Carol Norris
Most doctors will tell you not to alter your eating habits, you can continue eating whatever you want. I am 20+ yrs w/o my gall bladder and I can tell you, that is not exactly true! You can eat whatever you want for the first 12-18 months. But then after that anything fatty: ie, diary, fried or acidic will cause you to have diarhhea at times on a constant basis. At first the only thing to stop it for me was Lomotil (a prescription drug). But as I have experienced over the years, I have found that by avoiding those foods you become healthier and you have less of the diarrhea. Should I eat any of those foods and get the diarrhea, I will take Imodium and that will stop it. Also, now that your gall bladder is gone you need to take additional fiber supplement to help your body process the foods you do eat and to add bulk to your diet. As I get older, there are so many food items I am unable to eat...but I am still alive and "sneaking" some foods here and there and monitoring what I do eat. I've learned to take better care of myself. Also, I was told (have not experienced this yet), but even though your gall bladder is gone, you can still pass gall stones. The attacks are worse because the stone has to travel throughout the digestive track before being elimnated through waste, because you don't have a bladder there to catch them. I have heard it is excrutiatingly painful.....similar to a kidney stone. Just watch what you eat and if you need salt or fat in your diet get it in moderation and prepare yourself with either Lomotil or Imodium...but have lots on hand! Hope that helps, like I've said, my g.bladder has been out 20+yrs and I wouldn't rely on what the doctors say, unless they've had theirs out also. I don't know of any doc that's had his out.