Author Topic: Anyone had their gallbladder out?  (Read 3088 times)

green daisy

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Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« on: February 23, 2019, 12:30:39 PM »
I’m having my gallbladder removed and just came across people complaining online about gaining a lot of weight after.  Some people are saying 20 lbs in the first month!  Or that they’re working really hard on their diet/exercise and still gaining.  I’m not very happy about this!   

If you’ve had your gallbladder out, have you gained weight inexplicably afterward?  I don’t know anyone whose had it done to ask.  Thanks!

Margie

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2019, 12:53:28 PM »
I had mine out when I was 24...fun times! 

A few weeks after getting back from holidays I was jaundiced (thought I had maybe contracted Hepatitis from travelling).  Then, the pain started.  It was unreal.  Truly felt like what I imagine a heart attack feels like.  I ended up going to the ER.  It turned out my bile duct was blocked by a gall stone) and my gallbladder actually perforated.  The Dr. was pissed that I waited to come.  In hindsight I realized I had had some gallbladder attacks but I always thought I had a sensitive stomach and thought it was food poisoning!  At the hospital I had a few scopes to push the stone back, then clean out some "sludge" and then they took the gallbladder out 24 hours later.  It was over a holiday weekend so I am not sure if that was the delay.  They told me they didn't want to operate within 24 hours of the scopes.  I was in hospital for a week.  My scars are small (4 little ones)  They were able to do it by laproscopy.  Which was a huge blessing because they told me if they couldn't get it out easily they were going to cut me right open.  Easily recovered and didn't gain any weight afterwards.  I did find that any "crappy" food made me feel light headed and sickly.  I would sometimes get a pressure mid chest after eating but that eventually subsided.  My diet is typically decent.  I eat well 80% of the time and 20% whatever I want.  I don't have a weight issue (not then or now - currently mid 40's).  You will definitely feel better the sooner you get up and moving.

The five F's of gallbladder disease are:  Fat, Fair, Female, Forty, Fertile.  You will be fine.  But, it is abdominal surgery so cut yourself some slack the first bit! 

StarBright

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2019, 01:03:44 PM »
I did not gain a ton after my gallbladder was out - but - I still have digestion issues 5 years later. And I'm about up about 5-7 pounds that just will not budge.

My gallbladder was a life or death situation so I'm glad they were able to remove it and save my life, but I was also in the unfortunate 5% that seemed to have side effects beyond 1 year. I have found things that mitigate some of the side effects, but it means a major change to my eating (not a reduction in fat, but I seemed to develop issues with fresh fruits and veggies actually. I do a lot of liquid meals now (Huel) to keep my digestion in order).
« Last Edit: February 25, 2019, 09:06:56 AM by StarBright »

SpreadsheetMan

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2019, 01:06:25 PM »
I had mine out aged 42-ish. Made no difference to my weight at all.

The only way I can think it would affect weight is if there was a diet change post-op. I had switched to almost zero fat intake to reduce the chance of triggering the agonizing attacks I was getting and I went back to a more normal diet post-op. If someone cut out fat then stuffed their face post-op then that could make a difference.

green daisy

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #4 on: February 23, 2019, 01:11:31 PM »
Thank you all!  I’m very relieved.  I understand and accept that I will need to monitor fat intake.  And I can deal with a small amount of weight gain, but 20 lbs in a month will be very upsetting.  Fingers crossed that it doesn’t happen!

I’ve been having infrequent attacks for 6 years, but the last 3 months have gotten much worse and are triggered by foods that aren’t overly fatty.  So it’s time to get it done. 

Off the Wheel

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #5 on: February 23, 2019, 05:01:32 PM »
My husband had his out last year after sudden abdominal pain led to the discovery of gall stones stuck in the bile duct. It was so bad it was almost gangrenous, but the gallbladder came out and although he was vomiting and ill for a couple of days, he was back to work within 4 days and it hasn't affected his lifestyle or weight at all. (Though he was 35 and relatively fit, so didn't fit the normal profile.)

Mountains mama

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2019, 04:48:55 AM »
Hi GD,

I had mine out aged 40. No complications, no post op weight gain. Surgeon told me I could eat any food I wanted, even high fat afterwards, and have never noticed any digestive issues. Still eat occasional greasy takeaway too.

Loretta

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2019, 05:59:47 AM »
I had mine out at 39, gained maybe 10 lbs afterward but probably more due to perimenopause than GB related.  Recovery was easy and laparoscopic scars healed nicely.

MN

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2019, 03:21:50 PM »
Not gallbladder specifically, but I had a laparoscopic appendectomy 4 weeks ago and have gained about 8 pounds. This is just from the lifting restrictions, and basically not being able to be as active as normal.

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #9 on: February 25, 2019, 03:26:52 PM »
I had mine at around 25. Have had no issues with the surgery, although occasionally have issues when eating high fat food.

I'd like to blame my weight gain on the surgery, but I'm over 40, so it's been too long, & realistically, the weight gain is just from other standard causes (eating too much, not enough physical activity). :-)

frugaldrummer

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #10 on: February 27, 2019, 02:42:36 AM »
Bear in mind, the job of the gallbladder is to store up bile then squirt it out on a passing meal, where bile helps to absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins. Without it, bile just leaks continuously from the liver into the GI tract.

Most people do surprisingly well after gallbladder removal. Those with digestive issues may benefit from taking digestive enzymes containing ox bile with their main meals.

Rarely , someone may develop "dumping syndrome" after they eat. The recommendation for this is to lie down after meals.

StarBright

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #11 on: February 27, 2019, 09:17:02 AM »
Bear in mind, the job of the gallbladder is to store up bile then squirt it out on a passing meal, where bile helps to absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins. Without it, bile just leaks continuously from the liver into the GI tract.

Most people do surprisingly well after gallbladder removal. Those with digestive issues may benefit from taking digestive enzymes containing ox bile with their main meals.

Rarely , someone may develop "dumping syndrome" after they eat. The recommendation for this is to lie down after meals.

ugh^ this is me. I wasn't going to mention dumping syndrome but yeah. I also now have real issues with absorbing fat soluble vitamins and have to be very careful about food pairing and eating frequency. On the other hand, I'm alive! My gallstones caused acute pancreatitis and I was in the hospital for almost a week.

Mine occurred rapidly post birth, about a week. They said that quick weight loss post pregnancy can often cause gallstone issues. I had never heard of it at the time, but just had another friend experience almost the exact same scenario about a month ago. Bodies are weird man!

Bee21

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #12 on: February 27, 2019, 02:05:19 PM »
Yep, I did put on a lot of weight after that And I find it extremely difficult to get rid of it, even though my diet is much healthier than before. It took about a year to figure out what I can eat and what makes me sick. The surgeon told me that I would be able to resume my 'normal' diet after the surgery, but it didn't work that way for me.

August26th

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #13 on: February 27, 2019, 02:53:42 PM »
I was 30 when I had mine taken out after several gallbladder attacks (I’m 45 now and female.) I have never, ever had digestive or weight problems at all since the surgery. (But weight and metabolism challenges after birthing kids is a whole other issue....)

green daisy

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #14 on: February 28, 2019, 07:34:45 AM »
Thank you again to everyone who responded. I’m feeling better about it and definitely plan to be careful with my food choices. 

stashing_it

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #15 on: February 28, 2019, 08:20:04 AM »
34 year old male.   I had mine out about 8 months ago.   That was after ~16 months of attempting to control the ~monthly attacks with diet and medication.

I was very worried about the surgery, but it went nominally for me.   No complications from the surgery.   No real changes in level of fitness other than not lifting weights for 4-6 weeks after the surgery

TVRodriguez

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #16 on: February 28, 2019, 09:12:16 AM »
I had mine out at age 25.  Laparoscopic surgery.  I remember feeling like recovery took longer than I expected, but I was back to work within a week or so.  No weight gain or other issues since then.

CNM

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Re: Anyone had their gallbladder out?
« Reply #17 on: February 28, 2019, 09:22:46 AM »
I had mine out at age 27.  I did not have any of the common risk factors, other than being female.  (I wasn't fat, I hadn't had any children, and I was not age 40+.) 

I did have gallstone pancreatitis, which caused by gallstones that inflame the pancreas.  It was very painful and I had had gallstone flair ups for months, if not year(s), before I finally was sick enough to go to the ER and properly diagnosed.  During that time before the operation, I certainly lost weight because I couldn't eat much.  That lost weight I eventually gained back, I suppose, because I was eating normally.

I was cautioned to avoid fatty foods for a while, which I did for maybe a month or two, but now I have no side effects whatsoever and I can eat whatever crazy garbage I want to now.  But in terms of permanent weight gain or excessive weight gain after surgery - not at all. 

 

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