Post Gallbladder Surgery Diet
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What To Eat After Gallbladder Surgery
I recently had my gallbladder removed using a procedure called laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The fact that it was a laparoscopic surgery means that I only have four small cuts in my abdomen instead of one very long cut. It also means that I will heal faster. However, my doctor told me it is still important to make sure that I am eating the right foods after surgery to aid in healing and avoid digestive issues.
A few days after my surgery I started to feel hungry again and then I started to wonder what exactly my doctor meant by "the right foods". So, I've done a lot of research on the topic and decided to share it here so that others can hopefully benefit from my experience! If you will be having surgery or know someone who is having surgery to remove the gallbladder, I hope you find this useful!
What is a Gallbladder?
And Why Do I Need One?
I assume if you're preparing to have your gallbladder out then you know what it does but I will provide a brief description just in case!
The gallbladder is located in your upper right abdomen, sort of behind your liver. The gallbladder stores the bile that the liver creates. Bile is important for digestion. After you eat your gallbladder releases bile to help break down the food.
Sometimes gallbladders get "sick" and stop working right. You may develop Cholecystitis which is a swelling of the gallbladder. Cholecystitis can be caused by gallstones but it also may be caused by infection. If Cholecystitis and gallstones go untreated they can cause the gallbladder to burst which is a very serious emergency. For these reasons, it is often recommended that the Gallbladder be removed.
Despite what some people may tell you, the gallbladder is an important organ. No, it's not necessary to have one to live but it does make life easier (unless it goes bad!) After gallbladder removal the liver has to work harder to help digest foods and filter waste. The liver can no longer rely on the gallbladder to store the bile it produces which means the bile is continuously dripping out of the liver into your stomach.
When you eat a meal that is high in fat the liver must work extra hard to try to provide enough bile to help you digest the fat. For these reasons, it's very important to watch what you eat after gallbladder removal. Your body will eventually adjust and you will most likely be able to start eating food that you enjoy again but this can take months or even years.
Please visit my Gallbladder FAQ lens if you want to learn more about the gallbladder.
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Your Diet 24 Hours Post Surgery
Also, remember that although the outside of your body does not look very traumatized (if you had a laparoscopic surgery) your body did just go through a trauma. Your organs are adjusting to the effects of the gas that was used during surgery as well as the fact that an organ was removed. A clear liquid diet means that you can pretty much eat anything you can see through.
- Water
- Broth
- Jell-O
- Fruit Juice Without Pulp (Apple Juice, Grape Juice and Cranberry Juice
- Clear Soda (Avoid Caffeine)
- Tea
- Popsicles (Without Bits of Fruit)
Foods To Avoid
As previously mentioned, the BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast) should be eaten sparingly if you are having problems with constipation. However, if you are having diarrhea you may want to eat more of these foods.
- Fried Food
- Dairy Products Especially Cheese
- Peanut Butter
- Red Meat
- Greasy Foods
- Raw Vegetables
- Caffeine
- Alcohol (especially if you're on prescription pain pills!)
Peanut Butter Fast Fact
Did You Know...?
Peanut Butter has 16 grams of fat and 200 calories per 2 tablespoon serving? The fat content is the reason you may want to avoid peanut butter after gallbladder surgery.
Your Diet 1-2 Weeks Post Surgery
After 24 hours you should be clear to start eating more solid food. Remember to take it slow. Instead of eating 3 big meals, spread it out to 5 or 6 very small meals over the course of the day. I know from personal experience, that I felt full even after eating only a little bit! Listen to your body and if you start feeling full, stop eating!You can of course continue to eat items from the clear liquid diet. Your nausea may return even a few days after surgery. Sometimes a little broth or tea will help you feel better when you're feeling nauseous.
It would be impossible to list everything that may be tolerated since everyone is different. Some people will be able to tolerate more foods sooner than others. I have listed some suggestions based on what worked for me and what I have heard worked for other people.
Bile Salts
Your Diet 3 Weeks Post Surgery And Beyond
You should be able to start re-introducing your old favorite foods 3 or 4 weeks after surgery. Remember to take it slow and listen to your body. It could take months for your body to completely adjust to the removal of your gallbladder.If your diet was poor before surgery you should probably not plan to return to the same diet after you have healed from surgery. For the health of your liver you want to keep fat intake to a minimal level. As with any healthy diet, you want to keep your meals well balanced with fruits, vegetables, protein, whole grains and dairy.
Be careful not to eat too much in one sitting. Your body will most likely digest food more slowly and eating too much will cause indigestion. Add new food back into your diet slowly and listen to your body. If something makes you sick return to more bland foods for awhile and try again in a week or so.
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Food To Help You Heal
and to help you live healthy!
For the rest of your life your liver will be compensating for the loss of your gallbladder so it's important to eat foods that help support the liver. It's also important to eat for the health of your intestinal tract which will help you avoid indigestion. The following food will help support your liver and intestines and should be fairly easy for your body to handle.
- High Fiber Foods (Fruits, Vegetables, Whole Grains)
- Non-Fat Yogurt
- Flax Seed Oil or Hemp Seed Oil (contain Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids and can be taken in supplement form)
- Protein (Fish and chicken are best. Beef and pork should be avoided)
- Cottage Cheese
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Gallbladder Diet Feedback
Have you had your gallbladder removed? Did you find these tips helpful? What foods worked or didn't work for you after surgery?
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Charley Varrick
May 28, 2012 @ 11:08 pm | delete
- My gall bladder surgery went well. I don't even remember getting the anaesthetic and an hour and a half later I wake up as Im being wheeled back to my room. Had discussion with surgeon afterwards and he said my gall bladder was a mess with hundreds of stones and he had also cleaned out the bile duct. He was surprisingly confident that I would not have a reoccurrence of my pancreatitis and said that I could resume my normal diet when I felt comfortable. Indeed the hospital kitchen had me on the regular dinner menu tonight but I played safe and had broth and jello. Stomach is a little tender with the incisions but am being released tomorrow.
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jayjay
May 28, 2012 @ 2:54 pm | delete
- Had my gallbladder removed on Thursday, ealing well. Have been a little scared to return to normal eating as I was in so much pain with infection. Decided to try some home made lasagne tonight, really enjoyed it but after eating I experienced the same pain as I had pre op which worries me.
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Charley Varrick
May 27, 2012 @ 10:07 pm | delete
- Getting my gallbladder removed tomorrow and still confused. Seems like there is not a one size fits all solution. Have had stomach pains for a year now and my doctor thought it was a combination of stress and IBS. Was out of state for the long weekend and had to go to the ER as it was the most excruciating pain ever. Doctor at ER gave me a CT scan and diagnosed it as gallstone pancreatitis. My pancreatic enzyme level was off the charts..over 4000 when it should be less than 100. Doctor has put me on a IV drip for last two days, no food or water , so that pancreas can settle down. Was looking forward to a full recovery but it appears that one you have this it never really goes away.I'm hoping that I can eat like Sam but really would be happy with soup and bread which I love. Will let you know how it goes.
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rasudesign
May 28, 2012 @ 10:12 am | delete
- Good luck with the surgery Charley! I hope you have a quick recovery! I am now 1.5 years out from having my gallbladder removed and can eat whatever I want. I try to keep it healthy to help my liver out but I do just fine when I eat junk too.Keep us updated! :)
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xeina
Mar 21, 2012 @ 10:36 pm | delete
- i had removed my gallbladder 7 years ago nd stilli have the same pain i used to have before removing it , i went to the doctor i made some test blood nd exras , he said nothing is wrong , i should stop the stress .. i though okmay be .. but still i have the same pain , it start with me like the , first i feel a pain in my back up behind my lungs , nd i cant breath + i sweat like crazy + i start to shack , nd its unbelievble pain am goning through it's been like that for 12 years so far .. is it normal to be under this much pain or is it something i should be checking .. regards xeina
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by rasudesign
I enjoy researching medical information whenever I am having a medical issue. I "diagnosed" my own sick gallbladder 2 months before my doctors did. Knowledge... more »
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Gallbladder Plush
Gigantic Gall Bladder Plush -
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Remember your lost gallbladder with this fun plush friend! Makes a great gift for a patient recovering from gallbladder removal surgery!
