Its 10 days after gallbladder surger... 
Really_Trying
16 y
14,120
† Cross †
I've been reading quite a fair bit about Gallbladder removal and my story seems a bit different... Its been an emotional rollercoaster to say the least.
I'll keep it short but Im a 26 yr old female and i went from feeling physically well one day, to waking up with a gut wrenching pain the next. i then spent 3 days in emergency and was finally told i had Gallstones after it was picked up in an ultrasound. Before i knew it, i was admitted into hospital to have the surgery required to move the massive mofo's by keyhole surgery. I then woke from surgery to find that i had in fact been given an open colosectomy to remove my whole gallbladder that was apparently dead and not functioning at all. (there was 2 stones both close to an inch in diameter)
What gets me about everything that has just happened in the past 2 weeks of my life is that when this all happened I was-
a. Eating a very low fat healthy Diet and;
b. In the best physical shape I've been in possibly my entire life.
So yeah after years of losing ALOT of childhood weight and trying to do the right thing I get slammed with this and a 5 1/2 inch scar across my tummy to keep as a memento.
It just makes no sense because when reading up on what caused my gallstones, it relates its causes to obesity, fatty food intake and poor lifestyle. Cholesterol is also seen as a contributing factor but my whole life I've never had bad cholesterol levels.
Now Im scared.
I dont know what no gallbladder means for my body. Apparently i can function well without it (as i have been since it hadn't been function anyway), but since surgery i've been recovering daily but weirdly getting yellow'ish watery diarrhea. It cant be due to fat absorption because Im still not eating any fats?
Another question - If/when i do eat fats, because the breakdown of fats in the gallbladder isn't happening, does it mean that fats will pass through my system without being deposited as fat (and causing diarrhea) in my body? or will fat not be broken down effectively resulting in me storing more fat than normal?
Please any help or advice would be so greatly appreciated, this really has got me down. Years of trying to do the right thing and it feels like my body just wants to defeat me.- Re: Its 10 days after gallbladder su... Hveragerthi
16 y
13,803
This is a reply to # 1,289,335Diarrhea is very common after having the gallbladder removed. The gallbladder is a storage for bile and releases small amounts of bile when needed to help with fat absorption. When the gallbladder is removed the bile is dumped, instead of squirting, in to the intestines. Bile is very caustic and the resulting irritation and inflammation of the excess bile in the intestines lead to burning of the lining. This is turn leads to an increased release of fluid in to the intestines and peristalsis leading to the diarrhea.
Herbs like slippery elm or marshmallow root can help coat and soothe the intestines to reduce the risk of cancer from the chronic inflammation. Yucca root will also reduce the intestinal inflammation and will help with the fat absorption. Lecithin granules are also helpful in aiding with the absorption of fats, and fat soluble vitamins.
Gallbladders are frequently removed when they really do not need to be. And there are long term risks and complications. So people should always get a second opinion and do their research before having this surgery.
- Re: Its 10 days after gallbladder su... BlueRose
16 y
14,681
This is a reply to # 1,289,335Believe it or not---losing a lot of weight and switching to a low fat diet, after having been overweight and eating a high fat diet, can cause Gallstones to happen. It seems that switching to a low fat diet causes the gallbladder to become sluggish because it doesn't need to squirt as much bile into the stomach to help with digestion of fats. Also, Gallstones are common after a pregnancy, again because the gallbladder becomes sluggish. I was 35 when I had mine removed. After my pregnancy, I had made an effort to educate myself and eat a lower fat diet. Like you, I had the conventional surgery for two reasons---at the time the laprascopic surgery was very new and few doctors knew the procedure and also I had some stones that were lodged in the common bile duct. Recovery from conventional surgery can be a slow process so don't try to push yourself too hard just yet. It took me 2 weeks before I felt like I had any energy. That said, we're all different when it comes to recovery. Another reason you may have had gallbladder troubles---there may be a genetic component at work. Has anyone else in your family had their gallbladder removed? Not only did I have mine removed but so did my father, brother and aunt.
For the diarrhea---Ask your doctor about getting a prescription for Cholestyramine (generic name Prevalite). I've found it to be a lifesaver. For years after having the gallbladder removed, I had real problems with IBS-D. Cholestyramine is a powder that you mix into a soft food (like applesauce) or a non-carbonated beverage. You take it right before a meal. If you are taking other prescription meds, you can't take them at the same time you take the Cholestyramine.
Good luck and a speedy recovery. Do talk to your doctor about Cholestyramine. There is no need to have to suffer with diarrhea. - low fat, best physical shape, losing... White Shark
15 y
13,426
MoreThis is a reply to # 1,289,335You wrote:
"
a. Eating a very low fat healthy Diet and;
b. In the best physical shape I've been in possibly my entire life.
So yeah after years of losing ALOT of childhood weight and trying to do the right thing
"
Guess What?
Eating low fat increases your chances of growing Gallstones cause less fat means less bile is needed for digestion, and that means bile being stagnant and waiting inside gallbladder.
"best physical shape" and "losing ALOT of childhood weight"
means you lost weight.
So what?
Well, weight loss is a major risk factor for gallstones.
You have done it all right, right for getting gallstones.
White Shark
- Re: Its 10 days after gallbladder su... Hveragerthi
16 y
13,803
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