Possible weight gain after gallbladder removal

No . Not in my case. I am eating more no fat and low calorie because I can keep anything else down and I'm steadily gaining over a lb a week. I'm bloated like I'm pregnant 8 weeks after and I'm utterly miserable. I'm eating less than 1,000 calories a day now and it has done no good. Still gained another 3 lbs in two weeks! Not to mention the sleeplessness and body aches and cold feet. Dr says give it time! They don't listen and they don't care.

After this surgery you may have dietary deficiency with fat soluble vitamins A, E, K, and D.  You may want to have your levels checked.  For me it was D.  It took 15,000 IU a day supplementation of D3 to maintain but I lost 26 pounds in 11 weeks even though I stopped exercising.  I follow a high protein and low sugar and low enriched grain diet, making sure I eat breakfast to kickstart my metabolism while trying to eat no more than 300 calories at a time or going 3 hours without eating.  I try.  You should be able to consume 1200 calories a day to maintain life.  I still eat fried foods and fatty foods sometimes at the consequence of not feeling so great in my stomach for an hour or so.  It's also not uncommon for those with gallbladder issues to have gluten issues, thyroid issues or vitamin deficiencies prior to surgery.  It's difficult to cut out those sides but sometimes just cutting back makes a huge difference or taking  a break and going back to them may be enough to see if they make you feel crummy after eating them.  Oh and the D3 or magnesium (difficult to measure magnesium levels since your body will rob it from areas leading to dental and bone issues like the D3) may be contributing to your insomnia, cold intolerance, and any night sweats or increased daytime sweating.  I'm not in the medical field and my information is based on life experiences and tons of research because of crappy doctors.  Your post reads as a year in my life that I gained 100 pounds without eating more than 900 calories a day and getting no sleep and then losing no weight even with your strict diet and exercising 90 plus minutes a day 6 days a week.  It made no sense for a person who's favorite snack is spinach leaves.  My doctor was surprised I lost so much weight at my 3 month check up and asked me what I was doing and I simply responded 'I stopped exercising" and asked for new blood work to make sure everything was ok.  Some vitamins can be toxic such as with D3 which can be detrimental to your kidneys so be sure to have levels checked and a CMP done at the least once a year.  

Hi, Octavia,

An ultrasound would have revealed the fatty liver.  Maybe the radiologist didn't bother to check.  It happens. If you have a fatty liver you have fat deposits in your liver.  The liver can't digest fat, and stores the fat in itself and in your body, making the condition worse over time.

It is thought that fatty liver is caused by eating a diet high in sugars, especially high fructose corn syrup (HFC).  HFC is extremely cheap, so most food manufacturers have switched to using it to sweeten prepared foods.  Unfortunately, food touted as low fat usually makes up by putting lots of sugar/HFC into it.

Using artificial sweeteners does a number on your gut bacteria, and actually makes a person hungrier, so they eat the calories they think they've saved.  

Most people in health food stores don't have any conception of medicine.  It's rare that you get a real herbalist.  They just want to sell you something.

Here's what helped me.  Most women need about 450-500 mg of choline, which is naturally found in vegetables, daily.  This substance assists the liver to gently, and I do mean gently, rid itself of fat.  I took this amount daily.  I moderate my intake of sweets, and use 1 teaspoon of turbinado sugar in my tea.  I drink water and unsweetened tea and milk.  No artificial sweeteners.  If I want fruit juice, I take a very small amount and dilute it 1/2 with water.  I eat salads with salmon.  I use natural (grass fed) butter or coconut oil.  I eat small amounts of meat when I eat meat. I eat eggs and chicken, too.  

Doing this, I lost about 30 pounds in a little over 3 months.  It wasn't easy, but my liver is better.  You are never "cured."  But, if you are careful, the liver is the one organ that is capable of regenerating itsself.

Hope this has helped!

  

Hi thanks for your reply im going to try some of the things you suggested. I do seem to be able to take some weight off if I try. If im honest im enjoying being able to eat again. When I had a scan to diagnose gallstones no mention of fatty liver. After I had a very nasty gallbladder removed and was still unwell 6 months later they sent me for another liver scan. He never mentioned fatty liver I asked and he said it was borderline and was wondering if to note it or not. Asked my gp who said lots of people have it shouldn't have any symptoms maybe watch your fat intake. But as you say low fat is often high sugar. I have been a yo-yo dieter all my adult life so I'm not overly surprised. I find the doctors not really interested to be honest. I try not not to take any medications at all in the hope my liver is getting a chance to heal itself.

Most doctors are taught nothing about nutrition and don't bother to learn.  I learned about the choline by reading an advertisement from one of our national drug chains about living healthy.  I knew I hadn't gotten the minimum daily requirement for choline for years.  It's often found in a blend with inositol, which helps, too.

Glad I could help!

Wrong! I weighed 135 at 5' 9" and I weigh 150.2 8 weeks after surgery. I'm eating zero fat , less than 1,000 calories a day and I'm steadily gaining so .. nope . Not everyone . I'm very bloated and unhappy and hungry

Tara, not eating enough calories has the opposite effect, it weill cause you to gain initially as your body is in strvation mode and holding onto everything, 1000 calories is way less than the minimum you need, expecially after surgery healing. Also bloat and fluid retention after surgeon can also cause temp weight gain.

Eating zero fat is also not healthy, you need fat too loose fat, it is essential for our brain hormones and fat soluble vitamins.

I never really ate much fat before my surgery and I was a vegetarian for over 12 yrs. After surgery , if I ate anything with fat I got diarrhea immediately. My one guilty pleasure has always been my morning latte and the milk gave me diarrhea too. So, I started to eat veggies and sweet potatoes.. I've even been forcing myself to eat grilled chicken for protein . I gained more than 1 lb a week for the first month. Still bloated the same as the day I got out of surgery. I've literally watched every single thing that goes into my mouth and it makes no difference , still bloated, still gaining a pound a week. I tried to make an appt with my gastro dr and was given an appt 6 weeks out, still haven't been able to get in and I havent seen or heard from him since before surgery. I pleaded with the girl to get me in but apparently they don't care. I'm miserable , achy and my feet are always cold. This is my hell! I feel awful.

I forgot to mention that now I'm constipated all the time unless I drink the latte and even then I don't feel like I'm really going. It would've been nice if my gastro dr had scheduled a follow up appt to help me know what to expect or give me a heads up. The surgeon came in before my surgery and said " eat whatever you want after surgery " see ya in a few.

Well, you do sound miserable. Have you tried lactose free milk in your latte?  That's the only type of milk I can use.  From what you've said, it appears to me that before your surgery, your gallbladder was releasing too much bile, and now you have very little.  

Unfortunately, most doctors take a "wait and see" attitude when it comes to post-surgical issues.  They hope that patients have a good outcome, but give them few tools to help them if they don't.  

Star should have some good suggestions for you!  I hope you feel better soon! xx

Wow you are super starting to freak me out now.  No after diet instructions either.  Didn't realize you're also vegetarian.  You're probably already aware of B12 issues but after any surgery involving gut can interrupt intrinsic factor.  May want to investigate that too.  I took my supplements but then ordered a near rare steak and freaked when they placed it in front of me.  Had same milk issues too.  I am super interested in your vitamin levels now.  Adding D allows me to enjoy an occasional iced coffee but still cannot drink any kind of milk, fat free nor lactose free nor soy or almond, without extreme consequence.