About 3 years ago after losing lots of weight, I had developed gallstones and had to have my gallbladder removed. Since then, I have put on 70 lbs (oh my gosh..). I didn't think that it had anything to do w/ having my gallbladder out - after all, the doctors tell you that you don't need your gallbladder anyway and it's a useless organ. HA! I feel worse after having it out than before, but that's another story.
Anyway since then, it is literally like I look at food and gain a pound. I used to have a very good metabolism and now it takes forever to lose just one pound. I work out 4 times a week and eat a very low fat diet since my stomach can't really digest fat like it used to. I didn't know this, but my nurse friend told me that instead of digesting and metabolizing fat like it used to, my body is just storing the fat now.
I was just wondering if anyone else has had their gallbladder removed and they noticed a significant weight gain? My weight gain seems to sit in the stomach area. I researched this and came across a group of folks (about 50 of them) who also experienced the same thing. I am currently taking digestive enzymes and bile salts to correct this problem.
Hello
I can totally relate to exactly what is happening with you! I too had my gallbladder out just about 4years ago now. Since then have put on about 40pds. Never thought it had anything to do with my gallbladder being removed but now that you metion it...... My weight to has settled around my tummy area. Since then I have also been dignosed with NAFL (non alcholic fatty liver) seems to cause the same pain as when i had gallbladder attacks. I have never been one to eat fatty foods and now even less so then before causes tummy troubles. I am wondering how the digestive enzymes and bile salts help?????
Take Care and good luck
Tammy
Hi Tammy! Glad you responded. Before I had my gb out I was a healthy eater, not the best, but not the worst either. My eating habits didn't change much after I had my surgery even though I have tummy troubles, too. That's interesting about the NAFL, because sometimes I still get sore and pains where my gb used to be... I will have to check that out.
I have read that the digestive enzymes will help with the tummy troubles, and the bile salts help w/ digesting and metabolizing the fat. Your gb used to produce this type of concentrated bile in order to digest certain foods and now you don't have that anymore. I was reading that upwards of 40% of people who have had their gb's removed experience either their liver not producing enough bile, or producing too much.
My experience is usually like this, I can eat less calories and work out, but if I go a day or two where I don't eat healthy, I will suddenly gain 2-3 lbs and it takes forever to get them back off!
Good morning,
Thanks for the info on the bile salts and digestive enzymes I have done a little reading this morning, will try and find out more.
Do you find that your energy level is really low as well since the surgery? With the NAFL i have experienced the pain ever since i had my gb out and some days it hurts all day. The doctors say it's from my diet.....well I will tell you the worst is when i eat tomatoes and onions. I have read up on it the one thing that is repeated a millon times i swear is to lose weight. I AM TRYING but i have the same problem as you. Takes forever to make a pound disapear and if i happen to eat a bad meal poof there is a couple of pounds. It's discouraging.
I better be going I must get back to work
Tammy
I have gall stones as well but I have no plans to take my gall bladder out. Although after the episodes of intense pain in which I passed a stone, I can understand why you did!
Thanks for sharing your information, I was just interested in concerns of those that have had their gall baldder out since I know it may be a possibility in the future.
My gall blader was removed in 1989 after loosing a ton a weight on a so called clinic plan (640 calories a day - the stupid things we do when we are young.)
Anyways, the only complication I had was that if I ate a higher fat diet, I would be dumping in the bathroom in about 30 minutes. But eating more frequently and learning to eat a lower fat diet improved the situtation.
Now 18 years later, it's not a problem unless I don't eat for more than 8 hours, and then again, higher fat content in the meal generally caused the problem.
Gall bladder problems are not worth ignoring. My mother ignored her problems and stone blocked a duct and her gall bladder died and turned gangerine (sp?). She had to have emergency surgery at the University and the gangerine spread to a lot of internal organs. She had almost died.
I know that my mother's story is extrmeme, just be sure that you seek medical advise and 2nd or 3rd opinons before making any possible life altering decisions.
Hi guys, thanks for responding. I had to have my gb removed since a stone was blocking the duct, but if I had a choice (like if there wasn't a stone blocking the duct), then I would not have had it removed. 3 years later I am just beginning to feel normal again. Like someone mentioned, for about 2 years after I had my gb removed, I was running to the bathroom constantly. I also deal with chronic indigestion now and live off of prilosec. Anyway I, too, cannot go more than 8 hrs w/o eating, otherwise it doesn't matter what I eat, I will be making a trip to the bathroom.
To answer your question, Tammy, yes I do feel like my energy was zapped, but I don't know if that's due to gaining weight or having my gb removed. The thing is, my diet did not change a lot after getting my gb removed and suddenly I put on weight like it was going out of style. Which made no sense to me since I was constantly running to the bathroom! The only thing I can figure out is to eat a very, very lowfat diet. The digestive enzymes seem to help in the sense that the food does not sit in my stomach as long, now it is digested easier. I am also trying to stay away from red meat, dairy, process sugar/bad carbs to see if this helps.
I get to go to the doctor this week have to have more blood tests for my liver and of course my thyroid. I am going to question him up see if he has will give me any info on the salts or enzymes. My other question is where do you purchase these other then on line? I live in Northern Canada and it's hard to get things up here that you can in larger centers.
Have a great day
Tammy
Hi guys, thanks for responding. I had to have my gb removed since a stone was blocking the duct, but if I had a choice (like if there wasn't a stone blocking the duct), then I would not have had it removed. 3 years later I am just beginning to feel normal again. Like someone mentioned, for about 2 years after I had my gb removed, I was running to the bathroom constantly. I also deal with chronic indigestion now and live off of prilosec. Anyway I, too, cannot go more than 8 hrs w/o eating, otherwise it doesn't matter what I eat, I will be making a trip to the bathroom.
To answer your question, Tammy, yes I do feel like my energy was zapped, but I don't know if that's due to gaining weight or having my gb removed. The thing is, my diet did not change a lot after getting my gb removed and suddenly I put on weight like it was going out of style. Which made no sense to me since I was constantly running to the bathroom! The only thing I can figure out is to eat a very, very lowfat diet. The digestive enzymes seem to help in the sense that the food does not sit in my stomach as long, now it is digested easier. I am also trying to stay away from red meat, dairy, process sugar/bad carbs to see if this helps.
I was wondering what kind of digestive enzymes are you on? Are they over the counter or purchased at a health food store? Im having difficulty also losing weight and I am currently eating whole foods and have become a vegetarian due to gall bladder removal.
Problems with gallbladder
Never thought it had anything to do with my gallbladder being removed but now that you metion it...... My weight to has settled around my tummy area. Since then I have also been dignosed with NAFL (non alcholic fatty liver) seems to cause the same pain as when i had gallbladder attacks. I have never been one to eat fatty foods and now even less so then before causes tummy troubles. I am wondering how the digestive enzymes and bile salts help????? 
