Managing gallstones?

[ballsballsballs]

I've been having excruciating pain in my abdomen, which was identified at A&E as gastritis in April. However, I've had 3 since then. I spoke to 111 earlier and the paramedic suggested I go to my GP as I may have gallstones.

I want to avoid another episode, for obvious reasons. Does anyone have any tips for what to eat and what to avoid?

[Twighlightsparkle]

Avoid fat.


I have a similar situation , where I have pain , had an ultrasound, identified a gallstone and they are reluctant to remove it, so I find if I avoid certain fats , butter, cream are my main culprits. Oh and fried food is a no no for me. Worst one experience was after fish and Chios from a chip shop.

It's so annoying.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I have a gallstone (I'm a vegetarian so no animal fat) but I've cut right back on dairy , cheese only once a week and crisps very rarely (I had a crisp filled roll today, first one since March . It was lush)

I don't find any particular food aggrevates mine but it's worse when I'm sitting.
I'm getting heartburn at night when I lie flat.

And I Googled gallstones images bad move,

[shadack]

I had my scan last week and ive got a tone of little gallstones which are causing trouble
before having this if someone said they were in pain from gallstones and acted like me when i have an "attack" i would have thought they were drama queens.
I was very very wrong
Now waiting on an emergency referral to see a surgeon this week as I've had 16 "attacks" in 4 weeks 2 of which were ambulance jobs as i fainted from the pain
Get an appointment Monday morning and don't take no for an answer, my surgery tried to put me off telling me it was a bug . . .
get painkillers and possibly some gaviscon I'm knocking back as much as I'm allowed and it seems to be helping a bit

Things that trigger me
Fats
all cooking oils
most red meat
all dairy


I live off cous cous, fizzy pop, tomatoes and low fat pate at the moment but some people say to avoid tom's as well

[ballsballsballs]

Thanks all. I seem to be okay with tomatoes but eggs and dairy (my favourites :( ) seem to set me off. I'm avoiding red meat.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Mine was (I'm assuming it's a singleton) 21mm in March.
I can feeeeel the bu**er shifting about .
As long as it doesn't block any ducts, I'll survive for now.

[ballsballsballs]

I had another attack on Saturday after eating pizza. I spent the night in hospital and finally had an ultrasound today. The hospital doctor has referred me to a specialist, given me massive antibiotics and some decent painkillers for my next attack.

All they could say was low fat, but that everyone has individual triggers. I got the impression they're expecting me to have another attack. :( I still haven't recovered from Saturday's; I'm not in pain but am exhausted, bloated and nauseous.

[ballsballsballs]

Bumping. I had a small low-fat meal last night and feel (over 12 hours later) like I've spent the night eating pasta.

[LEMmingaround]

Get it out!!!

[Kundry]

The only way to manage gallstones is by having your gallbladder removed. As you have discovered a totally fatfree diet is nearly impossible and very miserable. See your GP andget a scan done.

[PinkSparklyElephant]

Have they said anything about taking your gallbladder out? I didn't have any choice as I had pancreatitis and, although I've still got problems, it's nowhere near as bad as the pain from gallstones.

I didn't have a particular trigger with mine - I didn't even know I had gallstones until I went to A & E (I thought I had indigestion...) and I was eating whatever I liked. Once I was told it was gallstones I switched to a low fat diet and I had my gallbladder out 12 days later.

[SinglePringle]

As above - avoid all fat. I also found tinned tuna to be a trigger for me (even if in spring water).

Removal is necessary... Good luck.

[BunnyBaby]

Had mine taken out last year, in the end couldn't even tolerate breadand everything was making me sick. Feel wonderful know and wonder why I left it so long. Even surgeon said it was do scarred it wouldn't be doing anything and was just a source of inflammation for the rest of my body. Apparently if you suddenly lose a lot of weight at some point in your life it can be a trigger. I.e. You could be on a low fat diet and losing 2lb a week, so even if you're not eating fat, your liver and gallbladder are still processing and expelling. Good luck!

[ballsballsballs]

I've been referred to a specialist who will then decide (or not!) whether I have the damn thing out. No idea when I'll see someone.

I ended up crying over the doctor. I waited for nearly 4 hours after my scan to be told to eat low fat, and wait for a fucking letter. I feel lousy. I'm nauseous, bloated and exhausted.

I've lost nearly 3 stone since last year through being careful with food. The irony is that I can barely eat right now, and if this carries on I'll lose a lot of weight very quickly which will put me at risk of more stones. And so it goes.

[WeeClype]

im waiting on a letter to tell me when I can get my gallbladder sludge removed as the scan showed no stones but a load of sludge, I'm really hoping its soon as I'm basically living off fresh air incase I get another attack

I've lost just over 2 stone now but really can't wait to start enjoying food again as I can't remember the last time I had a actual meal.

[ballsballsballs]

Poor you WeeClype

I've eaten cottage cheese, raspberries and couscous salad today. A tiny bit of pain but no major pain so far...

[ballsballsballs]

I now have anti-nausea meds, and an appointment with a specialist for mid-September.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Hi balls it is a balancing act - I have a hideous flare up if I eat cheese (any type, even low fat) I've had about three occasions in the last 5 months where I;ve eaten cheese and it's caused a reaction.

Yesterday , I had a few spring rolls (mini ones) ouch
Can't have pastry (too fatty)

I'm now on the waiting list (I saw the surgeon in June but had to have further tests ) it's about 12-14 weeks.
I also have ulcerative colitis but no advice from the GP as to what I should/shouldn't eat. Being referred to gastrology dept.

Oh the fun just never stops does it

[ballsballsballs]

:( for your colitis.

The only advice I had was 'low fat'. But it appears chicken triggers me, no matter how sodding low fat. I've felt better omitting dairy from my diet. I'm on the codeine today as my lunch has set me off. Marvellous.

The fun really doesn't stop. :(

On the upside I'm about 4 stone overweight, so the more I lose...

[Victrix]

Seems to be fatty things for me too. Which is irritating, I'm already coeliac and now I need to be fat free too

I've been having gallstone attacks for about two years but only found out what they were two weeks ago after I ended up in hospital for two nights, now waiting on a date for removal.

[ChaosK]

I had gallstones pain for about 3 months - flared up after fatty meals, then chocolate, then wine, then anything and everything. I ended up only eating a small bowl of porridge made with water each day. Lost LOADS of weight!! Final attack ended in pancreatitis so they took gallbladder out.
Everything fine now! I eat a (mainly) low fat diet - feel bloated if I eat too much fat. I have never been so thin or so well.
So, advice is get the gallbladder removed - seems they are putting off the inevitable!
Good Luck.

[ballsballsballs]

I wish they'd sort it Chaos. I can't eat dairy, red meat or eggs and eating other things makes me feel nauseous despite anti-nausea meds.

Victrix good luck x

[ballsballsballs]

Good luck Alpaca.

[PinkSparklyElephant]

Good luck Alpaca. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought I had trapped wind!

A similar thing happened to me - I went to hospital with stomach pains and ended up being admitted to a ward as I had pancreatitis. That was the first bank holiday in May and they wanted to keep me in to do the op, possibly on the Wednesday. After a lot of begging and pleading they let me go home (the pain had gone off by then) and I ended up having my gallbladder out on BUPA 12 days later.