What to Eat After Gallbladder Surgery

What to Eat After Gallbladder Surgery

Your gallbladder is responsible for storing and releasing bile to aid digestion of fats. A tendency to develop hard aggregations of calcium, cholesterol or gallstones can block gallbladder opening, requiring you to have your gallbladder removed by surgery. Your liver can still produce sufficient amount of bile for digestion. However, during the initial few weeks post-surgery, it is advisable for you to carefully watch your diet so you can gradually ease your initial discomfort and adjust to the changes of your digestion.

What to Eat After Gallbladder Surgery?
During the first two months after your gallbladder surgery, it’s advisable for you to follow a low-fat and high-in-fiber diet to ease digestion. Meals that are high in fat can result in discomfort as the bile previously stored in your gallbladder is now going to continuously drip into your small intestine. As you recover, your bile duct will eventually enlarge to substitute for the bile storage function and allow you to add back fats to your diet.

Foods to Eat According to Different Periods After Gallbladder Surgery
The first 2-3 days

For the first 2 to 3 days, keep your diet extremely light. Consume lots of fluids including water and clear broths. You should drink fruit juices without pulp like apple, grape and cranberry juice. It’s important to avoid caffeine in the first few days as it can worsen your Diarrhea. You can also drink tea and clear soda. Apart from fluids, you can eat Jell-O and fruit popsicles without the fruit bits. Basically it is important for you to have a very light diet and concentrate on drinking lots of fluids.

1-2 weeks

What to eat after gallbladder surgery in this period, you should include soups, mashed potatoes, fruits, toast, rice, applesauce, oatmeal, crackers and chicken. Avoid having creamy soups as they might cause discomfort in digestion. Go for chicken and noodle soups. Use broth as an alternate to butter in your mashed potatoes. Eat fruits in moderation. Try bananas if you are experiencing Constipation problems. Use very minimal amounts of butter on toast if needed. It’s better to avoid butter altogether. Avoid rice and applesauce in case you are experiencing problems with constipation. Avoid fried chicken. Alternatively, you can go for baked or grilled chicken.

3 weeks and beyond

At 3 weeks and beyond, you should gradually start introducing high fiber foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your diet. You can start having non-fat yogurt and cottage cheese at this point. You can get protein from fish and chicken but avoid having beef and pork. You should include flax seed oil and hemp seed oil as it contains Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. You can also have these in the supplement form.

Useful Guidelines for What to Eat After Gallbladder Surgery

• Avoid large meals and instead eat frequently in small quantities as it eases digestion. You can include small quantities of lean protein in your meals such as fish, poultry, and non-fat dairy along with fruits, vegetables and whole grains.


• ŸInclude fiber in your diet gradually to help normalize your bowel movements. This will also help you in case you are experiencing diarrhea or constipation. But it can worsen gas and cramping.A suitable approach is to increase fiber intake slowly and over a period of a few weeks.


• If any of the food items mentioned above caused problems like cramps, bloating and gas formation then it is advisable to avoid them after the surgery. If you experience any problems regarding your diet you should consult your doctor.

What Foods to Avoid After Gallbladder Surgery
1. Fried, Greasy, and Junk Foods


Stay away from processed, fried and greasy foods during your recovery period. Food items like fried chicken, fries, and fatty cuts of meat like bacon, ribs, ground beef and sausage must be avoided. You should also stay away from junk food like potato chips and pizza. You don’t have to avoid these food items permanently. You can gradually start having them in small quantities once a month after your recovery period.

2. Whole-Milk and High-Fat Dairy Products


Substitute whole-milk dairy products like full fat yogurt and cheese for low fat dairy products instead. Low-fat and non-fat yogurts and cheese can be easily found in grocery stores. They contain the same nutrients as regular dairy products with the added benefit of having less solid fat as compared to whole-milk dairy products. If you don’t like dairy products, you can go for soy products that contain added calcium and Vitamin-D.

3. Large Amount of High-Fiber Foods


Limit your intake of high-fiber foods during your post-surgery recovery period. Avoid having whole-grain breads as well as nuts, peas, beans and cereals if it is necessary. Fruits and vegetables are also high in fiber. If you continue to experience diarrhea after recovery, gradually include high fiber foods to your diet. It is important to increase the amount of fiber gradually to avoid making gas and constipation worse.

4. Caffeine


Getting to know “what to eat after gallbladder surgery” is not enough, you should try to avoid caffeine for example. Caffeine is a diuretic, which stimulates your nervous system and speeds up the digestion process, causing you to urinate more often. Caffeine intake can also cause an upset stomach and lead to worsening of diarrhea. Limit your caffeine intake even after you recover from the surgery. Instead drink more water and drinks with electrolytes to avoid Dehydration.

5. Exotic, Spicy Foods


Avoid having spicy food during your recovery period as it can irritate your stomach. You should also avoid gravies, sauces and heavy soups as they usually contain large amounts of fat and butter and are hard to digest. Instead of adding red peppers, garlic and curry to add flavor to your meals, use fresh herbs like rosemary, cilantro, basil, dill and oregano.

When to See a Doctor After Gallbladder Surgery
You should call your doctor in case you experience any of the following problems after your gallbladder removal surgery:

• ŸSevere abdominal pain


• ŸContinuous bleeding


• Persistent nausea and vomiting


• Increasing abdominal swelling


• Persistent fever over 39°C (101°F)


• Persistent cough or shortening of breath


• Chills


• Severe pain not relieved by medication


• Worsening of redness surrounding your incisions


• Pus or purulent drainage from any of your incisions

In addition, consult your doctor if you experience difficulty in eating or drinking fluids or if you have any concerns that are related to your recovery.

Gallbladder Surgery

Gallbladder Surgery






Gallbladder surgery is known as Chole-cystectomy in medical terms. Gallbladder is a small organ found on the abdomen which acts as the storehouse for bile which is essential for digestion. There are many reasons for removing the gallbladder. However it is a minor surgery done by laparoscopic method.

Causes :

Gallbladder is removed from the abdomen when there is development of gallstones blocking the passage. Gallstones can be found in the bile duct or gallbladder which may cause swelling and pain.

What is the risk involved?

Though it is minor surgery, still some amount of risk is involved. Normally gallbladder surgery is done through open cholecystecstomy method by making large incision and sending a tiny camera inside to locate the gallbladder correctly.

There may be Blood Clots or bile leakage after the surgery. In rare cases, there may be infection which may produce further complications. In some cases, the neighboring organs such as liver or small intestine can get injured during surgery.

Preparation :

Your doctor will analyze your health condition and unless he thoroughly gets convinced for the need of surgery, he will not proceed. You will be given special solution for flushing out the stools completely from the intestine. Hence you have to drink that solution the previous day for clearing any leftover food particles from the stomach and intestine.

You should not eat or drink anything at least 6 hours before surgery. So you should be empty-stomach the night before surgery.

In case you are taking regular medicines for certain disease, then you can ask your doctor whether you can continue taking it previous day. Some medications that induce bleeding will have to be stopped temporarily.

On the day of surgery, you will have to take warm-bath using special antibacterial soap.

You have to get prepared for the process and make arrangements for staying at hospital for one or two days. Very often you will be sent home the same day evening except in case of complications.

Gallbladder Surgery Causes :

Gallstones are formed from the bile (digestive fluid) when it gets accumulated to form small hard stones. These stones may block the passage of gallbladder and may also cause inflammation. Sometimes, they will find its way into other parts. When the gallstones go out of control (excess in number) they will block the duct and cause irritation.

Symptoms :

Normally gallstone formation will get unnoticed without any visible signs until it exceeds in number. Some of the signs of gallstone accumulation are sharp pain in the abdomen, feeling uncomfortable and sick. Some people may get special fever called Jaundice that would change the skin color into yellow.

Laparoscopic Surgery :

In this process the entire gallbladder removal surgery is done through small opening (keyhole). A small incision is made through which tiny camera and other tools are sent to the abdomen and the surgeon will carefully cut open the gallbladder and using suction method the organ is removed. In this surgery, the patient will recover early and very often he will be discharged the same day.

Open cholecystectomy method, a large incision is made on the abdomen. This type of open surgery is done for special reasons and for patients with other health issues. General anesthesia is given in both the types of surgery. This procedure will warrant the patient to stay longer in the hospital until the wound heals completely. Since the incision is big, it takes long time for healing.

Images, Pics, Photos and Pictures of Gallbladder Surgery :

Recovery :

For closed type of surgery, the person will be sent home possibly in one or two days and he can get back to work after taking rest for 2 weeks.

In case of open surgery, it may take sufficient time. The individual will have to stay in the clinic for 5-6 days and should be in rest for at least 6 weeks before he gets normal.

Though gallbladder is removed from your body, still liver can produce the required digestive enzymes and hence your system will function normally.

Gallbladder Surgery – Recovery time, Diet, Complications

Gallbladder Surgery – Recovery time, Diet, Complications

Gallbladder Surgery Recovery Time

Gallbladder surgery can be done as an outpatient or the individual may need to stay one (1) or two (2) days in the hospital.

After a gallbladder surgery the individual might experience:

• Pain in the abdomen and shoulder that can last for twenty-four (24) to seventy-two (72) hours from the air or gas that inflated the surgical region during surgery. It might even last up to a week.


• Muscle aches that are widespread from the anesthesia


• Minor drainage or inflammation at the incision sites


• Diarrhea


• Some nausea with appetite loss

The majority of individuals usually may return to normal daily activities in seven (7) to ten (10) days. Individuals who have laparoscopic surgery are normally sore for approximately a week. In two (2) to (3) weeks there is little discomfort except in the cases where individuals have had open surgery.

Gallbladder Surgery Diet

There is not a specific diet for individuals to follow after having the gallbladder removed due to the fact that guidelines normally depend on the individual.

When the gall bladder is taken out, bile is less intense and it flows nonstop into the intestine. This will affect the breakdown of fat as well as fat-soluble vitamins. How much of a problem will be different from individual to individual. Over time, the body will become better and adjust to consuming fatty foods.
That fat amount that is eaten at any one time needs to be a factored into this situation. Quantities of fat that are small are much easier to digest. Large amounts may stay undigested and produce bloating, diarrhea and gas.

You're reading Gallbladder Surgery – Recovery time, Diet, Complications posted by minhhai2d, the information is for reference only.

General advice to avoid problems after having the gallbladder removed includes:

• Eat smaller but more numerous meals. This ensures a good blend with available bile.


• Eat small quantities of lean protein, for instance fish, nonfat dairy and poultry, at each meal, together with vegetables, whole grains and fruits.


• Go slow on fats. Sidestep high-fat foods, greasy and fried foods, gravies and fatty sauces. Rather, consume nonfat or low-fat foods.


• Begin reading labels to look for food with three (3) grams of fat or even less per serving.

Increase the amount of fiber in the diet gradually. This will aid the normalizing of bowel movements by the reduction of incidents of Constipation or diarrhea. But, it also can make cramping and gas worse. The best tactic is to increase slowly fiber amount in the diet over a number of weeks.

Understand that after this surgery some individuals find that the below are harder to digest:

• Dairy products


• Caffeinated beverages

Speak with your physician if the symptoms do not diminish, are severe, continue over time or if there is loss of weight and the patient becomes weak.

Gallbladder Surgery Complications

Even though being performed widely as well as being regarded as a predictable and straightforward surgical procedure by individuals, laparoscopic removal of the gallbladder can be very difficult to complete in some situations.

There are numerous means that cause damage to the intestines that might occur with this procedure. The gallbladder is a sac-like organ that hangs from a structure of ducts starting at the liver going to the duodenum.

Directly next to the gallbladder is the “hepatic flexure” colon. When the gallbladder is inflamed, the gallbladder walls as well as the surrounding tissues become swollen and red and the regular tissue planes become buried; especially if there have been recurrent attacks of gallbladder inflammation.

In other words, “everything gets stuck together” especially the colon and gallbladder.

While taking out the gallbladder one of the initial steps is to peel the colon off the gallbladder wall that is underlying – without gashing the colon wall while doing it. Now, holes in the colon that are large are easy to find, but perforations which are smaller especially in a mass of tissue that is inflamed, are easy to miss.

The second way for the colon to get injured is unintentionally puncturing it with a dissecting or retractor instrument. If this happens it is usually when the tissue is being gently pulled off of the cystic duct. The colon can get “poked” by the end of the retractor.

The third way that can injure the colon is by a burn from the Bovie electrocautery that is used to halt localized bleeding from the tissues. This type injury might cause a delayed reaction and it is not uncommon that individuals re-enter the hospital with colon injury after having been discharged home.