To ask you : How is life without gallbladder ?

No problems, no watching what I eat, no indigestion since the op.

You will still produce bile (which helps to digest fat) but instead of storing it in the gallbladder, so you have plenty when needed, you will have a trickle all day. Probably better to have your fatty foods little and often rather than all in one go. Don’t follow up your all-day breakfast with-a cream cake, save the cream cake for tea.

My mum had no choice to have it out so the attacks disappeared but she can't eat anything too fatty now or she has to rush to the toilet.
I had a spate of attacks and her story put me off so I didn't have the op, but luckily I was able to reverse it with healthy diet. I've eaten plenty of crap in the last decade since and they've not come back weirdly. But some gallbladders just have to come out, just avoid really fatty or oily foods if they stop agreeing with you.

Its brilliant. Had mine out end of autumn last year and had the best Christmas for years. No random pain, no reacting to things that I have eaten fine before. Still learning what triggers me - but it is not much so far. Some meal replacement bars made me do an emergency poop a few weeks ago, and I cant eat a lot of butter. But could not tolerate any before, so that is better.

Just be warned - some people seem to sail through the op and recovery quickly. I had a lot of bruising, the intense shoulder pain and then for about 2 weeks I had sharp pain where the gallbladder would have been. Fortunately I have friends who had done it, and they warned me, so I knew this was not unusual. And it did not take long to feel better. Take plenty of time to recover and you will be fine.

Had mine removed a few years ago. Recovery was quick and I can eat most things. Occasionally I have to watch fat content

I had mine out in 1993 (I was 20, yes, I'm old) and no issues since. Had a few "ghost pains" for a few years after but resolved. My daughter was about 12 when she started having similar pains and took me a long time to work out what was going on but she had her gallbladder out at 14 and everything immediately was better and she's now 16 and has had no pain or problems. It's a pretty straightforward operation nowadays. Very best of luck to you! x

Had mine out 12 years ago. Recovery was quick, and have had minimal side effects. If I eat a particularly heavy/fatty meal I'm more likely to get indigestion type symptoms, and occasional diahhrea but nothing that really interferes with ny life

In terms of recovery, get one of those microwaveable heat bags as the worst pain by a long way is the gas pains you’ll get in your shoulders etc when you move. Heat was the only thing that helped, the morphine didn’t even touch it!

I ate an entire cheeseboard, a kebab, the chocolate contents of about four selection boxes and generally complete rubbish for a week straight over Christmas and was a bit gassy (probably would have been with gallbladder too) and no other problems. Had mine out in the summer and after two weeks of healing I’ve had absolutely no issues and don’t consider it at all when I pick what to eat. I’ve heard it can be an issue when you don’t eat any fat as you are constantly dripping bile without the bladder to control it but I don’t think that’s something I will ever have to worry about 😂

I had mine removed 12 years ago and live completely normally.

I had mine out 15 years ago, and I can eat everything with no ill effect.

Relief to be out of that awful pain, most foods I can tolerate well, the only food I avoid is pate. Hope you are better soon OP.

I had mine removed about a month ago, so far it's fine, felt rough for a few days recovering but no gallbladder pain and experienced no issues eating anything I want.

Had mine out about 10 years ago and there was an adjustment phase where rich or fatty foods had me running for the loo!
But I pretty much eat what I want now and occasionally still have that maybe twice a year, but so much better than the regular pain and nausea beforehand.
Never felt pain like gall bladder pain before or since. Definitely worth it!

The first meal after it was removed was...interesting. But within a couple of days, it was totally fine. We went for a 12 course tasting menu at a Michelin starred restaurant about 2 weeks after it was taken out and it was delightful!

Like others I can eat anything and the only thing missing is the agony

I had mine out about 7 years ago and I have dodged all the warning side effects of the operation. It was such a relief to take the fear out of eating again, I don't miss that pain. Best of luck, op.

I had my gallbladder out over 25 years ago (I was unusually young and it took ages to diagnose what it was) I have no issues at all apart from not eating too much fat which (TMI) goes right through me. A keto diet would not be my friend!

I haven't regretted it for a minute. Gallbladder pain is excruciating - much worse than childbirth

I had mine out in 2020, I had developed pancreatitis too so had a week in hospital. Having it removed was the best thing ever, after months of dealing with increasingly frequent attacks.

If I eat high fat processed foods like pizza or chips I feel uncomfortable for a few hours, but otherwise eat exactly what I want with no issues.

Well, the first pub meal I had a couple of months after surgery had unfortunate consequences... but after that things were all fine.

Had mine taken out 2016 and life is glorious is comparison to having one.

I couldn't eat without taking anti sickness. I had to religiously take opiates or end up in hospital (happened multiple times - one time was obstructive jaundice). I still get some acid reflux and heartburn but I'd rather cope with that than gallstone pain.

I am piggy backing too while I sit waiting for a scan. I’ve only had issues for a week and I am so fed up. I don’t know for sure if this is what it is but hoping the scan will confirm.

Hope you feel better soon @Soloflight1

For the veterans, how did you manage the pain while you were waiting to have it removed?

TMI TOILET

Took mine out 18 years ago, initially i had diarrhea and poo that wouldnt flush just float from oil malabsorption if i eat a take away and gas and., bloating but then it settled and my poo is normal by 7 or 10 years postop. I can and do eat greasy food no issues but that took years.