Gallbladder removed... Need help with food ideas!

hi friends! I've had my gallbladder
Removed and life is tough when it comes to food I can eat. Hoping to find some friends in the same boat. Pretty much I can splurge on anything, no dairy, no red meat, no bread. Would love help with some recipes as I'm getting sick of chicken, veg and rice lol thank you all !! It's going to be a good journey!

Replies

  • KNewer88
    KNewer88 Posts: 19 Member
    I had mine removed as well and still eat whatever I want. Everyone in my family told me I wouldn't be able to eat oily/fatty/starchy food, while the actual doctor said there was no special diet I needed to follow. Funny thing, all that stuff bothered me before my gallbladder was removed.

    Did you have a bad reaction eating dairy, red meat or bread? Unless it bothers you, I wouldn't go crazy with a special diet.
  • ridge4mfp
    ridge4mfp Posts: 301 Member
    I had mine removed years ago. I also eat anything I wish. For some months afterward, if I had a particularly fatty meal, a quick trip to the bathroom resulted. But over time, even that stopped.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    I still have to eat on the lower end of the dietary fat spectrum.

    Other than that it's all go.
  • Earthfyre
    Earthfyre Posts: 754 Member
    Although it is dairy many articles say have non-fat greek yogurt or cottage cheese on the Okay list because they are high in proteins versus your fats plus have some of those probiotics in yogurt to help with digestion. I am not a nutritionist in the least but you could at least do more research on it. Non fat greek yogurt with some fruits and a touch of honey is one of my favorite snacks. Never lost my gallbladder, but I was there when my mom lost hers.
  • lalepepper
    lalepepper Posts: 447 Member
    I had my gallbladder removed 5 years ago and I eat dairy, bread, and red meat. Have you cut these items out due to difficulties or because you heard you needed to? I have heard that often sensitivity to certain foods will improve with time. What I sometimes have trouble with are dishes high in fats from dairy or meat. Things like lots of pizza, creamy sauce pastas, greasy cheeseburgers, etc. It may take some trial and error. Unfortunately my removal was an emergency situation and I have some scar tissue that can lead to attack-like pain for brief periods if I'm not careful. In general I eat what I like when I like, but I am careful about my quantity with what I call "risky" dishes.
  • FitEqualsSmile
    FitEqualsSmile Posts: 160 Member
    My husband had his removed about 10 years ago. Trust me, he does not restrict his diet at all. Go for it.
  • annajohns85
    annajohns85 Posts: 11 Member
    http://thekitchenshed.co.uk good site for recipes
  • mrskeehn
    mrskeehn Posts: 9 Member
    Well your husband is a lucky man. I will be sick in the bathroom for days if I eat anything I listed.
  • mrskeehn
    mrskeehn Posts: 9 Member
    Yes just to clarify with all.... It's been out for 3 years and I get very sick when I eat out of the things I listed. Hoping to find some vegetation gluten free no dairy recipes ! Happy you all made it out unscathed!
  • articfoxy55
    articfoxy55 Posts: 1 Member
    I had my gallbladder removed about 6 years ago and for the first 6 months couldn't eat anything with diary, red meat, or any fats. If I ate too much of anything I would be ill. My doctor said it would pass, but it didn't, so he prescribed a medication that controls the acids that are released when we eat and now I eat pretty much whatever I like, except milk and ice cream. Those still cause issues.
  • beadgalsarita
    beadgalsarita Posts: 47 Member
    I made a chicken quinoa dish this week that turned out pretty tasty and the recipe is pretty flexible. I'm not going to list amounts, as it really depends on how vegetable/chicken/quinoa heavy you want this to be and how much you want to make.

    cook quinoa in chicken broth with chopped garlic
    roast vegetables. I chose zucchini, bell peppers, onion, carrots, cabbage, b/c these are what I had on hand.
    rinse raw spinach
    dice raw tomatoes.
    cook (I boiled) and shred chicken breast. If you have a kitchen aid, use that with the paddle attachment to shred your chicken. it's amazingly quick and easy.

    Mix it all together, season with salt and pepper as desired. Very tasty and as long as you keep the oil in control, extremely healthy.
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
    edited March 2016
    I had mine out 3 years ago. What I've learned is different people differently to foods. Someone may post in a forum that they eat whatever they want, another may say he/she eats X and gets sick as a dog. You can see that in the comments above. What I'd suggest is experiment, and see how your gut reacts. Worse that will happen is extra trips to the bathroom.

    For the first couple of years, I ate anything without restriction. In the past year, I've found dairy and fats cause me digestive problems, so I've had to cut back on them. Your doctor may tell his/her patients to restrict meat and dairy to keep things simple and avoid patients coming back with digestive complaints. Why bread, I don't know, This is the first time I've heard of bread restrictions for post-op gall bladder patients.
  • tginn23
    tginn23 Posts: 3 Member
    I had mine removed 2 years ago. I still can't eat pork, super greasy foods and protein shakes about kill me. After surgery, my surgeon told me to try and keep all meals under 7 grams of fat and start slowly adding more. He told me to take note of the number of grams of fat that caused tummy/bathroom issues and adjust accordingly. It has taken some time but I am now almost back to normal minus the things listed above. I wish you a speedy recovery!
  • shenanigansmo
    shenanigansmo Posts: 119 Member
    I had mine removed one year ago tomorrow (yay happy anniversary! haha). For the first couple of months after the surgery I just kept a low fat diet and was good. I found that reduced fat graham crackers were a godsend as far as snacking goes. I ate plenty of veggies and rice. One thing that really made me have to run to the bathroom was peanut butter. I feel like as soon as I ate it, I had to go. Over times things have calmed down a bit. Every now and again, if I eat something super greasy (a thick burger is the worst), I have to run.

    If your gallbladder has been out for over 3 years and you're still having issues, I would go get a check up with your doc. You may have some other issues going on. Most people I know who had it removed were able to regulate within a year.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    Mine was taken out 8 years ago.

    I only have trouble if I eat too much fat too many days in a row. Since I've started MFP, I have had no issues even with 30% fat.

    Why so many restrictions?
  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
    edited March 2016
    I had my gallbladder removed and haven't really had any issues. I eat pretty much whatever I want as long as it falls in my LCHF diet. I don't eat gluten though because I am intolerant. I do take a daily probiotic as well.

    Maybe google some Paleo recipes, all of it will be gluten/grain free, and most will be dairy free as well.

    Here are some recipes to google:

    Paleo Sloppy Joes (use ground turkey)
    Stuffed Cabbage (skip the cheese and use ground turkey)
    Roasted chicken thighs
    Roasted Pork Loin
    Crockpot Salsa Chicken (I skip the cheese) and serve in warm corn tortillas
    Chili (again with the turkey, or I like to use ground venison)
    Tuna salad lettuce wraps
    Stir Fry (you can use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce)
    Sushi
  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
    edited March 2016
    mrskeehn wrote: »
    Well your husband is a lucky man. I will be sick in the bathroom for days if I eat anything I listed.

    Have you ever been tested for an Autoimmune Disorder? Many of them can actually contribute to gallbladder issues. They can also cause you issues digesting stuff like gluten and dairy. If its been three years and you are still having these issues, I would recommend getting yourself back to the doctors.

    Also, if after some research you think that you might have Celiac Disease, make sure to not eliminate it from your diet. The Celiac Blood Panel only works if you actually have gluten in your diet.
  • jessiefrancine
    jessiefrancine Posts: 271 Member
    When my mom had her gallbladder removed, she found that probiotic supplements for several months afterwards helped her feel better.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    KNewer88 wrote: »
    I had mine removed as well and still eat whatever I want. Everyone in my family told me I wouldn't be able to eat oily/fatty/starchy food, while the actual doctor said there was no special diet I needed to follow. Funny thing, all that stuff bothered me before my gallbladder was removed.

    This has been my experience as well.
  • MommyMeggo
    MommyMeggo Posts: 1,222 Member
    mrskeehn wrote: »
    hi friends! I've had my gallbladder
    Removed and life is tough when it comes to food I can eat. Hoping to find some friends in the same boat. Pretty much I can splurge on anything, no dairy, no red meat, no bread. Would love help with some recipes as I'm getting sick of chicken, veg and rice lol thank you all !! It's going to be a good journey!

    Gallbladder less here too and I eat all the things ( but limit dairy for other digestive reasons)
    Some raw veggies cause me stomach pain so I cook them. Not sure if that is gallbladder related or not.
  • MarvelGrrl
    MarvelGrrl Posts: 622 Member
    Here's a recipe for black bean and quinoa enchilada bake. I just omit the cheese or use non dairy cheese.

    http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/black-bean-and-quinoa-enchilada-bake/
  • KayTeeOne
    KayTeeOne Posts: 122 Member
    Don't get worried . My mum's got removed 17 years ago and she is doing great . You will get used to after some time . It shouldn't be that difficult if you follow a few tips . Like eat your dinner at least 4 hours before you go to bed . Don't eat too oily or deep fried things that often . Try drinking a glass of cold half milk and half water mixed daily . Stay blessed and healthy
  • candiejayne
    candiejayne Posts: 37 Member
    I'm in pre-op stages right now, I have a couple of weeks before surgery. I don't have stones, I just have a dysfunctional gallbladder. I'm on a super strict diet plan right now. My fat/oils intake is limited to just chicken or white fish (which I don't like much), low fiber, no nuts, dairy ( I miss cheese), no caffeine and no to lots of other things. I'm struggling myself to find recipes that I can adapt that are flavorful and still within my parameters,
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    I've been without mine for about 9 years. Only thing that gets me is not eating. All that bile is just wandering through my intestines....
  • acbraswell
    acbraswell Posts: 238 Member
    Had mine removed 5 years ago. I can pretty much eat what I want, but know if I have a fatty, greasy, or heavy meal that I need to be stationed near a bathroom. I had pizza and wings a couple of days ago, but made sure the ladies' room was nearby ;) Learn by trial and error.
  • dlucio1
    dlucio1 Posts: 25 Member
    I had mine removed too. I still experienced phantom attacks 1 yr after the removal. If I have a fatty meal, I get nauseous.