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Original poster

gallstone diet

164 replies

Babyramone · 06/05/2007 22:55

Hi have already posted re my gallstones. I have been trying to follow a low fat diet but not sure how low to go. Do I have to cut out fat completely (don't you need some fat for certain body functions)or is there a set percentage I can have.
I assume vegetable better than animal?
I like things like cheese and mayo are there any decent alternatives or do I accept can't have.

OP posts:
Hattiecat · 09/05/2007 10:16

chocolateteapot - i think its a really good idea to keep the thread going - i had to wait nearly 12 months for my op and at times i really was as miserable as sin at having to eat so carefully.

lyrabelacqua · 09/05/2007 15:15

Can anyone tell me what the early symptoms of gallstones are? I get twinges around the liver/gall bladder area whenever I eat fatty food but not real pain. Could it be an early sign? Don't want to go to the doc yet if it's nothing (they treat everyone like timewasters as it is at my practice).

October · 09/05/2007 16:07

Message withdrawn

suejonez · 09/05/2007 16:08

I didn;t really have any early signs - straight from nothing to major league pain. My consultant said gallstones are generally easy to spot as the pain is so unmanageable. Lots of things in that are could cause twinges - excess acid, indigestion etc. Have you tried antacids when its painful? If so, do they work?

lyrabelacqua · 09/05/2007 16:35

No, antacids don't help. it's not really very painful, more stabbing twinges, but it was just that I noticed it comes on after fatty food. Could be anything i guess.

goblinqueen · 09/05/2007 16:37

In hindsight I did have those pains before my full on gallbladder attacks. I used to love chocolate, but niggly aches and discomfort just led me to avoid it over time, same with crisps.

I've had three really agonising attacks Dec-Feb. I finally had a scan last month and gallstones was confirmed. I've opted not to have surgery though as I can manage on a lowish fat diet and haven't had an attack since Feb. I don't need it to be waaay low, but there's no freely eating cheese or buttering more than once slice of toast. I don't know if say two buttered slices of toast would cause it, but the pain is so agonising. I barely ate for a week after the first one I was that scared.

I imagine over time I may have to keep cutting fat down and if it gets unmanagable or the pain gets frequent then I'll definitely go for the surgery.

I also read somewhere that attacks usually occur about 2 hours after a fatty meal so if I have something with moderate fat and want a moderate fat dessert I will wait two hours. Working so far but I don't know if it's just a bunch of hooey and I wouldn't have the attacks anyway!

chocolateteapot · 09/05/2007 17:13

With hindsight I did used to get twinges, but under my right shoulder blade strangely. Then after I had DS they started to get more fullblown until I ended up in the emergency clinic in the hospital. I have found that if I have something I shouldn't I get the pain early evening, if I eat it later it wakes me up at about 1am.

I'm really struggling today as I feel really tired. But have just managed to stick to my WW points so far, will have to be careful later. I have my second weigh in tomorrow and would really really like to have lost 2lbs. And I could do with a month free of attacks as mine have been escalating the last few months and it's wearing me out a bit.

tortoise · 09/05/2007 21:45

I have had 3 bad attacks in the last 4-5 weeks but get minor ones inbetween. I do find rennie Deflatine helps and heat on the painful tummy area helps too.
3rd attack my DS's witnessed and it frightened them a bit. it made me feel very sick too. pain across tum, back and shoulders and lasted for an hour.

There are days i am scared to eat incase i have another attack and i also went about a week eating very little after the 2nd attack. 1st attack i thought was just severe wind!

I have the drs tomorrow to discuss the scan results.

chocolateteapot · 10/05/2007 08:25

Tortoise, when you see the doctor, make sure you get some decent pain relief. My doctor prescribes me Codeine and I also take Buscopan which the doctor in the hospital gave me. I did ask my GP if it's OK together and he said it was, a bit vaguely, but anyway I take them together. The Buscopan (Buscopan IBS relief from over the counter) is an anti-spasmodic and the Codeine deals with the pain. I also have one of those wheat bags then go to bed and lie on my left hand side, hurts too much on the other.

tortoise · 10/05/2007 11:39

Well Dr basically said scan showed odd gall bladder and multiple stones(apparently lots of people do!) but as its not causing me severe problems i should just stick to a low fat diet! He was very anti-surgery, describing as serious surgery even if key hole and as 'leaving a big hole in you tummy'! Bit OTT me thinks.

He will refer me to a dietitian for some food advice.

chocteapot Missed you post. I will get some strong pain relief in just in case then. Hadn't thought of that.

tortoise · 10/05/2007 20:35

ooooh i have just looked on the march mallows packet. It says Fat 0g. Surely good news.

tortoise · 10/05/2007 20:35

Thats marshmallows!

hatwoman · 10/05/2007 20:45

sorry I can't help re diet babyramone, but I wondered if any of you had seen this and had an opinion?

Original poster
Babyramone · 10/05/2007 23:56

I'd been having a achey sore back right under my right shoulder blade for ages so now wondering if this was connected to my gallstones.
When I had the actual attact the first time I was actually really frightened, thought it was a heart attact. The 2nd time it happened that day I was screaming for my DH to help me, I was clawing at my bed covers writhing in pain (and he thought it was indigestion)
Hatrick could be but not sure. The pain from gallstones is overwhelming, as bad as or in my opinion worse than labour.
Tortoise EEK, don't want a big whole in my tummy, now I'm all worried.
Also Worried as don't really have a lot of family support. DH can take holidays if needed. My mum has offered to help but she has a rare early dementia type illness which gives her poor short term memory amongst other problems so couldn't do alot and my MIL is very committed to other voluntry things, so can't help to much.
Looking on the net it says there's chance of reflux or Diarrhea (SP!!is there an o where does it go)Anyone experianced these and are they managable.
Hatticat those recipes sound great.
Went shopping on tuesday and bought loads of nice healthy things, so far have been ok and feeling positive with diet. I had fish and chips tonight. Grilled the fish and did the chips in oven. Made them fron really tatties and sprayed a little of that 1 cal spray oil on YUM[SMILE]
I agree good to keep this up to support all us low fat folk.
So far I've been ok since monday though thought was having attact last night as was really crampy then aunt flo visited.
Whew!

OP posts:
Original poster
Babyramone · 10/05/2007 23:58

God my spelling is awful

OP posts:
chocolateteapot · 11/05/2007 07:39

I seem to get more attacks just before my period for some reason. Interesting that you used to get the pain under your right shoulder blade before getting full blown attacks Babyramone. I totally agree about it being worse than labour, there is no sodding let up when it hits. I reckon that the op to remove your gallbladder and recovery is probably pretty similar to having a c/section in terms of recovery. Maybe you should start a thread to see what it was like for those people who have had it removed and how much help they needed afterwards ?

Hatwoman, it does sound as if it could possibly be gallstones. I think the only way to be sure is to have an ultrasound, a blood test might show an abnormality in Liver function or it might show a raised inflammation marker if the gallbladder is inflamed, but I'm pretty sure you could have gallstones and attacks without either of these two showing up in a blood test.

Tortoise, I hadn't thought of marshmallows, good idea ! Don't like the sound of big hole in your tummy, do you reckon he is trying to put you off to save his budget ?!!

I am very fed up today, went to be weighed last night and put on 2lbs despite having stuck to the sodding diet apart from my Rich tea hiccup on Sunday, which I made up the points the next couple of days. There are two sets of scales there though and I weighed on the other one last week and was really suprised to have lost 4lbs as I wasn't all that good that week. So it has caught up with me I think. Still, suppose 2lbs is a start and I am determined to have a really really good week and lose another 2lb.

MaryBS · 11/05/2007 07:50

I had keyhole surgery. Just tiny cuts and I was out the next day, having only needed to take 1 lot of painkillers.

I'm trying to remember what tablets I could take if I had an attack. Not painkillers, anti-inflammatories. Diclofenac I THINK!

hatwoman · 11/05/2007 08:47

Hi again, reading babyramone's account of the pain - mine really wasn;'t that bad. I know I said it was agonising but I kind of meant agonising compared to indigestion or othre tummy ache. iyswim. not agonising like childbirth! I've got an appointment to go back to the docs next week - I've been once and they did a blood test - mainly looking for caeliacs - but it didn;t show anything.

It has just occured to me that my colleague has a very low fat diet due to chrohn's. he needs to eat quite a lot of sugar for calories as he's skinny as a rake. he eats jelly babies, all-sorts, and another treat he has are those dry sugary sponge finger things - can't remember what they're called but you normally use them in cooking

tortoise · 11/05/2007 10:16

I do think my Dr was very anti surgery and was exageratying a lot. Nothing i have read says it major surgery!
I have eaten too many marshmallows!

Sponge fingers also called Lady finger biscuits! They are yummy! Good in trifle too.
Jelly is also good as a low fat treat.

I have the dietitian on the 29th. I Bought a sw magazine yeserday which has some great recipes in it.

Original poster
Babyramone · 11/05/2007 11:18

I have jelly as treat to, make it for ds so easy to help myself.
Am in process of making a rainbow one, much more trouble than worth but hopefully will look brill.
Never thought of buying slimming mag, good idea.
Marybs, that sounds promising. I've already got those anti-inflam's.
ChocTpot interesting fact re periods.

OP posts:
tortoise · 11/05/2007 12:31

Ooooh rainbow jelly sounds exciting. Assume its just layering different colour jelly as it sets?

I wouldn't know if i got more attacks around the time of a period. I have a coil so don't really get any periods.

Original poster
Babyramone · 11/05/2007 14:11

Yes Tortoise, it's a bit faffy but my wee boy loves them. Only problem he can hardly wait for a single colour jelly so the constant asking is it ready drives me mad

OP posts:
Original poster
Babyramone · 13/05/2007 22:13

Weighed myself and have lost 4lbs.
Hurray.

OP posts:
chocolateteapot · 14/05/2007 07:40

Oh well done Babyramone, that is brilliant I am hoping for a better result when I go on Thursday. I'm still at only 1 attack in 2.5 weeks which is really good for me, fingers crossed it continues like that.

tortoise · 17/05/2007 22:41

I haven't had an attack for about 2 weeks and the last few days i have really slipped back into old food ways . I expect any day now i will push it too far and be struck down.I know i need to stop before that but i am useless with food.

How is everyone else feeling?