Weight gain after gallbladder removed...

13

Replies

  • I had my gall bladder removed 6 years ago. Since then I have gained 45lbs. I take in less than 1/2 of the calories I put out, do not eat a lot of sugar, have almost 0 processed foods, and almost never have fast food. I have tried every diet known to man and still nothing. I am currently eating less than when I was clinically anorexic, and my body refuses to let go.

    I walk 1 - 2 miles/day, do lifting and stairs 5 days per week, plus fencing 1 day per week.

    Sometimes, people are not meant to be the American ideal. And, you know, what? I'm okay with that.
  • I'm 21 and I had my gall bladder removed after 2 years of off and on stomach problems and then the worst stomach pain (or pain for that matter) in my life. My roommate rushed me to the hospital where after 2 hrs of pure hell they finally gave me something and did an ultra sound to reveal a horrible infection and multiple stones in my gall bladder.

    During the year before that I managed to get down to 85 lbs. Mind you I'm 5 ft tall and have very small hips. My normal weight was 95-97 lbs. It never fluctuated beyond that. Anyway I used to have a fast metabolism and could eat really anything I wanted. I mean I still ate fairly decent and although I didn't exercise, I was active. Since having my gall bladder removed I haven't experienced any pain or diarrhea or whatever after eating fatty foods. In fact I've had more constipation than anything.

    The problem is my body won't let me know I'm hungry until it is severely hungry and my stomach is gargling. I don't have an appetite though. When I force myself to eat, I throw up. I was probably taking in less than 1000 calories a day. Yet I still managed to gain almost 15 lbs!!! I've never gained weight like that in my life! And none of it is muscle. It's all cellulite!

    I'm trying to work out but I still struggle with energy levels because I'm not getting enough calories. And I can't force myself to eat because it will come back up. What should I do?? I'm worried I'll never get rid of this cellulite. I drink ensure every day just to help me get what I need. But it only does so much. And I can't live off of ensure. How do I reclaim the life I used to have?? And how do I get rid of all this cellulite?? Has anyone tried body wraps?

    My self esteem is plummeting. I'm so depressed. I just want my life back to normal. I want my body back to normal.

    On a side note, I've been to the doctor to have blood tests done because I also experience feeling weak and shaky. Everything came back normal. I have no clue what's wrong with me. But it didn't start until I had my gall bladder removed. Help!!!!
  • gandydancer
    gandydancer Posts: 171 Member
    Great news for you, would you please tell me the name of the products that you used as I am so discouraged..
  • spicegeek
    spicegeek Posts: 325 Member
    no problem here - quite the opposite for a few month after as everything I ate was processed rather quickly and I have zero tolerance for fat ... yeah TMI ..
  • I had my gallbladder removed 7yrs ago and have gained 30 or more lbs... Since then I quit smoking and between the two I have gained over 50 lbs!! My upper stomach is bigger than the lower part of my stomach. I never had this only the lower part before the surgery. I am always bloated and gassy, not to mention constipated!! I do not eat fried foods, and do not eat sweets. I love to eat veggie wraps with lettuce,cheese,onions tomato,pickles, olives,mild peppers,garlic and oregano for seasoning NO dressing! There is another person with the username "ATIBRAT" that posted on 8-12-2013 that has all the same symptoms as me, and I am wondering if she found anything that helped her??
  • Just wondering if you have found anything helpful? I unfortunately have all the same issues as you!! I am so distraught, not only did I gain weight from the surgery but I quit smoking and put on more weight!! The discomfort from the bloating & constipation is what bothers me the most! I to have upper stomach roll that was never there before the surgery!? Please if anyone can give me some ideas and possible foods to eat or stay away from..I would so appreciate your input!!
  • Fat2FiT74
    Fat2FiT74 Posts: 2
    I'm in the Army, work out 5days a week and still gained weight after my surgery...nothing had changed in my life outside of the surgery. I was still eating good, exercising etc. After I failed a tape test (basically the Army said my belly was, too fat...urrgghh) I started looking for anything and everything to change in so I could start losing again. I saw the Army dietician, as well as our unit Physician Assistant and nothing I implemented, diet or exercise worked.

    I tried a couple of fat burners with no luck and spent like $40 to $50 for a month supply.

    A buddy of mine referred me to http://bit.ly/1uNgb1Z After I looked into the company more and realized the products are all natural, non-gmo, chemical free etc. I decided to give it a try. I bought the FightFighter for $39 for a month supply. I take it daily after dinner and a month and a half later I've lost an average of 2lbs per week. Now granted I'm still working out and eating healthy but I'm back to my normal diet/exercise pre surgery. This is the only thing I've found to help me. I have since signed up for the loyal customer program that they have so I can get the same bottle for only $23.00. For me, to keep my job in the Army, and to end my weight loss frustration it's worth that small $23/mo price lol!! I'd be interested to know if anyone else is having luck on this stuff.
  • My mother had a gall bladder operation . She is 41 and she has gained a lot of weight after gall bladder removal she had abdomen pain once with her stomach upset but it was cured by medication . She even had dyhrea in the beggining can you prescribe her medicines .
  • gandydancer
    gandydancer Posts: 171 Member
    Wish I could say that I found something that worked but nothing....started taking digestive enzymes but all it does is upset my stomach....have been researching so much on this topic and did find a very interesting article that said when you have a bad gallbladder that that in itself often does not allow you to digest fats and sugars then when it is removed everything is then stored....very depressing and not sure there is any hope.
  • alowry25
    alowry25 Posts: 19 Member
    Please let me know how it is going after the removal.

    Thanks!
  • alowry25
    alowry25 Posts: 19 Member
    Try low carb diet. I have lost over 20 lbs now and still losing. I have 15 more lbs and I'll reach my goal!

    Good luck!!
  • alowry25
    alowry25 Posts: 19 Member
    I have been doing low carb since last summer. I am 15 lbs from reaching my goal! I thought it would be hard to do but its actually not. Good luck and keep me posted!
  • alowry25
    alowry25 Posts: 19 Member
    Just wondering if you have found anything helpful? I unfortunately have all the same issues as you!! I am so distraught, not only did I gain weight from the surgery but I quit smoking and put on more weight!! The discomfort from the bloating & constipation is what bothers me the most! I to have upper stomach roll that was never there before the surgery!? Please if anyone can give me some ideas and possible foods to eat or stay away from..I would so appreciate your input!!



    I have been doing low carb since last summer. I am 15 lbs from reaching my goal! I thought it would be hard to do but its actually not. Good luck and keep me posted!
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
    I had my gall bladder out16 years ago. It did not cause me to gain weight nor interfere with losing weight. 3 years after I was in great shape at 152 lbs-from just increasing exercise and eating healthy. I didn't even need to count calories.

    Now 16 years later-it's these pre-menopause and menopause hormones that are making it hard to lose weight-and to lose my tummy.
  • alowry25
    alowry25 Posts: 19 Member
    i was reading your post, and I had my gall bladder surgery 10 years ago and within the last 2 years i have started gaining wiehgt very quickly, i gained 20 pounds. and no matter what kind of diet and excercise I do , I just cannot lose weight. CAn you please tell me which brand of digestive fiber enzyme you take and name of probiotics. I will like to try take it too to help me . thankyou

    Not sure if I am responding to your post correctly, but I am doing low carb diet and it is the only thing that has worked for me.
  • alowry25
    alowry25 Posts: 19 Member
    Wish I could say that I found something that worked but nothing....started taking digestive enzymes but all it does is upset my stomach....have been researching so much on this topic and did find a very interesting article that said when you have a bad gallbladder that that in itself often does not allow you to digest fats and sugars then when it is removed everything is then stored....very depressing and not sure there is any hope.
    [/quote

    Hi, I have been doing low card since last summer and it has helped me. I've lost over 20 lbs and still losing! Good luck!!
  • cchad
    cchad Posts: 1
    I am having this same issue!
  • I had my gallbladder removed in 1991. I had lost quite a bit of weight the year prior because I was eating a low fat diet due to intense gallbladder attacks if I didn't. After I had it removed I gained the weight back and then some, off and on losing, gaining. In 2005 I started having a lot of digestive issues, bloating, gas, pain on right side. Since then if I eat a high fat diet I have problems. I went on a low fat diet around that time, lost 40+ pounds. I have gained some of it back but only because I have not been eating low fat plus I have hyperthyroidism that is now being treated which slowed my metabolism down. I am one that cannot tolerate high fat and evidently cannot digest it as I gain weight as soon as I eat too much fat. For me, high protein low carb doesn't work and I feel horrible on that type of eating plan. Does anyone get the right-sided pain? I can literally hear and feel gurgling in my right upper quadrant if I eat a lot of fat. If I go a few days eating good it goes away, but then as soon as I eat a lot of fat and salt it is back until I start eating right again and then it takes a couple of days to go away. So for me it is a vicious cycle of feeling good and feeling crappy unless I continuously eat a low fat diet.
  • Bostonsoul
    Bostonsoul Posts: 151 Member
    I had mine taken out in my early 20s. I had a hard time to digesting fats for the most part afterwards, and I think that contributed a lot to my initial weight gain. Cutting carbs, starches helped greatly but nothing more than regular exercise. It's frustrating isn't it?
  • gandydancer
    gandydancer Posts: 171 Member
    Its just awful, wish I would have known what I know now and I would have tried harder with my food.....don't eat much fat but carbs are my downfall......noticing little fat pads on sides of my hips like the food has no where to go..scream.
  • alowry25
    alowry25 Posts: 19 Member
    Its very frustrating. Especially when I could cut back calories, exercise and loose the weight. Now I gotta watch those dang carbs
  • I am 30 years old and had my gallbladder removed on Jun 23, 2014. I lost 20lbs after surgery but gained 8 since the surgery. I gained a lot of blubber on my lower belly. I can eat anything I want without digestive issue. I do not regularly eat fatty foods but I did try some out to see how it would affect me. I am hoping a lot of my blubber came from 3 weeks of just sitting on the couch all day and not working out. I just started working out last week so I hope I can get back in shape. I did lose a lot of leg muscle since my surgery.
  • Thimbelinda
    Thimbelinda Posts: 34 Member
    I had my gallbladder out a week ago. I was in the hospital for a total of 6 days. When I was discharged I had put on 5.5 pounds but I think it was from the meds and IV fluids. I have lost 8 lbs in the past 4 days but my waist line is an inch larger. Not sure what is going on but I would love to know how to avoid weight gain after gallbladder removal.
  • ccassityii
    ccassityii Posts: 23 Member
    I had mine out June 5, 2014... I also found out the week before that I had hypothyroidism, I gained some, but now my weight is going down. Lots of working out and eating right. I try to watch my carbs and sodium. If I eat to much sodium my body tends to hold water weight. If I eat fatty foods, my body will let me know right away.
  • LadyVivica
    LadyVivica Posts: 84 Member
    I just had by gallbladder removed last month. I have lost 20 lbs since then...

    Before I was going to have it done i was so worried about the weight gain because both my mom and sister gained 30 lbs after it. I eat clean smaller portions and take Digestive Enzymes from GNC, digestion support tea, and my multivitamin and the weight has been dropping like a rock. I really hope it keeps up. I have started walking more and more since the surgery trying to get my strength back up. I'm up to walking 45 mins a day now!

    But seriously, get the ox bile or digestive enzymes, it makes a difference in your digestion and how nutrients are used in your body. For exercise you don't have to run 50 miles right off the bat, work you way up with walking extra here and there, every little bit counts!
  • Keep gaining weight slowly but I have been lifting a lot. I can actually see the difference but I still have my blubber around my belly. I am still not as heavy as before the surgery. I haven't worked out my abs yet, I am afraid that I still might hurt myself.
  • aconn74
    aconn74 Posts: 1 Member
    I have had trouble all the way around after my surgery. With weight loss, laziness', depression, all over feeling blah. I never felt like this before. I know there is a chance it is not related, but it seems odd that the person Knew before is totally different now.
  • sugabb
    sugabb Posts: 4 Member
    I have had nothing but issues since I had my gallbladder out April 2014. Everything is out of whack. I never really had the diarrhea issues people talk about but I do have excess belly fat which never used to be there. I have lost weight everywhere else but there and I'm confused. I have ordered some Ox Bile and HCL sups to help level things out again. I tell you what, it's really hard to keep fighting the good fight when you are burning close to 600 calories in a big session and you are an inch bigger the next day and you haven't eaten any junk :(
    2015.
  • janerfitnesspal145
    janerfitnesspal145 Posts: 55 Member
    bump for reference
  • sugabb
    sugabb Posts: 4 Member
    Day 5 of my normal clean eating, working out and taking HCL sups and I am down 2.5" on my waist. Belly fat is starting to finally melt away.. WOOHOO!!
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