gallbladder post surgery

[JudJud]

I’m recovering from gallbladder surgery, the op was a breeze and no more pain, I’ve stopped with the painkillers as they just made me dizzy , my bowels have been a bit all over but seem to be settling down and hope it was just down to anesthetic. My bellybutton wound is taking longer to heal but the others are great, my nurse is using honey to help it heal. Has anyone any advice on what we can eat post surgery? Thanks x

[Ella83]

The only thing I was told, was low fat. Thats it. I'm only a week today post surgery so can't offer a voice of experience.

From what I've read, everyone is different so its a try it and see how you go thing. While stomach pains and diarrhoea aren't nice that is what happens if you over indulge, I don't know if you had an acute reason for gallbladder removal, I did, its not as painful as that. Some people can still eat cheese after, some can't. Your liver can adjust to an extent for the missing gallbladder by producing more bile over time, so it could take a few months before everything settles down to a new normal.

My reason for gallstones was not eating regularly, I struggle to find anything I want to eat, so just wouldn't bother. I now use a timer to remind myself. Little and often is the way to go.

If your country uses the little symbols on the front of food packaging denoting % of fat, sugar, fibre, salt, its minimal/no red, moderation with orange and fine green or there is a nutritional breakdown in the ingredient list.

I am not a medical professional so please don't rely on my comments.

Good luck with your continuing recovery and if you discover any source of good advice, do let me know!

[JudJud in reply to Ella83]

I was in lots of pain in my side and had a few bouts of passing out after real pain and bad diarrhoea, I had 40 1-2cm sized gallstones giving me trouble for best part of the year but increasingly bad last couple of months. I’m 12 post op and just had my staples out but my belly button wound needs regular checks as not healing as well as the others have. I had my op on nhs but at a spire hospital in northwest England and it was a breeze but I am still in a bit of internal pain, I just hope we’re lucky and don’t have any more issues. I’ve lost 3 stone and carnt eat anything and meticulously check for fat content and will continue to do so as gallstones apparently can still form in your ducts even with no gallbladder, I’m used to watching what I eat now so I’m not taking any chances and will be very careful about what I eat and drink. It’s actually mind boggling when you see the fat content in certain foods , for example my husband brought home some fruit loaf and some whole meal wraps, the fruit loaf had 0.1g fat but the wraps had 4g fat also I though granola would be ok but when I checked it had 14g fat ! Please keep in touch with your progress and hope all is well x