Gallbladder Removal Surgery

After I had my gall bladder taken out I suffered with constipation. Is it normal?
(15 Sep 2009)

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Gallbladder removal surgery is at times necessary and unavoidable, but should be a last resort for good reason. The gallbladder plays an important role in the digestive process and stores the bile produced by the liver. When you consume food it releases this bile into the intestine to facilitate digestion.

Bile is necessary as it helps in the absorption or digestion of fat from the intestine to the body. After the gallbladder is removed, bile produced in the liver can not be stored between and saved for meals. It has to be produced and utilized as and when needed.

Whenever bile is produced by the liver it therefore gets released directly into the intestine. This means that there is bile in the intestines for the digestion and transfer of fat, but in a smaller quantity, which may prove inadequate for some diets.

Fat does not need to be eliminated and can still be digested but your intake must be restricted and controlled. Eating smaller meals with greater frequency (3 -4 times a day) instead of two large meals will help greatly as it eliminates the pressure that is placed on your digestive process from a large meal. Digestive issues like the constipation indigestion that you are facing are quite common post surgery and it should be no cause for alarm. Unrestricted fat intake after surgery could lead to diarrhea or bloating and puffiness. The amount of fat that your body can take however may vary slightly from patient to patient.

The most important measures that you can take to avoid indigestion or any other digestive disorder would therefore be to make the appropriate dietary modifications.
More important than the foods you should consume are the ones you need to avoid. Make sure your diet does not include any fried foods, spicy foods, pastries, whole grain breads, baked beans, cereals, seeds, cabbage, broccoli, peanuts, and cauliflower.
On the other hand you can include skinned fish and chicken, eggs, skimmed milk, soups, salads, low fat cheese, yogurt, legumes, and grilled fish or chicken.

Keep in mind that it is important that you follow a diet that is low in carbohydrates and high in protein. For a short period following the surgery a liquid diet is advisable and if not feasible, you should at least consider following a semi-liquid diet. These of course should follow the nutritional guidelines of being non fatty and low in carbohydrates.

answered by S D on 15 Sep 2009, 4:06:27

Gallbladder Removal Surgery

After I had my gall bladder taken out I suffered with constipation. Is it normal? (15 Sep 2009)

After I had my gall bladder taken out I suffered with constipation. Is it normal?
(15 Sep 2009)