Post Gallbladder Surgery Diet

Hello. I had my gallbladder out 16 years ago when I was just 18 years old. After the surgery, I was told to avoid fatty foods for a while and then everything would return to normal. Not so true. The belching was significant, but more annoying (and longer lasting) was the diarrhea. I struggled with it for about two years before asking a gi doctor what he suggested. His suggestion has worked for 16 years and I need to pass it along to whoever cares to hear. :)

metamucil once a day. Just one tablespoon of smooth texture metamucil, one time a day (in a large glass of water or orange juice) took care of the diarrhea almost immediately and i've not had issues since (unless I stop the metamucil). I have told others who have found it works wonders as well.

I can't figure out why doctors don't tell their patients about this...It really does work. It seems to bind up the excess bile from the liver that used to be stored in the gallbladder, but now just dumps directly into the intestines. Some people don't have an irritable gut, but others, like myself, do and that excess bile (especially after meals) just needs someplace to go other than directly to the gut. The metamucil binds it up and carries it away. A high figer diet may do the same, but I got tired of eating raisin bran and bran muffins everyday. :)

a side note from taking metamucil - it helps keep cholesterol under control by binding up cholesterol in the gut and carrying that away too. Not a bad side effect for sure!

When first taking the metamucil, just know for about 3-5 days you'll feel a bit bloated and gassy - that is normal. Metamucil is a natural fiber and that causes the gas and bloated feeling until you adjust to it and your body gets used to that extra fiber. I did try citracil (sp?) for a while, but because it's not a nature fiber and didn't work quite as well as metamucil, I switched. I've tried to pills too, but they just didn't cut it for me...Not enough fiber or something??

Anyway, I hope that helps. Pass it on to others...It really changed my life!

Hi there
may I ask what foods you eat? I had gallbladder removed 12 years ago and have suffered with ibs and other probs ever since/ very interested in the metamucil idea - will try it out.
Just wondered how much fat is in your diet?

Thanks
linda

I had my gb out about 10 days now. I feel so much better and I have no bowel problems . Let me tell you what the 3 surgerns told me they said no one ever has bowel problems after gb removal. They said the gb is a organ that is not used anymore. They said well over 95% of the bile that is made from the liver just passes right pass the gb and into your stomach helps digest food and then left over bile goes back up into the liver and then comes down again passes the gb back into the stomach.

I had my gallbladder removed about two weeks ago and have had no problems. Rushing to the bathroom occasionally after a large or fatty meal is normal but pain is not. After about a week to ten days you should be all right. Anything more than a little soreness should be reported to your doctor (unless you had open surgery, then you'll probably be in pain quite a while longer). Sometimes things get cut that shouldn't or a gallstone gets left behind and they may need to do more surgery to correct this. Please see your doctor! Hope everyone feels better soon!

I had my gall bladder out just 2 days ago. I have pain around my belly button. I can't even get to a sitting position from a laying position without someone helping me by pushing on my shoulders from behind. I have had no diarreha but am severly constipated. I drank a whole bottle of laxative per my doctors instructions but very little has passed and what did pass was hard and pellet like. My abdomen is swollen and painful. I take pain meds to sleep. Is this all normal? The posts on this site seem to be the opposite of what i'm experiencing. Is something wrong with me? Any input would be helpful. Thanks

Whats the youngest age you could have gallstons?.. Im only 16 and in about 4-5 months im haveing my whole gallblader tooken out?,.. Anyone have any advise as to how you were after it all?.. Thanks!

-amanda :?

Amanda,

good luck on your surgery. You will be fine. Just remember to relax and take it easy after surgery!

Donna

Thanks donna! If you or anyone has any tips on anything let me know!! Thank you!

I had surgery 2 days ago. The belching & excess wind is due to the gas they pump into you at the time of surgery. I have had alot of discomfort under my ribs due to the surgery itself & am not eating properly yet, but I havent experienced any ill effects yet. (fingers crossed)

I had my gallbladder remmoved about 3 weeks ago, and 1 week after I had my gallbladder removed I ended up having to have my appendix removed. As if all of that wasn't enough, I now have a orangish fluid leaking from my wound from the appendectomy site, the doctors had to re-open the wound and put gauze in it, and I have to have it changed everyday...Has anyone else ever heard of this? One doctor said sometimes the fat in your body liquifies and drains from the wound site, and another doctor said I have a seroma?? I have had trouble finding info on a seroma, I was wondering what the healing time is for this, and if it is a type of infection or what?? And in regards to my diet since the gallbladder surgery, I have pretty much been able to handle most foods, crackers, cookies, low-fat dairy, veggies, sandwiches, but I did get really sick when my hubby brought home take-out chicken and I ate it...Bad idea I got sooo sick and vomited everything I ate back up. We ordered pizza the other day...I was not brave enough to try it!! I'd rather sacrifice the pizza then vomit it up later!! I will appreciate any responses to my symptoms thanks!

Yes I can tell you some things about the after effects of gallbladder surgery.First of all I had my gallbladder taken out on october the 9th and I can tell you that I experienced the pain in my shoulder blades and under my right rib after surgery I thought I was having a heartattack or something. I called the doctor and they told me that was normal after surgery sometimes you will still have the pains you had before surgery because your body has to adjust to not having the gallbladder and stones now and sometimes the pain you have is the way you were strapped down during surgery all normal pains.I cant eat right yet.I try to eat the normal foods that I was eating before surgery and I cant. I eat and I feel like I have to go to the bathroom but nothing there so when I think the coast is clear and I get relaxed then I get sick to my stomach and the sickness never goes away and I have the burps like I am going to throw up and I try to but it dont come up. So on october the 25th I got really sick to my stomach and it kept me up half the night I finally got to throw up and still dont feel no better still sick on my stomach I dont understand this.
But the foods that you eat do effect all this.. For instance you dont want to eat foods with a lot of grease in them that can cause the sick stomach and direarrah and you dont want to eat things that are hard to digest they are harder on you when they come up than digested foods.Gallbladders in are no fun with gallstones let alone them to take yours but in the long run you wont have the pain anymore once you are healed. I still have pains around my incissions but thats why they say two weeks no work or hard activity..Lol I cleaned my house after the first week of surgery I still have the pains like I said but I found that cleaning the house that it did help the incissions to not be so painful and they did heal I still have some scabbed up incissions and I think that I am not going to make it at times but I really do feel better without the pains of a heartattack like before I thought I was dying and now I just have nausea. :oops: :( I wished that we could all be healthy and never have to have surgery but that is just something that happens to everyone at some point in life.. I dont know if he took my apendix out when he did the gallbladder surgery or not does anyone know if they take your apendix still when your gallbladder out? My sister had her apendix out on the 11th of october and I just thought that was strange to have surgery in the same week but I think I had her pains and she had mine cause I went to the doctor originally for the pains of apendixitist ..... She went for gallbladder pains lol ...... So all I have to say to those getting ready for surgery of the remaovable of the gallbladder is good luck and god bless each and everyone of you ...........................

Hican anyone tell me why I am staying sick on my stomach after gallbladder surgery? I had it out on october the 9th and I am still staying really sick on my stomach...................




Thanks mlc

I had my gallbladder removed 2 yeras ago as an emergency..And I still belch and have gas really bad...I don't eat much meat, mostly veg.And fruit but I have a spot in my upper chest that feels like it pops . I have gained 30 lbs...I try to watch what I eat but this is awful. I think I could have stood the pain more than whati go through now

I was given written instructions of what I can and can not eat. We all know about fatty and spicey foods, but it seems you people don't know fresh vegetables are strictly forbidden. I was told it is so difficult to digest my body will not handle it now and I will get pain. Also, not all fruits are allowed. For instance, pineapple is forbidden, grape and other fruits that contain lots of sugar. Cherries are also forbidden, plums... Coca cola and similar drinks are forbidden, then very cold drinks, real coffee (not the one americans drink). And also very important, the bread that you eat must be atleast one day old.

If you are in that much discomfort, you need to be taking more pain medication. You can be sore for quite a while following surgery but it does get better. I had my gb removed in october & I am back to normal now. Your body needs time to realise you dont have a gb anymore, so to start with you can feel sick & may have problems eating fatty foods.