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Your Diet After Gallbladder Surgery

After gallbladder removal, digestion can be tricky for a while. Here’s how to modify your diet. By Krisha McCoyMedically Reviewed by Ira Daniel Breite, MDReviewed: October 17, 2022Medically ReviewedYour diet after gallbladder removal may include fiber-rich foods like beans and broccoli, as well as healthy fats like almonds.Getty Images; Thinkstock; ShutterstockWhen you have a problem with your gallbladder, like gallstones, your doctor may recommend that you have surgery to remove your gallbladder. Your gallbladder is an organ that you can live without, but it may take some time for your body to adjust to its absence. Most people don’t experience digestive problems after gallbladder removal, according to the Mayo Clinic. But if you do, you may need to avoid certain foods. (1) Depending on your body’s ability to adapt, you may only need to modify your diet for a short period, or you may need to make lasting changes. (2)

The Gallbladder and Digestion

The gallbladder is a small organ that sits under your liver. Its main function is to store, concentrate, and secrete bile, a liquid made by your liver that helps digest fatty foods. (3) If you need to have surgery to remove your gallbladder, your liver will still produce enough bile for normal digestion. But instead of being stored in your gallbladder, bile will flow directly from your liver into your small intestine. As your body adapts to this new reality, you might have some difficulty digesting certain foods in the days and weeks following gallbladder removal (also known as a cholecystectomy). (2)

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Dietary Adjustments After Gallbladder Surgery

It’s important to carefully follow your doctor’s instructions about your diet after gallbladder surgery. If you’re hospitalized, your medical team will help you transition from a liquid to a solid diet almost immediately after your gallbladder surgery. If you’re recovering at home, you’ll need to introduce foods slowly and consume mainly clear liquids, broth, and gelatin at first. As you start feeling better, you can slowly introduce solid foods back into your diet. But you may need to avoid certain foods for a while if you experience bloating, diarrhea, and gas during this time. Most people can return to a normal diet within a month of having gallbladder surgery. (2)

Foods to Avoid After Gallbladder Surgery

While your body adjusts, it’s a good idea to avoid high-fat foods for a few weeks after your gallbladder removal. High-fat foods include:Fried foods, like french fries and potato chipsHigh-fat meats, such as bacon, bologna, sausage, ground beef, and ribsHigh-fat dairy products, such as butter, cheese, ice cream, cream, whole milk, and sour creamPizzaFoods made with lard or butterCreamy soups or saucesMeat graviesChocolateOils, especially palm and coconut oilSkin of chicken or turkey Certain high-fiber and gas-producing foods can also cause discomfort after gallbladder surgery, so you may want to introduce them slowly back into your diet. These foods include:Whole-grain breads and cerealsNutsSeedsLegumesBrussels sproutsBroccoliCauliflowerCabbage (2) You may benefit from including more soluble fiber in your diet, since it can help regulate bowel movements, according to the Mayo Clinic. Good sources of soluble fiber include oats and barley. It’s a good idea to avoid larger meals after gallbladder surgery, since your body can no longer store as much bile as before. Smaller, more frequent meals may be easier to digest. (4)Related

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To figure out what foods, if any, are causing problems after your surgery, you may want to consider keeping a food journal. In this journal, you can record when you add foods back into your diet, as well as any digestive symptoms you’re experiencing — and possibly make a connection between the two. (2) If you need help developing a diet plan after your surgery, ask your doctor to refer you to a registered dietitian.

Will a Gallbladder Cleanse Help

The so-called gallbladder cleanse is often touted on social media as a treatment for gallstones or an alternative to gallbladder removal. There are many different recipes for this “cleanse,” but most involve drinking large amounts of citrus juices, Epsom salts, and olive oil. The advertised promises may sound enticing, especially if you’re facing the cost and hassle of gallbladder removal. But there are no gallbladder flushes or cleanses that have been proven to break up or eliminate gallstones, says Sanjay Jagannath, MD, a gastroenterologist in Raleigh, North Carolina. “There’s not any good evidence to suggest there’s anything out there to reliably do that,” Dr. Jagannath says. Jagannath says that people who try out these remedies often have subsequent bowel movements that include small round objects thought to be gallstones.Related

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But, he notes, the observed objects are actually the result of the olive oil mixing with bile, the fluid in the gallbladder that digests fat. “Bile mixes with olive oil to form a yellowish-colored soap,” Jagannath says. “There are no real stones actually pushed out by the gallbladder in most cases.” Jagannath adds that these objects usually float in the toilet, while real gallstones are hard — like pebbles — and sink to the bottom. And you should be especially wary of any product marketed as an herbal gallbladder treatment. “The problem with all herbal treatments is there’s no regulation by the FDA [Food and Drug Administration],” Jagannath warns. It’s always advisable to check with your doctor before trying any kind of over-the-counter treatment for gallbladder problems, he adds.

When to Call Your Doctor About Problems Post Gallbladder Surgery

Although it’s common to have some food-related symptoms after surgery, it’s important to contact your surgeon if you experience any of the following symptoms, since they may indicate a more serious complication:Persistent abdominal pain, especially if it worsensSevere nausea or vomitingFeverJaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)Lack of bowel movements for more than three days after surgeryInability to pass gas for more than three days after surgeryFrequent diarrhea that lasts more than three days after surgery (2)Redness or pain at a port site that gets worse.Related

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Additional reporting by Quinn Phillips NEWSLETTERS

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Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

Cholecystectomy (Gallbladder Removal). Mayo Clinic. September 18, 2021.What to Eat After You Have Your Gallbladder Removed. Cleveland Clinic. September 18, 2019.How Does the Gallbladder Work? InformedHealth.org. September 6, 2018.Can You Recommend a Diet After Gallbladder Removal? Mayo Clinic. May 26, 2021.Show Less

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