After a cholecystectomy, which is the medical name for gallbladder removal , you don’t really need any special diet for the rest of your life. The condition does not merit any restriction.
It is understandable that during the week after the surgical intervention certain cares are practiced in order to prevent gas, abdominal distention, and pain due to them.
However, certain changes will occur as a result of the bile being excreted continuously and directly into the intestine. Which usually causes disorders in the frequency and consistency of bowel movements or diarrhea, which are usually self-limited, lasting 2 to 4 weeks.
Diet after gallbladder removal
Depending on whether the cholecystectomy was performed laparoscopically or there was a need to open the abdominal cavity, the diets may vary slightly to reduce possible discomfort. However during the first 7 days it is advisable to follow the following dietary guidelines:
Avoid fats
Fatty foods tend to cause diarrhea due to difficulty in absorption, so they should be reduced during this period. During the first week after removing the gallbladder, avoid very greasy foods, fried pork, French fries, sauces such as mayonnaise, dressings. The easiest way is to limit your daily intake to less than 3g of fat or lipids per serving of food eaten.
Increase fiber
Greater amount of fiber allows regular movements or intestinal transit. The easiest way is to add oatmeal or bran to your diet. A cup of oatmeal at breakfast and during dinner can supply the necessary fiber throughout the day. Observing any discomfort or feeling of heaviness can increase the amount of oats consumed.
Reduce portion
The digestive system can take time to recover its normal rhythm, for this reason, the diet after removing the gallbladder should consider much smaller portions than usual, in order to facilitate digestion and prevent unpleasant gases that distend the intestine and they cause discomfort and pain.
Increase frequency
You do not have to go hungry or suffer from any caloric restriction. The best way to avoid hunger and prevent postoperative discomfort is to eat small portions more often every two hours. Increasing the frequency of small meals during the diet after gallbladder removal is the easiest way to stay full and calmer.
Other recommendations:
- Don’t eat sweets . Sugar promotes fermentation in the intestine and this can cause the accumulation of gases produced by bacterial fermentation that causes abdominal bloating and pain.
- Avoid cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli . It is recommended to include vegetables in the diet after removing the gallbladder. However, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli should be avoided as they are generators of gas and bloating.
- Avoid carbonated drinks. Although most carbonic gas is expelled without major inconvenience, it can cause stomach bloating and cause pain.
- Avoid dairy . During the first 7 days you should not consume milk or cheese. For promoting fat malabsorption and fermentation.
- Avoid coffee and caffeine. Caffeine is a powerful stimulant of gastric mobility, which increases the frequency and intensity of bowel movements, which can cause discomfort and a greater number of evacuations.
After the next week
Considerations after the first week of diet after removing the gallbladder.
After the first week the gastric symptoms should be decreasing. However, diarrhea may be present for up to four weeks after cholecystectomy.
The preparation of a diary, in which any changes after a meal, body weight, and symptoms that may occur during the day are noted. These will help your treating physician establish which are normal parameters and which ones warrant review.
- Fats should be limited . It is up to the patient to know the new behavior of his digestive system, fats must be limited until the diarrhea has completely resolved. After this period, the patient must know their new limits to stipulate how much fat to tolerate without digestive problems, that is, without causing discomfort or diarrhea.
- Weight loss . If you are losing weight and it is not due to a caloric restriction, you should consult your doctor so that he can determine the cause.
- Multivitamin supplements . Your doctor will recommend that you take a multivitamin supplement , in order to compensate for the absorption of vitamins that are covered or soluble in fat.