The gallbladder is a small organ located upper right underneath the liver. The gallbladder stores bile produced by the liver and bile moves to the small intestines to help digest the food. If an individual is diagnosed with gallstones, then the most recommended treatment is gallbladder removal surgery.
Once the gallbladder is removed bile flow directly into the small intestines instead of storing in the gallbladder. Bile helps to digest fatty food. Your liver continuously produces the bile even after removing the gallbladder.
Overweight and rapid weight loss are two factors prompting gallstones. An individual may be at higher risk of gallstones if meals include a high amount of refined carbohydrates, calories, and low fiber.
Gallbladder surgery may affect your body for a while, however, few changes in the lifestyle will help you to maintain healthy body weight for the long term.
Does gallbladder removal surgery lead to loss of weight?
Once an individual has gallbladder removal surgery and the gallbladder is removed, it is conceivable that there will be weight loss.
- Avoid Spicy food: Your doctor may advise avoiding spicy foods and foods that cause acidity or may prompt gastrointestinal problems. Add bland food to your diet to speed up your recovery process.
- Adding small portions in meals: It is always recommended to have at least six small frequent meals through a day after a couple of weeks from your gallbladder surgery. Avoid taking a larger meal in one sitting.
- Avoiding fatty meals. Post gallbladder removal surgery, an individual may face problems in digesting fatty meals. It will take few weeks for your body to adapt to changes after the surgery. In this condition, your doctor will share dietary guidelines and suggest you avoid fried, oily, and heavy meals until your body reach its normal state.
- Diarrhea issue: After the gallbladder surgery, you may experience diarrhea as a side effect of surgery and you will get better after a couple of weeks.
- Recovery After gallbladder surgery: If an individual has conventional open gallbladder surgery instead of laparoscopic surgery, the recovery time will be slightly longer and you may experience discomfort and pain after open surgery.
During the recovery process, it is always recommended to adhere to the dietary plan suggested by your doctor. You will possibly lose weight but that is temporary.
How to maintain a healthy weight after gallbladder removal surgery?
After gallbladder surgery, it is possible to lose weight as it is considered as one of the side effects. However, a rapid weight loss or short-duration weight loss schedule will impact your health. It is not considered a healthy course of action in the long run.
Rather than opting for a weight loss schedule, it is suggested to maintain a healthy body weight and a healthy way of living with new changes. This includes a balanced diet and regular exercise as advised by your doctor. Weight loss through fasting or skipping meals is not recommended.
In case you lost too much weight after surgery, please contact your doctor. The doctor may suggest ways to maintain a healthy weight through diet plans. You can also contact our healthcare expert for a post gallbladder surgery diet.
Guidelines to maintain a healthy weight
A healthy way to reduce weight or gain weight is always welcome for a healthy lifestyle. It is recommended to follow your doctor’s dietary guidelines and only avoid a particular food in your diet that your doctor has asked you to do.
Here are few guidelines for a healthy diet:
- Add food to your diet that includes green vegetables, whole grain, fresh fruits, and low-fat dairy products including milk. Avoid canned and frozen foods that contain added sugars, salt, or sauces.
- Select foods that have low added sugar, trans fat, saturated fats, cholesterol, and salt. Avoid commercially packed snacks and fast food that contains high calories.
- Add foods in your diet that contains lean meat, eggs, nuts, beans, and fish
A balanced diet is what you need to maintain a healthy weight and live a healthy lifestyle. Make a small frequent meal portion rather than one large meal high in calories.
It is also important to do daily exercise as advised by the doctor to gain other health benefits. You can start with mild exercise like walking and gradually increase the intensity of the workout after your doctor’s instructions.
If you experience any existing or current health issues, please contact your doctor prior to beginning your exercise schedule.
Side effects of gallbladder surgery
Every surgical procedure has its own merits and demerits. However, gallbladder removal surgery is one of the safest surgical procedures and it is performed at Southlake General Surgery, Texas by the experienced board-certified general surgeon Dr. Valeria Simone MD.
At Southlake General Surgery, the patient has an option for both laparoscopic gallbladder removal surgery and open gallbladder surgery. In medical terms, laparoscopic surgery is also known as minimally invasive surgery. It benefits the patient with shorter recovery time, shorter hospital stays, and less pain.
Besides the typical risks of any surgical procedure and anesthesia, the patient may experience temporary side effects of the surgery that include bloating, diarrhea, and gas. After gallbladder surgery symptoms may last for a couple of weeks.
Consult your doctor in case you experience:
- Fever and abdominal pain
- continuous and worse diarrhea
- infection at the surgical site
Takeaway
It is recommended for the patient to be on a bland diet after the surgery to avoid problems like bloating and indigestion, try and follow these guidelines:
- Make a schedule for eating frequent small meals throughout the day.
- Avoid oily and fatty meals.
- Avoid spicy food and sauces that may cause gas.
- Reduce or avoid your caffeine intake.
- Quit smoking and alcohol.
- As per the doctor’s instruction increase your fiber consumption
After the first week of your gallbladder surgery, steadily begin adding new food to your eating routine. In many cases, you should be able to have a normal, balanced diet within a brief period.
Once the patient is completely recovered the digestive system also starts functioning normally. People don’t really have to have strict and restricted dietary guidelines after gallbladder removal surgery.
To know more about after gallbladder surgery diet and consultation. Please contact our healthcare expert today at +1 (817) 748-0200. You can also make an online appointment.
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