Diet without a gallbladder

[debbs77]

I had my gallbladder removed recently, and have decided to opt for a low fat diet going forward.

Does anyone have any tried and tested foods that they swear by when they don't have a gallbladder?

Or foods to avoid?

I mean, for me, the joy of having no gallbladder means that I don't have to eat in a specific way anymore. Avoiding really high fat meals is generally a good idea as it often triggers gastro symptoms, but not for everyone.
Are you having unpleasant symptoms?
I have terrible heartburn now but this is triggered by all foods, nothing specific. My sister gets stomach ache with too much oil or grease on food. We haven't found anything really specific that is terrible.

I just eat a normal diet really, everything in moderation but a wee bit smaller meals than I used to have, I do avoid greasy burgers and I cut the fat off chops and bacon but I've always done that anyway.I don't drink alcohol or eat any takeaway food apart from an occasional shared fish supper. I take omerpazole daily which helps, but if I do get a flare up of acid reflux I eat a couple of dry crackers to soak it up and some natural yoghurt to cool it down .

I thought the great thing about gallbladder removal was that you no longer have to worry about what you eat. I had mine removed a year ago and haven't changed anything about what I eat and drink

The only thing I've noticed is that if I eat a ridiculous amount of fat (e.g. massive amount of fatty belly pork - think gluttony) I'll get the runs. Otherwise I've had no dietary issues. It's 25+ years since mine was removed.

Honestly, I don't really notice the difference between having or not having a gallbladder, and neither do the other people I know without one.

I probably have the worst symptoms and it is literally can't eat trifle without needing a Gaviscon. Which is not really an issue as I don't even have it once a year.

Most people don't even have that.

If you want to be low fat, great, but no gallbladder isn't a limitation.

I have tried very low fat since having my gaul bladder removed 25 years ago and I actually found it painful. If I eat too much fat (fish and chips for sure) I feel nauseous 🤢

I had my gall bladder removed ten years ago and haven’t had to think twice about my diet since it was done.

i used to have terrible issues but post removal not the slightest gastro twinge.

This

The one meal I can't stomach post gall bladder removal is full English breakfasts.

I can eat burgers and things but they require a bit of planning shall we say.

Thank you for the replies.

I'm finding I'm not able to eat as much, and if I try it feels like it is sitting right at the top of my tummy if that makes sense!

My diet wasn't great previously, and the gallbladder attack was sudden and required urgent surgery.

I met a woman the other day in the middle of a horrendous gallbladder attack, without her gallbladder. She said stress and certain foods trigger the pain

If she doesn't have a gallbladder, she wasn't having a gallbladder attack
I would assume that she meant that she had bad heartburn.

My mum had to avoid high fat otherwise she'd either have to dash for the toilet or have an accident, it's why I opted not to have mine out and it just went away with healthy eating (have eaten lots of fat in the 20 years since and no attacks) but I'm lucky, many have no option but removal.

That's good you can eat anything, you're lucky! I mean that genuinely. Without the bile to break up fatty foods many people get the runs.

I thought that. Was just what she named it. Was in the same place as the gallbladder pain. Says she has suffered for 20 years since having it out.

I had my gallbladder removed in June 2022 after suffering attacks just after the birth of my first child. I probably always had gallstones but the change in hormones during pregnancy caused the attacks. Since the surgery I haven’t had to change my diet at all and have gone back to eating a balanced diet. I did suffer from diarrhoea for a few weeks after but that soon settled.
I’m pregnant again and a few weeks ago suffered what I would describe as a gallbladder attack in the same place I used to. Albeit a mild 2/10 pain lasting a few seconds rather than the excruciating 10/10 hours long pain I had before. Technically it wasn’t a gallbladder attack (as I don’t have one) but it was definitely not heartburn which is in the centre of your chest not upper right quadrant. This was the very familiar sharp pain but without the pulsating contractions I used to experience. My surgeon explained that even after gallbladder removal you can still develop gallstones in the ducts that are left as the liver is still storing bile so I can only imagine pregnancy hormones are responsible and like the woman you met probably stress and certain foods.

You still have bile to break up fatty foods after the gall bladder is removed. It’s diverted to your digestive system instead. Most people should be able to sustain a normal diet after removal (I wish I had the motivation to eat a fat free diet) although I know some people can have issues.

@debbs77

Quite interesting 🤔 mumsnet thread,
food for thought and that..

Low fat is really unhealthy though.

I have no gallbladder and eat a lot of fatty meat without any issues.

@Blabla81
That's good that many don't have issues, mad how different our organs can be. But I do hear of problems from many people (work in healthcare and my mum had it) so I guess some stomachs are too sensitive to the more continuous bile.

"The gallbladder collects and concentrates bile, releasing it when you eat to aid the digestion of fat. When the gallbladder is removed, bile is less concentrated and drains more continuously into the intestines, where it can have a laxative effect. The amount of fat you eat at one time also plays a role."