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General health

Gallstones/gallbladder problems

134 replies

babybell89 · 07/07/2017 13:01

Hello so I need to change my diet to reduce my night time attacks! I am seeing the doctor also so no worries on the seek medical help front.

I'm wondering if anyone else has this problem and if Diet has helped. What are you eating? What are your triggers?

OP posts:
BitOutOfPractice · 07/07/2017 23:49

Fat. Fat was the trigger for me. I had to follow a very low fat diet. It helped reduce the attacks but not stop them completely.

Have you been diagnosed with gall stones?

crunched · 07/07/2017 23:57

Same as Bitoutof. I could eat loads of food but even a small addition of fat: butter on bread/potatoes, chocolate, cream etc. got my gallstones grumbling.
I lost over a stone avoiding fats so not all bad news

PenelopeFlintstone · 07/07/2017 23:59

Get buscopan to head off an attack as soon as it starts. Heaven in a tablet.

babybell89 · 08/07/2017 16:59

I have an ultrasound booked to confirm but me and the dr are pretty sure that's what it is. I eat fast food and junk food everyday it's really bad, 4 stone heavier past 3 years too!

1st day without fats and I don't get an attack last night thanks god!

The tablet you mentioned I will look out for it. Is it ok to take whilst pregnant? Is it prescribed or shop bought x

OP posts:
Aquamarine1029 · 08/07/2017 17:23

One thing to be aware of... You can have gallbladder disease and yet have no gallstones. This is what I had. I was absolutely miserable for a year, and it didn't matter what I ate. I also have a very healthy diet. I had an ultrasound for stones and there were none. My doctor then had me do a test for functionality, and my gallbladder was basically completely non-functioning. It was at 8% functionality. I had it removed and was INSTANTLY better. I feel like a new person. So just make sure your doctor checks everything, not just for stones.

babybell89 · 09/07/2017 10:45

My diet is really bad, so fingers crossed I can control it until they have done all their tests etc!
So far so good two days with only short minute long attacks rather than the hour long one I was getting!
I'm interested to see if it's stones or not, I hope they let me watch the scan! X

OP posts:
notanurse2017 · 09/07/2017 10:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

babybell89 · 09/07/2017 11:24

Have you suffered for long? Have you always had a healthy diet?
Is it worse during menstruation or periods?
I ask because I have had shot infrequent episodes for years and as soon as I have came off implant it was like BOOM! Haha I have read somewhere Estrogen can make it worse etc! Xx

OP posts:
AHobbyaweek · 09/07/2017 11:29

I have confirmed gallstones but been suffering for the last year. Low fat/not fat really helps but it is very hard to avoid my other trigger, dairy. I suppose it is because of the fat in the diary.
I am waiting on my GP appointment to discuss next steps but any ideas to help are gratefully received. Will try buscopan.

babybell89 · 09/07/2017 15:17

The only diary I am eating is cottage cheese and it seems ok so far (not fat) I need it to mix with my foods as all the ok foods are dry!?
I'm only on day3 today with an altered diet so I'm no expert. I'm just using my fitness pal to document food and using the notes to document when I get a pain and how bad.
Also I think I get pains when I am due a bowel movement so I'm documenting those too!

Xx

OP posts:
milkjetmum · 09/07/2017 15:24

Tinned soups are great, though not really the weather for it now. Lentil and bacon and potato and leek both feel 'creamy' to me but ate just a few % fat. Other than that, white bread and jam, skimmed milk porridge , skimmed milk hot chocolate (Cadbury hot choc mix is low fat), gummy bears and marshmallows are all safe foods from me. Buy the pan spray stuff then you can do stir-fry (prawns v low fat). Veg and lentil curry is good.

I buy lots of 'posh' fruit now as treats eg kiwi, pineapple. Have been on a fat free diet since November... Hardest thing is not to have a 90% sugar diet! At least alcohol is ok, pimms time?

milkjetmum · 09/07/2017 15:26

But as others have said I've never been slimmer and everyone keeps saying I look great! (20lb down so far) would rather not have the pain though... But have at last made it to a surgical referral, no stones here so they are reluctant

babybell89 · 09/07/2017 17:23

I wouldn't dare try alcohol plus I know pissed I'll order a takeaway like ahh sod it! Haha x

OP posts:
notanurse2017 · 09/07/2017 19:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

chaplin1409 · 09/07/2017 19:54

I was diagnosed in February with gallstones still waiting for my appointment with the consultant. I am finding it does not seem to matter what I eat if an attack is going to happen it seems to happen. I can eat something one day and be fine then eat it the next and be in terrible pain.

chaplin1409 · 09/07/2017 19:58

Does anybody actually have a diet plan that they are following?

babybell89 · 09/07/2017 20:39

@chaplin1409 how many attacks do you have in say 2 weeks?
See my diet seems to be helping but it's been three days!
There are suggestions on google but all dry foods which are hard to stomach.

Tap water can set it off which I don't think most people know x

OP posts:
moosemama · 10/07/2017 12:30

I had my gallbladder removed a week ago today after a horrible few months, involving multiple hospitalisations and being rushed in by ambulance twice for both gallstone issues and pancreatitis caused by an ERCP.

I did have stones. Had my first attack postnatally 15 years ago with dc1, second attack 2 years later, postnatally again, with dc2 and an attack postnatally with dc3, then nothing for 8 years, which is when it became really bad. I had lots of tiny stone chips and my gallbladder wasn't working properly. The suspicion is that the first three were pregnancy/hormone induced, while the recent issues with the gallbladder not working were most likely connected to another problem I have with my autonomic nervous system.

Prior to the op I was on an extremely low fat diet from March and lost just shy of four stone. (That includes almost a week of nil by mouth due to pancreatitis.)

I basically made sure there was no more than 0.5g of fat, total, per meal. I ate weightwatchers yoghurts as snacks (they are recommended by my hopsital for the pre-laparoscopy diet to shrink the liver) a small baked potato with half a small tin of heinz baked beans, toast with honey and no spread or butter (danish white bread is the lowest in fat) porridge made with water and a drop of honey, bananas, dry roasted cherry tomatoes, peppers and mushrooms with fat free balsamic dressing. Basic salad with a small spoon of fat-free cottage cheese (check labels, even so-called fat-free often isn't. I also made my own dry roasted oven chips and sweet potato chips by coating chipped potato in rice flour, pink salt, black pepper and mild paprika and or garlic salt and baking for 20 minutes.

It was very boring and repetitive. Oh and I bought Jelly Belly jelly beans as a fat free treat.

Sorbet is good, but watch the labels, as they're not all as low-fat/fat-free as you'd expect. Also Tesco finest valencia orange juice ice lollies.

I only had two attacks in the four months I was on the diet, the last being a week before my op.

I was given cocodamol, diclofenac, buscopan for attacks plus omeprazole to protect the stomach from the diclofenac.

moosemama · 10/07/2017 12:31

Water is definitely not a trigger for me. I have POTs and have to drink 4l of water a day.

snoopyokay · 10/07/2017 12:36

I too have gallstones but nothing in particular brings on an attack. I've got co-codamol with me at all times in-case I get an attack then I'll take one and the pain will subside!

Having mine out eventually on the waiting list now!

Dailystuck71 · 10/07/2017 13:04

I have gallstones but bladder is fine. I've had two attacks since last Wednesday with the one on Saturday landing me in hospital. I am seeing my gp this week to ask for a emergency referral for the OP. I can't see the surgeon until end of August so god knows how long the op will be after that.

chaplin1409 · 10/07/2017 17:01

My attacks varie the last 2 weeks it's actually been really good with mild attacks happen 3 times but the week before I had 4 attacks quite painful last a few hours a time and even after take Co codamol I still had pain, felt sick and dizzy and just unwell.

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notanurse2017 · 10/07/2017 18:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

C4ro · 10/07/2017 19:04

I had my gallbladder out 11 days ago. Things that used to set off attacks on me included all the fatty things already mentioned, also wine/ anything more alcoholic than light beers and fizzy drinks were a bad idea in any form. No big meals and don't eat late, not past about 6 pm. So far it's been OK, still healing up but I did have a big greasy lasagne yesterday they didn't leave me awake and clutching a hot-as-possible hot water bottle in the early hours!

babybell89 · 10/07/2017 19:33

Wow so many people have the same issue it's quite reassuring. I'm currently getting the short twinges right now as I type! Not good but if they last a few seconds I can deal with it.
I have swapped to bottled water just to be sure!

Has anyone has this problem in pregnancy? X

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