r/gallbladders Feb 18 '26

/r/Gallbladder FAQ and Beginner's Guide.

58 Upvotes

This is not intended as a comprehensive guide. It's all collated by me and the information will not be perfect but it's a good place to start you off if you're just beginning your gallbladder problem journey. For visual clarity, I have tried to keep things in a list format as much as possible, especially because this is so long.

Side note this post is formatted to suit Old Reddit. It may look janky on other sources of reddit and I will eventually edit any super weird formatting.


Disclaimer.

This guide is not a substitute for medical advice from a licensed healthcare professional. It is intended to share general experiences and information commonly discussed in this community.

If you are experiencing symptoms, please consult your doctor to determine the best treatment plan for you. Every person’s situation is different, and only a qualified medical provider can give you advice tailored to your specific health needs.


What is Gallbladder Disease?

Gallbladder disease is not one single condition, and there is no one size fits all solution. The gallbladder can develop problems in several different ways. What works for one person may not work for another.

Common gallbladder conditions include:

  • Gallstones (Cholelithiasis)- Hardened deposits (stones) that form in the gallbladder. You can have gallstones and never know about them (asymptomatic) or you can have one single gallstone that tries to ruin your life, or you could even have so many your gallbladder is full.
  • Inflammation of the Gallbladder (Cholecystitis)- Often caused by blocked bile flow (possibly due to gallstones)
  • Non-functioning Gallbladder (Biliary Dyskinesia)- The gallbladder does not contract effectively leading to a low ejection fraction
  • Over-functioning Gallbladder- The gallbladder contracts too forcefully in some cases due to a high ejection fraction.
  • Infection
  • Gallbladder Cancer (rare but included for completion)

Other conditions that can result from gallbladder problems include:

  • Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
  • Liver function abnormalities
  • Bile duct abnormalities
  • Jaundice (seek urgent medical attention)

Gallbladder Symptoms

Symptoms can vary widely. Some people have severe symptoms, while others have none at all.

Common Symptoms include:

  • Pain in the mid or upper right abdomen
  • Pain that comes on suddenly and may rapidly worsen
  • Pain lasting from minutes to several hours
  • Pain that radiates to the back, often between the shoulder blades
  • Pain that does not improve with position changes
  • Nausea and/or vomiting
  • Indigestion or bloating
  • Constipation or diarrhoea
  • Food intolerance (especially fatty foods)
  • Fever (in cases of infection)
  • No symptoms at all (many people discover their gallstones incidentally)

Seek urgent medical care if you experience:

  • Fever with abdominal pain
  • Persistent vomiting
  • Yellowing of skin or eyes (jaundice)- this requires urgent medical attention
  • Severe unrelenting pain lasting more than several hours

Common Diagnostic Tests

Doctors may use one or more of the following:

  • Bloodwork- checks for infection, inflammation, liver or pancreas involvement
  • Abdominal ultrasound- imaging that can detect gallstones and inflammation
  • HIDA scan (Hepatobiliary scan)- Measures gallbladder function (ejection fraction). Availability varies by region (this is not a common diagnostic in the UK)
  • CT scan or MRI (in certain cases)- more indepth imaging than an ultrasound.

Who Is Most Commonly Affected?

Gallbladder disease can affect anyone, but certain groups are at a higher risk.

You may be at increased risk if you:

  • Are female (especially during reproductive years)
  • Are over 40
  • Have a family history of gallstones
  • Are overweight or obese
  • Have experienced rapid weight loss
  • Have been pregnant (especially multiple pregnancies)
  • Follow a very low calorie diet
  • Have diabetes
  • Have high cholesterol or high triglycerides
  • Use oestrogen containing medications (such as certain birth control or hormone therapy).

However, gallbladder disease can also occur in men, young adults, teenagers and people at a healthy weight so no one is completely exempt.


What Causes Gallstones?

Gallstones form when bile becomes unbalanced. Bile contains cholesterol, bile salts, bilirubin and water.

Gallstones most commonly form when:

  • There is too much cholesterol in the bile. If bile contains more cholesterol than it can dissolve, crystals can form. Over time these crystals can develop into stones. Medications to lower cholesterol in the blood can actually cause an increase in the cholesterol in bile.
  • The gallbladder doesn't empty properly. If the gallbladder does not contract effectively, bile can sit too long and become concentrated. Stagnant bile is more likely to form stones.
  • Excess bilirubin. Certain medical conditions increase bilirubin levels which can lead to pigment stones (less common)

Treatment Options

Treatment depends on your diagnosis, symptoms and overall health/lifestyle.

  • Diet Management

Some people manage symptoms with dietary changes, especially reducing fat intake.

Please note that fat tolerances vary wildly. Some people can’t tolerate eggs, dairy or fried foods but others tolerate moderate fats without issue. Keeping a food diary can help identify triggers.

Diet management may reduce symptoms, but it does not remove existing gallstones. More information on diet can be found below.

  • Medication

Ursodiol (ursodeoxycholic acid) or similar may be prescribed to dissolve certain types of gallstones. This must only be done under medical supervision.

Gallbladder flushes, or other home remedies, are not medically supported and may be unsafe. These should be avoided.

  • Gallstone Removal (Gallbladder preserved)

In some regions, surgeons may remove stones while leaving the gallbladder intact. This procedure is significantly less common worldwide and only currently performed by a handful of places but rising in preference.

This procedure is not appropriate for all patients and requires engagement from the patient to alter patterned behaviour (such as diet) to prevent recurrence of stones.

  • Gallbladder Removal (Cholecystectomy)

This is the most common treatment for symptomatic gallbladder disease. It is the most common laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery worldwide.

  • Usually performed laparoscopically (keyhole) but in some cases can be an open procedure
  • Often an outpatient surgery (patients are discharged the same day)
  • Removes the gallbladder completely
  • Bile flows directly from the liver into the small intestine after surgery

Dietary Advice (Before and After Surgery)

Diet tolerance varies significantly from person to person. There is no universal “gallbladder diet” but patterns do emerge in the community.

Why Fat Matters

The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile, which helps digest fats. When you eat fat, your gallbladder contracts to release bile into your small intestine. If you have gallstones or inflammation fatty foods may trigger pain. After gallbladder removal the bile flows continuously rather than being released in concentrated bursts which can affect your digestion.

Before Surgery/Treatment:

  • Try smaller, more frequent meals
  • Eat lower fat meals (many aim for less than 10-15g fat per meal as a general goal)
  • Choose lean proteins such as chicken breast, turkey, fish or tofu
  • Avoid fried, greasy or heavy foods.
  • Limit high fat dairy and creamy sauces
  • Stay hydrated

Common Trigger Foods (NOT Universal)

  • Fried foods
  • Fatty red meat
  • Sausage
  • Bacon
  • Heavy cream
  • Cheese (especially high fat variants)
  • Buttery dishes
  • Fast food
  • Egg heavy meals

Foods Many People Tolerate Well

  • Rice
  • Potatoes
  • Pasta
  • Oatmeal
  • Bananas
  • Applesauce
  • Toast
  • Broth based soups
  • Steamed vegetables
  • Lean protein
  • Low fat yoghurt

After Surgery:

Everyone adjusts differently, some people resume normal eating quickly, some need to reintroduce fats slowly and others experience temporary diarrhoea.

Tips:

  • Reintroduce foods, especially fat, gradually.
  • Start with bland, low fat foods.
  • Avoid very greasy or large meals
  • Add fibre slowly.
  • Avoid very fatty meals early in recovery.

Common Temporary Symptoms

  • Loose stools
  • Urgency after eating
  • Mild cramping
  • Bloating

Long term, many people can tolerate returning to a normal diet but some may continue to have fat sensitivity or other food aversions.


Longer Term Dietary Issues

Bile Acid Sensitivity

Without a gallbladder and with bile continuously dripping into the small intestine, in some people excess bile reaches the colon and causes chronic diarrhoea. This is called Bile Acid Malabsorption (BAM) or Bile Acid Diarrhoea (BAD).

Symptoms of BAM include:

  • Frequent loose stools
  • Urgency after eating
  • Burning sensation

Can often be mistaken for IBS. Treatments may include diet management and bile acid binding medications prescribed by a doctor.

IBS Type Symptoms

Some people develop symptoms that resemble Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) after surgery:

  • Alternating diarrhoea and constipation
  • Cramping
  • Food sensitivity
  • Gas and bloating

For some people:

  • Soluble fibre helps regulate stool
  • A temporary low FODMAP approach may reduce symptoms (this is an elimination diet used to identify trigger foods but outside the scope of this guide).
  • Probiotics may be helpful (discuss with a doctor).

Others find that high fibre foods worsen symptoms initially, so a gradual increase is important.

There are two types of fibre and both play different roles in digestion. Soluble fibre and insoluble fibre.

Soluble fibre absorbs water and forms a gel-like consistency in the gut that can help slow digestion, firm loose stools, reduce bile acid related diarrhoea and improve urgency.

Many people with post cholecystectomy diarrhoea or bile acid sensitivity tolerate soluble fibre the best.

Insoluble fibre adds bulk and speeds up stool movement. While helpful for constipation, it may worsen diarrhoea for some people in early recovery. Introduce slowly if you’re experiencing loose stools.

Examples of Soluble fibre foods:

  • Oatmeal
  • Oat bran
  • Bananas (especially slightly firm)
  • Apples (peeled if sensitive)
  • Applesauce
  • Pears
  • White rice (small amounts but generally well tolerated by many)
  • Barley
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Carrots
  • Squash
  • Chia seeds (start small)
  • Ground flaxseed (start small)
  • Psyllium husk (if recommended by your doctor)

(Tip: introduce one fibre source at a time so you can monitor how your body responds more effectively)

Examples of Insoluble fibre foods:

  • Whole wheat bread
  • Brown rice
  • Whole grain pasta
  • Bran cereals
  • Raw leafy greens
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Skins of fruits and vegetables

When increasing fibre intake ensure you drink plenty of water.

Please note these are not exhaustive lists of foods- other foods high in fibre do exist and some foods are high in both soluble and insoluble fibre. The lists provided are just aimed at the people who don’t know where to start.

Reflux or Upper GI Changes

Some people report increased acid reflux (and others report their acid reflux is resolved) or upper abdominal discomfort. This is not universal but does occur sometimes. If you’re unable to manage your symptoms seek medical advice.

Less Common But More Serious Risks

These are much less common side effects of gallbladder removal but should be acknowledged.

  • Bile duct injury
  • Bile leak
  • Infection
  • Retained stones in bile duct
  • Pancreatitis
  • Adhesions (scar tissue)
  • Chronic post surgical pain.
  • Persistent or worsening symptoms should always be evaluated by a doctor.

Surgical Advice

Discuss with your surgeon:

  • Your specific diagnosis (don’t be distracted by stories you’ve read online)
  • Risks and benefits
  • Expected recovery time
  • Work restrictions
  • Lifting limits
  • When to resume exercise

Follow all of your post op instructions carefully.


After Surgery

Things that may surprise you after:

  • Sore throat.

This is caused by the breathing tube placed once you're under anaesthesia. Usually resolves in a couple of days.

  • Shoulder pain.

This is very common and is caused by residual surgical gas irritating the diaphragm (keyhole surgery). Walking helps. Heat packs and approved gas relief medications may help. Peppermint tea helps some people too.

  • Bloating.

You were pumped full of gas (if you had keyhole surgery) this is common for several days but should resolve naturally.

  • Changes in bowel habits.

Temporary diarrhoea or loose stools can occur as your body adjusts to no gallbladder.

  • How tired you feel.

It’s perfectly normal to feel more fatigued than usual or than you expected and should begin to resolve on its own in a few days.

Helpful Items During Recovery

  • Heating pad for shoulder discomfort
  • Gas relief medication
  • Peppermint tea
  • Small pillow/cushion (to brace your abdomen when coughing/sneezing)
  • Loose clothing
  • Easy meals prepared in advance
  • Entertainment for rest
  • Gentle movement to help reduce gas and speed recovery.

Common Post Op Experiences:

  • Shoulder/neck pain
  • Incision soreness
  • Abdominal bloating
  • Back discomfort
  • Fatigue
  • Temporary appetite changes
  • Emotional instability (you had surgery, you’re allowed to have mood swings).

These usually improve within days to weeks.


Recovery Time

Recovery varies massively. Some people feel functional in a few days while others need several weeks to feel fully normal.

Many surgeons recommend:

  • 1-2 weeks off work (longer for physically demanding jobs)
  • No heavy lifting for longer

Always follow your doctor's recommendation.


Why Does Rapid Weight Loss Increase Gallstone Risk?

Rapid weight loss is one of the most common risk factors for developing gallstones and this includes:

  • Very low calorie diets
  • Crash dieting
  • Fasting
  • Rapid fat loss
  • Bariatric (weigh loss) surgery

When you lose weight quickly:

  • Your liver releases extra cholesterol into bile. As fat is broken down more cholesterol enters the bile which increases the chance of crystals, then stones, forming.

  • The gallbladder empties less frequently. When you eat very little the gallbladder is not stimulated to contract as often so bile stagnates and concentrates.

This does not mean that all weight loss is risky or that you shouldn't try to lose weight if you need to- gradual and steady weight loss at around 1-2 pounds per week is significantly safer.


“Why Did This Happen To Me?”

The honest answer is that gallbladder disease is usually caused by a combination of factors, many of which may be outside of your control.

Just existing as a woman already can already put you at a disadvantage in this regard so if you add any of the other risk factors from the list at the beginning of this post then it might feel like the odds are stacked against you.

It’s not always preventable.

Even people who maintain a healthy weight, eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly and do all the right things can still develop gallstones or gallbladder dysfunction. On the other hand walking red flags may never develop any symptoms at all.

Gall bladder problems can be debilitating and focussing on why it happened might do your mental health more harm than good. Instead try your best to look forward to the future, take accountability for the things in your life that you can change and try to keep positive as best you can.

Best wishes,

The Mod Team


r/gallbladders May 30 '26

Mod Note What is a "gallbladder attack" to you?

22 Upvotes

Hi all,

I've done the best I can with the FAQ and beginners guide but as I only have the experience of remove gallbladder or die from pancreatitis I'm limited how I can understand the more protracted journey so many others are on.

This is a topic that has bugged me since I joined this community in 2024 because...what is a gallbladder attack? Different causes and different issues surely mean different presentation of symptoms and "attacks" right?

With how varied each person's individual gallbladder issues can be I thought it would be a good idea to have a community built resource pinned to the front page where you all can share your own experience to help future visitors to the sub.

Please comment below:

  • What your gallbladder issue is/was (stones/sludge/etc)
  • What an "attack" felt like for you?
  • How long an "attack" lasts?
  • What, if anything, was helpful for you getting through them when they happened?
  • Any other coping tips, tricks or triggers

This isn't intended to solve anything for anyone but instead be used to help people find other people who have had the specific thing they're going through, provide a bit of clarity and hopefully be a positive resource to refer back to as needed.

Please note that this is not a space to advocate for or against surgery and such comments will be removed.

Thanks :)


r/gallbladders 5h ago

Post Op I am so glad I did this

11 Upvotes

12 days post op and just want to say I’m so so glad I had that little stinker removed.
My journey:I had a terrible attack on New Year’s. I had lost about 70lbs over the previous couple years, and like many people who lose weight, I developed gallstones. I have some other health stuff, so it took until August to find the right timing/surgeon/plan etc. in that time I had 1 other “medium” attack. I cleaned up my diet and I didn’t really have any attacks after those first 2 in the early part of the year. The only trigger food I had was quesadillas. It was hard to justify to myself the risks of the surgery and subsequent digestive issues when I was “doing ok” with the stones.
I really wanted another baby though, and felt sure that the gallstones were going to be too much of a risk going into pregnancy.
So on August 20 I had “elective” gallbladder removal. And boy am I glad I did.
My recovery story:
-my surgeon is a newer graduate from a top 10 medical research facility. He makes the largest incision and removes the gallbladder via the sternum cut. And actually this was awesome! No belly button pain, much lower herniation risk, and my largest scar is going to be concealed by a bikini top 💪
-the post op pain was intense when I first woke up. I was gobbling percoset and they’d loaded me with toradol, but it wasn’t helping. I asked to be sat up and my pain disappeared. lol. Do not underestimate the power of changing positions
-the first 24hrs were the hardest of course. I slept on the couch because the support on my back was really nice. Mostly just changing positions hurt really bad. I used 1 x5mg oxy in the first day and then could handle all pain with Tylenol /ibu. I was done with Tylenol by day …4?
-I work 100% from home and have a short day. My surgery was on Thursday and I was able to work a full day Monday (from my recliner on the laptop).
-I had absolutely no gas pain. Walking around post op did nothing for me except worsen everything. I spent 3 days in bed and that’s what was right for me and what I needed
-I took both scopolamine and zofran but still had a lot of nausea immediately after surgery. As I added food back in, I only wanted saltines and Gatorade and “sick food”. Then more ambitious food within a couple days. By day 7 I could eat chipotle burritos with no problem 🤷‍♀️ I have had absolutely zero digestive issues or changes. I eat whatever I want for the first time in almost a year!!
-I want to reiterate how glad I am I did this. When they took my gallbladder out, the entrance was almost entirely covered by a massive 2.5 cm stone with 2 smaller ones stacked behind it. A lymph node was also removed because they couldn’t tell if it was a mass or cyst. The lymph node was showing signs of local infection. So even though I wasn’t having a ton of gallstone symptoms, the stones were causing local inflammation and infection was imminent
-the hardest part of this for me was actually the preop liver shrinking diet! I was already calorie deficient from my weight loss journey, but for 8 days before the surgery my surgeon asked me to do 800 calories/day. It was so so hard. Cranky, cravings, fatigue. But if you are told to do this, just suck it up and comply. I lost 10lbs in 8 days and my surgery took 30 minutes instead of the scheduled 90mins. Undoubtedly doing the diet made it safer for me.
-even 12 days post op I have so much more energy than I did preop. I did not realize how much my inability to break down fats was holding me back. I have greater satiety, greater energy after eating, I haven’t needed to nap at 3pm since my surgery.
I had so much fear before this surgery but my only regret is not doing it sooner!

Thank you to everyone who has shared their journey on this subreddit and I wish you all luck and safety in your journeys!!


r/gallbladders 33m ago

Questions Did anyone live with gallstones for many years?

Upvotes

I don't want to scare anyone, but I was scared myself... someone I know had gallstones and refused to have them removed, until it turned into cancer, and now she is in very bad shape in the hospital.


r/gallbladders 52m ago

Awaiting Surgery Gallbladder Attacks and Upcoming Surgery!!!

Upvotes

Hello all!!

About 1 week ago I started having pain after every meal, and eventually it got so bad (I thought I was having a heart attack) my husband called 911, and I was admitted to the hospital with gallstones.

I was given some medication and referred to a surgeon who I saw today, and am having surgery later this month.

I had TONS of questions, unfortunately my twin 2 month olds made it hard to ask them or remember them. I will be seeing him again about thought I would ask here, for some people that have been through it.

PRE-OP
- Is there any special diet to follow? Currently I’m on very low fat, and no spices, I just want to know if should adjust anything else’s
- Is there activity restrictions?
- What can I expect from a pre-op appointment?

POST-OP
- How long will recovery take?
- What is the recommended diet post-op?
- My doctor recommended not lifting more than 20lbs for 6 weeks. Can I still bend, jump, other things? Thinking about my twins 😂
- What changed in your life, not having a gallbladder?

Any advice would be appreciated!!


r/gallbladders 1h ago

Post Op Internal bleeding after gb op

Upvotes

Doomscrollers beware, this can cause panic.

I'm fit, male, fourtysomething with gallstones.

I yesterday had planned laparoscopic gallbladder removal. With an very experienced surgeon. After the surgery I felt great and was surpised how small of a thing it felt. Surgeon summarized that everything went great and gb was totally full of small stones. I ate some food and went to pee, did resting, and walked around the recovery area.

Then I was ready to head home and started feeling sweating. However, continued to walk to car that my partner was driving. We got about 10 minutes in the road when I went unconscious multiple times with body covered in sweat. Ambulance was called which which was luckily only few mins away.

Fast forward 36 hours later. I have internal slow bleeding somewhere. I had body schock of internal bleeding which caused rapid failure on the body. Now pain in the stomach area and they are now contemplating on doing a new surgery as the bleeding continues. They could see blood but not any active leakage with ct scan. I'm currently at the countries (Nordic country) best hospital but still pretty scared to be honest how will this play out.

I also did the doomscrolling on this sub and felt that people exaggerated things but it seems that I also am unfortunately a statistic in operations gone bad. Its suprising how this relatively simple procedure can go this bad this quick even I was so prepared to the surgery and no inflammation/current gb problems when entering.

Take care everyone, remember to take your extratime in the recovery area and ask many questions before you head home!

I will maybe update my continuation here.


r/gallbladders 3h ago

Post Op Bile diarrhea almost 4 months post-op?

5 Upvotes

Ugh, I had hoped not to have to return to this community again...

I had gallstones for more than a decade. I knew I had one 1.3cm stone from previous ultrasounds, and when I actually had the gallbladder out, it turned out I actually had several stones. I didn't have attacks, but by the end had nearly constant, gnawing pain, and poor digestion.

After the surgery almost 4 months ago (May 11) I was amazed how fast I felt better. I could seemingly eat anything, though I didn't push it too much. I have a fairly healthy diet overall and so I wasn't suddenly eating things that I couldn't eat for years, as that's not really how my gallbladder problems worked. My gallbladder pain was quite random--I could get it from a burger or a salad, but it hurt more often than not.

I had a great summer. My diet overall was pretty good, and I didn't avoid alcohol but didn't drink too much either. My digestion was better than it had been in years.

Then all of a sudden two days ago I started feeling terrible. I thought it could be food poisoning, and in fact it may have been something like that because I had a fever the night before last. The backstory is that I just spent a week in Spain and another few days in the Czech Republic, and ate more and heavier foods than I normally do, as well as drank more. Just today I had bile diarrhea, which was upsetting. I want my solid poos back!

If this is just my intestines going haywire because of some kind of food poisoning, this will hopefully be normalizing soon. But I also worry that this is a new change that I'll be stuck with, because of the sudden bile diarrhea. Is there something I should do to help? (For example, I bought Tudca and a Probiotic Complex, but never started taking them because my digestion seemed to be doing so well without).

Thank you for any advice and sharing your experiences too!


r/gallbladders 2h ago

Questions Peace out gallbladder!

3 Upvotes

Getting my gb removed on Thurs. Not gonna lie, I’m flipping terrified! I already cancelled the surgery once. But I guess I’ve finally convinced myself that it’s better to do it when it’s planned as opposed to it becoming an emergency. Anyone else have hernia repair done at the same time? They are actually going in through my hernia to remove the gb and then going to repair that.


r/gallbladders 1h ago

Venting I don’t know how long I can do this.

Upvotes

I started having bad gallbladder attacks about 7 weeks ago. I have had multiple that have sent me to the emergency room with crushing middle of the chest pain. When I eat anything and I mean anything that’s not toast or rice a have awful stomach pain and diarrhea . I do have surgery scheduled for 2 weeks from now but I’m so hungry and irritable. I have chronic headaches from not eating. I know calorie deficiency is causing this but I’m so afraid to eat. Just really needed to vent since I’ve broke down in a manic cry I couldn’t control yesterday and today


r/gallbladders 1h ago

Post Op Are loose, urgent stools 3 months post opp normal?

Upvotes

I had my gallbladder taken out in an emergency surgery almost 3 months ago (mid-June). I was also 10 weeks postpartum at the time. I am experiencing loose stools mostly everyday and urgent need to pass stool like every 3rd day. Is this normal? I'm returning to work from my maternity leave soon and I'm feeling a bit anxious about having to use the restroom urgently as I have a lot of 1:1 meetings and it would be really embarrassing to have to run to the bathroom. I have reached out to my doctor but wanted to hear from this community.

I can't really associate it with heavy fatty foods, sometimes I only have a bit of fat (10 g) and urgency hits. I have noticed that caffeine from coffee affects it so I have cut that out. Which is unfortunate because I learned coffee was good for the liver. I also have a fatty liver.

For context, I never had any gallbladder attacks until the one that led to my surgery.


r/gallbladders 8h ago

Awaiting Surgery Wife having gallbladder out in a 4 hours and I’m really scared

4 Upvotes

Hey guys I have pretty bad anticipatory anxiety and I’m really starting to freak out for my wife. She’s have a planned gallbladder removal and I’ve been on this sub for a few days and heading overwhelming good stories but I can’t help but shake she’s the exception. I know that’s really kinda selfish but I just love her so much. We have two little girls and I know she’s really worried too about anesthesia and not waking up or having an uncaught heart issue. Idk why I’m posting this I just don’t know what else to do. I’m so powerless to help her. Sorry for the dramatics.

UPDATE
Her surgery went well. Was about an hour (from the first text alert that the procedure starts to a text saying it ended), but been up here for about 5 hours total now. She’s in a lot of pain (says like at the base of her sternum, like gas pain?) and they gave her meds but she’s managing as best she can. Thank you all for the support and kind words. It helped to read it during the wait and stuff


r/gallbladders 6h ago

Questions Post op diet suggestions

3 Upvotes

1 day post op , is this the worst day ? I am in pain , even tho I opted out to not get pain medication (that was a mistake I called my surgeons office and got some stuff prescribed) what do you guys suggest to eat? I am tired of eating jello, and broth but if that’s what I gotta do that’s what I gotta do lmao.


r/gallbladders 4h ago

Questions Had an abdominal scan today and a 3 mm polyp was found

2 Upvotes

I’m 59F, obese, pre-diabetic. The rest of my gallbladder and surrounding organs are healthy. No stones, no sludge, ducts are open and fine. Radiology report said no routine sonographic surveillance required. WTH?

I find this odd-at my age, why wouldn’t a follow up ultrasound in 6 months to make sure this hasn’t grown be recommended? Has anyone else my age had a single polyp that didn’t require follow up imaging?

I messaged my GP and I’m curious what she’ll recommend. I may push to have this scan repeated in 6 months, because now I’m paranoid of developing gall bladder cancer!


r/gallbladders 9h ago

Post Op Post surgery updates

4 Upvotes

Currently nearly 24 hours post-op. Surgery started around 7:15am 8/31/26.

After surgery my surgeon estimated that my gallbladder was functioning at 0%, he said he attenpted to pull fluid from it and all he could get was some clear micousy liquid. He said it has probably been non-functional for years. Unfortunately he wasnt able to get a picture for me. I was really curious about seeing it.

The first, I'd say, 12 hours were really rough. But I slept pretty well last night. The pain meds definitely help. Getting up and down from bed or to use the restroom was super rough. Any slight chuckle, or even deep breaths, or when I tense my muscles can set off a spasm at the center bottom of my ribs (the exit spot) and also the spot where I estimate my gallbladder came from has a sort of spasm sometimes. I got lucky and my parents have this motorized chair that lifts you up to almost standing so I went to their house and that helped last night but getting up and down to use the bathroom or lay down in bed is still difficult though it had improved some by 10 pm last night. It still remains a bit painful but it doesn't take me near as long now. Ice packs seem to help some. I don't have any of the shoulder gas pain others have talked about.

Background: I had my first attack (that I can remember) on July 4th and didn't know that is what it was. I pushed through it at home. Then July 15 I ended up in the ER with an attack and was diagnosed with gallstones via ultrasound. Then the waiting and appointments until surgery could finally be scheduled. I stayed on a low fat diet and managed to avoid another attack thankfully.


r/gallbladders 1h ago

Awaiting Surgery I'm so happy...the bile bag is going soon!

Upvotes

The evil bile bag has its eviction date...surgery is this Thursday! Good god almighty.....I"m so happy!


r/gallbladders 2h ago

Gallbladder Attack Travel post attack??

1 Upvotes

i had my first offfical gallbladder attack last week, ending with me in the ER. confirmed gallstones and elevated liver enzymes. I wasn’t admitted to emergency surgery. now I know the pain, I can recall having a few other attacks over the last few months, most likely caused by weight loss from GLPs.

Now I’m scared of the pain of another attack. I already eat a pretty low fat diet.

I have a vacation planner to Italy in 3 days. dr. said it’s risky, but my choice. do I go and hope for the best? am I making horrible decision? what do I do if I get an attack in Italy? Whats the pain threshold that I should go back to the ER?


r/gallbladders 2h ago

Post Op Tips for handling this nonsense postpartum

1 Upvotes

This community has helped me so much in the last couple of months and I wanted to make a post about some things that were helpful for me, specifically for people who are dealing with removal and having to take care of their children on top of it. Gallbladder issues seem to be so common postpartum and it is extremely overwhelming to deal with on top of recovering from pregnancy/childbirth and taking care of an infant, so I hope this post can help someone!

If you're breastfeeding, make sure you communicate that to everyone involved with your surgery. Tell your surgeon so they can prescribe you breastfeeding safe medications and let the anesthesiologist know. General anesthesia is safe for the baby and I did not have to pump and dump at all, I think they just skipped out on give me anything to help me relax before the procedure. I was able to pump right before surgery and right after, although it was very difficult because my husband wasn't allowed to come back with me to pre-op (I though this was super weird and I doubt this is the case everywhere). I somehow managed to use "wearable" pumps with no bra on and navigating around an IV by myself! The things I brought for pumping were the pump itself, a charger for it just in case, pump cleaning wipes (I'll link below), and a breast milk cooler that my lactation consultant actually ordered for me through my insurance for free. I definitely needed some help post-op getting the pumps in place but my husband was allowed back for that.

If you, like me, have a baby that won't take a bottle, feeding with a syringe worked in a pinch. Definitely practice bottles as much as possible before your surgery if you have time because this was not ideal! I almost brought the baby to the hospital with us but I'm really glad I didn't.

Pump cleaning wipes I used: https://www.amazon.com/Frida-Mom-Multi-Surface-Ingredients-Breastfeeding/dp/B0FL9F44XC/ref=sr_1_1_pp?crid=12ND5XRDM567M&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.SKx04bCklVSvoqBk7dpYxcAfzKxSdO5LtJBk96meGLnGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.1qjNKHGHSN1-f6A4rc2lp8NNdbGErknUolD6y566L3M&dib_tag=se&keywords=frida%2Bmom%2Bpump%2Bwipes&qid=1788296158&sprefix=frida%2Bmom%2Bpump%2Bwipes%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-1&th=1

This ice pack was a lifesaver and I cannot recommend it highly enough! This would be good for anyone but it is especially great if you are breastfeeding because it's a bit padded so it helps if you accidentally catch a knee or an elbow to your incisions (mine were all in a row at my belly button line, four in total): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXSKMWFD?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

Same with this pillow, great for anyone but adds some extra padding to protect you while feeding. It's also great for getting up and down which hurts a lot the first few days or if you have to cough or sneeze: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FPFKGFP2?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

This was a MUST. I don't think I would have been able to sleep without a wedge pillow for the first week. This is also how I fed the baby the first few days, I'd be in bed with the wedge pillow and have the baby propped up on a couple of pillows beside me and just had to turn slightly for him to be able to reach: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y5HBTLP?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

The other purchase I'm glad I made was getting a little desk for my bed because I was only able to take off work the day of my surgery. Sitting upright was pretty uncomfortable the first few days and this helped a ton. Probably just specific to me but mentioning it just in case anyone is in a similar situation. I definitely recommend taking a week or two off if you are able!

If you have older kids at home, maybe buy a special toy or two to bring out when you are really having a tough time. My toddler is super into sticker books right now and that helped me to distract him when I needed it. Also, do unlimited TV and snacks if you need to and do not feel guilty about it! It will not be like this forever!

I had a lot less help than I would have liked because my husband just used all of his PTO for paternity leave. I am one week post-op at the time of writing this and I think today is the first day that I feel like I can actually manage on my own without too much pain. I have a 15-pound 4-mont-old and a 2-year-old for reference. As long as I am careful picking up the baby it doesn't really feel like a problem anymore but it still hurt to do so a couple of days ago. Definitely not picking up the toddler for a while! I'd recommend having as much help as possible the first week minimum, but two weeks would probably be more ideal.

My general tips are to take the drugs if they are given to you! I tried to tough it out and was in a ton of pain from my incisions that first night. I think I am on of the unlucky few that metabolizes narcotics really slowly because it took about two hours for oxycodone to help me even a little bit once I caved in and took it and I was so miserable. I'd say take it before you think you need it for sure. I do think I was lucky as far as gas pain though, I hardly had any! Make sure you have ibuprofen, Tylenol, MiraLax, and Gas-X on hand.

That's all I can think of right now but I'm happy to answer any specific questions if anyone has any!


r/gallbladders 2h ago

Diet Looking for success stories

1 Upvotes

I had an attack earlier this year in May. I waited a long time to be seen so it was an emergency by the time I was treated and I had pancreatitis along with crazy nerve issues from the temp liver disease. They didn’t take my gallbladder at the time due to the pancreatitis. Just had an ERCP and temp stent placed. This was the first time I ever had any issues with stones. I feel like taking the gallbladder is a hasty decision. I declined the surgery and I’m scheduled for an ERCP in 3 weeks to remove the stent. I’m trying to keep this bugger! If I have continued issues, I can see removal. Anyone out there with a success story of keeping theirs and managing symptoms with diet change?


r/gallbladders 3h ago

Questions Question: do ya’ll suffer gallbladder type attacks even after removal?

1 Upvotes

As the title reads, I’m in another group and have seen quite a few posts describing pain like attacks days even weeks or months after removal. Now I’m having awful anxiety that will happen to me. I am 6 days post surgery and have been somewhat adventurous. I’ve had butter and cheese and beef and even went to Golden Corral… I am having major food anxiety because of the attacks I had suffered prior to removal. Any encouragement is appreciated and if you did have attacks, did you get to the bottom of it or find a reason for them?


r/gallbladders 20h ago

Success Story Just wanted to share my story from today... 😅

18 Upvotes

Just wanted to share my story.. I put it in another post because somebody asked caused they were nervous ... I wanna laugh so hard looking back but I cant .... I just had surgery today and mannnnnn I was nervous as they were wheeling me on the bed to the operation room I started crying going thru each door going left,right, then left i even asked the guy pushing me if he could stop pushing me for a momemt .....LOL but he kept pushing and the anesthesiologist asked those nervous tears i said yes and he said its okay we understand you dont get surgery everyday, but we do the surgerys everyday so your in good care, then he said its okay tbh they find it weird for people to not show any emotion or anything but unless theyve gone thru surgery alot or something but....to the operating table I was crying I was scared but the people were nice they introduced themselves and said I would be okay still crying and squeezing my hand tight the lady told me it will be okay then I dont remeber anything LOL looking back now I wanna Laugh so hard right now but I can't 🤣🤣 but I was very scared, nervous, of not knowing what would happen and the fact to mynose was congested bc of allergies then to mention when I seen the robot tool things i was like ughhhhhhhh, I turned away quickly but the nurses, doctors, etc comforted me alot then I was asleep next thing I knew I woke up LOL amd my surgery was about 45mins I was told and now.just have the gas shoulder pain but ive been walking and can see that has helped me I was very hungry too I stopped eating at like 930pm yesterday and my surgery was at like 1:15pm and I was out of the hospital by 400pm, but I will say you will do great whoever has surgery coming up and its okay to show emotion do it if thats what will help you 😊❤️


r/gallbladders 9h ago

Questions Pulling/Stabbing Sensation On Incisions?

2 Upvotes

I’m 2 weeks post op and for the last 2 days I’ve been having this weird pulling and stabbing burning sensation in one of my incisions (where they took the gallbladder from) anytime I move. Has anyone had this happen? I have an appointment this week but wasn’t sure if this was normal muscle healing?


r/gallbladders 5h ago

Questions One day post operation

1 Upvotes

I posted a while ago about hoping to go without getting my gallbladder removed and taking urso to break up the stones. Along with diet adjustment I actually was able to reverse my non alcoholic fatty liver disease likely leftover from pregnancy. I also reduced the wall thickening in my gallbladder to zero and shrank the stones in my gallbladder. Unfortunately this did not prevent me from the havoc the stones still are capable of causing. The doctors think that at some point one of my stones got lodged in my pancreas. On Thursday night I started getting pain that felt like a gallbladder attack. But it never stopped, it didn’t go away and it didn’t get better. By Saturday I was starting to feel nauseous and generally crappy like I had the flu. I decided to skip dinner that day as my appetite had completely left me. We were out with friends at a local hotdog place, I kept getting so nauseous. Then right after we walked outside, I vomited. This was scary because I hadn’t vomited in 5 years so it meant something was very wrong. The pain along with the vomiting told me I needed an ER so my husband took me. It was one of those things where they took my blood took my temp did an ultrasound and they said, yeah you’re being admitted.
My lipase levels were off the charts over 3,000. I was in the hospital all day Sunday being treated with antibiotics and fluids and my pain reduced significantly. I had surgery yesterday afternoon and came home in the evening. I’m similarly sore but not in such a painful excruciating way. They closed my incisions with glue and I haven’t seen anyone talk about that here but I’d like to take a shower and my instructions say wait one day. I’m curious if anyone has any bad experiences with showering this early on? Also would love some diet recommendations! I can’t take stool softeners (can’t take pills) so if anyone has recommendations for those I would love to hear them.


r/gallbladders 5h ago

Awaiting Surgery Extreme anxiety - multiple concerns!

1 Upvotes

Hi all! I’m (28f) getting my gallbladder removed laparoscopically at the end of the month due to gallstones. It’s been a really painful road! I have a bunch of chronic conditions that make me extra anxious thinking about recovering from surgery (POTS, hEDS, fibro, chronic migraines, CFS/ME, neuropathy, to name a few). I’ve had three notable surgeries in the past - I’ve had surgery on both hips and a skull base surgery to remove a tumor, and my recoveries were all nightmares…. far worse than my surgeons prepared me for. I also am allergic to all narcotics and NSAIDs so pain medicine isn’t an option. I’m putting my concerns out hoping somebody can provide advice, guidance, or support. I’m going to be extremely anticipatory between now and then and want to prepare accordingly. You’d think having chronic pain conditions I would be desensitized, but my pain tolerance is very low! I am far more nervous about the recovery period than surgery itself. Any thoughts are welcome. TIA <3


r/gallbladders 5h ago

Questions Laparoscopic surgery next week - 2.1cm stone

1 Upvotes

Anything I should know? Any tips for quicker recovery? What was your timeline?
Thank you!!


r/gallbladders 6h ago

Stones Percutaneous Cholangioscopy, Lithotripsy, and Gallbladder Stone Removal

0 Upvotes

An interesting video showing an alternative procedure to remove gallstones in place of surgical removal of the entire gallbladder:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hrkjrh8DWDE