My husband had his out and he just eats whatever he wants. Mostly fried and pizza and hamburgers and sweets. That is what he ate before, also. I can sneak some "healthy" every once in a while.

Good you are getting it done. He put off until critical emergency room visit. Doctor said it had "died" and was gangrenous.

ETA: I am not saying it is a good diet, but that is what he eats. He seems okay.

My sister had it doen recently, Easy peasy, Good luck to you.

I had my gallbladder removed 20 yr ago (mine was an emergency). The only thing I have issues with is bacon -- which I don't eat much anyhow. Immediately after surgery one of the first things they recommended I eat was deli ham sandwiches-- the kind that is 97% fat free. That surprised me but it worked out fine (other than I dont like ham very much lol).

I do have a friend who hasn't been able to eat spicy food since her gall bladder removal but I think you really just need to wait and see how your body responds.

I had mine out in 1995 and all I can say is I wish I had it removed sooner. I could eat whatever I wanted. I cut back on fats and fried foods because of weight, not because of a special diet due to gallbladder removal. It was one of the easiest operations I've ever had. Good luck.

BTDT many years ago. Both my internist at the time and surgeon said there is little evidence supporting a change in diet to limit gallstone production as a way to avoid surgery because they are already formed and causing issues, otherwise I would not have known about them. People can have gallstones and never have issues. After surgery there is obviously no gallbladder left to form them. I made no dietary changes other than the first 6 weeks or so after surgery. My diet is *relatively* healthy but I don't obsess and pretty much eat what I want in moderation. The surgery itself was laparoscopic and easy/quick recuperation.

I would ask your surgeon what the benefit of a low/no fat diet is in terms of gallstone production once the gallbladder has been removed. As for overall benefits of low/no fat diets, that's a different discussion. I have no personal history of high blood fats nor any family history, which is not a guarantee for the future but a strong indicator so I don't avoid any foods but I've never been a junk/fast food eater anyway.

I wonder if a doctor would suggest any digestive aids to help post surgery with how your body processes food without a gallbladder. I've been working with my doctor on (unrelated to gallbladder) digestive issues and she's had me take specific enzymes and acid pills (because my stomach wasn't producing enough acid). Not to be too graphic, but your stools can be analyzed to see how your digestive system is functioning (good/bad bacteria levels, gallbladder enzymes, etc) and that might help fine tune what kind of a diet and/or supplement regiment might be helpful.

Had mine removed many years ago as an emergency. Laproscopy wasn’t possible so I had the major incision. 6 weeks recovery but after that no real issues. I can eat whatever I want - I don’t even think about it anymore. I hope the same is true for you!

We just went through this with DH on Apr 1. He'd wakened me at 1 AM the month before and asked me to drive him to the hospital, words I've never heard from that man and we've been married 50 years. He has never been sick, never had a surgery.

The removal outpatient and pretty darned easy. 4 tiny little incisions that were glued not stitched. His surgeon did insist on a 3-4 week 10# lifting restriction saying that two of those incisions could have a tendency to herniate otherwise and that could have meant a hernia repair. He took one of the pain pills at home that first evening, then the next day I think he took 1/2 tablet with a tylenol two times. That's all the discomfort he had.

His surgeon said to be careful with fats for 6 weeks following which would allow the bile duct time to compensate and become more or less its own pouch, taking the place of the gall bladder. We're still being careful with fats and he's had no problems whatsoever, is gradually adding a few fattier things back into his diet. He's also doing portion control and stopping when he's full, not just mindlessly eating because something tastes really good.

The low fat cooking was only slightly a struggle and because I've been trying to gain. I am not one to enjoy making two separate dinners!

He's been very careful with eggs. No bacon, nothing deep fried. If I have wanted to brown something I read that coconut oil can be easier on digestion and I have served him yearling oysters with a light rice flour breading fried quickly in coconut oil, also small servings of petrale sole. No problems at all, and believe me, I'd have heard. He is not at all used to anything being wrong with him 😊

He still skipping things like pizza, is not using butter, drinking 1% milk and he may never again eat pulled pork or pork kielbasa sausages - what sent him to the hospital with a flareup to begin with. Just being in general careful with fats.

Same as we were doing between his emergency visit and his scheduled procedure. Lot of fruits and vegetables, just a little lean meats. No heavy rich sauces on anything. He's feeling great. And is incredibly happy to be back to caring for our own 1 acre yard and using the equipment required to do that. Friends pitched in but he is almost OCD when it comes to things like cherry and magnolia petals all over the driveway, is content to be back to taking care of all that himself.

Not a bad time consuming experience at all and I foresee no ongoing problems with having no gall bladder. None of us really need a meal of all fatty foods to begin with so a somewhat small price to pay for feeling well. Best of luck to you, I don't think you'll find it difficult.

I had mine out in 2018. Emergency. Very infected. Laparoscopic procedure. I was in the hospital for 3 or 4 days. I had to have an ERCP as well to remove a gallstone (or maybe it was gallstones - plural) fron the bile duct. No dietary restrictions. It was a very easy recovery.

I had mine out in 2009. Different foods affect people differently afterwards. Eat you regular diet, and you body will quickly let you know which foods it no longer tolerates well.

Best of luck on your surgery! You'll be so glad you did it!

I had mine out 14 years ago. The doctor never mentioned changing my diet and I've never had any problem eating anything since then. Before I had my gall bladder out, if I ate the least little bit of fat I had to dash to the bathroom not long afterwards. It was such a relief not to have to do that any more.

I hope it goes well and that you have a speedy recovery.

This is all very helpful. I've been told that diet is important during the initial period while the body gets used to processing dietary fat differently. And everyone is different. But thanks for sharing experiences, I am comforted. After my ordeal in the hospital in October 2022 with pneumonia, I'm definitely gun-shy about hospitals et al.

I had mine out in 1984. No dietary restrictions. I still eat whatever I want. 40 years later.

I had mine out about 20 years ago. Without reading what others went through I want to prepare you for something that won't be fun. The morning after sugery I ran like crazy to the the bathroom. Our bile is affected from surgery, which causes the bad thing to happen, for a long time.

You can easily find foods online that you shouldn't eat for awhile. Diarrhea soon after eating is a common side effect months after surgery, no matter what you eat.

I finally told my doctor it was embarrassing because I can't go out to eat, or eat at someone else's house. He said take Imodium AD an hour before eating & then you'll do a lot better. It worked. About a year later I was back to my normal self, thank goodness.

Good luck!

Until I had surgery, I ate a low/no fat diet. Not as hard as you might think. Once I had surgery, it's a matter of finding your limits. I can eat fat, but too much upsets my stomach. I find bacon can be a problem so I tend to avoid it, though a few well-done chips here and there is fine.

The worst was 24-48 hours after surgery when you're full of gas and it can press on your heart or your back and make you rather uncomfortable. But once it dissipates, then recovery was quick and easy.

Best of luck to you!

Laparoscopic removal in 2003 after having two attacks in two weeks. I knew I had gallstones, so I knew what was happening when the first attack happened. Recovery from the surgery itself was no biggie. But like Oakley, I had issues for awhile. Once I started leaving the house after recovery, I knew where every bathroom was anywhere I went. It would hit me all at once. Didn't matter what I was eating or what foods I avoided. When I went for my post op and I told the nurse, she said if they told people what it could/does do, then people wouldn't have it removed. A simple salad w/o dressing could do it, so it wasn't just fatty or spicy foods.

I was not told to take Imodium, and I would not have taken it on a regular basis if they had suggested.

Speaking of gallbladder attacks. The second one sent me to the ER. They called my surgeon and he walked over to see me. He had done my first thyroid surgery a few years ago. I had the surgery two days later. He said if I had another attack before the surgery, to mix a tablespoon of Epson Salt in a large glass of water and it would stop the attack. He also said this is not something you should do often, and certainly not a long term fix.

Good luck with your surgery, and afterwards.

Sushi, eating like his doctor had suggested following the surgery, DH has had not one instance of diarrhea. I ask, and he reports 'going normally'. Restaurant eating has been a little difficult, there is so little on menus that seems to be workable but lunches out? He's ordered a lot of tomato basil soup. I don't think I'd ever seen him eat tomato soup. For the most part we've had our main meals at home. He is not shy about telling his friends there are things he's not eating just now. It's been fine. It was one month on Monday since he had his surgery.

Had emergency gall bladder removed years ago. The worst part is they pump you full of CO2 during surgery, and you feel very bloated for about a week. Healing is quick. No one told me what kind of diet to follow, basically no instructions. After bouts of diarrhea, I started a detailed food journal. That helped me a lot to figure out what my flares were.

I too had my gallbladder out probably about 25 years ago. I had laproscopic surgery, spent one night in the hospital due to needing fluids. Surgery was pretty easy. Yes, you are pumped with gas before the surgery, but it doesn't have to be a lingering problem. Thankfully, a kind nurse told me ahead of time what to do. ROCK! If they do not bring a rocking chair to your room after surgery, ask for one. I sat in the rocker and rocked. It helped move the gas along quickly. I believe the OP is talking about low-fat diet BEFORE surgery. I was told the same. I really don't remember being told any kind of diet to follow after the surgery. I ate pretty much what I wanted. Did have a bit of trouble for the first few days, foods settling with my stomach. But to tell you how well I did, we traveled about two weeks after my surgery with no problems.

Good luck to you and I wish you a speedy recovery! (Don't forget to rock!)

Just wanted to wish you good healing. This is most interesting that so so many here have been through this in one fashion or another, and are doing quite fine so many years after.

Wishing a healthy recovery! Sounds like from the others things will go well and you'll be up and around soon after.

I only know three people IRL who have had their gallbladder removed. Two eat and drink whatever they want to with no ill effects. The third can not have coffee or else bathroom emergencies for the entire day. Her diet has to be pretty bland and she has to be very careful about what she eats. Low to no fat. From the others comments above, her situation sounds like it's not the usual outcome.

Also wishing you a speedy recovery.

I'm so surprised how many here have had theirs removed. I don't think I know anyone that has.

For others who had theirs removed years ago, was anyone else following a very low fat diet before they started having problems? I never had any problems with mine, but I was eating one of the premade food weight loss diets (nutrisystem or similar -I don’t recall exactly). I lost a good amount of weight, then one night went out with friends and I ate a fairly fatty meal. Went to a play after, then headed home. By the time I got home, I thought I would die from the pain. ER visit and gall bladder removed that night. A couple years later there was a class action lawsuit against the diet company because so many people had to have their gall bladders removed. I can’t remember if it was something they were using as an additive or if it was just an unhealthily low fat diet.

I have never had any symptoms of gallbladder trouble, except for the gallstone I passed in Oct 2022 when I was in the hospital. This is coming up now because I also have a hernia that needs repair. I have been told (but not by a doctor) to keep a very low fat diet during the recovery period.

Oly, I have heard of that happening after someone has lost a good amount of weight, and lost it quickly. I have a friend who had weight loss surgery and it happened to her.

I've heard that too, Tina.

I was given very detailed discharge paperwork, including diet, which did not help me. Everyone is different.

In the process of having a scan for what turned out to be a pinched nerve I found out I have gallstones. This post has been helpful in learning that my fear of chronic diarrhea after gallbladder removal hasn't been an issue. Thanks sushipup2 for this post and hope your surgery goes smoothly.

In regard to weight loss and gallbladder issues per Johns Hopkins: " As the body metabolizes fat during rapid weight loss, it causes the liver to secrete extra cholesterol into bile, which can cause gallstones."