Anyone with gallbladder issues? Is there any hope after it's out to lose weight???

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DawnVanHaaften
DawnVanHaaften Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I had lost 20 pounds a few years ago and have been having terrible gallbladder issues the past year or so. I had a hysterectomy a year ago and since have had weekly gallbladder attacks. 30 pounds have come back and the bloating is so terrible I have to wear dresses daily as I can't fit into jeans with my bloating. I was wondering if after my gallbladder surgery I will find relief and be able to get this weight off easier? I'm so disgusted with the constant bloating, it makes me feel like it's hopeless to even try. Anyone else have experience with this?

Replies

  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Probably!
  • grannypuss
    grannypuss Posts: 6 Member
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    I have had my gallbladder removed, maybe 6 weeks ago & (secretly) hoped that much of my extra weight would drop off me. Initially I did lose weight, but in hindsight think it was the effects of the anaesthetic plus a nasty cold I got straight after that had me not even considering food.
    But - I have gained maybe 3 kg now & feel horrible. Need to lose this plus more.
    Sadly I am eating carb high foods like biscuits & breads now, as I havent really got back into eating the yummy chillies & spicy dinners which I loved, but which impacted seriously on my gallbladder in the last few months. Abso agree about the bloating & discomfort with gallbladder issues too.
    I think you will find relief after the surgery but weight loss is not guaranteed (like most things in life :) ) Good luck
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    My buddy who has had her gallbladder removed eats very much like my diabetic diet. She says the secret is to eat small balanced meals. Nothing too huge. That pretty well sums up how to lose weight too.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    I had my gallbladder removed in 2000. I have lost and regained weight a couple of times after that.
    You will lose weight just like everybody else - through a sustained calorie deficit.

    Eating fat makes your gallbladder pour out bile to help digest the fat. Not eating enough fat causes bile to pile up and stones to form. Then when you eat fat, the stones clog up the passage, and that hurts. The stones have to come out to stop the pains from recurring. After the operation, eating fat may or may not give you pain, this is individual and you have to find out for yourself.
    Fat is an essential nutrient in itself and is also necessary to absorb fat soluble vitamins in foods.

    I suspect two things:
    You lost weight eating low fat.
    Your jeans are tight because you are overweight.
  • Bradley_J84
    Bradley_J84 Posts: 110 Member
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    I had mine removed.... its not really even that important...
  • gabriellejayde
    gabriellejayde Posts: 607 Member
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    I had mine removed 15 years ago. There was no difference in how I felt or ate or lost or gained weight afterwards.
  • lalepepper
    lalepepper Posts: 447 Member
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    I had my gallbladder removed in 2010 and lost 100 lbs in the following years. If anything, the impetus to keep my animal fat intake down really helped!
  • chels5988
    chels5988 Posts: 23 Member
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    I had mine out in 2014 and weighed almost 350. This past january i decided it was time to lose weight and am down almost 70lbs.
    I dont feel like my lack of gallbladder has affected my weight loss at all.
  • noirelb
    noirelb Posts: 216 Member
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    I'm planing in getting mine removed if i have another attack and i only had one. I'm confused as to why doctors still have not told you to simply get surgery. Here, the moment you have an attack and they doscover stones they say the best thing is the 2 hours non invasive surgery. Bloating and gallbladder attacks are way worse than the possibility of not digesting fat well for a little while afterwards!
  • nancy939393
    nancy939393 Posts: 12 Member
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    My gallbladder failed (no stones, just stopped working) and was removed in 2010. My failed gallbladder had in some ways messed up my weight as due to a really stupid primary care doctor it was failed for 2 years before diagnosed. My primary care doctor suggested my abdominal pain was psychosomatic. I had lines through my fingernails indicating vitamin deficiency by the time a medical intern diagnosed me (vitamin deficiency due to digesting issues caused by gallbladder) and the HIDA test indicated the functionality of my gallbladder was 7% (75 or higher is a functional gall bladder). So my case was abnormal, but I felt so much better after the surgery. It was like my brain came alive, and it was easier to not eat too much. I did get sick for about a year if I ate too much fat in anyone meal afterwards. But now I can eat anything I want and my body adjusted to no gallbladder. Best of luck on the surgery.
  • drgnfyre
    drgnfyre Posts: 45 Member
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    I don't have a gallbladder and it's doesn't effect my weight. The gallbladder is just a "storage" unit for bile. Your liver can dump bile into your intestines without it. Some people with or without a gall bladder have to stay away from fatty foods, and others do fine either way. Listen to your body when it comes to that, otherwise don't worry. Not having a gallbladder doesn't prevent you from loosing weight. It may or may not effect the types of foods you can tolerate, but that's about it.

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