Gallbladder removal

Dollypollylolly · August 2020

I was rushed in on the 21st August with back pain thinking it was a kidney infection again as I get them occasionally.

I’m now due for a MRI on my stomach and maybe a camera down the throat eeekkkk!!!
I’m just hoping they just take it out altogether. It’s all a waiting game being UK and our good old NHS.

So question to folks that have had it removed how was it and what was recovery like.

I do have support here and I have went back on my lowish carb diet but don’t have a lot of cream. I’ve subbed it for coconut cream instead and it’s helped a lot bar me not being able to have coffee As that’s just revolting in it. Most substitutes are rank to be honest so I stopped drinking it altogether.

I’d rather be slimmer for my op too less anaesthetic always better

AnnPT77 · September 2020

For me, laparoscopic gallbladder removal was no big deal at all.

The biggest deal for me was an exercise prohibition of anything but walking (a thing I don't much do, usually, because I have iffy knees). But, I couldn't row, spin, bike, lift - the stuff I was doing at the time - so I walked. Late on when the surgeon told me it was OK to lift 5 pounds in daily life, I asked if I could lift 5 pounds repeatedly. She said to wait a week. After that, for the first time in my life, I was "lifting to boredom" instead of a rep count or an RPE goal. 😆

The one thing I'd suggest, is something I didn't do. If you're working on weight loss now, I'd strongly suggest going to maintenance calories, or at least nearby, for a minimum of 2 weeks up to a month after surgery. I was lucky, I healed OK while continuing the deficit, but it led to some unnecessary and annoying fatigue/weakness that took a surprising amount of time to fully recover from. Taking a weight loss break would've been smarter, for me.

Your low carb diet might be an issue, if it's high fat. I was told to eat lower fat after surgery for at least a period of time, and gradually and cautiously reintroduce it later. Your gallbladder's job is to help with fat breakdown, y'know? Since I was already eating in a way that met their guidelines (I don't remember specifics - sorry!), I didn't have to make a change, but I wasn't low-carbing. I'm a balanced-macros eater, mostly.

I'm told that eating higher fat too soon after surgery can cause really regrettable digestive problems, like diarrhea and urgency. Some people have told me that they permanently have problems with a high fat intake, and need to be cautious. (I've since eaten whole baskets of things like deep-fried beer-battered onion rings, so I think the problem isn't universal!)

Good luck with the tests and surgery!

NurseTaco_RN · September 2020

I think you're going to have to rethink your low carb diet. Fat is a trigger for gallbladder attacks and is hard to digest after surgery. I haven't had a gallbladder for 10 years and high fat meals trigger diarrhea and multiple urgent bathroom trips. While you are waiting for your surgery, eating high fat can cause your gallbladder to contract and squeeze gallstones into the much smaller ducts and cause pain. If one lodges in your common bile duct and cause liver and pancreas problems (hepatitis and pancreatitis).

The surgery itself is easy and easy to recover from. Most people do it outpatient. You're just going to need to adjust your diet now to prevent more attacks while you wait. I would echo the previous poster in saying that after surgery, you will need to eat maintenance calories for a bit. Your body doesn't heal well in a deficit.

Dollypollylolly · September 2020

Thank you for your comments

I’m not to low carb to be honest. A few niggles but toilet habits have been normal so far

I get the maintenance too after surgery my problem is my husband will be cooking and god knows what I’ll get so I might have to do some meals for the freezer before hand. I’ve my MRI Monday and we’ll be taking it from there.

Gallbladder removal

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