How do you live without a Gallbladder

Introduction

You can definitely live without a gallbladder by making necessary the dietary changes for a longer, healthier life. Gallbladder removal is called cholecystectomy, which your doctor may recommend for the following reasons:-

infections

inflammation, called cholecystitis

gallstones – pain, infection or obstruction

gallbladder polyp.

Role of gallbladder

To live without a gallbladder, it’s important to understand the role gallbladder plays so you are aware what your body’s missing.The gallbladder is a tiny digestive organ in your abdomen, just behind the liver. The bile duct connects it to the liver. This duct transports bile from the liver into the gallbladder, and into the duodenum — the first part of your small intestine.The gallbladder serves as a storage facility for bile, which help the body break down foods and digest fat. When you eat, your gallbladder releases bile into the small intestine, where it breaks down fats.
Without the gall bladder, bile flows directly into the small intestine, this may lead to symptoms like fullness of abdomen, bloating and heaviness after meals, diarrhe which will usually last for only 3 – 6 months. After this duration yourbody returns to normal status as youmake adjustments to your lifestyle and eating habits. With these changes, there won’t be major differences in your day-to-day life after your gallbladder is removed.

Diet change without a gallbladder

Making a few basic dietary changes will help your body adjust to changes in the way bile is released.

Record what you eat:-

Be more aware of what you are eatingby keeping a food journal. This will help you modify your eating and drinking habits and limit the pain and discomfort as you pay attention to how your body reacts to specific foods, especially those high in fats, spices, or acids. List the foods you eat and how much of each food you eat at a time. This will you identify specific foods to avoid, limit, or have more of.

Limit your fat intake:-

Try to avoid foods by reading labels and avoid processed meats, dairy products, sauces, and toppings, which sometimes contain more fat.Eat whole food, boiled or grilled food over fried foods as a rule of thumb.fFat should make up only 30% of your diet. Eat in moderation sausage, beef, chips, chocolate, full-fat milk, yogurt, or cheese, cream, skin-on poultry, foods which contain a lot of vegetables, peanut, canola, or olive oil. If you consume roughly 2,000 calories per day, aim for under about 60–65 grams of fat.

Eat frequently but regularly, small portions:-

Your digestive system works slightly differently now so don’t overwhelm it with too much food as it strains your liver and it can’t produce the bile needed to help digest the food. Therefore divide your meals into smaller portions of lean meat (such as fish or skinless chicken) or other non-processed protein sources and fruit and vegetables.

Following the surgery, food rich in soluble fiber is recommended and high fiber diet can be added to your diet gradually. Following the procedure, try to limit your intake of the high-fiber Reducefoods by beginning with smaller portion sizes and gradually increase these as you figure out what your body can handle.

Limit your caffeine:-

Limit caffeine consumption like tea, coffee, or soft drinks after the removal of gallbladder as this can increase gas, abdominal pain, and bloating. This is because caffeine increasesacid production in the stomach, which can cause diarrhea.You can gradually increase caffeine to your diet as your body adjusts.

Is the life expectancy affected?

Post surgery habits force you to make healthier dietary choices which in fact increase your life expectancy. You are now eating smaller amounts of fats, oils, dairy products, and processed foods. As a result you lose weight and reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. As you reduce your per day calories intake, your body digests food better and you are energetic.

In summary, your body functions well without the gall bladder as you make the needed lifestyle change in favor of a better diet and limit food that cause digestive issues. In a nutshell introducing these healthy dietary habits into your lifestyle post-surgery benefits your overall health in the long run!