 Member
    You're actually lucky. My gall bladder attack was serious as I was hospitalized for 4 days. Surgeon lectured me and said if I had arrived at the hospital any later, I might have died from a gangrene infection.
  • penni214
    penni214 Posts: 34 Member
    My youngest daughter had to have hers removed at 17 yrs old. The surgeon blamed it on years of high fat diet from school cafeteria food. She never gained any weight from it. Good luck! Thoughts are with you.
  • Brianna72994
    Brianna72994 Posts: 887
    My mom had that done. It was an easy recovery for her. Her weight has stayed pretty much the same since then (shes not trying to lose weight)
  • archduchess
    archduchess Posts: 17
    Having my gallbladder out was the kick start to my weightloss. My pain started in December 2011, and was severe, and by Feb 2012 I was hospitalised with it for 3 days. I was a mess, and hadn't cut down enough on the fatty stuff. I came out of hospital, was bedridden, living on jelly, fruit juice, fruit mentos and the occasional gluten free spag bol, as anything else made me hurt. I was in constant low-level pain with it, because my gallbladder was granulated with stones and infected, and the weight dropped off between Feb and April 16th when I had it out, but even only eating those things I ended up back at A&E.
    I was warned that afterwards I still wouldn't be able to eat fatty foods, that they would give me pain, so I cut right back. I went to Munich not long after surgery, with my choir, and on the last day ended up almost crawling around the city centre as I was in so much pain from eating fried pigs knuckles and cheese as a treat. I decided being in pain was no treat, so carried on eating clean, working out, and have lost 60lbs and am a UK size 8.

    27stoneofidiot came on the journey with me, and from eating takeaways 3 or 4 times a week, like we used to when we first met, we now eat clean with home prepped food every meal. He does the majority of the food prep and says yes, you might end up going to bed an hour later sometimes, but get your food prepped in advance, and you can do it. He's lost 160lbs on a busted knee.

    Here's us on our honeymoon last week, 240lbs lighter as a couple than we were:

    april2344.jpg

    So you can do it! All the best and keep strong. I wouldn't wish gallbladder pain on my worst enemy (well, maybe on my *worst* enemy!) and I know I would have given anything to not feel like that again. It's been part of the motivation for keeping eating clean - I have other digestive issues too, and eaten clean has taken me from being on 32 tablets a day to just two, and has taken all the pain I used to suffer away. I hope yours goes too. x

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