Diet for Gallstones???

VanMavrix

As i am off to see the consultant in a few days {for gallstones} are there any questions that i should be asking ? any advice appreciated.

elisebutt65

Flipping heck- I posted this originally waaaay back in2006!!!

Had the operation in the morning and was out the following day. Took my most of my own stitches out a few days later cos they were too tight and getting infected and GP took the ones I couldn't get too out.

Now I'm even fatter and have just bought a vibrating pad machine thing to exercise on - I eat like a bleeding mouse and walk 1.5 miles to work and back 5 days a week - ususally more as I also pop into town on the way which is another mile added on - If I even look at food now, I gain lb's!!! If I eat any dairy at all I end up on the loo within minutes. Wish I'd stuck with the pain now

Agutka

Oh Elisebutt65! Poor you!
Everyone I've seen so far has refused to mention any side effects at all from having the op. I knew it can't all that good.
However I have my date in May, so not long now. Although I am soooo much luckier than most here, as have only had these problems a few months, only had one bad attack (!). Initially I had loads of stones, then recently they only found two and I guess maybe they've left me too, as I have been relaxing my zero fat diet bit by bit since xmas with no problems at all. Having second thoughts now about the op...

sillyvixen

glad i had mine out - yes it is a learning curve with what your system can tolerate and what it cant. i had my gallbladder removed in 2006 - and by the time i got my surgery my gallbladder was showing signs of gangreen and was adhered to both my liver and intestine, with adheasions due to infection and large internal absesses - my surgeon said i would have been fighting for my life if left another 2 weeks - ironically i had a cancellation 2 weeks earlier than my origional date due to another patients holiday dates!! i had difficult surgery and have had further surgery to correct problems of a non healing open op. but the reason i am so glad i had the op is that i am still here!!

jackieb

Do gallstones ever go away? I went on a LighterLife diet (very low calorie) a few years ago. I lost about 3 and a half stone in 2 months. A couple of weeks after I stopped doing it I had a Gallbladder attack - and it was always after i'd eaten something a bit fatty - like macaroni and cheese or crisps! I never had any stomach problems before the LighterLife diet.

I know starvation diets can cause stones to develop, as you're not eating any fat and the fat that's stored in your gallbladder turns to stones. In total i've had about 4 attacks - one lasted almost a whole week. But in the past 2 and a half years I haven't had any problems at all.

I was just wondering if your stones are caused by a very low calorie diet, is it possible that once you've passed all the stones that you'll be okay again?

I tell you what, it really gives you a fright. First one I had I thought I was having a heart attack.

VanMavrix

I quite agree Lana22, the first attack i had i thought i was going to die, i was sure i was having a heart attack !! I spent the whole night pacing around my house in a hot sweat, trying to concenteate on my breathing between the sharp pains in my chest.
The only reason i didn't ring for an ambulance was because i could actually breath, my husband was following me around with the phone just as frightened as me !!
Subsequent attacks didn't last as long and before being diagnosed with gall stones i would dose myself up with gaviscone {incase it was an attack of acute indigestion, } and would be breathing into a paper bag {incase it was a panick attack } and put a water bottle on my belly .{incase it was trapped wind }
But every time the phone is right beside me incase i hit a point that i can no longer cope with the pain.
Anyway off to meet my consultant at the hospital tomorrow morning for a chat and check up, hopefully i won't be waiting around too long for the operation.

sillyvixen

vanmavrix, i hope you get on well tomorrow and dont have to wait too long for your op.. all the best, let us know how you get on.

shykins

good luck to all those still having problems,,, i suffered over 18months with undiagnosed gallstones and like another poster it had adhered to my liver etc

i am on the atkins diet and eating fat or not eating fat didnt seem to affect my attacks at all but i do believe that for a lot of us not eating fat for so many years may be a contributor.... they do say that suggestors for gallstones are fair, female, fat and forty and i was all those!!

the 3 problems of gallstones, hiatus hernia and diverticulities often come together and if u have one u may have one of the others (in my case its the hiatus hernia) or if someone in your family has one u are more susceptible..... my father had gallstones, my mum has diverticulitis, my nan had hiatus hernia..... lol i had no chance did i?

anyways all this waffle is basically cos i just think its something u are destined to get or not,

hope everyone gets sorted soon

VanMavrix

Hi,
had my first appointment today at the hospital, where i met the surgeon.
Didn't know realy what to expect on this first visit , as the appointment letter was fairly vague.
My husband and i booked time off work to attend together, drove the 20 miles to the hospital, and arrived early. {as requested on the letter}
We were pleased that having signed in at reception we were taken straight to the surgeons office.
The meeting lasted less than 10 minutes, the surgeon explained the operation, and the possibility of complications that may occur. Ticked off boxes as he asked if i'd been getting chest pains {tick} been sick {tick} gone yellow {nope} called an ambulance {nope} . Explained that i looked healthy enough to be in and out in the same day {providing the operation had no complications } and asked wether i wanted to go ahead with the gallbladder removal.
All seemed a bit conveyer-belt ish, and rushed, but i suppose it's just another day in the life of a surgeon !! Didn't carry out any physical checks, or test the urine sample i was asked to take.
Anyway i did ask for a copy of what ever notes he sent to my doctor to also be sent to me {another bit of advice that was on the letter}
Now i have to wait for an appointment for a pre-op, which should be in the next couple of weeks.
So we were in -- and then we were out, all done in less than 15 minutes , and we both lost a days pay !!!
Still things are now in motion, will let everyone know how i get on from here.

lana22

VanMavrix wrote: »

Hi,
had my first appointment today at the hospital, where i met the surgeon.
Didn't know realy what to expect on this first visit , as the appointment letter was fairly vague.
My husband and i booked time off work to attend together, drove the 20 miles to the hospital, and arrived early. {as requested on the letter}
We were pleased that having signed in at reception we were taken straight to the surgeons office.
The meeting lasted less than 10 minutes, the surgeon explained the operation, and the possibility of complications that may occur. Ticked off boxes as he asked if i'd been getting chest pains {tick} been sick {tick} gone yellow {nope} called an ambulance {nope} . Explained that i looked healthy enough to be in and out in the same day {providing the operation had no complications } and asked wether i wanted to go ahead with the gallbladder removal.
All seemed a bit conveyer-belt ish, and rushed, but i suppose it's just another day in the life of a surgeon !! Didn't carry out any physical checks, or test the urine sample i was asked to take.
Anyway i did ask for a copy of what ever notes he sent to my doctor to also be sent to me {another bit of advice that was on the letter}
Now i have to wait for an appointment for a pre-op, which should be in the next couple of weeks.
So we were in -- and then we were out, all done in less than 15 minutes , and we both lost a days pay !!!
Still things are now in motion, will let everyone know how i get on from here.

These will be done at your pre-assessment clinic by your junior doctor. It may involve you having some blood tests too.