Gall Bladder Surgery?
macpatti
Posts: 4,280 Member
I just had my gall bladder removed last week, after finding out it was non-functioning. I've been told it's important to eat a non-fat, high fiber diet. Anyone out there have the same surgery? What are your experiences with food? Coffee? Alcohol? Any tips for me?
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The cool thing about the human body is that your liver can adapt and produce a little of the bile acids that your gall bladder should have been producing. Now, that adaptation takes awhile so eating a low fat diet is extremely important because those acids that aren't being made help break down fat.0
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I had my gall bladder removed a couple of years ago.
All the gall bladder does is regulate the amount of bile that's released into the digestive tract, proportional to the fats you consume, so without it, it's more or less a steady stream.
So very low fat food or very high fat food might mean things are not being processed smoothly down there, but it's no big deal.
I was paranoid about it for a few months, but now I don't think about it at all - until I saw your post!
You can look at my food diary if you like - it's friends only, so send me a friend invite!0 -
I had my gall bladder removed back in Dec. 2003. After if first happened, I found certain foods would go through me quickly & I needed to be by a bathroom right away :blushing: I still get that from coffee occasionally. Right now, I would definitely stick with the non-fat, high fiber diet they recommended. As your body adjusts to no longer having a gall bladder, it does balance itself out. However, I do still have occasional times when coffee still gets me. Good luck with your recovery!
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I had my gall bladder removed last yr. & the doctor told me that foods I use to eat I could gradually add back, like bacon well I tried it & well we all know what happened if you have had your gall bladder removed, so on that note I stayed away from it & haven't touched it yet, now I eat Turkey Bacon, now high fiber might also do the same thing to you, my advise...Try it at home for a few days (like on a wknd) & stay home that way you're close to your bathrm..Hoped that Helped Some 0
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I have Lupus, and it began attacking my kidneys and gall bladder recently. I had to do a low-dose chemotherapy treatment in order to keep both organs. Much like with having it removed, I had to drastically up my fiber-intake. Low-fat, is good, but be sure that what you are putting into your body is naturally low-fat, not fat-removed ("skim" milk, processed "low-fat" foods, etc.), that way it is easy for your body to break those things down. I suggest low-fat over non-fat simply because your body needs basic fats to function properly. Your brain is made out of fat and water, and with a non-fat diet, you can be causing more harm than good.0
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I had my Gall Bladder taken out when I was really young...like 11.. at first I couldnt eat really fatty foods or they'd go right through me. Now I don't really have the same problems...every once in a while something really greasy gets to me but not at bad as the first year I had it out.0
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I'm SO GLAD I found this post!
I have polyps in my gallbladder. The doctors say if I'm admitted to the ER again, they'll have to do a gallbladderectomy (when too much bile is produced, everything snags on the polyps, causing intense crippling pain).
I can not eat any high fat foods, high salt, or super sugary foods. Dairy really throws me off now too (I used to be a milk-o-holic).
Red meat is also a big no-no for me...all of these things go right through me and make me violently ill out both ends (TMI, I know)
In a way, I'm told that it's almost like a blessing in disguise, as it forces you to eat better foods.
Personally, I'm completely fine with liquor. I never drink coffee, so I can't really help you out with that...
What lead to having your gall bladder removed, if you don't mind me asking?0 -
Your gall bladder doesn't actually make anything- it acts as a storage resevoir for bile salts (produced by your liver) which are needed to help digest and absorb fats. Fats stimulate the gallbladder (if you have one) to contract, which is painful if there are stones in it, or if it is inflamed. Without the gallbladder your body will be less able to respond to a fat loaded meal. If you don't digest fats well you get horrible oily smelly diarrhoea and bloating. There are no absolute do's and don'ts after a cholecystectomy- just follow the usual healthy eating advice and avoid massively fatty foods.0
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I had my gallbladder removed about a year and a half ago. I was eating french fries within about a week. Not sure how normal that is, but that was my experience. I do eat fairly healthy in general, but on the days I dont, I don't seem to have a problem. I did notice that after my surgery, alcohol had a tendency to go to my head pretty quickly. I am somewhat more burpy than I was before the surgery, but that's not a huge deal to me. I do have more bile in my stomach, so when I caught a stomach bug about six months after the surgery it was alarming to be throwing up bright yellow bile. I don't say that to be gross. I say that because I freaked out and called an on call nurse because I thought something had gone wrong! Best of luck to you.1
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I had my gallbladder out a year ago, and after about 6 months I could pretty much eat normally again. Some fats seem to aggravate my system more than others, but everyone is going to handle it differently. Give yourself some time on a low fat diet (don't go no fat, because the body needs fat to absorb a lot of important vitamins) and gradually test what you can and can't eat after some time goes by.
Coffee stimulates the bowels - and, without your gallbladder dosing out bile when you ingest fats, you get a steady stream of it into your intestines. What this means is some possibly not pretty BMs if you drink a lot of coffee without also eating some high fiber foods with it. (sorry for that imagery, but it is what it is). Didn't have any problems with alcohol.0 -
Oh and I drink coffee daily, so that seemed to work out ok for me too. 0
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I'm SO GLAD I found this post!
I have polyps in my gallbladder. The doctors say if I'm admitted to the ER again, they'll have to do a gallbladderectomy (when too much bile is produced, everything snags on the polyps, causing intense crippling pain).
I can not eat any high fat foods, high salt, or super sugary foods. Dairy really throws me off now too (I used to be a milk-o-holic).
Red meat is also a big no-no for me...all of these things go right through me and make me violently ill out both ends (TMI, I know)
In a way, I'm told that it's almost like a blessing in disguise, as it forces you to eat better foods.
Personally, I'm completely fine with liquor. I never drink coffee, so I can't really help you out with that...
What lead to having your gall bladder removed, if you don't mind me asking?
I was having pressure in my chest and felt like food was "stuck". Then I was getting nauseous and having diarrhea after eating. They did an ultra sound and ruled out gall stones, so it took about a week to find the problem. I had a hyda scan done and they found that my gall bladder wasn't functioning at all. Two days later, they removed it. It's been 5 days and I'm finally feeling okay. I've been eating low fat foods, very bland, fruits and smoothies. No meat yet. No coffee (which I really miss). Still cautious about what to add and when to add it to my diet. I appreciate all your replies!0 -
Oh and I drink coffee daily, so that seemed to work out ok for me too.
I'm soooo missing my coffee! I haven't had any in 4 weeks now. I'm just hesitant to try it. Guess I'll give it a few months.0 -
Your gall bladder doesn't actually make anything- it acts as a storage resevoir for bile salts (produced by your liver) which are needed to help digest and absorb fats. Fats stimulate the gallbladder (if you have one) to contract, which is painful if there are stones in it, or if it is inflamed. Without the gallbladder your body will be less able to respond to a fat loaded meal. If you don't digest fats well you get horrible oily smelly diarrhoea and bloating. There are no absolute do's and don'ts after a cholecystectomy- just follow the usual healthy eating advice and avoid massively fatty foods.
Thanks!!!!0 -
I'm about to get the ultra sound to diagnose gallstones. I've been getting a sharp pain in my upper right side after I eat a fatty meal. Yesterday the pain was so bad, I broke out into a cold sweat. I can't do anything about it until I'm done with traveling for work in the next month, so I'm going to have to be very, very careful about the amount of fat I eat.
My hope is that it's not bad enough to take the durn thing out and that they just tell me to keep the fat content lower in my meals. Frankly, that kind of a pain is an incentive for *me* to eat healthier. Ugggh.0 -
Oh and I drink coffee daily, so that seemed to work out ok for me too.
I'm soooo missing my coffee! I haven't had any in 4 weeks now. I'm just hesitant to try it. Guess I'll give it a few months.
Won't know until you try! :drinker: After I had mine out in 96 I went right back to my regular diet with no issues at all. I have never been big on greasy stuff (even fatty meats), but I have always had my coffee. Some people have issues after surgery, some don't. Maybe you will be lucky like me??
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I'm about to get the ultra sound to diagnose gallstones. I've been getting a sharp pain in my upper right side after I eat a fatty meal. Yesterday the pain was so bad, I broke out into a cold sweat. I can't do anything about it until I'm done with traveling for work in the next month, so I'm going to have to be very, very careful about the amount of fat I eat.
My hope is that it's not bad enough to take the durn thing out and that they just tell me to keep the fat content lower in my meals. Frankly, that kind of a pain is an incentive for *me* to eat healthier. Ugggh.
Just make sure you don't put off getting it checked out for too long - I kept postponing the follow-up with my doctor and ended up with a stone lodged in the common bile duct. It was not fun.0 -
I had my gall bladder out about 8 years ago and eat whatever I want. I tend to do a low carb/higher protein & fat diet and have no problems whatsoever. I only eat coconut oil, olive oil, butter or fats found in foods (avocado, meat, etc.) Even before I cut out the vegetable oils though I didn't have issues.
ETA: I drink strong coffee with half and half everyday with no issues. I also have no trouble with alcohol. When I got mine out I just ate like normal and haven't ever had any issues.0 -
I had mine out in December of 2010 after living for a few years with a stone about an inch in diameter. No pain, but that stone wasn't going anywhere on its own.
Since then, it doesn't matter what I eat, my bathroom habits are the same. I've tried low fat, low carb, balanced, it's always the same.0 -
I had my gall bladder out when I was 11 or 12 (i'm 31 now), i've always just eaten whatever I wanted. Every now and then i'll eat something that doesn't agree with me, but I think that happens to most people from time to time. I guess take it easy as you heal, but don't feel like you're stuck eating that way forever.0
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I had my gallbladder removed March of last year. In order to talk about the diet I was on post-surgery, I feel the need to explain a little bit about what happened pre-surgery.
About a year before I had my surgery, I had my first "attack." I was still living with my mom (20 years old at the time, if that makes any kind of difference), and we had absolutely no idea what was going on. I can't remember what I ate, but it was the thing to set it off (as is the case most of the time). My ribs were hurting and after I calmed down a bit, it went away. Then the attacks started happening more frequently and we found out that it was because of the food I was eating and my gallbladder needed to be removed. Unfortunately for me, I didn't have insurance at the time.
So a year passed and things got worse. It started out with me cutting out dairy products (cheese was my worst nightmare), fatty junk foods such as pudding or greasy chips, fried foods, etc. As that year progressed, things got worse and worse. It got to the point I couldn't even eat lean meats or believe it or not, unseasoned/buttered vegetables. Drinking a glass of water would set me off. The hospital didn't want to take it out unless I had insurance, paid upfront, or set up a pre-paid payment plan (which would've taken longer). Finally, the very last attack I had I could not tolerate it anymore. Pain killers were not helping me and I was at the end of dealing with it. So my mom drove me out of town to a hospital known for it's donating services and I ended up getting the surgery needed. Ironically enough, the doctors were amazed it wasn't taken out sooner as I was at a very high risk of developing more serious health problems.
So having this done and going months being afraid to eat anything at all, my diet still remained to be things like grains (rice, whole wheat bread), crackers.. I was still afraid of dairy products but from my understanding, you can actually start eating like normal once it's out. I was never informed of a specific diet.
Although fair warning (and I doubt since you're on this site, you'd do it anyway but thought I'd throw this in): Eating a high amount of greasy/fried food in one sitting is still painful to this day (and from what I've read, it's like that for many people). You don't have that extra organ to process that type of food so keep it very minimal.0 -
I have my gall bladder out in '08. Eating more often keeps me 'regular' so to speak, even with fat, though obvious severely high fat is a no-go.
Tums helps when I have issues, but only sometimes. In general, it's a non-issue for me.0 -
I had my gallbladder removed March of last year. In order to talk about the diet I was on post-surgery, I feel the need to explain a little bit about what happened pre-surgery.
About a year before I had my surgery, I had my first "attack." I was still living with my mom (20 years old at the time, if that makes any kind of difference), and we had absolutely no idea what was going on. I can't remember what I ate, but it was the thing to set it off (as is the case most of the time). My ribs were hurting and after I calmed down a bit, it went away. Then the attacks started happening more frequently and we found out that it was because of the food I was eating and my gallbladder needed to be removed. Unfortunately for me, I didn't have insurance at the time.
So a year passed and things got worse. It started out with me cutting out dairy products (cheese was my worst nightmare), fatty junk foods such as pudding or greasy chips, fried foods, etc. As that year progressed, things got worse and worse. It got to the point I couldn't even eat lean meats or believe it or not, unseasoned/buttered vegetables. Drinking a glass of water would set me off. The hospital didn't want to take it out unless I had insurance, paid upfront, or set up a pre-paid payment plan (which would've taken longer). Finally, the very last attack I had I could not tolerate it anymore. Pain killers were not helping me and I was at the end of dealing with it. So my mom drove me out of town to a hospital known for it's donating services and I ended up getting the surgery needed. Ironically enough, the doctors were amazed it wasn't taken out sooner as I was at a very high risk of developing more serious health problems.
So having this done and going months being afraid to eat anything at all, my diet still remained to be things like grains (rice, whole wheat bread), crackers.. I was still afraid of dairy products but from my understanding, you can actually start eating like normal once it's out. I was never informed of a specific diet.
Although fair warning (and I doubt since you're on this site, you'd do it anyway but thought I'd throw this in): Eating a high amount of greasy/fried food in one sitting is still painful to this day (and from what I've read, it's like that for many people). You don't have that extra organ to process that type of food so keep it very minimal.
Thank you for sharing your story. I hope you're continuing to improve your health.0 -
I had this surgery in january .
I drink coffee every morning (but only 1 small cup)
Food high in fat it will go right thru you so fast food is a big no no unless you have a bathroom close. and dont even try to eat chinese take-out0 -
I had this surgery in january .
I drink coffee every morning (but only 1 small cup)
Food high in fat it will go right thru you so fast food is a big no no unless you have a bathroom close. and dont even try to eat chinese take-out
Ha! Thanks for the tip on Chinese take-out! I guess I'll have to give up my egg rolls that I love so much. Maybe mu-shu will still be okay?0 -
*sigh* I went to a GI Dr yesterday because on the 12th, I had my 4th gall bladder attack (self diagnosed). The first one was Xmas eve 2010 after eating a couple of chicken wings that were fried, that I have eaten for over 10 yrs. It was a mild attack (which at the time I wouldnt have called it that). I just figured I would avoid those chicken wings. Well I forgot about those wings in late Feb 2011 and had 1 and that evening had a worse attack than the first one. Thats when reading online led me to the gall bladder attack. So I just knew to avoid those chicken wings and life would be fine. And it was. Eating fast food or fried things - really anything other than those particular chicken wings was not a problem at all. Well then my husband decides to make homemade hamburger and didnt tell me he used the 27% fat meat. That attack woke me up at 3am in SEVERE pain, I was crying and contorting into whatever position I could to try to get relief. That attack lasted over a couple of hours. I had a percocet left over that I took but it took almost an hour to work. Again, all was well after that until I was vacationing in San Antonio and had a hamburger from a place on the riverwalk and that evening, same thing. I swore that I was going to the ER the next time I even thought it was going to flare up. Thank God I did. It was even worse than the time before. The ER did a ct scan which the Dr said everything looked fine (which I knew it would and much less, they cant see gall stones and what not via ct scan, he should have done an ultrasound but anyways). So he told me I had a spasming gall bladdre and to follow up with a GI Dr at home. Whcih I did yesterday. So they confirmed that yes, it sounds like my gall bladder and ordered an ultrasound and that hyda scan (sp). Now, prior to my first attack, I had lost like 25-30lbs in 5 months (currently I am down 44lbs in 1 yr). I was not dieting or exercising or anything. I had started 24/7 BCP to control my endometriosis in July 2010 and had surgery for the endo. Sept 1. After starting the BCP and getting my hormones in check, the weight just started coming off. My GI Dr said that the rapid weight loss (which again, I didnt change ANYTHING about my habits) is what set off my gall bladder. So if it is the gall bladder and it isnt functioning, she is saying it will likely need to be removed.
Hence my sigh at the top of the post. I *know* I have a horrible diet. I am like an adult version of the pickiest kid you know. No seafood, no veggies, no fruits, etc. Ive been like this since I can remember. I have tried countless ways to open myself up to eating better but physically I will gag and throw up even just trying to eat beans or lettuce. Ive spent over $3500 in hypnotherapy to try to fix the mental aspect of it. While I am more open to trying things, I still have the same reactions to foods I dont like. So when I read what life is like without a gall bladder, I get concerned. I hate to say I cant, but 27 years of trying, and I just cant eat seafood and veggies, etc. Even the extreme pain from the gall bladder is not effective in changing the habits. I would rather just not eat which is obviously stupid and a bad idea. I am fine with no eating fast food (really dont eat that much anyways) or sadly, even cutting out hamburgers, but meat is my staple. Beef, pork, chicken, etc. But again, all the life style changes that I am reading about online basically list everything that I *dont* eat. Its honestly scary as I know I would just deal with the strong BMs but when I start reading about having low EFAs and all, I wonder if supplementing with pills would be enough. I wish I wasnt like this and I wish it was as easy as a lot of people say and just to make myself eat x y or z. But its not. Ugh. Way too much to get really into but anyways, I am reading on this thread where others are saying they still eat things you shouldnt and basically are ok. What about someone like me who doesnt eat veggies and all... am I going to be "ok" as long as I dont down fast food and super fatty things? :-/0 -
*sigh* I went to a GI Dr yesterday because on the 12th, I had my 4th gall bladder attack (self diagnosed). The first one was Xmas eve 2010 after eating a couple of chicken wings that were fried, that I have eaten for over 10 yrs. It was a mild attack (which at the time I wouldnt have called it that). I just figured I would avoid those chicken wings. Well I forgot about those wings in late Feb 2011 and had 1 and that evening had a worse attack than the first one. Thats when reading online led me to the gall bladder attack. So I just knew to avoid those chicken wings and life would be fine. And it was. Eating fast food or fried things - really anything other than those particular chicken wings was not a problem at all. Well then my husband decides to make homemade hamburger and didnt tell me he used the 27% fat meat. That attack woke me up at 3am in SEVERE pain, I was crying and contorting into whatever position I could to try to get relief. That attack lasted over a couple of hours. I had a percocet left over that I took but it took almost an hour to work. Again, all was well after that until I was vacationing in San Antonio and had a hamburger from a place on the riverwalk and that evening, same thing. I swore that I was going to the ER the next time I even thought it was going to flare up. Thank God I did. It was even worse than the time before. The ER did a ct scan which the Dr said everything looked fine (which I knew it would and much less, they cant see gall stones and what not via ct scan, he should have done an ultrasound but anyways). So he told me I had a spasming gall bladdre and to follow up with a GI Dr at home. Whcih I did yesterday. So they confirmed that yes, it sounds like my gall bladder and ordered an ultrasound and that hyda scan (sp). Now, prior to my first attack, I had lost like 25-30lbs in 5 months (currently I am down 44lbs in 1 yr). I was not dieting or exercising or anything. I had started 24/7 BCP to control my endometriosis in July 2010 and had surgery for the endo. Sept 1. After starting the BCP and getting my hormones in check, the weight just started coming off. My GI Dr said that the rapid weight loss (which again, I didnt change ANYTHING about my habits) is what set off my gall bladder. So if it is the gall bladder and it isnt functioning, she is saying it will likely need to be removed.
Hence my sigh at the top of the post. I *know* I have a horrible diet. I am like an adult version of the pickiest kid you know. No seafood, no veggies, no fruits, etc. Ive been like this since I can remember. I have tried countless ways to open myself up to eating better but physically I will gag and throw up even just trying to eat beans or lettuce. Ive spent over $3500 in hypnotherapy to try to fix the mental aspect of it. While I am more open to trying things, I still have the same reactions to foods I dont like. So when I read what life is like without a gall bladder, I get concerned. I hate to say I cant, but 27 years of trying, and I just cant eat seafood and veggies, etc. Even the extreme pain from the gall bladder is not effective in changing the habits. I would rather just not eat which is obviously stupid and a bad idea. I am fine with no eating fast food (really dont eat that much anyways) or sadly, even cutting out hamburgers, but meat is my staple. Beef, pork, chicken, etc. But again, all the life style changes that I am reading about online basically list everything that I *dont* eat. Its honestly scary as I know I would just deal with the strong BMs but when I start reading about having low EFAs and all, I wonder if supplementing with pills would be enough. I wish I wasnt like this and I wish it was as easy as a lot of people say and just to make myself eat x y or z. But its not. Ugh. Way too much to get really into but anyways, I am reading on this thread where others are saying they still eat things you shouldnt and basically are ok. What about someone like me who doesnt eat veggies and all... am I going to be "ok" as long as I dont down fast food and super fatty things? :-/
Sorry to hear about all your galbladder problems! I think there is still plenty you can eat, even if you don't eat fish or veggies. I'm allergic to iodine, so I haven't had seafood or fish in over 25 years (after I found out I was allergic). Can you eat chicken, turkey, lean pork? Do you like pasta? My surgery was 2 weeks ago and I've been mostly eating fiber cereal, whole grain bread, avocados, fruit and smoothies. I've only had one problem since the surgery when I ate a little pork. I'm going to start eating chicken again this weekend. I've spoken to so many people who say they haven't changed their diets at all after the surgery. I wouldn't keep suffering through attacks if the doctor recommends you have it removed. Have the surgery and go from there.0 -
Its different for everyone after surgery. Some people have no problems, some people have lots. I had my gallbladder out 2.5 years ago I have lots. i can't eat anything with any grease in it. if I eat McDonads fries (even a few) i am running for the bathroom within an hour and have a sore tummy and diarrhea for days afterwards. I can't eat chips, fast food, pizza, etc. If I have been really really good for awhile I can sometimes stomach something like a grilled chicken burger and fries from Wendys, or a small snack size bag of chips, but its a 50/50 chance that I won't react to it.
I dont' drink alcohol or coffee, so I don't know about those, but Coke and Pepsi make it worse for me.0 -
Its different for everyone after surgery. Some people have no problems, some people have lots. I had my gallbladder out 2.5 years ago I have lots. i can't eat anything with any grease in it. if I eat McDonads fries (even a few) i am running for the bathroom within an hour and have a sore tummy and diarrhea for days afterwards. I can't eat chips, fast food, pizza, etc. If I have been really really good for awhile I can sometimes stomach something like a grilled chicken burger and fries from Wendys, or a small snack size bag of chips, but its a 50/50 chance that I won't react to it.
I dont' drink alcohol or coffee, so I don't know about those, but Coke and Pepsi make it worse for me.
^^^ she's right. You can read this thread and see how many people have varying degrees of difficulty after surgery. I've heard caffeine can be really tough for some people, so I have up my coffee (which I loved). But, since the surgery I've had a margarita and even a beer with no problems. I think it's just going to take trying things to figure out what will work and what won't. I'm not willing to try fast food, super greasy, fatty or fried foods though. Don't need those anyway! Best of luck you you. Please let me know what you end up doing.0 -
Thanks. I spoke to my friend last night who doesnt have her gall bladder (was removed during gastric bypass) and she said if she eats something really greasey, like Mc D or chinese that she has to be heading home soon after but has coffee in the AM, cokes if she wants, can eat pizza, pasta, etc. So that is encouraging. Not that I want to only eat bad things but again I know I do not have the best diet. I do love pasta - havent tried any of the whole grains. My hubby loves that stuff but usually makes it when he is gone at work (gone a week, home a week). I just need to tell him to make it and dont tell me. The more I know about what he is cooking, the less likely I am to try it. I just scheduled my tests - going in on the 8th for the Ultrasound and the hyda scan or whatever it is called. I also ended up having to call and make an appt with my reproductive endocrinologist as the left side pain and periods are starting again 1 yr post surgery for my endometriosis.
The pain is no where near the level it was last year but I am not supposed to ovulate or have periods, etc which I havent for 11 months. This is the 3rd month that I have though. I figure if I have to get the gall bladder taken out, if the endo is back and they need to go in to remove it, they can schedule the surgeries on the same day so Im only under once. Will update when I hear the results though. Thanks again guys! 0
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