Thread: Gallstones, Pain Relief and Nutrition

Hey everyone.

I'm waiting on a scan and some blood tests to confirm I definitely have gallstones, but both doctors I've been examined by have concluded I've most likely developed stones after/during my weight loss.

My doc gave me Co-Codamol to relieve the pain, and it has worked, but rather than take the tablets and eat, I've just stuck to not eating and not needing the tablets. So far I haven't eaten much besides crackers and a few cashew nuts in 3-4 days.

My real question is; if anybody has had gallstones and were given Co-Codamol, did you take them before or after your meal?
And what kind of diet did you have whilst waiting for confirmation and thus surgery?

I've been told to avoid fatty foods, other sources have recommended a vegetarian diet, and I'm quite confused.

All I know is I don't want to deal with the pain again if possible, as it's quite debilitating and depressing, and so I've been avoiding eating much (but obviously keeping well hydrated).

TIA for any advice, anyone

Some foods will have a worse effect for others, some people cannot eat onions or cucumber for instance without severe pain, for others iw will be fatty food. I remember even now 20 odd years later the extreme pain i had after eating a lamb chop.

If you can eat nuts and crackers without setting off the pain, then i guess nuts are good source of nutrition, but you need more than just 3 or 4.

If you are trying to lose weight anyway, how about trying a meal replacement for a few days to see how that goes, you may be able to stomach them without setting off the pain and you will get the full range of nutrition you need.

Unfortunately after eating the crackers and nuts, I started feeling the odd dull ache (although that might just have been me psyching myself into it, haha!) and popped one Co-Codamol before it even got to the point of any pain.

The meal replacements might be a very good idea, although I've never had them before. Are they like watery shakes? I can stomach water and have been drinking like a camel at a watering hole, I'm not sure how I'd fare against something more solid.

I suppose the only way to know is to try it.

You can water them down, i always make mine with a bit more water than they recommend. Exante is good, but you have to buy it online, but you could get a slimfast and try it.

Im not suprised that the nuts set you off to be honest, they have a high concentration of oil in them for their small size.

Yep, it was a silly thing to do, I think... even though I thought I was getting over the pain.

I just ate some plain sweetcorn, 3 plain steamed new potatoes and a small chicken breast with a tomato and basil sauce. So far so good, but I'll definitely be looking into the meal replacement thing for a day or two.

If that works out, I might just have to create a golden idol of you to worship :P

Can you make it a thin golden idol please.. lol

Hi, I've had surgery for gallstones but I still remember the pain I used to get whenever I had an attack so you have my sympathy!! Def avoid fatty foods and also spicy ones as they can cause a build up of acid which pushes the stones up into the gallbladder duct.
I'd recommend going to the hospital every time you have an attack not only because of the pain but also because they can push you up the list for treatment. Peppermint oil tablets are also great for helping prevent an attack and in some cases are thought to dissolve gallstones so I hear. I hope you get diagnosed soon and that surgery is not too long away x

Thanks very much. I've read studies that peppermint can aggravate stones, so I've not tried it. I do know that mint is an appetite suppressant, though, so chewing gum and Tic-Tacs seem to help on the hunger front. Maybe that's just a placebo effect of having something to chew on, though

I'll be having some nice smoothies today and maybe a meal replacement if I can find my way to the shops.

For anyone curious, I'd say the best time to take the pain medication is quite soon (perhaps an hour or so, YMMV) after your meal. After I ate last night I was fine for almost two hours then began to get that familiar dull, radiating ache of increasing severity. I quickly took a tablet and was fine within 15 minutes.

There's a home remedy treatment to remove stones. You eat/drink 6 glasses of apple juice/eat 6 apples for 5 days on the 6 day fast and on the 7th day drink 3 cups of oil(sounds gross but lubricates) o e at brekkie lunch and dinner-eat small amount and you should easily pass all the stones! Not sure of it works but hopefully!

Take the pain relief with food! So that it doesn't cause tummy problems good luck

To be honest I cannot see how this would work, and i think gracie is mixing up kidney stones with gall stones. Gall stones sit in the gall bladder and have no where to go, they are made of cholestrol mainly, and it is the hard ones that also contain protein that cause pain.

Kidney stones are formed of calcium and other mineral salts and will try to pass through the kidney ducts, causing severe pain, and it is this type of remedy that people may resort to to move them. Im guessing the acid in the apple juice could possibly help dissolve them.

I'd never try a home remedy to move gallstones, for the simple fact that even passing one could lead to a blocking of the pancreatic duct and potentially fatal pancreatitis.

I'm pretty sure I'm over the worst of it now (I've had a nice chicken and rice meal today and not felt any pain thus far, over 4 hours later) which is a good thing since I really need to get back on track eating properly and into my workouts again.

I have some blood tests on Tuesday, but no word as of yet as to when my ultrasound will be. Hopefully not too long, the sooner I can get a surgical consult the better.

Thanks for all the advice

I was also diagnosed with gallstones, one month ago.
The general rule of thumb is 5g (or less) per 100g of food. I usually go a little lower, say 3-4grams of fat.
I completely understand what you mean about not wanting to eat. I stick to soup, salad, rice, rice cakes, tuna, boiled chicken, fruit, wholemeal pasta and no treats. The treats aren't worth it lol. But I've been quite unlucky and still have attacks regardless of what I eat...
But I would recommend avoiding the fatty foods, as (I think) the fat is what stimulates the gallbladder into producing bile which can cause a lot of pain, particularly if the bile duct is blocked.
And the co-codamol, I wasn't given any instructions that you need to take them with food, so I took them as and when I needed them, the only tablets the doctors explicity told me to eat with was Diclofenic. But I found Tramadol to be far more effective for the pain anyway because it's morphine based.
I really do understand why you'd rather avoid any more attacks. I know some people put the pain on par with labour pains, I don't know, I've not had children.

And I agree with what foodfairy says. Go to hospital every time you have an attack. I have been admitted 4 times in 4 weeks, and I've got my surgical consultation tomorrow.

Ah a thread I can relate too all too well.
My gallstones were mobilized by my rapid weight loss last year and since then I've been very frightened of another attack. I've had maybe one or two a month for six months now but I get that tell tail ache a couple of times a week.

From what I understand of Co-Codamol (which is what I was given and my doctor also failed to advise how to take it) after food is good so it is not so hard on your stomach like most pain killers. Also Co-Codamol will make you constipated after only a few doses, something you don’t need along with the gallstone attack.

I have found that a no fat diet makes it worse as the body tries to break down the stones. Keeping to a low fat % 4-5% seems to work for me because for example if I eat regular cheese and not 1/3rd less fat stuff I start to feel it.

As foodfairy said I will be going to a&e when my next attack hits to hurry up and get pushed up the treatment list. It’s a horrible experience sitting in a&e in genuine agony with others that seem so well (not that I am one to judge for you never know what’s wrong) only to get stuck with more blood tests and sent home, again, but this is the one suggestion everyone has made to me to be taken seriously. I believe I have an extremely high pain tolerance (live with chronic IBS so am in constant pain anyway) but gallstone attack is something else!!

Don’t not eat, you’ll make yourself feel dreadfull but stick to low fat and you should, fingers crossed, be ok until your next gp’s appointment.

Hope everyone that commented on here is well

Hi,

even though i had my gall bladder completely removed 18 years ago because of gall stones and inflamation, i'll never forget the pain (and i've had 3 kids!) so you have my sympathies. Just before i had the surgery, everything i ate brought on an attack so do whatever you need to to get it dealt with asap because you don't want to be in that position.

Food replacement diets are no good if you have gall stones because the gall bladder is not "flushed" often enough and this can exacerbate the situation. You must eat no matter how much it hurts after-i lived on soup for 9 months whilst waiting for the operation. I was pregnant with my second son at the time it started and couldn't take any painkillers-hence the 9 month wait for surgery lol. Good luck, hope you get it seen to soon.

Originally Posted by MissNeat

Hi,

even though i had my gall bladder completely removed 18 years ago because of gall stones and inflamation, i'll never forget the pain (and i've had 3 kids!) so you have my sympathies. Just before i had the surgery, everything i ate brought on an attack so do whatever you need to to get it dealt with asap because you don't want to be in that position.

Food replacement diets are no good if you have gall stones because the gall bladder is not "flushed" often enough and this can exacerbate the situation. You must eat no matter how much it hurts after-i lived on soup for 9 months whilst waiting for the operation. I was pregnant with my second son at the time it started and couldn't take any painkillers-hence the 9 month wait for surgery lol. Good luck, hope you get it seen to soon.

Miss neat. Can I ask, what is it like like living without your gallbladder since this seems to be something my Gp does not want to tell me about, it's fine does not answer my question,"since it's an important organ who do you cope without it". I figure if anyone can answer that someone without one for 18years can.