Gallstones - weight loss

I did not have gallstones, but my gallbladder was not functioning properly making me very sick. I have to say I had no problems afterward eating or drinking anything after the first week or so. Your body will adjust and you really won't notice it gone one way or another. I had mine removed as an out-patient procedure and after three or four days of at home recovery started feeling much better than I had in a while. I hope this helps answer your question, and I hope you feel better soon!

Katherine

Hi, a friend has had hers removed during a bowel cancer op, and she found it very difficult to cope with many foods afterwards, she is losing too much weight as a result. Removal of gall bladder should only be a last resort if nothing else is working - do loads of research on this!

Best regards, good luck!!!

David

I had mine out three years ago. They went in laparoscopically through my abdomen and removed it, which is much better (a few little tiny holes as compared to a 5 inch incision like it used to be. I felt SOOO much better after having it out! I had not had any idea how often it was making me feel crappy until it was gone and I didn't feel that way anymore. And don't be ashamed of admitting the pain. . . I'm also an EMT and having had patients with it and been through it myself, it is comparable to the pain of a heart attack and offers you NO relief until that stone moves.
The stones are actually often the by product of quick weight loss. . . for me I had lost 60 lbs in 6 weeks due to going through a divorce. When you lose the weight fast, you no longer need to have as much bile dumped out of your gall bladder when you eat and since it has not adjusted it's production rate yet, it sits longer in your gall bladder waiting to be used. The particulates floating in the fluid settle out and stick together and begin to form stones.

Everyone is different in how they feel after they have their gall bladder out. Some people find there are now certain foods they can't eat without feeling sick. Others have long term loose bowel issues and others have no side effects at all. For me I have felt so very much better since the thing was out EXCEPT if I eat red meat or pork. Eating either of them causes major cramping and bowel issues as I try to digest it. So, I simply stopped eating red meat and pork. At first I missed it, (the taste but not the way it made me feel, LOL). I felt so much better not eating it and felt so much healthier that I don't miss it at all anymore. I can use turkey burger if I want a beef substitute., but now I am not even really interested in that. And for you, it might not bother you at all. . .

Good luck with your surgery and recovery. I hope that you find as much relief from it as I have!!

I had mine removed several years back and I was in and out of the hospital by 2 PM. I went under general anesthesia and had absoulutely no problems whatsoever in foods I ate afterward (some say you cannot tolerate higher fat foods as well -- I did not find this to be true for me!).

however, I did NOT notice any difference in helping with my weight loss. Matter of fact, my weight GAIN started about that time (but I do also have a low thyroid......)

I had my gallbladder out when I was 16 (I'm 19 now), and I actually ended up gaining quite a bit of weight after I got mine removed. (I think it was because I couldn't eat at all before, then all of a sudden I could. Plus I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism recently. :P) But, you definitely have to watch what you eat after. If you eat greasy foods..you'll regret it later.

Good luck with your surgery!

Right after I had my baby back in march of 2010 I found out that I had gallstones, I had my gallbladder removed in june 2010 and it was the right decision for me, but what I do notice is that its not as easy for me to lose the weight anymore. its actually more difficult and I also get nauseated after eating certain foods also I tend to get phantom pains also, from time to time.

i found going on all fours tilt over and back and get someone to slap between your shoulder blades and middle back used to make it a bit better.. Crazy i know but my hubby was any expert at the end... :laugh: Best of luck

My sister had hers out last year and without even wanting to lose weight she shed loads because she was restricted to the type of fatty foods she could eat, On saying that though, her stomach soon got used to fatty foods and very quickly put the weight back on just like anyone else would.

I think if you can keep on track of what your eating after the operation then you will see a huge improvement on things!

Hmm I had mine removed 10 years ago.

I've had IBS since then. Actually it's called "dumping syndrome" :laugh:

If I eat a high fat or sugar meal? Better have a bathroom close by. It actually kick started my weight loss because I was in the bathroom so much.

It is really common to have issues digesting fat afterwards. So it will probably help your weight loss because you'll have to eat better

Good luck, I remember that pain like it was yesterday:frown:

I had mine out in 95 after living with the pain of passing stones for 5 years. Once it was gone I felt soooo much better. I have had no issues with any foods, or in weight loss efforts. I never had the issue of fatty/greasy foods causing the gallstones to act up, but spicy foods and alcohol would get me every time. I only have 2 3/4 inch long scars, one on my tummy just below my ribs in the middle, and one in the belly button. I could have been back to work in 3 days, but my boss made me take a week.

You will probably find weight loss easier as greasy foods will most likely cause....issues. Without a gallbladder you don't have as much bile to break down the fat in greasy foods and they will slide right through causing some cramping etc on the way through. I"ve found it just isn't worth it to eat them. Also, most people feel kinda crappy when they've got gallbladder problems and don't realize it until their gallbladder is out. You may find you have more energy and want to exercise more! I've found anything in an Alfredo type sauce, melted butter or a cream based sauce is NOT good afterward. Even french fries can be painful at times. Since I don't know when the fries will be a problem, so I almost never eat those either. Take it as a blessing and a boost to your health and well being.

I had mine out last May, 3 weeks after having my baby. You will feel instantly better after having it removed! I did gain alot of weight after having mine out. It probably is more likely that my bad eating habits was to blame there. The surgery was the best thing to have when your going through that pain. I know surgery is scary, but the relief you have after is so worth it. I just recently found out that I started to get stones back in 2004, my doctor at the time I guess didn't see it in the ultrasound results. So I had dealt with it for 6 years, and its no fun. When I was pregnant was when the pain attacks started and I thought it was labor, but nothing ever came up on the fetal monitor. Then about 2 weeks after having my son, I started having them again. I waited about 4 days, and the hospital was still going to make me wait for another 3 before I could even see a doctor. Luckily the doctor that had taken my moms out got me in within hours, and when he checked my white blood count it was thru the roof. They did an emergency surgury to get mine out, from the time I got to the doctors to the end of the surgury was 3 hours. My doctor told me after if I would have even waited another 6 hours I probably would have been dead. So get in as soon as possible. You probably won't be able to exercise for a few weeks after, so you will need to watch what you eat. I also still get phantom pains. I haven't noticed that its with certain foods, it'll just happen. Its no where near as bad as the pain attacks, just feels like indegestion. I gained weight after as I said before, but my grandma said when she had hers out (all those many years ago) she dropped 40lbs. after having hers out. I think it just depends on your body, and what you allow yourself to eat. I would deffinately try and get it out soon, because that infection isn't good for your body either.