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After a cholecystectomy, your body may temporarily have a hard time processing fat and fiber
You’ve had your gallbladder removed. Now what? Do you have to change what you eat?
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Strictly speaking, you don’t need a gallbladder, but this pear-shaped organ does play a few key roles in the digestive process. If you’ve had yours removed (through a surgery called a cholecystectomy), you’ll likely have to make a few changes to your diet to help your body adapt.
After having your gallbladder removed, you’ll also likely experience changes in your digestion and will need to carefully watch your diet, at least in the beginning.
First, it’s important to understand how your newfound lack of a gallbladder will affect your digestive system, which starts with understanding what gallbladders are supposed to do.
This pear-shaped organ, located beneath your liver, helps your body digest fats and lipids. It stores and concentrates bile, which is slowly released during mealtime.
“Bile is a special fluid that your body makes in the liver, and it aids in digestion,” explains gastroenterologist Christine Lee, MD. “In particular, it helps emulsify fats, oils and lipids in food so they can be digested and absorbed into your body.”
But without a gallbladder, bile flows directly from your bile ducts into your digestive system — a direct route, without a gallbladder layover along the way.
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“Your intestinal tract no longer has a gallbladder that can reabsorb, collect and hold the bile in a safe storage space until you eat,” Dr. Lee explains. “Without it, there can be a bit of a learning curve for your body.”
Now, your body has to adjust to processing bile without a gallbladder. But bile can have a laxative effect (translation: It can make you poop), so you may have diarrhea for a few days or weeks afterward. But your post-surgery eating habits can lessen the likelihood of tummy troubles.
After gallbladder surgery, eating certain foods or eating too much food with high oil, fat or lipid content can cause stomach issues like diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating and gas.
“Your body has to relearn how to reabsorb and redistribute bile without a gallbladder,” Dr. Lee reiterates. “That can take a couple of weeks to a couple of months for some people.”
The key to avoiding discomfort isn’t just in what you eat, but also in how you eat. Though there’s not necessarily a definitive list of foods to eat and avoid, your mealtime habits (like the size and frequency of your meals) can make all the difference.
Registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD, LD, shares eating tips to help you heal after gallbladder removal surgery.
“In the days right after surgery, stick with clear liquids, broths and gelatin,” Czerwony advises. “After that, gradually add more solid foods back into your diet.”
Known as a clear liquid diet, this short-term, medically recommended diet helps your digestive system recover after surgery. It’s not nutritious or sustainable for longer than a few days, but it’s important to give your body a break to start healing.
One important caveat: Sometimes, a clear liquid diet includes foods like coffee, soda and juice. But when you’re recovering from gallbladder surgery, it’s best to avoid these.
When you’re recovering from gallbladder removal surgery, you want foods that are easy for your body to digest.
“Sticking with soft, bland, low-fiber foods is the best way to rest your gut,” Czerwony shares. If you’re sensitive to dairy, go lactose-free during this time period, too.
Following this eating style for a few days after gallbladder removal can help ease your body back into digestion. Slowly add small amounts of foods back into your diet to avoid issues like diarrhea, cramping and bloating.
No feasts right after gallbladder surgery! As your body is reconfiguring its digestive process, it’s best to eat smaller, more frequent meals — think four to six scaled-down meals instead of three larger ones. Focus on healthy foods like lean meat, low-fat dairy and fruits and veggies.
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Fiber is important for helping your body digest food, but immediately after gallbladder removal, the effects of anesthesia and surgery can make high-fiber foods hard to digest.
“Take it slowly as you reintroduce high-fiber foods,” Czerwony advises. “Re-introducing things too quickly can lead to diarrhea, cramping, bloating and gas.”
To add it back into your diet, start with small amounts of soluble fiber, like oats and barley. If you’re not able to tolerate the recommended 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily, she recommends asking your healthcare provider about adding in an over-the-counter fiber supplement for the time being.
“Most people can return to a regular diet within a month after surgery,” Czerwony says. But there are some foods you should stay away from in the immediate aftermath.
Right after surgery, steer clear of:
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Ditch these drinks for now and focus on drinking enough water, which will keep you hydrated and help your body heal.
Typically, calories from fat should total no more than 30% of your daily intake. That means that if you eat about 1,800 calories each day, you should consume no more than 60 grams of fat. And after gallbladder surgery, it’s important to stick to that recommendation (or lower).
“More than half of patients who have their gallbladder removed have trouble digesting fat,” Czerwony says.
After surgery, stick to a balanced and nutritious diet that focuses on whole foods and steers clear of high-fat foods that fall into three categories: ultra-processed foods, full-fat dairy products and high-fiber foods.
Ultra-processed foods, including:
Full-fat dairy products, such as:
High-fat meats, like:
Scale back on fatty cooking oils, too, including coconut oil and palm oil. Even olive oil, which is considered the healthiest cooking, can upset your stomach right after gallbladder surgery.
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While you’re giving your body a break from foods that could cause you an upset stomach, take it easy on spicy foods. They contain capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili peppers.
“Spicy foods can irritate your stomach lining and cause gastrointestinal issues stomach pain and diarrhea,” Czerwony states.
Again, too much fiber right after gallbladder surgery can cause digestive issues, which are the last thing you want when you’re recovering from abdominal surgery. But which high-fiber foods should you steer clear of?
In the first few weeks, avoid fiber-filled food like:
Once more: This is just in the beginning. Fiber is a critical element of a healthy diet, so it’s important to (slowly) get back on the fiber bandwagon as you start to heal from surgery.
Consider keeping a food journal to track what you eat and how you feel, noting symptoms like abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea, constipation, etc.
“This log will help you understand what you can and cannot eat comfortably,” Czerwony says. “As time goes on, take note of your tolerance for high-fiber foods and fats, especially healthy fats.”
Most people can return to a regular diet within a month after gallbladder removal surgery, but some people have to make long-term changes. Talk to your healthcare provider if you:
“In rare instances, some people’s bodies don’t adapt well to gallbladder removal,” Dr. Lee adds. “You may need to take a medication to help bind bile.”
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