gallbladder removal and gaining weight?

[SerenityValley]

Ok, I'm a bit paniccky now - I'm reading way too much on google where people say they've put on a serious amount of weight after having it out.

I'm a bit scared now to do it at all - If I was to go through that, I would give up on life all over again - I cannot bear the thought of putting this weight back on and losing what I have worked so hard for.

I'm going to have to make a dr appt but at the moment I'm seriously considering cancelling the op.

 

[daisydoll]

hi
have you spoken to your doc about this.
you don't want to believe everything you read online - maybe its only the people who have put on weight who have posted.
maybe after getting rid of the pain of gallstones they have started overeating again.

a friend of mine had hers out last year and is still maintaining her weight (she had lost over 8 stone)

daisy x

 

[SerenityValley]

Thanks Daisy - it's 68 pages of people and I know they could all be making excuses but I'm terrified because I'd also be starting rtm at the same time. I've never been thin in my life and the thought that I could be thin for a few days kills me.

I#m really glad to hear of a positive situation like your friend - and will discuss with my dr. In all honesty, the pain may be the worst thing I've ever felt physically but if I was to lose this chance to have a life, it'd feel far worse.

 

[PurpleButterfly]

Andy, firstly calm down and don't panic.
Whatever decision you make has got to be the right one for you. But I would say, gather all evidence first and make a fully informed decision, like daisy said the stories posted might only be the ones who put on weight and for everyone else it wasn't an issue so they haven't posted anything... Think of how many gall bladder ops have been done over the years - and it would probably only take a very small percentage of those who've had it and put weight on after, to write 68 posts on it!
Talk to your doctor and get the information you need to decide first.

And one more thing....

*Big Hug!!!!*

 

[slendablenda]

PB is right

Don't panic Mr. Mannering !!!!!!
Oh Andy - just when you feel you are getting your life back.
PBis right though, don't panic.
Do make an appointment and speak to the doctor/surgeon about what you have read. Ask them for some statistics and reasons. Make a considered judgement rather than a reflex reaction. If everyone who had their gall bladder removed put on masses of weight we would know about it already.I'm sure it's not the case.
Deep breaths, ommmmmmmmmm.:sigh:

 

[octavia]

I think I posted this already but I'll say it again! If you dont go ahead with the op you may lose your life never mind your chance of a thin life! I was critically ill in December with acute pancreatitis caused by a gall stone which blocked my pancreatic duct. One in 4 people who have this condition die from it. I was lucky. I had my gall bladder out Jan 7th. I go tomorrow am for an MRI scan to check all my ducts are clear. I am dreading being in the claustrophobic scanner. I am dreading needing to be readmitted as it was such a traumatic time. I cannot emphasise enough, and am not trying to be dramatic, that the pain of the pancreatitis was horrific and I was very seriously ill. Gall stones can have serious complications. The pain of pancreatitis made the pain of gall stones feel like a mild graze!
You will only put weight on if you eat lots of very fattening foods. Having your gall bladder out will not make you gain weight. For those people who say it did that is their excuse like we all have had excuses. If you choose to eat high fat foods as they probably did after not being able to tolerate them you will gain weight - otherwise you will be fine! Your hard work will not be undone and you will have a fab new life, trim and healthy and without either gall stone pain or the risk of pancreatitis

 

[susianna]

Hi Andy

I'm no expert in gall bladders but I guess that many people with gall stones were very restricted in what they ate due to having the painfull attacks so once it was removed perhaps its a little bit like a free ticket to eat what you want as now there's no pain.

There's absolutely no way you would follow that same path Andy, thats very clear to see especially with what you have acheived so have more faith in yourself that you can still lose or maintain your weight with your gallbladder gone!

Good luck with whatever you decide. x

 

[Huseyin]

Andy dont concern yourself.

You can convince yourself of having any condition or believing any body who puts up a post sounding half intelligent.


Were they eating right?
Were they eating healthy?
Were they exercising?

All these things need to be asked, so dont panic, it means you have to be active and eat right which is what is going to happen, anyone can put weight on if they eat junk all the time. Which i think is what they did and what is happening. Besides as you say they are probably excuses. Much like the classic one we hear about having a slow metabolism.

Now when the Gall Baldder is removed it does not mean the Bile stops flowing, that will still get into the intestine, it may very be the case that fat absoption is slowled or less effective. Therefore you have make sure you eat less saturated fats and exercise 3 times a week or so.

Its not doom and gloom, have a read of this to comfort you.

Ask an Expert: Weight loss/gall bladder removal

 

[KD]

I scared myself witless reading things on the web before my gallbladder op.

Also managed to put on 3lbs after the op, which then disappeared when I got off my arse:8855:

Can't say I'm eating any less calories now than I did pre-op, and have still maintained my weight.

Having the operation is one of the best things I've done. I put it off for so long and it was really effecting my lifestyle.

Relax, it'll be a great job done :clap:

 

[SerenityValley]

Ok, have spent a fair amount of time thinking about yesterday and how I feel/felt.

I'm still not entirely sure about what I'll do (3 main options, go ahead, postpone, cancel), but I'll concede that even 68 pages of people (77 actually - the last page led to another 9 pages on another forum) is not necessarily a huge cross-section of the people. People gaining weight may search for it on google - whereas people losing weight, or maintainng may not. I only found it because I was interested to find out how much gallbladders weigh.

I still have trouble believing that they are all kidding themselves but some of them must be. Too many "my diet hasn't changed" posts and I've both heard and made all the same excuses for much of my fat life. But because some of them must be kidding thmselves, then I must be able to discount a portion of them. Which makes the liklihood of being affected by a genuine issue, lower. Some of them must be right though; but how many have undiagnosed thyroid issues? I've read that surgery can cause thyroid problems.

The reason I was so terrified is because I don't want my old life at all, in fact it would be much worse to taste thinness and then go back. I've grown a lot but I also feel that I would withdraw again. My emotional state is better today but yesterday I can honestly say, the thought of going back to the way I was, much was worse than the thought of dying under the knife.

I was concerned by the thought of having it done while my metabolism is stuffed (my metabolism will be much lower for some time after I finish this diet). I'm thinking though that perhaps a few weeks of LL after my GB is taken out, followed by 12 weeks of painfully slow reintroduction of food might actually be beneficial. A lot of people with GB being removed will go a bit wild when they can suddenly eat what they used to eat, painfree. I won't be able to do this - indeed I'm still intent on a healthy, lower fat, smaller portioned, exercise filled lifestyle. So that may put me into a very good position.

I also know that if the weight does pile on uncontrollably, I will step back onto the LL wagon to stabilise. I cannot believe that anyone could do LL properly and not lose weight. And as hard as it is to restart LL, I believe that I could do it - because the alternative would be much harder.

So I'm in a holding pattern just now; I need more info and honesty from y doctors (they haven't mentioned any side effects) to be sure. Yesterday I was sure I'd postpone, now I'm edging nearer going for it.

 

[KD]

I was concerned by the thought of having it done while my metabolism is stuffed (my metabolism will be much lower for some time after I finish this diet).

Yep, that's one of the reasons they have the 'refeed'. The other day, I suggested the Cambridge type of refeed be called the metabolic restore plan. Think people would be more inclined to do it then

I need more info and honesty from y doctors (they haven't mentioned any side effects) to be sure

I don't think you'll be sure even then, as I don't think they'll be sure themselves.

I remember asking the consultant if VLCDs cause gallbladder problems and he said "unlikely"...then went on to say that it would be virtually impossible to research anyway.

There are just too many variables. The only way you could be close to sure was if you took a few hundred people who had surgery, and a few hundred that hadn't and lock them away for a few years to monitor them. Searching them for food after every family/friend visit etc.

It's just highly unlikely that people would ever go for that. Understandably

That's why research on weight loss/gain is so difficult to do. Researchers to very flawed research to get glimpses of what might happen. That's all.

If you go by the science though, it will say that you are more likely to lose weight after gallbladder removal because you are less able to digest loads of fat and will pass it out instead.

 

[ShweetThang]

Hi,

Just thought I'd say this...

I had my gall bladder out in Sept last year and have since gained 5 stone, but only because I HAVE STUFFED MY FACE SINCE THEN! I don't believe gall bladder removal is necessarily conjusive with weight gain, that doesn't makes sense to me but I would seek medical advice nonetheless