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Pre op diet?

Posted , 7 users are following.

anneka07036
anneka07036

I was hoping you guys could help me with something. I have recently left the hospital diagnosed with stones that have formed a larger mass in my gallbladder. I have to have my gall bladder out in around 2 months, but as I am morbidly obese, I have been asked to lose at least a stone. My doctor advised me that I needed, in his words "A non fat diet.". This has left me confused. His english was a little broken and I cannot find any advise anywhere online about such a diet, so I was wondering if anybody could tell me if I am taking him a little too literally and am actually just looking to eat as little fat as possible? Thanks

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • shalaya
    shalaya anneka07036

    Posted

    As little fat as possible. I've been waiting 5 months for my surgery and have done a close to vegetarian diet but i also add fish and chicken in. Some people need to avoid eggs but i never had a problem with them. Best to minimize dairy products or go with low to no fat versions of them. Caffeine is mostly a no no but in moderation it is fine. Pork and beef are big no nos for me and any cream soups. Store bought baked goods also usually give me an attack. Hope this helps some. I also found magnesium supplements and lots of water help keep attacks at bay
    • anneka07036
      anneka07036 shalaya

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your help. I have been worrying all day. Do you have any clue how likely I am to have more pain before the Operation? It was the worst pain I have ever had and would like to be prepared....
    • shalaya
      shalaya anneka07036

      Posted

      Well I have a bunch of small stones and am an unusual case but before i found all my trigger foods i had 30 attacks of various lengths and intensity. Only two since correcting my diet. Most people make it to the surgery without another attack though. The doctor prescribed me buscopan and naproxan to take when the attacks hit and that helps with all but the most severe attacks.
    • anneka07036
      anneka07036 shalaya

      Posted

      Thank you very much. I can't stop worrying since I left the hospital incase something happens and the pain comes back, or that I'll have a bout of simple indigestion and end up completely overreacting and calling an ambulance when there is no need. At least I can now be confident that if I stick to a low fat diet that I should be okay smile
  • Imnaturallychic
    Imnaturallychic anneka07036

    Posted

    I too am morbidly obese and I was told by my Dr. that the week before my surgery I should go on a low fat diet, that would reduce the size of my stomach/fat and make it easier to get to the gallbladder. So literally losing 5 - 10 pounds could help.
  • patricia30000
    patricia30000 anneka07036

    Posted

    Hi anne

    sorry to hear you too have got gs,but once you know what you have you can move forward,I have been on a low fat diet for about 4 weeks and your right its is hard to know what you can and can't eat,I looked on the internet too and didn't find much.I did find a handy chart from the Norfolk NHS.its tell you what gs are and has a chart to tell you what you can and can't eat.I now look at the food lables to see how much fat there is in a meal.I also find this forum very helpful as we're all in the same boat.I have found that I don't eat as much as I used too because of the sickness and not wanting the pain to get any worse.

    Good Luck with you diet

    Keep in touch

    Pat

  • marilyn93345
    marilyn93345 anneka07036

    Posted

    HI, My Consultant has told me to stick to a low fat diet , if possible meals under 4% fat , I am overweight by 3 stone and i am due to have my gallbladder removed in May , I am trying to lose weight before my operation to get me in the best health i can be and then after the operation carry on and lose the rest of my excess weight , Ihope this helps you if you need anything else and i can help you i will MAZ x
  • ndm
    ndm anneka07036

    Posted

    I know it may be standard procedure, but being a morbidly obese woman all my life, I find it appaling that doctors regularly tell patients to lose weight before surgery.  It's important to be as healthy as possible before an operation and sometimes dieting means poor nutrition which will not be a help in recovery.

    Having said that, however, I do think it makes sense for GB patients to reduce fat before and after surgery.  If I were you, I wouldn't be so concerned with restricting calories but instead following some of the recommendations others here have made.  Avoid full-fat dairy products (cheese, milk, yogurt), avoid red meats, and cut out caffeine.  I only drink one cup of tea per day, but when I switched to herbal tea, it helped my discomfort a lot.  Also, of course, do not go near fried foods--they can really tear you up.

    What I survived on was ginger ale, crackers, chicken noodle soup, and the occasional oatmeal.  Bananas, applesauce and green beans were well tolerated.  Do your best and try not to add any additional stress during your waiting period.  Best of luck!

  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 anneka07036

    Posted

    No fat diet means literally no fat.

    You have to look at fat content of everything.

    Google search diet for gallstones and it will give you some ideas.

    It is really hard but it is doable.

    Good luck

    Praying for you

    Sarah

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