No Gall Bladder and problems with Greasy foods...TMI

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hbrekkaas
hbrekkaas Posts: 268 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I had my gall bladder out 2 years ago and have been struggling since then with diarrhea. For most of the first two years I ate like crap and just dealt with it when it happened. I could eat like crap for a week or more then have a bad day in the bathroom and just lived with it. I finally smartened up and changed my eating habits and now its worse! I went about a month mostly junk food free, there were one or two days where I had some junk, but just a tiny bit. But now I find that if I have anything greasy at all I am running for the bathroom within the hour. Am I just to never ever eat anything greasy again?

And I mean anything. If I share a small fries with my son from McDonalds, it goes right through me. Its like 10 fries. C'mon already!
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Replies

  • CarrieSchiller
    CarrieSchiller Posts: 3
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    Wow, sorry to hear that! I'm considering having mine out, going through the testing now. Cant seem to eat anything but fruit and some veggies or I get sick. I have the diarrhea and the gassiness..its awful. My stomach blows up like I"m 6 months pregnant. What were your symptoms?
  • dittiepe
    dittiepe Posts: 557 Member
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    This is actually a common problem with people after having their gall bladder removed. For some it goes away within a few months, others it takes a few years, and still others it ends up being a permanent issue. Id' talk with your doctor about ways to slow things down so you're not constantly running to the bathroom.
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
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    I had same problem---once I really started focusing on a overall healthy diet, my issues since the gall bladder removal are SO much better.
  • Degator
    Degator Posts: 92 Member
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    I had my gall bladder removed about 7 years ago, don't quite remember having those problems. It sounds more like irritable bowel syndrome which can be treated with antibiotics. However, the gall bladders is attached to the liver and concentrates the bile to break down fats. Hope this helped, good luck.
  • Flwrsme
    Flwrsme Posts: 39
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    Sorry to be the bearer of bad news...BUT yes. This will happen for-ever. Well atleast its been three years now for me and it is still an issue. I can't eat greasy foods OR red meat. But on the positive, it helps a whole lot with staying away from the french fries. And only eating Chicken, Turkey and Fish is what helped initially get me down in wieght. But I do take a Digestive Enzyme and this helps alot. Good Luck.
  • natalie7015
    natalie7015 Posts: 55 Member
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    My sister had the same problem and had her gallbladder out as well. I have also heard that sometimes the attacks are linked to the type of oils that fast food uses to cook with. I don't know if that is true, but there was this whole family that I knew that lack a gene and anytime that they ate junk food they would shortly have to run to the bathroom. They had to eat very health and watch all the oils that they consumed in cooking or eating. My sister had the bloating and as we call it, "bad gut" for years. She had her g.b. out and though occasionally still has attacks it is much less than before. She also had a lot of heartburn and acid attacks that would make her miserable. That part seems to be gone now.
  • Christina269
    Christina269 Posts: 110
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    Sorry... I'm the same way... :o(
  • hbrekkaas
    hbrekkaas Posts: 268 Member
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    Wow, sorry to hear that! I'm considering having mine out, going through the testing now. Cant seem to eat anything but fruit and some veggies or I get sick. I have the diarrhea and the gassiness..its awful. My stomach blows up like I"m 6 months pregnant. What were your symptoms?

    When I found out I needed it out, I had actually only had one attack. Just a terrible pain in my right shoulder and chest. They did the tests and took it out within 3 weeks. The surgeon told me afterwards that it was really large and distorted and the muscle was really weak, which was why I only had the one attack. It would have been much worse if it had been a strong muscle. I was really lucky that way. Sucks now though.

    I hope you feel way better after yours is out!
  • carpediem3
    carpediem3 Posts: 320 Member
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    Ugh I feel for you, and I can totally relate! I had mine out in Oct 2002, and I STILL have the same side effects from food. I can have a few good weeks every 6mos or so but yea I hope you don't have to deal with it as long as I have, it just plain sucks! Check out "dumping syndrome." I've determined this is what I have, just don't have the time to check in with the dr about it.

    Good luck and I hope things get better!
  • NewVonnie
    NewVonnie Posts: 683 Member
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    I had mine out 18 years ago and always had the same problem as you except it was all day every day. Once I started eating really healthy it cut down tremendously. Instead of 8 sometimes more a day its 1 or 2. If I eat something really greasy though I pay for it. So I guess thats what we have to deal with if we eat junk. Good thing we eat mostly healthy now, right? :)
  • hbrekkaas
    hbrekkaas Posts: 268 Member
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    Sorry to be the bearer of bad news...BUT yes. This will happen for-ever. Well atleast its been three years now for me and it is still an issue. I can't eat greasy foods OR red meat. But on the positive, it helps a whole lot with staying away from the french fries. And only eating Chicken, Turkey and Fish is what helped initially get me down in wieght. But I do take a Digestive Enzyme and this helps alot. Good Luck.

    Boooo! I guess its a great incentive to start eating even better then.
  • icerose137
    icerose137 Posts: 318 Member
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    You will most likely always be plagued if you eat greasy foods. The reason.

    Fat is one of the more difficult foods to digest. Your galbladder was a central player when breaking down fat. It creates concentrated bile to break down fat. When it's gone you have a super difficult time digesting fat so instead it slides on through. Some people's liver can step up and start producing enough bile to break down some fat, but it's doubtful you'll ever be able to eat a plate of greasy food without it coming back to haunt you later.

    My husband has IBS and had to give up all red meat, whole nuts, fats, eggs, dairy, soda, corn syrup and other forms of fructose, whole grains, raw veggies and even many cooked veggies unless they are mush. Dietary changes aren't easy but they are possible.
  • mummyflippers
    mummyflippers Posts: 70
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    As the others have said - for some people it is a consequence of the gallbladder removal, I was told around 10% of people will have those problems.

    I had my gallbladder out 3 weeks ago, and havent really had much fat in my diet since before my hospitalisation 2 months ago - I've been ultra cautious as I'm really nervous around food now, the pain was so bad.

    But tonight I had some pizza - nothing bad in the toilet dept, but I do have pain in my chest - right where the gallstones pain was. I'm thinking that I might need to avoid fat forever too now.
  • bxangelgirl
    bxangelgirl Posts: 6 Member
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    I had mine removed 2 years ago. I've been having the same issues ever since. I did however lost 30 pounds after surgery. Just had to change my diet. Mostly stop having fried and fast food. If you do that things should get a little better.
  • Tuffjourney
    Tuffjourney Posts: 971
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    I had my gall bladder out 2 years ago and have been struggling since then with diarrhea. For most of the first two years I ate like crap and just dealt with it when it happened. I could eat like crap for a week or more then have a bad day in the bathroom and just lived with it. I finally smartened up and changed my eating habits and now its worse! I went about a month mostly junk food free, there were one or two days where I had some junk, but just a tiny bit. But now I find that if I have anything greasy at all I am running for the bathroom within the hour. Am I just to never ever eat anything greasy again?

    And I mean anything. If I share a small fries with my son from McDonalds, it goes right through me. Its like 10 fries. C'mon already!


    I had mine removed in March 2011 and I get those symptoms also. So, I still have to watch what I eat.
  • Trixtabella
    Trixtabella Posts: 471 Member
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    I've had mine out but I don't have any issues like this, but I don't eat alot of greasy food anyway. Maybe you should go see your doctor.
  • pumpkinmoccasin
    pumpkinmoccasin Posts: 316
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    I haven't gotten mine removed yet but definitely have problems with it and I can't seem to handle fried foods at all. I think it's just something you might have to live with and really weigh the consequences if you decide to have something fried. My mom got hers taken out a couple of years ago, since then she's completely changed her diet and doesn't eat any fried or processed foods. She says she doesn't have any issues now, though, and I think it's just not worth it to her to have any fried stuff anymore.
  • freeloaves
    freeloaves Posts: 281
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    Had mine removed a year ago, only problems I seem to have is rancid farts. And unsure what causes them too ... I have a feeling it's yogurt for me, cos dairy was always what set me off for an attack.
    I'm fine with greasy foods.
  • mistyaiken
    mistyaiken Posts: 13
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    i had mine removed april 1 of last year , i found that since the surgery i can not digest any sort of meat or greasy food i would have terriable pain. so i started eatting a vegiterian /vegan diet and it has helped out the alot no more pain. my doctor told me that it would be alot of try and error on the foods i could actually eat ,so the food that made the problem worse i had to learn to avoid them . or pay for it later.
  • taco_tap
    taco_tap Posts: 152 Member
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    I had mine out when I was 19. Im 24 now, and had all the same problems as you mention. This is how the function of the gallbladder was explained to me. ( I could be wrong.) Bile helps digest fat. And your gallbladder stores the bile needed to digest the fat. After you get it removed, you no longer can store the bile, so its dumped into your track. Meaning, it isnt around when its time to go to work. So you cant digest it.

    Really watch what you eat, the less fat, the better digestion is for you. Also, I have added fiber, and lots of it, to my diet. Seems to be working wonders. But every body is different. Also, there are medicines your doctor can prescribe for you if you cant find any relief. You arent alone, nearly everyone I know who had thiers out, had some kind of issue like this. It does suck. And if adding fiber doesnt help, same with cutting fat, see the doctor. You got your gallbladder removed because you didnt want to be uncomfortable anymore.

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