Gallstones anyone?

Jessanova
Jessanova Posts: 16
edited September 22 in Health and Weight Loss
So here's the deal... I have gallstones and so my diet is very limited.
I need to watch my fat intake as well as foods that make me gassy because the bloating is simply unbearable!

Now I'm looking up foods I'm trying to eat and there's almost NOTHING I can eat that won't trigger one or the other.

I guess where I'm trying to get at is I'm curious to know if there's anybody else that's suffering from this? You should add me because it'd be nice to befriend other people who understand this pain. My friends and family sympathize, but it's not the same. I'm constantly either in pain or discomfort and I'm ALWAYS hungry because I can't eat much! Haha.
«1

Replies

  • Ashley_Panda
    Ashley_Panda Posts: 1,404 Member
    I finally had to have mine removed they were awful. I only ate bland food. Mashed potatoes were a staple. Lol.
  • jkestens63
    jkestens63 Posts: 1,164 Member
    Gallstone pain is the worst!!!! I ended up having mine out - that was over 20 years ago and I've never had another issue. I don't want to advocate surgery for anyone but they can do it laproscopically now and the recovery for that is so much better. It might be worth looking into.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    my bf also had to have hers removed, she was in agony anytime she ate too much fat.

    do you have health insurance? Start being a squeaky wheel to your docs about the severe pain you experience. "I am bored with my bland diet" will not score you a gall bladder surgery (they will just expect you to live with it), but "I cannot stand up straight from the pain" just might.

    good luck!

    eta: her scar on her tummy is smaller than the eraser on a pencil. It looks like a tiny dot.
  • No, unfortunately I don't have health insurance. I'm applying to get it for free though. They have a financial assistance program that helps me out. But that'll take a LONG while before I'm able to do anything with it. I think the only good thing about it is I'm losing weight from it.
  • NutritionDivaRD
    NutritionDivaRD Posts: 467 Member
    I had trouble finding foods to eat as well. I finally opted to have my gallbladder removed last August. Recovery time was about three days (I'm a fast healer.....it takes a lot to keep me down) and I was back to normal activities. Some people have issues with certain foods following surgery but I've had NO issues to speak of. No more gallbladder attacks! It was so worth it for me! :)

    I hope someone posts some foods that help you. :)
  • shaweetie
    shaweetie Posts: 33 Member
    Ugh! I can totally sympathize! I had to get mine out last year as i just couldn't live with the pain anymore, and there was pretty much nothing i could eat that wouldn't set it off. Since having it out, i haven't had anymore problems...in my opinion, if it's an option for you, the surgery was so worth it!
  • FunkBunny
    FunkBunny Posts: 417 Member
    Gallstones won't go away on their own, so if you have them, getting your gallbladder out will be the best way to go.

    I had them after I had my first son and it was horrible. Basically do what you're doing...avoid anything that triggers it. that for me was chocolate, anything fatty, cheesy, fried or greasy. (So anything that tasted good).
    I have found that I have phantom pain now and then when i don't eat enough, so having half a slice of plain bread seems to cure those attacks for me. You can try this, but I don't knwo if it'll work for you,.
    My heart goes out to you and hope you get this solved soon!
  • ma2two
    ma2two Posts: 9
    I also had them and almost a yr ago had to have them removed after spending the morning in the ER throwing up from pain. I do know the only things I could eat was salad greens, chicken- grilled, some fruit if not to acidic. I know mainly tomatoe based items and chocolate would kill me. I know the pain and suffering found Jan 4, 2010 had them and by Jan 22, 2010 had to have it removed to quote doc I had a "Rather Large" gallstone. I wish you luck and Wish you best of luck in your journey.
  • Boy ! do I know the pain, its unbearable......I didn't know what the attacks were until I went to the emergency room one night for what we thought was a bad reaction to a new medication, come to find out I had a gall bladder loaded with stones and had to have an emergency removal......not to scare you but stay on top of it and maybe you should have it removed. Good Luck with the weight loss and befriend me if you want to
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    You should look into some homeopathy. While it won't provide the same results as removing your gallbladder, it can provide some relief by treating your symptoms. Go to abchomeopthy.com and use their online remedy finder. Just answer all the questions regarding your symptoms and it will figure out the best homeopathic remedy for you.
  • there are natural ways to dissolve gallstones and there is also prescribed medication that will dissolve gallstones. Yes, you can live without your gallbladder however, it is almost a guarantee that you can become a diabetic as a result.
    Did you get a medical diagnosis?
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
    I lived with them for 5 years before I got the gallblader removed. I sympathize with you. Bland blah foods, nothing greasy, oily or spicy. I had issues with dairy, wheat, and tomatos too. I ate lots of potatoes, clear soups without pasta, salads with no dressing, eggs and chicken. No alcohol!!! Ohh that would hurt. I had mine removed in 95, and have not had a problem since. I took a week off work (had surgery on friday and went back the following friday), I could have gone back earlier, but the doc wouldn't release me because I didn't sit down enough on my job. If you have a job that is very active and you have to lift stuff you could be off 10 days to 2 weeks.

    I would highly recommend that you have it removed! If the doctors don't want to take it out now, it is just taking $$ from your pocket and putting it in theirs. Get a second opinion if necessary. Good Luck!

    Edit: I have never had issues with diabetes or even tested high on my fasting glucose test since the removal.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    hm
  • beautiful415
    beautiful415 Posts: 1 Member
    I'm the same way. I just found out I have gall stones and I'm not sure what foods to eat. :(
  • Yes, I was medically diagnosed.
    I don't know if I want it removed if I'm going to become a diabetic because of it! : (
    How can I naturally remove the gallstones? I think I'd rather do that, to be honest.
  • One thing you can do is to check with your dr. about dissolving or even sometimes they can blast them to break them up. As far as natural check with a good healthfood store and also check the web. I used to have instructions for it but I don't have them anymore. I thougt I had gallstones mine turned out to be a dairy allergy.
    Also, you don't want to wait with gallstones..they don't get better and actually lead to very serious problems. Check with the doctor and if you are a canidate for meds and with a healthy change in your diet (no refined sugars) it might work for you.
  • What is with the diabetic risk that someone said I'll more than likely be afterwards? That has me concerned now.
  • princessmikayla5
    princessmikayla5 Posts: 140 Member
    What do gallstones feel like? I think that's what's been wrong with me for the past few months. Severe cramping type pain in the upper abdomen. I actually had the worst attack I've ever had tonight. Mom says doctor's appt. for sure!
  • http://www.livestrong.com/article/184721-gallbladder-removal-risks/
    My mom ended up with diabetes and from the diabetes..fatty liver disease and from the fatty liver cirrhosis of the liver and cirrhosis has a high risk of liver cancer, which she has now..certainly motivates you to not eat anymore garbage..that is what motivated me.
  • also rapid weightloss can bring them on.
  • quietcrush
    quietcrush Posts: 4 Member
    Definitely true about the rapid weight loss. I had to have my gall bladder out after developing gall stones after I lost 140 pounds in 9 months. Apparently that's so true that when people have gastric bypass surgery nowadays they remove the gall bladder too since it's so common, that's what my surgeon told me.

    I had it out 6 years ago and have no residual problems. You are supposed to carry on eating a bland diet afterwards but I didn't have any issues besides phantom pain where my gall bladder used to be, and that went away after a few months. The very odd time I still get that if I eat something very fatty. The scars are teeny tiny.

    If you think you might have gall stones, my experience was 2 times in a row after eating greasy food the night before, I woke up early in the morning doubled over in pain. It kind of felt like a stomach ache but I wasn't nauseated. Basically the gall stones block the duct which releases bile into the stomach that digests your food. If it can't get through, your food sits there and takes way longer to digest so the pain of the blockage and the digestion is what kills you.

    Some people live with it and try not to eat anything that bothers them, or get the stones themselves out. But once the gall bladder is inflamed you have to get the whole thing out. The liver then takes over producing more bile to digest your food.

    Hope that helped!
  • There is very little risk of getting diabetes from having your gallbladder removed. That article that a previous poster posted said there is a 2% chance of having any negative effects, and there were a few different effects listed. I had mine removed 5 years ago and had no problems. It's an out-patient surgery and the recovery was less than a week. It's way worth it to get it removed!
  • lloydrt
    lloydrt Posts: 1,121 Member
    jess, I just sent you an email about my results I just got back from my physical from 12 21, 2010........I was diagnosed with gall stones, 10 years ago, but never had a problem........In every physical ,they show up

    I started my weight loss 11 months ago, lost 120 lbs, and I as of yesterday, when I got my results in the mail, I NOW HAVE NORMAL LIVER FUCNTIONS

    Because of my exercise and nutrition, my liver function levels are normal..........I was blown away, but again ,Ive never had problems with my gall bladder before...........Also, my blood sugars, ( triglicireides) dropped from 110 to 59, and my Cholesterol dropped to 149.....

    Im no Dr but I got these results because of a life change that dealt with nutrition and exercise............I sent you an email, keep in touch, I have a follow up appt with my Dr, but I will adress this latest result with him

    I dont know if you can dissolve them, really, I ve read different things, but again, for me, and this applies to me only, my liver fuctions have returned to a normal reading................... Keep in touch, LLoyd
  • That can very.
    You're nauseous/in pain at once. You feel like vomiting, but it's too painful and you don't want to get up.
    Gall attacks are terrible. They're sharp pains. I had mine starting in the center of my diaphragm and when I pressed into it, it extended through the rest of my stomach. It usually lasts for a few hours, it wakes me up at night and I'm constantly tired during the day because of it.

    That's the best way to describe it.
  • yanicka
    yanicka Posts: 1,004 Member
    That can very.
    You're nauseous/in pain at once. You feel like vomiting, but it's too painful and you don't want to get up.
    Gall attacks are terrible. They're sharp pains. I had mine starting in the center of my diaphragm and when I pressed into it, it extended through the rest of my stomach. It usually lasts for a few hours, it wakes me up at night and I'm constantly tired during the day because of it.

    That's the best way to describe it.

    I have given birth 6 times and many of those time it was all natural.....let me tell you that it was nothing compared to the pain of my gall bladder attack. I almost died because we waited too long (my gallbladder was turning black and infected). I had it removed and they had to do open surgery and I have a 8" scare because of that. Try to have it removed before it get too bad.
  • Gary6030
    Gary6030 Posts: 593 Member
    I had mine out and it was the best thing ever. Back to work after 3 business days. Sore but nothing I would call excrutiating. Just make sure you go to a dr. that does laprascopic. There are still some quacks cutting people. I was 350lbs and they did mine so you will be just fine.
  • funkyspunky871
    funkyspunky871 Posts: 1,675 Member
    So here's the deal... I have gallstones and so my diet is very limited.
    I need to watch my fat intake as well as foods that make me gassy because the bloating is simply unbearable!

    Now I'm looking up foods I'm trying to eat and there's almost NOTHING I can eat that won't trigger one or the other.

    I guess where I'm trying to get at is I'm curious to know if there's anybody else that's suffering from this? You should add me because it'd be nice to befriend other people who understand this pain. My friends and family sympathize, but it's not the same. I'm constantly either in pain or discomfort and I'm ALWAYS hungry because I can't eat much! Haha.

    I had my gallbladder removed in September. I find it odd that your doctor wouldn't schedule surgery, especially since you're in pain. There's no cure for gallstones, the pain is not going to go away either. That thing needs to come out! I know what you're going through. I never had any symptoms dealing with fatty foods, but I sure as h*ll had some gallbladder attacks. WORST pain in the world. Please talk to your doctor!
  • KAM1500
    KAM1500 Posts: 9 Member
    I am so sorry. I had the same problem when I was 19. I lived literally on bread and water for almost an entire month until I had mine removed. I was so afraid to eat. One good thing was I lost weight (but it came back as soon as I got it out and could eat again). I still have issues with certain foods making me sick, but it is not hard to deal with. I will say if I eat any of the foods I do get the symptoms of having an attach.
  • They wouldn't schedule because I don't have insurance, thus I can't pay for it. So I really don't know what to do at this point.
  • funkyspunky871
    funkyspunky871 Posts: 1,675 Member
    They wouldn't schedule because I don't have insurance, thus I can't pay for it. So I really don't know what to do at this point.

    I guess the only thing you can do then is continue what you're already doing. Avoid foods that trigger the attacks. Let me just say I've never heard of anybody getting diabetes after having their gallbladder removed. In fact, my surgeon didn't even mention the possibility of it. And, while there are medications that supposedly "dissolve" gallstones, they don't work. My parents are both doctors and have both had their gallbladders removed too. Trust me, they would know. I begged them for the medication because I was scared of surgery. There's no "natural" remedy either.

    Oh, and with what everybody else is saying, extreme weight loss can bring on gallbladder disease and or stones. That's what happened to me!
This discussion has been closed.