Low carb without gallbladder?

[marriedtothearmy]

I'm sure no one remembers but last August I posted here several times about a whole host of symptoms that the doctors couldn't figure out. In November, I found out I have Lyme. I've been in treatment since then.

Yesterday, I had to have my gallbladder removed because it was full of sludge and stones, which could also be from the Lyme or the meds or both.

Anyway, the hospital gave me a low fat diet to follow. I'm wondering if anyone here is doing low carb without your gallbladder and how you have to alter it. I'm done with weight loss so I'm really in maintenance mode right now. The lyme also forced me to go gluten free and no sugar, which wasn't that hard to do with low carb. But now having to do low fat, I don't know how this is going to work.

Would love to hear from anyone else who has been through this. Thanks!

[pocahontas]

You do not have to do low fat because you dont have a gallbladder. I havent had a gallbladder in 2 yrs and have been just fine on LC.

[astribling]

Hi! I had my gallbladder removed about 25 years ago and I have no issues with low carb. In fact, a lot of my tummy issues (which I thought were IBS) have improved since I gave up wheat. I do not eat an 80% fat diet like some low carbers do, but probably around 60ish%.

It's possible you may have some issues until your body adapts, so I would start out slow and build to a higher fat content.

Glad you are feeling better!

[rotay60]

No gallbladder here. And, from what I have read, it is very possible that my low fat diet is what caused my gallbladder problems??????
I am not experiencing any problems with low carb.

[bacon bit]

No gallbladder since 2000 and I eat LC. I also have Crohn's disease and I knock on wood as I say it's cured with LC.

I've heard of eating low fat before having the gallbladder removed. I did that. Now that it's gone, I'm not sure how that would help unless it's a temporary thing?

[marriedtothearmy]

They just said I would need to be close to a bathroom if I ate a higher fat meal. Maybe that's just for right after surgery?

[ravenrose]

I haven't had a gallbladder for 20 years and I low carb just fine.

[reddarin]

You can do it, as these people posting here are proof of it.

My mother, who is a low fat WW junky and has been for decades, had hers removed last year. If she eats too much fat it makes her nauseous real fast and she will be in the bathroom for that, if she makes it to the bathroom. Ugh.

Ease yourself into it. I think there is a supplement you can take too that will help.

[kiwistars]

My friend has had hers out and any more than 5% fat per meal and she has agonising bathroom issues.I would love to know more details from anyone who had this reaction but eased into low carb as she has always presumed she couldn't join me and she is now very heavy and suffering joint problems.

[Liz1959]

Google "gallbladder Ox Bile". It's one of the supplements. I think some people have that problem and others don't. Supposedly you can't digest fat because you don't make bile.
It's obvious by this thread that not everyone has this problem.
My brother had his out several years ago and he often has to run to the bathroom after a meal. I bought him the supplements but he never tried them. He eats a pretty SAD.

[jhbyrd]

No gallbladder her either, for about 15 years. I also think Low Fat might have cause me to have gallstones and etc. Been doing LC for over a year without any problems. I think LC makes most things better, IMHO!!

Jeannie

[Ntombi]

My rough understanding is that if one primarily eats a low fat diet, the bile inside isn't regularly expressed, the gall bladder ceases to function efficiently, and that may lead to gallstone formation. That's a gross simplification of the process, but the point is that someone who eats primarily low fat, with the occasional high fat meal has a higher chance of gallbladder issues than someone on a moderate or high fat diet.

Regardless, like you've seen, lots of people have been eating LC for many years without gallbladders.

[bacon bit]

I read something about Papaya pills helping with the diarrhea issue. I had never heard of them before though.

[Liz1959]

Originally Posted by bacon bit

I read something about Papaya pills helping with the diarrhea issue. I had never heard of them before though.

I think that is the other one. Papain is a great meat tenderizer. Papaya has an interesting history of uses in other cultures. We are so dumb. Losing generations of knowledge and handing or health to the profiteers.

[synger]

I've been without a gall bladder for 25 years or so. Right after surgery I was very faithful to the low-fat mantra. If I ate too much fat in a meal, I'd get diarrhea.

But over the years, I slowly increased the amount of fat I ate, and my body responded. My understanding is that because you don't have the gall bladder, the gall doesn't pool and concentrate, but drips constantly into your digestion. From my reading, the diarrhea issue tends to go away within a few months after surgery for most people. I just didn't know that and assumed I'd have to eat low-fat the rest of my life.

So when I went back to a lower-carb diet, I really eased into it, for fear of side effects. But I have had none. I can eat pretty high fat without any trouble at all.

[cfine]

I had problems for about six months after having mine removed. I was scared to try LC gain because I was terrified of getting sick. I thought I would give it another try because I got sick a lot anyway. I haven't had any troubles this time.

As for your Lyme and treatment, it is recommended by the Lyme experts to eat basically a LC diet. GF, SF helps a lot in terms of feeling better. My DD has had Lyme for most of her life and can't tolerate gluten at all. Sugar lowers the body's immune system and you need it to be functioning as properly as possible. If you have anymore questions about this, please feel free to PM me. We have been on the Lyme road for a long time.

[Chocolate Rose]

I'm one of those who seems to have issues.
I had my gall bladder out 11 years ago with no problems. Then, over the last few years, I had occasional problems and had no idea what was causing it. I ended up going LCHF a year ago due to diabetes and have had crazy, horrible diarrhea issues. I've done a lot of reading and after trying not to blame it on lack of gall bladder, am now concluding that that is the reason. I found an old article that recommended taking 1/2 of a Caltrate D with every meal and I'm finding that that helps, but doesn't solve the issue. At my next doctor appointment I'm going to ask about Questran. It is another drug that is used for diarrhea from no gall bladder. I hate taking medications and have resisted, but constantly running to the bathroom or being caught off guard with no bathroom around is more than embarrassing. I can't go through life with this continuing. I'd love to know if anyone else has found a solution.

[jmc305]

Originally Posted by marriedtothearmy

They just said I would need to be close to a bathroom if I ate a higher fat meal. Maybe that's just for right after surgery?

Maybe, but I had mine out in 2009 and I'm still having the same problems. My gastro doc put me on cholestryamine (Questran) powder. I've heard that calcium can be good for the diarrhea, but it didn't do much for me.

For what it's worth, I lost 60 pounds on a Weight Watchers low fat, high carb diet and that's EXACTLY when my GB went Kaput. If I had my time to do over again, I would have done low carb all the way and I bet I'd still have my GB.

[Chocolate Rose]

Originally Posted by jmc305

Maybe, but I had mine out in 2009 and I'm still having the same problems. My gastro doc put me on cholestryamine (Questran) powder. I've heard that calcium can be good for the diarrhea, but it didn't do much for me.

Please tell me about Questran! As I mentioned, I'm to the point that I'm ready to take anything to make this go away.

[jmc305]

Originally Posted by Chocolate Rose

Please tell me about Questran! As I mentioned, I'm to the point that I'm ready to take anything to make this go away.

It's a prescription drug, normally used to treat high cholesterol. It comes in a powder form that you mix with water and chug-a-lug. It was the ONLY thing that could stop the diarrhea for me when I was pre-surgery. I have also heard of Welchol being prescribed, which is a big horse-pill used for cholesterol as well. Good luck! It's been a HUGE thorn in my side for going on 4 years now....

[cfine]

When I initially had my GB removed and was having issues,may surgeon prescribed me Welchol. I took it for a short period of time and then didn't need it anymore.

[anglgrl]

I had my GB out in my early 20's (I'm 32 now). After it was taken out I had horrible diarrhea problems. Constantly in the bathroom and it felt like I couldn't stop pushing even though nothing was coming out. I'd pass out after sitting there for so long. Eventually I started pushing out blood.
Doc gave me questran and it helped a bit. I asked another doc for a prescription for Welchol and that's what finally helped me. I had to take 3 pills twice a day. Pooping still wasn't perfect but it wasn't total liquid like before. (Some one said they are horse pills They're not that big. No bigger than my multi vitamin.)
When I started LC (about 8 years after GB was taken out) I noticed no change. I didn't ease into it. I wasn't eating LF before (I had kind of given up on losing weight). So maybe it just wasn't as big a shock to my body.
Now after being LC for over a year I've gotton off my PPIs completely and I just take 1 Welchol. So LC has helped me A LOT. (I usually eat about 74% fat.)
There's a book by J Bernal called The Gall Bladder Survival Guide that I found helpful (wish I'd found it sooner).

[raindroproses]

Wow, I can't believe how many people just on this forum have had their gallbladder removed! I still have mine, but I had no idea how common it would have been to see on here

[Chocolate Rose]

Originally Posted by jmc305

It's a prescription drug, normally used to treat high cholesterol. It comes in a powder form that you mix with water and chug-a-lug. It was the ONLY thing that could stop the diarrhea for me when I was pre-surgery. I have also heard of Welchol being prescribed, which is a big horse-pill used for cholesterol as well. Good luck! It's been a HUGE thorn in my side for going on 4 years now....

Thanks! I have done some reading on Questran over the last month or so. One of the side-effects seems to be constipation. I don't want to go from one extreme to the other. Have you had any side-effects? Are you still taking it?
My gall bladder issues happened while on was on WWs, too.

[jmc305]

Originally Posted by Chocolate Rose

Thanks! I have done some reading on Questran over the last month or so. One of the side-effects seems to be constipation. I don't want to go from one extreme to the other. Have you had any side-effects? Are you still taking it?
My gall bladder issues happened while on was on WWs, too.

I tend to have IBS as well and it doesn't take much to get me stopped up, so I have to tweak my dosage a lot. I still take it, although I don't like having to rely on it. I keep thinking my body will adjust, but it hasn't so far. Sometimes I can eat fried chicken and have no problems and then something as harmless as scrambled eggs sends me running to the bathroom. I haven't been able to find a pattern in these last 3 1/2 years. Low fat, high fat, low carb, high carb, grains, no grains, gluten, no gluten, it doesn't seem to make much difference.

[Chocolate Rose]

Originally Posted by jmc305

I tend to have IBS as well and it doesn't take much to get me stopped up, so I have to tweak my dosage a lot. I still take it, although I don't like having to rely on it. I keep thinking my body will adjust, but it hasn't so far. Sometimes I can eat fried chicken and have no problems and then something as harmless as scrambled eggs sends me running to the bathroom. I haven't been able to find a pattern in these last 3 1/2 years. Low fat, high fat, low carb, high carb, grains, no grains, gluten, no gluten, it doesn't seem to make much difference.

That's my experience, too. No rhyme or reason as to when it happens. I even try not eating if I'm going to be out and I still end up madly trying to find a bathroom. I'm to the point I don't go anywhere unless I know exactly where the bathroom is and I'm not going to be too far away from it. At work, the bathroom is at the other end of the building and it's been an issue. I just can't keep going on like this.

[teri f]

There used to be a friend on here named Dana (can't remember her lcf name). She was very knowledgeable about gallbladder disease. According to what she posted, low fat was the worse thing you could do. You may be able to do a search on here to find her posts. This was several years ago.HTH

[Strawberry]

Lowfat is only helpful when you still have a gallbladder but have a problem with stones or sludge, and the fat provokes painful episodes.

If your gallbladder is out, you can actually eat whatever you want.

[dipgal]

After being part of the Phen-Fen craze in the mid-90's I lost 40 lbs quickly, developed Gallbladder problems and had it removed. For the first 5 years I was pretty religious about taking a cholacol digestive supplement and had no issues. I have not been using that supplement for the last few years but have no problems with a high fat diet. I do take a good quality probiotic and a good quality digestive enzyme tablet when I remember.. no problems at all. At least not related to gallbladder removal! I do get acid reflux when I am off the low carb plan.. but after on it for a few days no problems once again!

[Chocolate Rose]

Originally Posted by dipgal

For the first 5 years I was pretty religious about taking a cholacol digestive supplement and had no issues. I have not been using that supplement for the last few years but have no problems with a high fat diet. I do take a good quality probiotic and a good quality digestive enzyme tablet when I remember.. no problems at all.

I tried taking cholacol for a few months with no improvement. I wonder if I should try it for a longer period of time. I've always taken a quality probiotic and digestive enzymes, but they don't seem to make a difference for this issue. Or, maybe it would be worse if I wasn't taking them.