No gallbladder or Thyroid - is this a losing battle?

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OdetteMaria
OdetteMaria Posts: 6
in Food and Nutrition
Hello again,

I have only ever had two health issues in my life, but are wondering if either of these two would make my weight loss journey any more difficult or require any different rules than otherwise?

I had my gallbladder removed last year. It is the organ that produces bile, which breaks down fats. And I have thyroid cancer. I was hypothyroid and had my thyroid removed completely a couple of months ago. Thyroid is what controls one's metabolism, so I wonder if I'm fighting against two different health issues that both *can* cause major weight gain.

If anyone has any experience with either, or suggestions on what I should be doing differently because of them, I would really appreciate it. :)

Thanks!

Replies

  • SkepticallyFit
    SkepticallyFit Posts: 71
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    I had my gallbladder removed and felt so much better. I was able to eat foods without pain and for some reason it felt like I had more energy for exercise. However, because I can now eat foods that I couldn't before the surgery, I ended up gaining a lot of weight eating calorie dense fatty foods, putting me way over on my calorie goals. There is also an issue with your body needing to adapt to the removal of the gallbladder in terms of digestion, which has links to weight gain.

    Eventually your body will adapt to the lack of a gallbladder and digestion will no longer be an issue. Just make sure that you stay within your calorie goals and you'll be fine. As far as thyroid issues, I can't comment on that as I've never had issues with my thyroid. That's certainly an added complication.
  • moonduck
    moonduck Posts: 53 Member
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    Hello again,

    I have only ever had two health issues in my life, but are wondering if either of these two would make my weight loss journey any more difficult or require any different rules than otherwise?

    I had my gallbladder removed last year. It is the organ that produces bile, which breaks down fats. And I have thyroid cancer. I was hypothyroid and had my thyroid removed completely a couple of months ago. Thyroid is what controls one's metabolism, so I wonder if I'm fighting against two different health issues that both *can* cause major weight gain.

    If anyone has any experience with either, or suggestions on what I should be doing differently because of them, I would really appreciate it. :)

    Thanks!

    Have had both and would like to know, too.
  • moonduck
    moonduck Posts: 53 Member
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    BUMP :)
  • JaceyMarieS
    JaceyMarieS Posts: 692 Member
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    I had my gallbladder removed in '99. I didn't have thyroid cancer, but do have Hashimoto's thyroiditis ( autoimmune hypothyroidism). Diabetes was my rule-changer - after diagnosis, i switched to a low carb - high fat - moderate protein diet and have had great success.

    My husband had had a thyroidectomy due to cancer in 2010. No gallbladder issues though. He's lost 40 pounds also following LCHF.
  • fastfoodv
    fastfoodv Posts: 41
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    No. If your gallbladder has been removed, I recommend following a low fat diet, balanced diet with appropriate calories. The same can be said for those with no thyroid. Prepare food in a healthy manner; don’t drink your calories and exercise. And, of course, take medication as prescribed.

    Visit Lisa Tillinger Johansen at www.consultthedietician.com at www.fastfoodvindication.com, on Facebook at Lisa Tillinger Johansen and on Twitter @LisaTJohansen
  • aimee1122
    aimee1122 Posts: 1 Member
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    OdetteMaria,
    I too have the exact same issue!!! I had my thyroid removed at 16 years old and then gallbladder about 8 years later... Since then, I have not been able to lose a pound!!!! I am pretty sure that these 2 issues are the culprit to my problems overall! I am also desperate for help in what to do now that they are gone! Thank you for posting!
  • thatonegirlwiththestuff
    thatonegirlwiththestuff Posts: 1,171 Member
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    No gallbladder. No problems.
  • Erikalynne18
    Erikalynne18 Posts: 555 Member
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    I don't have either issue however I would like to say that you are all AWESOME for pushing forward despite these medical conditions. OP please consult your doctor as he/she might be able to advise you on proper nutrition or direct you to a nutritionist :) But in my non-medical opinion I hope you keep pushing forward. These medical issues may be common with weight gain, but you can still fight :) The fact you are even on this site means you have hope. Consult your dr and/or nutritionist and start exercising when you can :) Best of luck!
  • RunMyOregonBunsOff
    RunMyOregonBunsOff Posts: 862 Member
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    I have no gallbladder and low thyroid but haven't had it removed. I didn't see any affect on weight after my gallbladder was removed. I can only suggest that if you have any low thyroid symptoms beyond weight gain/difficulty losing weight (cold, tired, heavy limbs, speach issues, brain fog...) talk to your doctor about a T3 med like cytomel or a T3/T2 med. Your thyriod levels make look ok but might not be converting from inactive T4 to active T3.
  • Prudiddy
    Prudiddy Posts: 262 Member
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    Hi,
    I had my gallbladder removed in 2005 and my thyroid removed in 2013. I have since lost over 70lbs. Since the thyroidectomy last January, I continued to lose weight. It has been a little difficult because not having a thyroid completely works against your metabolism. I fluctuate back and forth between 70-73lbs. I started out on 300 mcg's of synthroid and after one year, I am at 200 mcg's. This has affected me in a serious way. The weight is coming off a lot slower, but is still coming off. One major thing my surgeon advised when I first underwent the thyroidectomy was to focus more on duration of the activity/exercise over intensity. This is because the med's will automatically increase your heart rate until you are at a stable dose. I am now at a stable dose and have increased the intensity of my workouts. I had to increase slowly over the last 3 months.

    Over all we will have to watch what we eat for the rest of our lives and not slack off like before. We can and will be successful even not having our gallbladder or thyroid. This will take a little extra effort on your part. It is possible. You just can't give up. Don't let the hormonal effect of not having these organs make you an emotional eater. You can do it...You will just need prayer and a little extra motivation from within. Hope I didn't scare you. Good luck..I'm not an expert, but I have gone through both so I can give you the best information from experience. :)
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
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    Still have all my organs, but I'm here anyway.
    It is always possible to lose weight so you don't have to worry about that. Your conditions might make it a bit harder by lowering how much you burn. But we're only talking a few hundred calories here at worst.
    I'd say you should just calculate your TDEE as it "should" be, eat at a deficit to that and see how your weight develops over 4 weeks or so, then adjust accordingly to what happened with your weight.

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