Gall stones and diet

[Ceppo]

@Antje77 @Rachox
Well it looks like there is an answer to the mysterious 'gastroenteritis' episodes I've had over the last 13 years. Its grumbling away at the moment but nothing acute. Seems there are multiple small gallstones on a CT scan - done for another reason, nothing else abnormal. Taken seriously by a GP I saw this week who has referred me to have it removed. Heaven knows how long the wait is in this area....not very promising on the NHS website.
The usual advice is to limit fat and eat low fat although he said it would be best to try to make my own choices depending on how food affected me. So how do I continue to eat on a low carb diet. I realise I can reduce the fat content but its getting the balance right. I'd appreciate any ideas from you all. Thanks.

 

[Antje77]

The usual advice is to limit fat and eat low fat although he said it would be best to try to make my own choices depending on how food affected me. So how do I continue to eat on a low carb diet. I realise I can reduce the fat content but its getting the balance right. I'd appreciate any ideas from you all. Thanks.

Hi @Ceppo , I thankfully had my gallbladder removed before diabetes, and after some 4 (?) years of gallstones attacks every once in a while, even if I didn't know gallstones were the cause of those horrible nights.
It eventually culminated in an inflamed gallbladder with a very high fever which finally led to my diagnosis, and operation.

Of course, during the years I've had those attacks, not knowing what caused them, I went over the foods before those attacks to try and find a pattern. Even more so during the 2 month wait between diagnosis of gallstones/inflamed gallbladder and op of course, now being aware that fats may be aggravating things.
For what it's worth, I never found a correlation between fats (or whatever els I ate or drank) and getting or not getting an attack, so apart from some experimenting, I kept eating as I always did until the op, which wasn't particularly low fat at all.

Have you found you get more attacks with high fat foods?

 

[Rachox]

So glad you have a diagnosis now. Like @Antje77 i had my gallstone problems and gallbladder removal before I was diabetic. I found no rhyme or reason for the gallbladder colic attacks. I hope you get to the top of the waiting list soon.

 

[Melgar]

I’ve been having gall bladder attacks too, @Ceppo . I’ve had three attacks this year. Awful pain in my top right of abdomen, just under my ribs. The bad pain lasts about 4 hours, then reduced pain for about 3 days. This last bout was the worst. Really bad. My abdomen was so tender to touch. Then I had a very high fever, high blood sugars and dull throbbing pain in my left side and middle abdomen. This lasted about 3 weeks. I cannot tolerate eating any fats. Fatty poops, feeling very nauseous when I ate anything. Had an Ultrasound, no gall stones, no Kidney stones. Next time it happens I’m calling for an ambulance. It’s all calmed down now. I don't eat fats as I have been unable to tolerate them for several years so it’s not my consumption of fats that trigger these attacks.

 

[Antje77]

I’ve been having gall bladder attacks too, @Ceppo . I’ve had three attacks this year. Awful pain in my top right of abdomen, just under my ribs. The bad pain lasts about 4 hours, then reduced pain for about 3 days.

Had an Ultrasound, no gall stones, no Kidney stones.

What makes you so sure they are gall bladder attacks? Those are usually associated with gallstones.

 

[Melgar]

My Dr @Antje77. She said it was an inflamed gall bladder. I know little about the gall bladder. I do hope it’s not my pancreas as well, I had some pretty high blood sugars. I did read that about 25% of gall bladder issues are not related to stones.

 

[fumanchu]

I'm not diabetic but I have the same prob with gallstones and LC diet. I decided not to have the op, and find that just certain foods cause the attacks, Lamb, which I love, is one, so I cook it then remove any surplus fat. Fish suppers from the chippy is another one. As long as I avoid really high fatty stuff I'm ok, and I still eat low carb. I think you can rebalance the diet without the very high fat.
Also they can't always see the stones, mine apperently hid for years

 

[Ceppo]

Thank you all for your generosity in sharing your experiences. I could certainly correlate the 2011 first event with eating some beetroot soup for lunch and cold, fatty roast lamb in the evening. The beetroot soup came up an alarming colour in A & E about 22:00 that night. It took several months to get back to normal and I had no success with any consultations. I'll tread cautiously for a while. Resisting the desire to eat dry crackers or panettone and see where I get to. I can't imagine a life without eggs, cheese, pecan nuts or dark chocolate. Staples. However, I can give up chicken skin and the fatty part of belly pork. Interestingly the way I feel about food at the moment is a similar to when I feel I've had too much in the way of cauliflower and broccoli; as if its disagreeable.
There's certainly a view, with some evidence, that its best to continue to eat fat - that low fat diets are a contributory factor in developing gallstones - as bile has no work to do and just hangs around.
Anyway thought this could be interesting to anyone else experiencing gall stones. I'll post anything I feel is relevant.

 

[Melgar]

I can’t even look at a fatty meal without feel sick. I can’t eat eggs or red meats as they make me feel so nauseous. I feel for anyone going through the same.