What to Expect After Gallbladder Surgery: Side Effects and Dietary Tips

Your gallbladder is located just underneath your liver and releases fat-digesting bile into the duodenum when you eat. There are several conditions that can affect your gallbladder, such as gallstones, acute cholecystitis, gallstone pancreatitis, and on rare occasions, gallbladder cancer. These conditions often require gallbladder surgery, which can sometimes present various side effects. Let’s take a look at what you can expect after gallbladder surgery as well as a few helpful dietary tips. 

Changes In Your Body After Gallbladder Surgery

The majority of gallbladder conditions are treated with a cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal). Your gallbladder is not regarded as an essential organ and people typically live a normal life after surgery. However, there are a few potential side effects that you could experience. According to the Mayo Clinic, some studies show that up to 20% of individuals report experiencing diarrhea after gallbladder surgery. This is because bile flows directly into the intestine after surgery, which can potentially irritate the bowel. A very common side effect in the first few post-surgery weeks is bloating. This happens because fat digestion is less efficient without a gallbladder, which can result in gas, indigestion, and bloating. 

Approximately 5 to 40% of gallbladder surgery patients report experiencing symptoms collectively referred to as Post-Cholecystectomy syndrome. These symptoms occur due to irregular bile flow and include nausea and upper abdominal pain. Even without a gallbladder, stones can still form in the bile duct itself. This is known as Choledocholithiasis and can cause infection and pain. This is a relatively rare side effect but can potentially arise in people who previously had gallstones. Bile acid malabsorption is reportedly experienced by around 5 to 10% of gallbladder surgery patients. When excess bile enters the colon, it can sometimes overwhelm your intestine’s ability to reabsorb it. This often results in bile acid diarrhea and reduced fat absorption in rare instances. 

Changes in Appetite and Weight

After gallbladder surgery, some patients find that they struggle to eat certain kinds of food, particularly greasy and fatty foods. In most cases, this is a short-term issue, however, some people need to make long-term adjustments to their diet. Some people also report sudden weight gain or loss. While not directly caused by the surgery itself, some people experience weight gain or loss due to a change in their dietary habits after gallbladder surgery. Doctors recommend that your diet should consist of clear liquids, broth, and gelatin for the first few days after surgery. You should also stay away from any alcohol for at least two days after gallbladder surgery. You can gradually start moving to small meals of solid food after the first few days. 

Foods To Eat and Avoid After Gallbladder Surgery

While there is no set post-surgery diet recommended to patients, there are certain guidelines you can follow. Diarrhea is quite a common side effect, so it’s important that you stay hydrated. Drink a lot of water, broth, and drinks that will help replace the minerals, fluids, and vitamins lost through diarrhea. It is far less likely that you will experience diarrhea, bloating, and gas if you stick to low-fat foods. These include beans, oatmeal, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and fat-free dairy products. You should also gradually introduce foods that are high in fiber, such as prunes, oat bran, chickpeas, beets, and okra. Foods that are high in soluble fiber are also beneficial and include wheat germ, legumes, carrots, nuts, potatoes, and spinach. 

To avoid common side effects such as diarrhea, there are also certain foods that you should avoid as much as possible. You should try avoiding high-fat foods such as lard, butter, bacon fat, hot dogs, salami, processed baked goods, and pork. You should also initially steer clear of foods that can potentially irritate your stomach lining, such as spices that contain capsaicin. In general, it’s recommended to stay away from any foods that would usually worsen diarrhea, such as very sweet foods, high-fat dairy products, and products containing caffeine. Using a food journal to track what you eat may help you identify any foods that may potentially be causing problems after gallbladder surgery. Most patients are able to return to a normal diet after about a month after having their surgery.