Gallstones

[Starlit_Cazza]

So I managed to lose over 6 stone in 19 weeks - currently on sabbatical from Cambridge as I have surgery next week. Unfortunately it looks like I have picked up some unwanted lodgers in the way of gallstones

I have had 5 attacks now - 3 in the past week since stopping Cambridge, the worst being this morning. I have had to increase food intake before surgery, and I have had a couple of naughty days and paid dearly for them. So looks like I am going to have to eat a lot of veg this week and no fat!

Does anyone have any experience with gallstones? What should I avoid? I have had a Google but if I believe what I read on there I can eat nothing at all?!?!

Saw GP Tuesday and waiting for scan to confirm diagnosis though from symptoms and patterns she is certain it is stones. Also are there any magic tips for coping with an attack? Or do you just grimace through it? Was on the brink of calling 999 this morning

 

[marthacol1988]

Oh caz I'm sure ur in a lot of pain! That's one of my fears of being on this diet! Hopefully you get sorted soon!

Sorry I can't give you any advice as I don't know much about it but wanted to let you know ul be in my thoughts

please keep us updated on ur progress!

You are a very inspirational lady

M xxx

 

[2013freshstart]

Gall stones are horrible! There is medication that can help a little but really the best thing is to stick to a low fat diet to help reduce the attacks. I understand the pain - I nearly called 999 but was in too much pain to get to the telephone! I had mine removed 10 yrs ago and have never looked back. Good luck with the operation xxx

 

[Emz33]

Oh your poor thing that sounds awful, What do you get Gallstone from sorry now for asking??

Im going for surgery at the end of May on my Spine I really dont want to come off the diet because i feel i will never get back on it.

I spoke to my Cambridge Consultant and she sed i may have to get the doctor to sign a form.?

Ex

 

[Blubell._.0422]

Gallstones are awful. I used to have to take tramadol and when that didn't help I'd be on hospital on morphine. Food didn't seem to set attacks off so I can't give any advice about that part. Hope you have them out ASAP.

 

[charliehink]

I know how you feel, started SW in January and once I had lost about 2st had developed gallstones. Saw the doctor around end of April & its taken 3 months to get that confirmed after 2 ultrasounds. Have had lots of attacks and 1 trip to A&E. Definitely been avoiding fats and cut down on red meats and also not eating such big portions, which has helped the weight loss which is now at 4st. Have some co-codamol which are usually great at dealing with the pain, stopping it in about 15-20 mins. Have just had a date for my surgery confirmed for end of September. Dreading it to be honest, but will be good to be pain free! Hope yours gets sorted soon. Good luck.

 

[Starlit_Cazza]

Had increasingly bad attacks, which were lasting an hour or so. 17th June attack stated about 8.30. 9.30 realised it was getting worse not better. 10.30 called my friend in hysterics. She arrived at 11, took one look at me and rushed me to a and e. They took one look at me, whipped me past the huge queue and got me some good drugs. This was Monday night. Admitted Tuesday morning after weird night of worst pain of my life, morphine and gas and air. Tuesday afternoon scan showed hundreds of stones, and much to my surprise they whipped it out Thursday morning! Wasn't expecting that at all!

 

[marthacol1988]

Had increasingly bad attacks, which were lasting an hour or so. 17th June attack stated about 8.30. 9.30 realised it was getting worse not better. 10.30 called my friend in hysterics. She arrived at 11, took one look at me and rushed me to a and e. They took one look at me, whipped me past the huge queue and got me some good drugs. This was Monday night. Admitted Tuesday morning after weird night of worst pain of my life, morphine and gas and air. Tuesday afternoon scan showed hundreds of stones, and much to my surprise they whipped it out Thursday morning! Wasn't expecting that at all!

How are you getting on now cazza? X

 

[CF18]

Oh your poor thing that sounds awful, What do you get Gallstone from sorry now for asking??

It's one of the potential pitfalls of a VLCD - your gallbladder makes bile, but it never needs to secrete it because you never eat a load of fat, so it forms gallstones. Usually these are not problematic and resolve when you resume your normal diet, but in some cases (like Cazza's) they can be very painful.

I've read that making sure your diet contains at least 7g of fat per day helps to prevent this. Since mine contains precisely 4g from Cambridge products, I've been taking enough fish oil to make up the difference. And keeping my fingers crossed

 

[Starlit_Cazza]

Not just vlcd, any diet

 

[Lily]

It's one of the potential pitfalls of a VLCD - your gallbladder makes bile, but it never needs to secrete it because you never eat a load of fat, so it forms gallstones. Usually these are not problematic and resolve when you resume your normal diet, but in some cases (like Cazza's) they can be very painful.

I've read that making sure your diet contains at least 7g of fat per day helps to prevent this. Since mine contains precisely 4g from Cambridge products, I've been taking enough fish oil to make up the difference. And keeping my fingers crossed

The UK version of Cambridge has more fat in (I see you're on the US version). For example, a 200ml tetra contains 3.2g fat. They increased the amount of fat in the products precisely because of the research linking very low fat to gallstones.

But...

Not just vlcd, any diet

Absolutely right. Most overweight people have gallstones. They only become a bother when you lose weight on a diet, particularly low fat diets, annoyingly enough (though some people seem to get away with it!).

 

[shaz29]

I had my gallbladder out in may this year I was up and about feeling great after 2 days HONESTLY! It's the best thing ever and no more horrendous pain!! Get the gallbladder removed! I understand if you have gallstones you can't do CD? Or is it just ss and ss+? Check it out and be careful xx

 

[Starlit_Cazza]

I was quite poorly after having mine out, but anyone who has known me a while will know I never do things by halves! I picked up some nerve damage from the op, but my consultant said I was only the second case of his where this had happened ever and he removes over a thousand gallbladders a year! So please don't worry, I am an exceptional case, plus it was my second big op in just 28 days so that didn't help! I am ok now, though on tablets to be ok, but I can cope with that! I am still a hell of a lot better off than I was with my gallbladder - full on gallstone attack is the worst pain I have ever experienced