The Gallstones Diet
Wednesday, March 18th, 2009...10:51 pm
Disclaimer: I’m not your doctor, I’m not a surgeon and I’m not a dietician. I’m just a guy with some gallstone experience.
I have gallstones, as did my wife, and there’s a 1 in 5 chance that you will suffer from them during your lifetime. Basically, these little deposits can be a small as a grain of sand (mine are quite small) and happily sit in your gallbladder without generating any symptoms. However, when they do cause problems it often feels like this iconic scene from Alien:
Ultimately, the only real cure for gallstones is to have your gallbladder removed. However, in the meantime, you’re going to need to control your diet to avoid these devastating attacks and prepare for surgery (I believe surgeons won’t operate if the gallbladder is inflamed). Here’s some ideas for a gallstone-attack-avoidance diet:
The aim
A low fat diet which minimises the occurrence of gallstone attacks. Typically, you need to restrict yourself to items with less than 5g fat per 100g serving (i.e., < 5% fat). Do not be confused by product labelling which gives the fat content of a smaller serving or the percentage of your daily fat allowance — both will get you into trouble. Always check the label!
Things to avoid
- Any Butter
- Oil – if you need a little oil for frying use spray-on oil which is very efficient and actually contains an oil/water mix
- Chocolate
- Fatty meats such as duck and lamb
- Cream
- Cheese
- Some curry sauces (too creamy)
- Cheesy pasta sauces / Italian dishes such as lasagne
- Replace full-fat milk with semi-skimmed or skimmed (I seem to be fine on semi-skimmed milk)
- Breakfast / Energy bars
- Crisps
- Nuts
Main Courses
- Meat: Chicken, lean mined beef, white fish, pork rashers or ham with all the fat trimmed off
- Pasta sauces: Most tomato-based sauces contain very little fat (the “light” sauces are actually light on sugar). Make your own creamy pasta sauce with light or extra light Philadephia and some semi-skimmed milk —just remember to add plenty of herbs to taste!
- Stir fry: Most asian sauces are fine
- Spicy foods: Chilli and some curry sauces are fine (but not those which are based on coconut milk)
- Rice, potatoes and pasta will form the bulk of the meal
- Add plenty of interesting veg too!
Dessert / Treats / Snacks
- Yoghurt
- Yoghurt drinks like Yop!
- Low-fat flavoured milk
- Weight-watchers desserts (mousse things with < 5% fat)
- Jacobs Low-fat fig rolls
- Jaffa Cakes
- Toast and jam (no butter!)
- Fruit: anything and everything except avocados
- Fruit smoothies like Innocent drinks (just watch out for anything with cream or ice cream)
- Jelly sweets
- Mints
- Low-fat “diet” bars like Alpen and Fitnesse bars (a great way to sneak a little chocolate in!)
- Starbucks “skinny” muffins (and a no-fat banana & choc chip muffin recipe Hilary found) but beware because the regular muffins ruined a perfectly good Friday!
120 Comments
March 18th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Don’t forget steamed limes for dessert…..
March 18th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
Sounds a lot like a low cholesterol diet, or any low fat diet really.
Of course, unlike the rest of us, you get immediate feedback when you are bad, which probably helps you stick to the diet…
March 19th, 2009 at 1:07 am
It has perhaps taken longer than it should have to arrive at this diet but my excuse was that I was testing my boundaries. But it’s now very easy to avoid chocolate or ice cream when you consider the resulting hours of pain ahead!
March 19th, 2009 at 1:09 am
Also, while I’m trying to avoid fat this isn’t a particularly healthy diet because I’m quite happy replace that fat with sugar.
March 19th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Please point out that only McVities Jaffa cakes are ok – they are less than 1g of fat per biscuit. Other Jaffa cakes have more fat in them.
Also, Costa coffee shops do the best skinny muffin a lemon and orange one, and again less than 5% fat!!
And some yoghurts can be quite fatty so read the labels. Vitalinea are good cos they have 0% fat and 0% sugar!!!
May 20th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
I am having the same experience as you. Is this diet affecting your digestion at all, I’m getting alot of stomach aches and nausea. I have really cut down on my fat intake (I had 3 really bad attacks in a week) but I have the same problem as you, my diet isn’t exactly super healthy, because I figure if I can’t have fat, then I’m going to have sugar. I also tested my boundaries at the beginning, but now I am afraid to eat most of the time. Can’t wait for surgery, are you getting yours out?
May 20th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
I’ve been had a lot of acid indigestion but I’m on medication for that. Initially, the doctor thought it might be an ulcer in addition to the gallstones, but now thinks it’s just another symptom. Hopefully I should be having them out but I’m still waiting for a consultants appointment — I’ve been pain free on this diet for the past 2 months though!
I should add that I’ve also discovered that Walkers Baked crisps (if you’re in the UK/Ireland) are only 8% fat and cause me no problems. Also most fruit breads are fine too.
May 21st, 2009 at 2:03 am
I’m in Canada, but I have also discovered baked chips or crisps as they are called there. I’m on medication for acid indigestion as well, which they think is another symptom as well. I have been able to avoid an attack for over a month which is awesome, but I get an upset stomach almost everytime I eat, and something thats fine to eat one day could upset my stomach the next day. It’s a very frustrating thing. I’m on the waiting list for surgery, they said it would be 2-3 months, but it has been 3 months now and no call. At first I didn’t want it out because I was scared, but now its more like “GET THIS FREAKING THING OUT OF ME!!” haha. Hope your experience goes a bit better than mine has been. Take Care
May 27th, 2009 at 12:37 am
i went for months, being told that i had a bad acid reflex. I eventually was diagnoised with gallstones. I was seventeen when i was told. i hadn’t had anything like the pain my mum suffered with and didn’t think it was such a big deal. Two days after my 18th birthday i had an attack. I have never been in so much pain. i was hospitalised. I’m now home and afraid to eat anything. Hopefully this diet will give me a good start while i wait for the surgery. I was aprehensive about the surgery, now i can’t wait for it!
July 18th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I had my gall bladder removed about 10 months ago, but I still have attacks of pain, usually directly after I’ve eaten, or else the day after a fatty day. I’m altering my diet to see if that will reduce the pain, because it’s pretty much certain that it’s fat-related. Your plan has been excellent to help me to realise what foods to avoid to control my condition! Thanks
And I hope you’ve still got yours under control 
July 24th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
I have a large gallstone and am trying oral medication first before surgical removal. You mentioned to avoid oil? I had read on several different websites that olive oil (and sunflower oil) are good for a diet involving gallstones. Did you read something different? I had even read to take 1 tbsp olive oil twice a day and have just started that. I am finally eating fruit regularly now but this is the first website that I read about not eating avocados. I am sad. I was just eating a bunch of avocados recently.
July 25th, 2009 at 9:40 am
I’m only avoiding avocado on the basis that they are a fatty fruit. Perhaps it would be fine, perhaps not. I’ve also read about taking olive oil but it was with something acidic like grapefruit juice for a few days. From what I could tell, there’s a myth that this makes you pass the stones but in fact it’s just the solidified olive oil that you’ve taken. AFAIK, the only way to get the stones out is surgery but take advice from your doctor. 4 months sticking to this diet and no attacks, so I’m not going to try anything new.
July 30th, 2009 at 1:51 am
This diet gives me a great idea just found out I have marble sized stones, have my consultation in the morning and I am scared to pretty much eat anything so hope this works
August 11th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Thanks for all the imput, I had my first attack last week, and hopefully my last. I am pretty scared about surgery and was considering the various flushes that are on the web. Now I don’t see that as viable. I’ve been eating low fat and will definitly print this diet out as an excellent guideline. I don’t get taking the olive oil, my MD print out said only 3 teaspoons of fat daily, in the form of butter, mayonnaise or oil. Thats not much.
August 17th, 2009 at 3:45 am
I just had my first attacks last night. It came about after a pasta dinner made with olive oil. I should be having a consultation soon. I’ll be trying to stick to your guidelines so I don’t have another attack, that was the worst pain I’ve ever been in!
August 24th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
This is pretty much the same set of foods that I have been following since by diagnosis in may. The upside is that I have shed about 20 lbs that I didn’t need and despite the restrictions it has been pretty easy up until now. It’s amazing how little you crave certain foods when the thought of the agonizing hours spent during an attack are still fresh in your mind. To this day I have yet to come across any item of food that I could look at think it was worth the risk.
August 25th, 2009 at 11:49 am
I had my gallbladder removed on Friday and I’m just recovering at home. Frankly, it’s not too bad at all. I can now eat anything I like but I’m looking at some things I used to eat and thinking “Meh!”. The only advantage is now I can eat out which I couldn’t do at all previously (yay! just in time for our wedding anniversary)
August 25th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Congrats Jamie on getting it out! And thank you for the diet guidelines. I had my first attack on Aug 21st, the pain was so bad that I actually started to faint. Was hospitalized in a foreign country with people speaking very little english, spent 4 days in the hospital on IVs and now resting. Pain seem to have subsided, mainly thanks to the diet. I am glying back to NY in 10 days and my doctor already scheduled surgery for the day after I land. Pretty quick process if u have insurance paying for this stuff, wouldn’t be able to wait for months, I am scared to do anything because the attack was so painful. Dreading being on the plane for 9 hours, but at least for now have family looking after me and friends. Good luck, everyone!
August 27th, 2009 at 12:59 am
Thnx gus for sharing fantastic tips, the thing abt hving such conditions is u eventually bcome ur own doctors! I had a 1st attack on 23 aug 30mins b4 my night shift…thot had a heart attack, swine flue or something, so terrified! Went to A&E and spent 4hrs on hosp bed on morphine…yes thats what took the pain away….in the last hr the surgeon came and said “From wot we can see u got gall stone” I had little knowledge of the freaking things even tho am a nurse ha ha…”What” Then found u guys…still trying low fat diet, love my stews, dairy but @ more am more anorexic than anything…scared of all foods, will try lemon and olive oil as therapy to flush em…
Gd luck guys……
August 30th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Jamie, thank you for the information you have provided! Every food item you have mentioned causes me absolute grief when I eat it, and I will now avoid them!
I have been to my doctor twice this year and have been told there is nothing wrong with me. Mind you, he hasn’t even sent me for scans! Or listened to me say that my mother and grandfather had to have their gall bladders removed!
Anyhow, I will take your advice as to which foods to avoid! You have given me hope that it’s not all in my head! As well as get a second opinion! Thanks!
PS: Great blog!
September 1st, 2009 at 6:00 pm
I had pancreatitis last september and the doctor blamed gallstones even though they haven’t found any after lots of scans. I’m on the waiting list for it’s removal. Can anyone answer this, can gallbladder problems cause ulcers? I can’t seem to get rid of mime and my ma say’s it’s due to my gallbladder problems. Great advise I will now follow a lower fat diet ready for my op. Pity the doctors didn’t tell me this
September 1st, 2009 at 9:59 pm
It was confirmed before my operation that I didn’t have an ulcer. Since the gallbladder removal I haven’t had any of these symptoms so I think that completes the case for gallstones causing those ulcer-like symptoms.
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:46 am
Just wondered how long you all have been on the waiting list, I know it’ll be differnt in different parts of the country, but I finally going to see the consultant next week, I’ve had to wait 3 months to get this far, even eating low fat I’m still getting attacks, my GP tells me although it helps, sometimes they may just move themselves and cause you pain! Thankfully I’ve been doing slimming world so have plenty of fat free recipes, but just fed up of it controling my life, I’m too scared to eat out and have had loads of time of work due to th pain, I just want it out!
September 5th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Hi guys visited my gp yesterday after several nasty attacks and have been prescribed strong tablets to combat the indegestion symptoms. Im keeping my fingers crossed that my appointment with the consultant wont take too long but have started a low fat diet in the mean time. My sister has had her gallbladder out last year and advised me to avoid the same list so im hoping the really bad attacks stay away even though i have almost constant stomache ache. Thanks for all the advise its well heeded!
September 8th, 2009 at 7:53 am
Hi there all, it’s great to hear that I’m not on my own in the world of gall stones, found out in 2002 that I had them. Then nothing, no advice on diet. If this advice had been given then I would have changed my diet then may have avoided the pain that I went though this last week. Ended up in A&E on a drip and pain killers, after 5 hours came home, then 2 days later woke up and looked like Homer Simpsons wife, YELLOW. Talk about shock.
Rushed to the doc’s then hospital. Yes Gallstone trapped, all needs to come out. Then “Change your diet”. Great.
September 9th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Thanks for publishing this information. I was hospitalized this summer for an inflamed gall bladder and gallstones and am having my surgery later this week. My doctor told me to try to eat 5-10 g of fat per day. I figure I am really closer to 7-15 g fat per day but I was surprised (after the first shock) how d0-able it was and how good I feel without attacks and without any other indigestion either. For those in the US, Subway Fresh Fit subs are one of the FEW things I can get when I eat out.
September 17th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
can u eat pork or beef i have had pain for five years i have just had a second scan and they found call stones im in a lot of pain my doctor think im putting it on thanks
September 17th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Marisa,
I was able to eat lean minced beef (5% fat) as part of a bolognese (for example) and the only pork I had was occasionally some bacon (without the fat/rind) wrapped around a chicken breast and baked. Honestly, I think it varies from person to person but I certainly avoided any large piece of beef or pork, such as a roast dinner. Best of luck!
September 22nd, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Hi all. I was diagnosed with gallstones after an accute attack of cholecystitis in August which meant me being admitted to hospital on morphine and drip. Kept in for 4 days while had scans etc. Was told to follow low fat diet which I did faithfully. Then within two weeks, yes you guessed it back in A & E on the morphine again. I was hoping to try controlling things with diet first and not really thinking about surgery so soon, but that showed me that did not work. Realised while laying there first in agony and the then the after effects of the morphine and sickness could I really go on waiting for the next attack to happen with seamingly no control on it? Now after consultation with consultant have now been given date in December to have gall bladder removed. It is scarey but feel I have not option. Last major attack was three weeks ago, and it has taken me ages to get over it. Still not feeling fully great. Following as low fat diet as I can and like us all in this boat scared to eat anything much. Everytime I try something new I am terrified I will have another attack. It was great reading all the posts knowing that my experiences are pretty much echoed here. Thanks
September 24th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Hi Jamie and everyone,
I have just go back after being in th A&E
with another bad attack . I am due to see the surgeon in October. I suffer from severe Fibromyalgia and Body Movement Disorder and have been mainly bed bound for 3 yrs and now to add the icing on the cake , I have been diagnosed with having my gall bladder full of moderate sized gall stones. I am underweight and eat very little, so I never know what causes the severe pain attacks.
Has anyone ever done the treatments that are supposed dissolve the gall stones? and if so how long did it take?
Thank Jamie for this Blog it is very educational and informative.
How are you feeling after the operation? was it done by keyhole surgery?
Thanks
September 29th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
What a relief to read that what I am going through is “normal” for a gallstone suffer! I started getting attacks on the 13th August, the day after I got back from holiday and thought I must have caught something terrible whilst abroad. Even after the scan I couldn’t quite believe that such terrible pain and constant nausia was caused by “just” gallstones. I have to wait until 18th Nov to see the consultant and who knows how long until the op’ so I will definitely be trying to control the pain with my diet. wish me luck!
October 10th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Hi Jamie,
I just wanted to say thanks for publishing such a thorough and helpful list. I’m 22 and found out during the summer I have gallstones. I found a few other lists on the internet but for the most part they had very conflicting information and were at odds from the things I found helped me.
I’m hoping to have the op in the new year to have my gallbladder out, I put it off because of work, and I found your diet worked really well for me. I slipped up yesterday and had a bowl of creamy pasta and a glass of wine, and my word was I paying for it after. No more testing my limitations.
Thanks again, hope your recovery is going well.
October 11th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
I’m also waiting to have my gall bladder removed but have been free of pain since the end of July. Same experience as everyone else but am fanatical about eating almost no fat – I don’t know how long I’m going to have to do this and worry about long term effects.
Just to add to Jamie’s list of ‘good’ foods – Ostrich is extremely low fat and really tasty. A red meat, the steaks are just like beef – they need to be cooked rare or they become v. tough.
At least they provide a bit of variety to an otherwise tedious diet and the whole family enjoy them.
October 11th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
@Maureen
Wow, Ostrich would be a real change! I might have to try and source some even though I’m now gallbladder free!
October 12th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
hi all just reading all your comments, my doctor said i could have gall stones but in not sure. All this weekend ive been in pain it lasts for hours then comes back when i eat, but the pain is in my ribs and upper back and it is tender to press in the middle just below the ribs and the back pain is worse on the right hand side, what do you all think.
October 12th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
@sarah
Sounds like gallstones but I’m not a medical professional and only an ultrasound can confirm for sure. If it is gallstones, it’s really not a big deal – the operation is simple and the recovery quick. No fear! Just another of life’s little challenges/jokes
October 14th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Hi Jamie,
Thanks for taking the time to create this website and list. I have been having very minor issues for about a week and a half now and finally went to the doc on Monday. He sent me out for blood work and and ultrasound and we are waiting on the results. My “attacks”, if that’s what they are, have been very minor. More discomfort and bloating than pain; however, I learned that steak, shrimp scampi, and red wine for dinner is a big no-no. I was very bloated and uncomfortable that night and the next day.
I do have a question too. I have been eating natural peanut butter and that has not affected me at all (it has no hydrogenated oils). Is there any reason other than if it causes pain why I should be avoiding this food?
Thanks again,
Laurie
October 20th, 2009 at 1:56 am
Wow! I never knew so many people suffered from this. I had my first and god I hope my last attack on Saturday. I had no idea what was happening and after the 5th hour of intense pain and I don’t know how many trips to empty my stomach I finally woke my husband up to take me to the hospital. They first gave me 2 bags of painkiller that had absolutely no effect on the pain and then 2 bags of morphine til I could finally get out of the fetal position. The only thing they did at the hospital was an x-ray which was not conclusive and advised me to see my family doctor to schedule an ultrasound. So now I have to wait almost a week just to see my doctor and god knows when I can get the ultrasound (sucks to live in a small town). Like many of you who posted on here I’m afraid to eat anything as I don’t want to trigger another attack and am still sore after 2 days from the first one. I am hoping that your “good foods” will help avoid another attack til I am diagnosed and hopefully cured. Going through the many websites I have found lists of who is at risk and to tell you the truth I honestly don’t fall into any of the catergories, so it leads me to believe it can happen to anyone regardless of age, race, sex, weight and diet. I think I will go find a cracker and hope for the best. Thanks for some great information Jamie.
October 20th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
I have been reading a lot in the last couple of weeks re gall stones, diet, well … all I could, having recently been diagnosed following an attack (another one last friday .. still sore). I was tempted, especially the first time, to go to the hospital … mainly because it felt (what I imagined) a heart attack would feel like but I found advice on the web saying go if you have a temperature of 38 or are jaundiced. In my innocence I figure the pain and vomiting just normal for the condition and spent three hours walking around the house squeaking. The gastroenterologist tells me I have small stones, just loads of them and surgery is likely to have to occur in the next few months depending on the frequency and severity of attacks. This means to me that there are going to be a few and I do not feel sanguine about it. Diet wise I have been on one for weeks anyway but need to adjust again for less fat. I take Alli, a fat blocker, which I need to investigate more. I honestly, at this stage, do not know what severe means. I suffer from cluster headache episodes, which are about a 10 on the scale anyway and this is close so pain is not my issue … the potential for serious illness, and worse, is. Also, the effects post surgery are not trivial, so I do not know the balance of gall stone attacks vs post surgery risks. I guess I just feel concerned.
October 22nd, 2009 at 6:04 am
Meant to say, this is a good thing to drink in the morning…
One tablespoon cider vinegar, one teaspoon honey in half a cup of hot water.
tis a cleanser and inervator, especially as gall stone troubles go hand in hand with fatty liver
October 26th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Thanks everyone its been a great help reading this – I’m the same as everyone else but I have this really bad pain in my back as well, inbetween my shoulder blades and under my rib cage. The pain feels like bruising days after an attack is that the same for everyone? I have been refered to the surgeon but the doctor sad he wont take my gallbladder out while I’m still having attacks. I have followed a low fat diet since February so I wonder why I should suddenly get more attacks! I have lost nearly 4 stone in weight on the slimming world diet so feel rather cheated that I should end up with gallstones. I do think it runs in the family though as my mother and grandmother both had their gallbladders out.
October 27th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Hi Michelle yes gallstones does run in families. I am the third person in our family to be diagnosed with them this year. One of my family has had her gallbladder removed and I am due to have mine out in December. Regarding the back pain, I sometimes get this and it is uncomfortable. Apparently this is more common if you have a large gallstone rather than lots of small ones ( so I read somewhere). From what they tell me I have one very large gallstone. I have lost three stones in weight so far and expect will lose a further one by the time I have it out in December. I did need to lose weight though. Apparently dieting can bring on the onset of attacks. I was on a diet when this all started up in August. It says on the internet that if you lose more than 1-2 pounds of weight a week it can bring on the attacks. Well thats all for now.
By the way Jamie can you tell us all how you are getting on now after your op.
October 27th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Well, it’s about 2 month after the operation and I there’s absolutely nothing to report. Just like good ol’ pre-gallstone days. I’m able to eat anything and have no pains or discomfort. It’s nice having the freedom to eat what I like although I’m trying to maintain some good habits.
Frankly, a week afterwards and I was feeling great.
October 28th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Thanks Trisha its always good to hear from someone who’s going through the same thing. I am waiting to see the surgeon but where I am it takes a while but fingers crossed it wont be long, will keep you all updated. Thanks again x
October 29th, 2009 at 3:08 am
Hi everyone,
I just had my second attack in 2 weeks and this morning I had to have my husband take me to the
A&E and was told I had gallstones and need to have my gallbladder removed. I’m relatively healthy, I don’t get sick so I’m really concerned about having surgery. But I don’t want to have another attack. I’m definetly changing my diet starting now!! Does anyone know if you can eat fish (what kind) and drink wine? Thanks for all the info this has been great!!!
October 29th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Michelle
I’ve just lost 4 st on SW too and am in exactly the same position. i have been having attacks for the last 2 weeks but last Thursday they wer so severe I was hospitalised and gallstones confirmed. I am now awaiting surgery. I’m a little concerned now as my diet is as healthy as it can be soo I don’t really know what to do!!!
November 1st, 2009 at 11:14 pm
I have recently been diagnosed with in my doctor’s words “a massive gallstone.” The pain started in my back and went to my chest and then back again. There is a dull ache in my back that has not really gone away, along with that my right kidney is acting up. I haven’t eaten hardly anything in four days but I am drinking a great deal. The one thing that seems to help before I eat is to drink a tea made of flaxseed. 2.5 cups of water 1 tablespoon of flax seed boil for 5 minutes, let stand for 10 minutes strain and sip slowly, don’t know why you have to drink it slowly but that is what it said. This is supposed to help with moving the bile through the gallbladder. There is no real taste, and quite frankly if truth be told I don’t care how it taste as long as it works. I have read that wheat can be a bit dicey does anyone have any personal knowledge? To be honest I am in contradiction overload at the moment. I guess what it boils down to is that we are all individuals and some things may work for some and not for others but I gotta tell ya, that the trying different things and it not working is a killer. Does anyone know if maple syrup or brown sugar is a no no? Yams don’t seem to bother me so I am making them in every way I can. I am basically living on carrots, zucchini and celery soup with a bit of rice pasta in very small portions and for a real treat some apple. Apples don’t seem to bother me either. The surgeon hasn’t even gotten back to my doctor with an appointment yet so who knows how long I am going to have to put up with this. Thank you so very much for this web site it certainly helps to know you are not alone.
November 4th, 2009 at 9:40 am
I feel for you Neli and am at the same stage of experimentation. One thing I do find that I researched and definitely works for me is applejuice – not something I particularly cotton to but a tablespoon in a glass of applejuice (room temperature) if you feel that `tightness’ coming on and it seems to alleviate it. Also I drink cider vinegar and honey in warm water each morning. Coffee is definitely out for me though some sites promote it (without milk). I read that simple sugars, ie brown or processed, are not good, but honey, and carbohydrates such as potato (boiled) are good. This works for me. Boullion is good and I boil up some vegetables in that stock for a nice soup, with ricebiscuits on the side. Okay durum wheat is supposed to be okay and I do eat pasta made from durum wheat and feel no pain. Anything dairy is out really, and eggs, and marbled meat but chicken breast is fine and I do use a teaspoon of olive oil in cooking. Garlic, apparently is well in, but not onions. My gastroenterlogist is not frantic to remove my gallbladder until I lose some more weight and I think he reckons this low fat diet is all good anyway. Every night I sleep soundly without an attack feels like I have dodged a bullet and I do put more zest into my exercises now and, since diagnosis, have extended my treadmill and cardio exercises. Exercising is good for this even though I did approach it gingerly to start. Good luck, look forward to hearing how you do.
November 4th, 2009 at 9:42 am
Doh – the second sentence is missing the words cider vinegar, and should read …
One thing I do find that I researched and defintely works for me is applejuice ….. a tablespoon of CIDER VINEGAR in a glass of applejuice…. etc
ps: you do get to like the taste of cider vinegar =)
November 4th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
I was just told the other day that I have gallstones that are the size of sand. However the doctor told me that if I change my diet that the sand like stones will dissolve and I shouldn’t have them anymore, so I was wonder if anyone else has heard this from their doctor too or if I need a new one???
November 5th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Have suffered for months, thought it was just bad indigestion. Diagnosed yesterday as gallstones! My diet, up ’til now has been based on butter and cheese, with fruit & veg + meat 2 or 3 times a week. the diet does not appeal, but I will try anything to allow me to eat again. Thank you for the hints.
November 5th, 2009 at 11:43 pm
Annie, I read that fine stones can pass easily, almost without you noticing but I figure if you had a diagnosis there is a basis for it and have attacks, which means you ARE noticing! I never heard of them dissolving but am no expert. Perhaps talking to your doctor again for clarification is possible? If you do not feel satisfied, remember this is your health and you are entitled to know and understand fully what is going on. If he, or she, is not able to put you clearly in the picture then perhaps another doctor is the answer?
November 9th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Hi Jamie,
Thank you for the dietary advice. I had an attack last week and my GP said he thought it could be gallstones and would refer me to the hospital for a scan. I was offered no advice or painkillers and was out of the door in seconds. On Saturday afternoon I had pain like I have never felt before and thought I was dying. I had to get rushed to A & E in an ambulance and spent 4 hours on a drip. I was very violently sick as well. I was told by the Doctor in A & E to stick to a low-fat diet but wasn’t handed any leaflets to explain either the condition or food allowed. Like everyone on here, I am so afraid of everything I am eating and drinking in case it triggers off another attack. It has only been two days but I am already bored with tuna!!!! Thank God for the internet and for this blog. It has been very helpful.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Experiment that worked =)
Potato Balls with creamed corn and herbs:
Mashed potato, (firm, using fresh potatoes, no milk or oil/butter added), add fine-chopped herbs, shape into medium sized balls and leave to cool
small can corn kernels, blended.
Place potato balls on a bed of blended corn and microwave.
Serve with:
stir fried chicken and vegetables – no oil needed.
Chop up chicken breast
Mix up fine-chopped garlic, a dash of tumeric, peas, sliced red pepper, sliced water chestnut, sliced courgettes.
Put a couple tablespoons of water in a wok or frypan add the chicken and veges and simmer until soft and the fluid is almost gone.
No oil, under 5 grams fat, voila! Real tasty.
Use fresh where possible but actually a packet of frozen veges will work just ensure that there is no butter ball snuck into it by the manufacturers!
Oh turmeric has curcumin so is okay. Or you can use the mixed Asia spices, which are also fine.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:27 am
And another:
Chicken balls with sticky rice:
minced chicken
fine diced herbs
crushed garlic
fine sliced red pepper
can of chopped tomatoes
Minced chicken with fine-chopped herbs and crushed garlic shaped into small balls and dry fried. (a really good pan with a non-stick surface will do this, but actually spray on oil used lightly will not harm)
Set aside chicken balls in a microwave dish and soften sliced red pepper in the same pan then add the can of tomatoes, cook for a couple of minutes then add to chicken balls.
Sticky rice:
Frozen mixed vegetables work absolutely fine with this – or chop your own if you feel purist =)
Basmati rice (I use a soup ladle to measure this ie one ladle per person) and using a ratio of one ladle rice to 2.25 ladles cold water.
Shove rice, water and vegetables in a pot and simmer till sticky, remove from heat and put in microwave container.
Microwave both dishes when needed.
I tend to cook earlier in the day and heat later, this works for busy mums and this can be prepared the evening before too.
No oil … under 5 grams fat. Sometimes you can get nice bottled or carton tomato sauce mixes that work well, just check the fat content.
You can use a little curry powder in the chicken balls if you like, just be a little careful with spices if you have fatty liver alongside your gallstones!
My dishes are experiments and I try them before I recommend them. If this is useful I will add more as I go along =) I honestly believe that you don’t have to go totally bland just because you have gallstones, and that low fat does not mean totally without taste or that cooking need be harder. Just means learning to cook a little differently.
November 11th, 2009 at 12:21 am
I had my first attack 2 weeks ago at 1am I couldn’t get off the floor I was in agony I just had a baby 3weeks prior to the attack and I was terrified I thought I was dieing. The morphine didn’t take the pain away I went through 5 hours of the worse pain I had ever felt and like I said I had a baby with24hours of labor and a c section I would have picked that over gall pain any day. I’m scheduled for surgery in 2weeks I am so scared but I have no choice this is no way for anyone to live. I’m just looking forward to life after surgery and I am glad I found this diet I needed some guidlines. I was just told to stay away from fat that vauge advice landed me in the ER the next night thank you for all the tips.
November 14th, 2009 at 8:47 am
Hello, my husband was diagnosed with gall stones on Tuesday after an excruciating attack on Sunday (blue light to hospital and 2 lots of morphine not touching the pain). He has been told that he will have his gall bladder removed in the New Year. He is now tentatively building himself backup, it sounds like he was given the same advice as most – ‘eat a low fat diet’ and that’s it really. He is very wary now about what he eats and drinks as we really can’t be doing with him having another attack in the next few weeks (our 2nd child is due next week!). I found this site and think it is the most useful Gall Bladder sufferer site going, but we have some questions that we can’t seem to find answers on them – can anyone here help please.
1 – after a major GS attack how long does it normally take for the person to get back to full energy and fitness.
2 – Some sites say avoid carbonated water – others tap water – but water is an essential for flushing the system and hydration – has anyone found either form of water affecting them?
3 – Coca Cola (diet or full fat) – has anyone found this to be a trigger?
We seem to be getting by ok with food – slowly building up a list of things that have gone down ok – just a bit unfortunate that ‘wetting the babies head’ and Christmas are going to be pretty bland for him!
Thank you all – a tired stressed and worried wife – Schazz
November 14th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Sharron,
i’ve never heard, nor encountered, any problems with water or coke… And I drink a fair amount of both.
I also had my gallbladder out just before my 2nd child was born. I think I was pretty good after a few days but certainly after a week I was fine.
Best of luck, and don’t stress yourself out. It is surgery but it’s about as minor as it comes and I’d certainly recommend getting it done before the 2nd child.
November 14th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
It is very individual regarding the recovery time after a gallstone attack but, for me, I am sore for a couple of days, as in mild to serious discomfort. I suspect it depends on the inflammation of the gallbladder if any, or if stones are stuck in the bile ducts. I was very nervous and scared after an attack but now fastidious regarding diet and exercise and must admit it has been more than a week since my last attack. Stress does not help and, while it does not seem like it now, the sufferer does come to terms with diet and the condition.
I avoid carbonated water, I do drink Britta filtered water copiously though! Same with fizzy drinks. I have not tested them for attack but honestly just happy to not indulge just in case. I recommend apple juice … the pure sort in the cartons, not fizzy. Apple juice, and the cider vinegar and honey drink I recommended above seem to help.
If your husband is having discomfort, as opposed to an attack (I get a lot of mild discomfort) then a glass of applejuice does help.
Food wise, please try my recipes. The fact is I am enjoying my food, and it does not have to be bland or uninteresting. I will miss my Christmas pudding though, I love that! But there is nowt wrong with a compote of hot fruits with yoghurt for taste! Stirfries are simply wonderful and I find I can use asian spices, and chinese spices without problems, though it is probably wise to go a bit easy on too much salt so moderation with soy sauces and oyster sauces may be recommended.
I do eat plenty of nuts, as in almonds, cashew and peanuts … just avoid the very fatty Brazil nuts… even walnuts are okay. I put them in the stirfries and also dry or honey roast them for putting in the salads, or veges.
I know how wearing this can all be on the family, and spouses. My partner is supportive and wonderful and eats exactly what I do and loves it, even though she can sneak in the odd chocolate and butter on her toast. Many people write, and I suspect this will be true of me, that even after removal of the gallbladder and time to readjust the diet, they return to this low fat diet, finding their old diet too rich. Please be good to yourself too, the supporters of sufferers need good hugs and a bit of spoiling also (so have a sneaky mince pie this Christmas and do not feel at all guilty!!)
November 14th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Thank you both, he’s certainly pleased to hear about the nuts as it adds a bit of variety and also about the coke not affecting you Jamie as an ice cold can of coke of an evening is one of his treats. I promise not to feel guilty about what I’m eating, it’s been a bit ’seperate meals’ this week as I try to use up the naughty stuff drom the freezer but I did make homemade mushroom soup for lunch which has seemed to go down well and we’re pleased to discover Gnocci is very low in fat. It certainly won’t do us any harm to lose some weight as we are both people who live to eat but it’s just unfortunate timing to deal with it so close to my due date. At least his GB removal will be while I’m on maternity leave so I’ll be around to look after him and I know that after a week he should be getting back on his feet.
Thank you again – Schazz
November 16th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
i have been suffering from pains for a few months now,my first attack scared the living daylights out of me,i had an ultrasound which confirmed that i have a few small gallstones,i have been on the weight watchers diet since april and have shed 4 stones in weight,i only started getting the pains since losing the weight,the attacks are becoming more frequent and severely painful,infact last weeks attack was so bad i had to phone a doctor,last nights attack was even worse,i found the painkillers the doctor prescribed me did nothing but i was violently sick so thats probably why!lol….i have an appointment at the end of the month to see the specialist and it can’t come soon enough,its the worst pain ive ever encountered and i have given birth!!im getting to the point now like you guys where i’m scared to eat,i will follow this diet until my operation…thankyou for the advice..x
November 16th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories and thanks for the food list Jamie. Glad to know I’m not alone. I had my first attack 2 weeks ago and the first doctor said there was nothing wrong with me and sent me home while I was still in severe pain. The next day, the doctor sent me for an ultrasound, which confirmed I have a gallstone. I’ve been using trial and error to see what I’m able to eat, and I wish I saw your food list before I ate 2 pieces of chocolate just before I found this blog. I’m now experiencing pain and now I know, NO Chocolate!!! It has given me great comfort to hear everyone’s stories. Hopefully I will be able to get surgery soon…this is no fun! Thanks soooo much!!!
November 18th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Hi just found your blog/site and found it really helpful and interesting. i like many of the readers are suffering and the tips are good. can you eat tuna and is it possible to drink the odd glass of red wine?
November 18th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
hi all, thanks for the fantastic advice !! i have just been discharged from hospital and i am so scared to eat anything, as i dont want to trigger another attack, i have been told my gall bladder has collpased and i await surgery before Christmas. Is fruit ok to eat and what about Ribena?? Probably stupid questions, i know !!!
November 19th, 2009 at 7:07 am
Andy, yes to both, if canned – tuna in brine is better though, or really press out the oil – otherwise fresh tuna steaks. I cook them under the grill, using the barest amount of virgin olive oil, and serve them with lemon and lots of salad.
Debbie, lots of sympathy and empathy. Fruit is good, especially apples and citrus. People seem to endorse sipping warm Ribena with this condition but there is no hard evidence to support that this helps or not. More importantly, though, there is no indication it harms! I do endorse drinking a dessertspoon of cider vinegar with a teaspoon of honey in warm water, which acts like the bile function in breaking down fats and thus assists the gallbladder, which does not have to work as hard to output bile. Less squeeze, more ease!
November 19th, 2009 at 7:11 am
I meant to say, remember that some vitamins, especially vitamin C if I recall rightly absorb through fat and, this being a low fat diet, then with gallbladder problems there is a risk of not having enough C.
And one other thing … magnesium. I keep magnesium pills handy and if an attack starts I take one before the onset of vomiting. This and drinking apple juice alleviates the attack. I think we all know when an attack is going to hit hard … so if I feel a bad one coming on I am totally not shy about taking Ibuprofen either (something I try to avoid but I will do all I can!)
November 21st, 2009 at 5:46 pm
I recently found out I have gallstones and am going for a surgical consult on Monday, so I was happy to find this. I actually had described my symptoms to a friend, and she said it sounded like my gall bladder. My doctor didn’t think it did, but he did a blood test to check my liver enzymes and then sent me to get an ultrasound once they came back high — so if you think you have a gall bladder problems, push your doctor to at least do that much.
I haven’t read through all of these comments, but I plan to go back and read more. But I did want to point out that having your gall bladder removed is NOT going to get rid of all your problems — it will get rid of the stones that are there, but if you don’t alter your diet, the pain will come back. You still need to avoid the greasy foods!
Also, a friend told me that taking a shot of apple cider vinegar during an attack (as early as possible) will help — it did NOT help me and was very gross, but it may help those of you who haven’t found relief elsewhere. I’m glad to see that apple juice is supposed to help, so I’ll just keep that on hand instead.
November 21st, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Pat, I know you are likely taking the ibuprofen to help deal with the pain, but it is an NSAID, which is actually a bad thing for any liver problems. So even though the gall bladder is not actually the liver, it is problems with the liver causing gall bladder problems. Just a heads up that you may want to limit your use or switch to aspirin — probably a coated aspirin that won’t cause other problems. Or ask your doctor what he suggests.
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:17 pm
i have looked in Asda for cider vinegar but i have had no luck, n e ideas where i can buy this from please ???
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Hi I have been diagnoised with gallstones after having 6 attacks 1st one on holiday this year(thought it was something I had eaten) Tho I also have had pancreatitis attacks not sure of the diff in the pain as most seems to be to the upper right of my belly that at times goes to the centre of my upper stomach. Have been in hospital for the past 3 weeks on morphine and IV fluids. I had an ERCP to clear the bile ducts whilst in hospital where they performed a sphytar something (opening of the ducts) My gallbladder removal is booked for the 10th of dec so am basically scared to eat anything at all but trying. I have been told that the pancreatitis was caused by the gallstones so hope that this is the case. I have a constant pain still between my shoulder blades and my gallbladder seems ‘hard’ only taking paracetamol but feel so depressed.
Thank you Jamie for this site I will try and follow it tho still frightening to try new stuff xxx
November 27th, 2009 at 12:59 am
Hi I have experienced pain in my upper right abdomen and under my shoulder blades also nausea and shivers but the pain is worse in the morning rather than at night has anyone experienced this? The pain is not that severe more of a nagging ache.have been to the doctor who put me on antibiotics for a kidney infection and said to go back if the pain doesn’t go. Any comments would be appreciated
November 27th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Clair,
I have a feeling that gallstone attacks are more likely in the evening since they’re triggered by food. Definitely go back to the doctor if the symptoms haven’t cleared as gallstones can easily be diagnosed with an ultrasound… but it’s best to rule out other things first.
November 28th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
As I said prior I was diagnosed with a massive gallstone. The pain for me went from my chest into my back (back pain apparently is where the pain mainly is when the stone is large). I have recently had an attack in the morning prior to eating, it was a pain like a knife in the middle of my chest and then went immediately into my back. Thankfully it only lasted about five minutes. Prior to my diagnoses of a gallstone I went through different test for my heart since the pain was in my chest but all came back okay. I also was stretching to relax a bit after being on the computer for a while and had a major jab of pain in my back were I usually have pain when I get an attack. This seemed really odd to me and a wee bit scary, so off to my GP I go and he says the stone is massive and your gallbladder is inflamed. I am scheduled for surgery on the 18 of January my GP thinks it should be sooner so he’s going to contact the surgeon to see if they can move it up.
For the pain this is what I do and I find it helps, I don’t know if this will help anyone else but what the heck it’s worth a try. When you get a gallbladder attack the gallbladder is trying to release the bile, if there is an obstruction it can’t so it tightens up. Apparently morphine is more to relax the gallbladder then for the pain. What I do firstly is concentrate on my breathing. I take deep breaths through my nose and release it through my nose. The second step is to force your self to relax, I concentrate on my shoulders and arms and just keep on breathing. I know what you’re thinking, are you nuts I’m in agony here, all I can say is that it helps relieve some of the pain and allows the morphine or what ever else you are taking to work more effectively, at least it does for me. Another thing to do the second you are diagnosed is to get a strong prescription for pain from your doctor and I don’t mean Tylenol 3.
Right now my main symptoms are bloating and a feeling that I have a tight band around me all the time though I must say that the last day or so has been better.
I think we are all individuals and so there for what may work for some may not for others, a prime example is tuna in water no oil. I had about a two tablespoons and let me tell you did I pay for it. I was told no carbonated drinks and it’s helpful if what you drink is not cold. Any kind of fruit and apparently apples and apple juice is great. I drink a lot of herbal teas ginger teas will help if you are feeling a little nauseous. Get gravel suppositories extra strength, you don’t want to get caught in pain and not be able to swallow a pill because you’re vomiting or feel like you’re going to.
Flaxseed tea is also very helpful if you are feeling some discomfort, it apparently helps move the bile.
I eat a lot of stir-fries, I use either non stick spray or different types of broth I put a little bit of broth and stir the key is not to put to much so that what you are using for the stir-fry doesn’t boil. I use string beans, carrots, zucchini, fennel, bok-choy, absolutely no onions, legumes or nuts for me ouch if you get my meaning. I use chicken thighs with the fat completely trimmed I personally prefer it because the meat isn’t as dry. I also eat a lot of salads, cucumber is especially good for gallbladder problems, lucky me I love cucumber. I use organic baby spinach with a tomato some cucumber and top it with a raspberry vinaigrette I have this almost every night before I have some chicken with vegetables I had a bit of rice the other night and it was okay.
Breakfast consist of a bit of cheerios a bit of bran buds half of a banana some blue berries and or raspberries with skim milk. My husband is awesome if I can eat it with no problems he fills the house with it. I found I could eat apples, he came home with every apple that there is out there for me to try and see which one I liked best. Just incase you’re interested my favorite are Fuji apples lol. I have found that I can eat any type of fruit. A little filler for me is applesauce with melba toast, I know it doesn’t sound like much but it’s better then nothing.
I love soups, my awesome husband likes to cook on Sundays so he makes up a huge pot. I freeze some in individual containers, which makes a quick and easy lunch. They say you can’t have eggs but I found as long as they are soft it’s okay or you can have the white only. I make myself a soft poached egg on toast no butter unfortunately but it’s still not bad, hey what can I say it’s a break on Sunday from cheerios.
Thank you so very much Jamie for this site the feed back from everyone has been extraordinarily helpful.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Tagging on to what Vikki has said, I too have lost weight in the last 18 months. 41/2 stones in fact using Atkins. Big mistake! I have read that diets high in fats and drastic weight loss are classic causes along with being on the pill (oral/injection) and woman have a higher chance of suffering. This week I have had an ultrasound which has shown up a contracted gall bladder and stones. I am seeing my doctor on Monday about options. I have been very lucky in that I have only suffered with nausea albeit all day long for weeks. But my sister had her gall bladder removed this year and has regretted it due to having to go to the toilet within 30 minutes of eating and failing that its to the loo to throw up! I am worried about having it removed, but the thought of the severe pain and pain relief not working terrifies me (very low pain threshold haha). My mum has also been diagnosed this year and is trying to maintain a low fat diet. She has experienced the pain so I know its bad. I have been told conflicting info. The woman who did my ultrasound said its not to do with your weight but is hereditary. She has seen a 15 year old, skinny as anything and they had a bag full. My mum is slim and a friend of mine who had hers removed is a tiny size 8 and so it cannot all be down to eating a diet high in fat, can it? As we are so near Christmas I take it we can all eat as much Turkey as we like, as this is low in fat? Just a shame about the mince pies and Quality Street
(
November 30th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
hey guys,just a quick update,i have been so lucky that i went to see the specialist today about my gallstones and i am booked in for the op in 9 days(9/12/09).I have mixed feelings at the moment though i was expecting to have the op in the new year sometime and it wasn’t really worrying me but now i know it’s so near i’m panicking quite a bit but a choice between an hours operation and the pain???well,my bag is already packed…lol….i must say it’s all a bit daunting especially when they told me the risks although they are very low its still in the back of my mind.Anyway guys i will let you know how i am after my op and hopefully it will all be good….thanks for reading!xxx
December 1st, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Vikki,
It’s terrific you have gotten in so soon. I think the way you’re feeling is normal, but once it’s all over you will be looking back and thinking what was all the fuss about. Just think about being pain free and nothing else and it will be over before you know it.
I had my worse attack ever last night, all it took was a small piece of panatoni. I guess the holidays are going to be free from my favorite Italian sweet bread. I’m booked for the 18th of Jan, I’m on the cancellation list and hopefully I’ll get in sooner. Oh well it is what it is. You know what they say what doesn’t kill you makes you stonger …. can you hear me ROAR!! lol
Once again Vikki don’t fret our thoughts and prayers will be with you. Keep us posted.
December 2nd, 2009 at 1:27 am
Jamie,
I seem to be having symptons of gallstones and will be getting an ultrasound in a few weeks to check. But I’ve read that having the gallbadder removed can cause increased incidents of diarrhea, due to continual bile drip into the small intestines.
(i.e. http://tinyurl.com/http-bodyandhealthCanada-123)
Has this been your experience, or anyone elses you know of?
Thanks
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:15 am
Andrew,
I guess there are always potential side-effects of any operation but I haven’t experienced anything like that (and neither has my wife). Listen to your doctor for guidance but, as I understand it, the risks from troublesome gallstones far outweigh the side-effects (if any) of the operation.
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:26 pm
I has my first “attack” as your all calling them on Thanksgiving. I have this horrible pain that I’ve never had before. In my upper belly/back. Of course I was just thinking it was from dinner but after a few hours of it getting to the point that I could not move I decided to go in. I haven’t had an ultrasound to confrim gallstones yet, but that is what they are thinking. I’m kind of hesitant to have that done. I consider my self really healthy, usually eat really well, exersice virgiously 6 days a week. However, my belly has always giving me problems. Lots of bloating and gasy feeling. I have been exeperincing this more since that attacked along with a little cramping and dull back pain.
I was hoping if I just ate the lowfat diet I’d be okay??Any advice suggestions?
December 4th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
after thanksgiving i found my self in the hosp with chest pain and short of breath treated my pain for a heart problems giving o2 and nigtro for pain that work for a few hours doctors told me that if is not heart they treat gi problems the same because it is also smooth musle discharged me a day in a half later to get a stress test and ultrasound of the up right under the rib cage next day back in hosp for chest pain did a cardo cath found no heart damage ultrasound found gail stones sent me home with taking two nexums two times a day and diet of cardo of low fat and wait to see the gi doctor
December 5th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Hi Well I am home now after my op on Wednesday. It went well, consultant said it was text book, which was pleasing. I am concentrating now on convalesing. Every day feel a bit better. There is pain involved, but I have pain killers and it is no where near the pain involved with a gall bladder attack. Looking forward to my Christmas dinner now. It has been a very hard time over the last few months so glad it is out. I have lost 3 stones in weight as I was so scared to eat anything. 2010 here I come. Good luck to everyone. I will let you know how I get on.
December 5th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Hi all,
Wow, reading all the different symptoms everyone has had, it seems like I have had my gall stones for years. Have suffered with symptoms such as someone punching you in the chest and going right thru to your back and speading around your chest like to have a very tight bra on for years on and off. Was told it was because of a hiatis hernia I have had since I can remember as a child.
Was diagnosed with a mild fatty liver about 6 years ago after having a full body scan to see why I had gotten deep vein thrombosis but they never told me what I should do about it.
I have had pain on my right side under my rib cage on and off for the last 12 months or so on top of the pain in the middle of my chest.
The second last time I went to the doctor about the pain on my right side, he told me I had a muscle strain.
The pain eased and has been on and off but last week it came on with a vengence. If my hubby wasnt here I would have taken an overdose to be done with it all.
I refused my kind hubbies offer of a trip to hospital as I thought, I am not going to sit there for hours waiting for someone to see me only for the pain to subside and feel like a twit.
I went to work the next day feeling rather blaa.
I made an appointment to see the doctor the next day after starting for feel all hot and cold all the time during work.
By the time I got to the doctor the next day, I had, had enough, I burst out howling in his office. Its incredible what a bit of waterworks will do to a doctor, they actually want to try and find out what is wrong.
He had me lay down and he pushed on my right side, lucky for him I didnt have the strength to belt him, as it hurt like hell.
He then went on to say, hmmm seems like you have gall stones so organised for me to have an ultrasound that day and prescribed me antibiotics and very strong pain medication and even stronger
antacid tablets that I was previously being precribed.
Turns out yes I have gall stomes and my gall bladder is extremely infected… Hmmm wonder why that is, maybe if something had of been done when I went the first time about the pain, I wouldnt be feeling like I am now and even three days later I still have a temperature and feel like blaa.
Yes I will need and operation but they cant do anything till the infection and inflammation goes.
The thing he neglected to tell me was what food to eat or not to eat.
I finally had the energy to get on the laptop tonight to see what I could find and I found this blog.
Thanks Jamie for starting this.
I have learnt alot. Not only from here but other sites as well.
One thing I have not had a problem with is chocolate. I have eaten it, even today with no problems.
I find I have to have something surgery otherwise my sugar level drops and I start to shake.
I look forward to my husband trying some of the recipes for me and will let you know what I can and cant tolerate.
Just remember guys, you do need a certain amount of fat in your diet for your gall bladder to work or you will end up with gall stones just as the people who have been dieting have found out.
Seems like we all will need to change our diets for life too, even after our ops.
Mine is not hereditary, no one else in my family has ever had problems with gall stones, mine all comes down to too much fatty food but I am not fat must be because the liver collected it all and stored it there instead of on my hips…lol
Well hope everyone enjoys their Christmas even if we cant have all the good stuff. I’m only interested in the presents anyway so doesnt worry me about the food. Happy with a ham sandwich.
Speaking of sandwich can anyone tell me if bread is ok, like multi grain?
Thanks
December 5th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
I’ve had three attacks weeks apart before i went to my doctor. I’ve been scared to eat anything and almost everything will give me pain. My uncle recommended Aloe Vera Whole Leaf Gel made by Lily of the Desert and it helps tremendously! I haven’t tried aloe juice drinks yet but it has lessened the paing lots and can eat better now.
December 7th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Had (3) attacks 6am Friday past. Not great when you had just enjoyed a couple bottles of Sauvignon Blanc the night before (you tend to want to sleep in a little on Sat. morn). Each attack lasted 5 mins or so but returned every 15 mins. Got dressed before the 4th one could hit me and made it to the hospital. Never got another one since. Doc described my pain exquisitely (tightening of a belt around the mid-torso). Told him my dad had this at my age. They took a blood test to check for ‘enzymes’. Results came back OK. Later for dinner, I had a filet mignon with fried mushrooms + veggies. (Hey, they were bought the day before. They had to be eaten.) But I feel like the ribs in my upper back are sensitive and that’s probably from the original (3) attacks. Between this and my upper right arm healing from the H1N1 shot, it is a beautiful life! Now if I could only get the build-up of fluid from behind my eardrum out, all will be good! Seeing my GP (stones) and ENT (ear) this Friday – more to come.
December 10th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
hey just a quick update,i had my op yesterday,i was so lucky to get it done so quick,everything went according to plan,i got there for 8am,took me to theatre at 10.50am i woke up at 12.20pm and i was on my way home at 3pm…all i did yesterday was sleep but to be honest after the worry over nothing i needed it..lol…today a little more pain but ive still not had the full dose of painkillers so it cant be all that bad can it?i just want to say that if anyone is scared about having this operation done then please dont be,it is nothing compared to the pain of a gallstone attack..Anyway good luck to everyone and i hope you are all well very soon.xxx
December 17th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Well it is 2 weeks now since my op. I am getting along great. Only a little bit of discomfort if I forget and bend down too quickly or jump out of the car. Otherwise feel back to normal. Been having some previously ‘forbidden foods’ and it has been wonderful to have some different foods again and no worries about the dreaded ‘attack’. Looking forward to Christmas now. As Vikki says do not worry about the operation it is over in a day and the benefits speak for themselves. As she says the pain involved is really nothing in comparison to the pain during an attack. Good luck!
December 18th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Hi I am worried, I am suppose to leave the country for a holiday in Norfolk Island in 7 days time. But today my doctor told me I might have gallstones and I now have a scan in 2 days time. I have been experiencing increasing attacks. I seem only able to handle liquids; smoothies and custard. A lot of milk which I read was not good. The attacks have also got worse when I attempt to eat plain fat free food; I threw up a plain baked potatoe last night. When will this pass? Will I be fine soon, it’s been three weeks! The doctor said if my gallstone was about to burst I would not be able to travel but I don’t even know for sure it is gallstones.
Symptoms; started with nausea, fatigue and cramps, moved onto three hours after eating plain food – discomfort and pain under my rib cage, sweaty, burbing, cramps moving to lower adomonial area an a need to go to the toilet; might go 3 times during an attack and 5 or 6 times a day.
Do you think I have gallstones? Do you think they will want to operate before I travel in 7 days time, am concerned I won’t be able to go.
December 18th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Hi, I’ve had two attacks one week apart and at mt age the hospital thought at first it was cardic so had all the tests for that all clear I’m glad, the second time they suspected gallstones and this was confirmed by ultrasound, all the symptoms everyone had were the same for me and the pain was unbearable. The diet list is very good and like everyone else I too am scared to eat when I go out its beans on dry toast as I dont trust any other food with how its been cooked. Fortunatly I have private medical cover through my work so hope to have the op very soon. Anyone who has to wait for the op has my greatest sympathy, the smaller the stones the more troublesome as they move easier and so block the bile duct causing the almighty pain which can last for upto 12hours. I had morphine the first time which stopped the pain but the second time the morphine did’nt work so they knocked me out, I do not want to go through that pain again, roll on the op and thanks for the diet list as its nearly xmas I might be a little more adventurous with eating out.
December 27th, 2009 at 9:30 am
i am six months pregnant and for the last three months have been suffering with what i thought was severe heartburn, some of these attacks have been so severe i am now thinking i have gallstones. my pain starts usually in the evening by tightening of chest feeling really uncomfortable like all my clothes are to tight round my chest. it then starts radiating into my back and i feel like i cant breathe. i cant stand, sit, walk, nothing is comfortable at all and then im violently sick a few times which seems to ease it a bit. is it pregnancy related or have i got gall stones? I had an attack last night where it reduces me to tears and lasted for several hours, worst pain ive ever experienced.
please help!
December 27th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I believe gallstones are more likely during pregnancy… you have my sympathies as I watched my wife suffer with them too. I think it may be compound by the reduced space in the abdomen as she never suffered another attack after the baby was born. Talk to your doctor and I’m sure they can organise an ultrasound scan to confirm
December 29th, 2009 at 4:14 am
Hi everyone, I am thankful to have the chance to read so many stories about gallstones. My elderly father (78 year-old) has just gone through his third surgery to remove gallstones on 25th Dec.
He had his gallblader removed about 9 years ago because of gallstones.
Stones came back to his gallbladder tube in 2004. He went through second surgery to remove them.
This time his gallbladder tube was filled with stones that can only be removed through a surgery.
Thank God he is recovering well so far. Can I get help for a few questions that i have? many thanks in advance.
1. I know chocolate is a big no no to gallstone patients. does it include white chocolate? can any chocolate be an exception?
2. I was told apricot is alright, but nuts are not. how about apricot nuts?
3. Gallstone patients should drink skimmed milk only. How about goat milk? goat milk doesn’t seem to come with skimmed type.
December 29th, 2009 at 10:48 am
From what I remember, white chocolate is very high in fat because they don’t use the cocoa solids just the butter. I was able to drink full-fat milk as, frankly, there isn’t much fat in it. I avoided all nuts because of the fat content. But there are no hard and fast rules and everyone’s circumstances are different. The only way is to try things and see. Personally, I stuck strictly to foods with <10% fat, mostly <5%.
January 2nd, 2010 at 4:16 pm
this is the first article that’s actually been of any use to me since i started looking into gallstones. i’d been getting attacks for months, all the way back to june/july but thought them to be panic attacks with more physical pain than anything else (i’ve been having panic attacks/anxiety attacks lately) but in mid october went to the ER with how much pain i was in. they gave me percocet and some disgusting tasting liquid and the pain eventually faded and didn’t come back, but the following day i was aching all day long. the doctor there recommended i get an ultrasound of my abdomen which i did, and i saw my nurse practitioner after that and she confirmed that i had gallstones in early november. late november i had a consult with the surgeon and she gave me a full prescription for percocet along with dates for pre-op things like an EKG, lab tests and a physical and my surgery which is set for jan-21. this past tuesday, though, i had a horrible attack (in the morning, strangely enough) that lasted pretty much two days straight no matter what i did. i haven’t eaten much since then and i’ve lost all appetite, and i’ve got that bruise-like ache that i had after going to the ER though i’m no longer in severe pain.
the painkillers, however, have both stopped providing pain relief and have begun to cause severe nausea which i haven’t been getting with the attacks. my attacks have been primarily pain in the abdomen, chest and upper/lower back and go on for hours and now i either have to choose to suffer through that or take enough percocet to cause vomiting (and i’ve got a fairly strong phobia of throwing up which makes it worse). i’m still in the phase where i’m terrified of eating ANYTHING, but i appreciate this article so much and plan to try and stick to fruits and saltines for the time being.
January 3rd, 2010 at 5:22 am
Hannah–
If you’re not already there, please have someone drive you to the hospital NOW!! Pain that does not respond to analgesics, combined with severe nausea and (I’m assuming here) sweating are all danger signs that a gallstone has slipped down and is either blocking the cystic duct or the common bile duct. IT NEEDS TO COME OUT NOW!!
January 6th, 2010 at 1:16 am
Many thanks to everyone on here I have learnt so much, I never had so much pain before in my life with such a severe attack and was rushed to hospital in the middle of the night, I was kept on a drip with no food and only sips of water for 6 days. I am down to have my Gallbladder removed but I don’t know when? On Christmas Day I was again in so much pain that I collapsed on the bathroom floor. I have had several minor attacks since then…should I consult my doctor or wait for an appointment at the hospital? I am not sure if seeing my doctor would help push me forward for the operation or not, I don’t want to cause a great fuss as others are in need more than me.
All your comments have really opened my eyes as to what I can and cannot eat, you do get so scared to eat as no one wants the pain….Thank You!!
January 8th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Hey guys – I must say it was bloody fantastic to read this!
I’ve recently been told I have gallstones after months of agony and months of Doctors brushing me off and giving me shitty pain killers!
I’ve been admitted to hospital because of the pain and have fainted a few times too, its absolute agony and really weird to read that everyone describes the exact same pain – someone mentioned that it was like having a belt tightened around your middle – that is exxaacctly how I described the pain to my mum. It starts in my ribs and goes all the way around my back and into my stomach, its literally paralyising and I can’t breathe.
I’ve found, for anyone dealing with an attack, that as much as you just want to lie down a writhe around in misery – walking around helps a great deal. I just walk and walk until it stops because every time I try to sit down it gets more intense.
God its crap! Thankyou so much for this blog, its good to not to feel alone and the diet tips and everything have been immensley helpful for me.
I wish you all the very best!
Ren
January 8th, 2010 at 11:01 am
This site has been very helpful I am waiting to hear when I am going to get my gallbladder out. so like most of you I am on a low fat diet ……….I have found a few things I can eat………I dont know if anyone has tried veggi ……….as long as there is no cheese and the other thing I have been eating is knorr low fat chichen tonight it has only got 3 g fat per serving have a look honey and mustard is nice ……… and uncle bens lemon chicken with ginger put a lot of fresh ginger in it is very good for you …………..hope i have helped a wee bit …….. and i have been pain free for 4 weeks now.
ps I cant get keyhole to many scars ……..has anyone had the open gallbladder operation?
Thanks again .
January 10th, 2010 at 12:06 am
I feel at this stage that I could write a book on Gallstones. I was diagnosed November 2007, and was told I had three large Gallstones, was told that my Gallbladder needed to come out. I thought this is too much, surely there can be something done. Since then I have tried just about everything, from restricting my diet to taking Chanca Pedra Tea, Olive/Flax Oil, lemon juice and warm water each am, vitamins, milk thistle never got to go the flush. My last really bad attack was July 2009, I was in severe pain, my doctor said it was biliary colic, I have always been in consultation with him about my decisions. He has supported me through this. I was given medication, and felt bruised and battered for days after. The week after I had a scan, and it showed only one Gallstone, and it also showed that it was smaller that the original scan a year previous. I have been taken Rowachol for the past 14 months. On Wednesday, I ate a salad, which had oil on it, do not know what kind, but I have had mild symptons since, and again feel brusised and battered. No jaundice, or other symtoms thought. I am mindful of what I eat, and am taking the Chanca Pedra Tea again, take flax oil every morning and leitchen on my breakfast and salads etc, I also take ground seeds, flax, sesame, goji etc. Drink Green Tea, although I have only been doing that for the fast few weeks as my doctor diagnosed me with ultracaria, and took me off all viatmins, supplements and herbal tea. My gallstones only bother me slightly pre menstrual, so I know there is a big connection there. I just do not want surgery, and have tried lots of prayers, homeopathy, faith healer and want to do what I can to avoid it, but am I fighting a loosing battle after reading all the other posts? I have a big problem with sleeping too, wake up each night, does anyone else have this problem?
January 10th, 2010 at 11:48 am
Pauline,
Fair play to you for your efforts at avoiding surgery. I couldn’t advise anything except following your doctor’s advice. For me personally, I needed to get on with my life and was happy to have the surgery (possibly helped by a major car accident 2 years ago so I’m reasonably comfortable with hospitals, surgery and recovery)
January 11th, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Hi Everybody,
I just wanted to follow up with a quick note since I had my surgery a few weeks ago. I feel wonderful and have no more pain at all. I’m so glad that I was able to have my surgery fairly quickly. I think what was worse than the pain was my fear that the stone might move and get lodged where it shouldn’t be, and then I would be in an emergency situation. Thank goodness, that didn’t happen and my surgery went very smoothly. I’m so relieved that it’s over and I won’t need to worry about that issue ever again. Best of luck to all of you. It really helped me to read what everyone had to say. Especially when everyone was sharing the exact same symptoms as me. That really validated what I was feeling. Thanks very much and good luck to everyone!
January 13th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
It is lovely to read the success stories and painful to read the suffering. I am so glad for everyone telling their stories because I have been wavering this way and that. For now I have decided not to accept the surgery. The only thing I fear is what Joy St M says regarding a stone on the move lodging badly, as in the pancreatic duct. Apart from that I find I can handle the pain of an attack reasonably well and I have my diet fairly well sorted so the attacks are now rare! I am lucky I think, I push the boat every now and then and find I can eat nuts, and seeds – and fries! (not oily) and the only thing I really miss are hard cheeses. I can even eat a schnitzel though I do pat them down thoroughly with a paper serviette to remove any fats.
Mostly I get discomfort and a little nausea in extreme times and lot of this is attributable to fatty liver which I know a lot of us will suffer from alongside the gallstones.
And thank heavens for philadephia cheeses! Those wee pots with herbs that have only 1.8g fat and spread over two slices of toast, or make a stir fry creamy … or thicken a soup up nicely. Think I must write to them and let them know I adore them!
Hmm, I lied, I miss spicy food too! I do love a good Khorma, even Chili Con Carne. Ah well, I have to say I feel better for the diet anyway. Silver lining!
January 14th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
In reply to Alex, I had my gallbladder removed through open surgery about 2yrs. ago. It was obviously more traumatic than key-hole but saved my life, it took about six to eight weeks to recover.I had recurring episodes of pancreatitis since I was in my early 20’s, I was diagnosed as having a joint common end which meant that the bile also entered the pancreatic duct,the attacks were probably caused by the small pieces of gravel emerging. Ultimately I had become accustomed to the attacks, and would walk continually in circuits through the house all night until the pain dispersed. Unfortunately I waited too long to get treatment and by the time I was blue-lighted to hospital my liver and kidneys etc. were all failing, and i had to have surgery. My gall-bladder had “died” at some point previously and was perforating so key-hole surgery wasn’t an option. The surgery was major rather than minor, I have an 8″ scar + two drain scars, I would just like to say to the people who decide to wait, or think that they can cope with the pain to give it some serious thought,I just didn’t know how ill I was getting and didn’t want to be a nuisance. I am now diabetic through the damage caused to my pancreas, I have suffered some liver damage/ kidney damage…no alcohol ever for my pancreas, plus I have become gluten intolerant!!!so if you are able to have the surgery -open or key-hole grab it quick! The gravel that was in my gall-bladder didn’t show up on ultasounds because the walls of the gall-bladder had thickened and the gravel didn’t have a definite image.Best of luck to you all.
January 18th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
Hi Jacquie
Thats sound very bad ………I am still waiting and I am keeping to the low fat diet and that seems to do the trick ………. but beware out there skinny cow give me a bad attack and when I checked the fat in a 100gm it was 14 ish and 10 of that was sat .
January 19th, 2010 at 6:42 pm
Wow. I’d like to add my thanks to everyone who has shared here. It’s nice to know I’m not alone.
I have been having pain in my back behind my shoulder blade for about 5 years and have been through more tests than I can count. Apparently I have a fused spine (from birth) and they figured it must be that. I’d mentioned to my doc about 4 years ago that the pain is worse when I eat chocolate and was told that it would have no connection. I’ve had other symptoms that seemed to be related to my menstrual cycle – more tests. I have had several doctors basically say “Well, the tests were negative so just get on with your life.”
Finally last week I had an attack that drove me nuts and I went straight to the emergency room. (My biggest complication seemed to be that by the time I got in to see my doctor the pain had subsided.) The Triage Nurse told me it was likely gall bladder after about a 1 minute conversation. Sure enough, blood tests and ultrasound confirmed gall stones. I was also given the mini-speech about low fat diet and sent on my way not knowing what that meant. I’ve been referred to a surgeon but have no idea how long it will take to see him or have anything done. This site has given my lots of options and confirmations.
I’ve had a lot of prayer about this and I’m sure it led me here for some reassurance.
Thank-you all again!
January 20th, 2010 at 12:02 am
Hi everyone!
I’m soooo pleased to have found this site. Now it’s all beginning to make sense. I had my first attack approx 5 years ago (a few months after having my daughter) I suffered severe abdominal pain almost like contractions, which came across me like waves of pain. The out of ours GP gave me painkillers and suggested it might be gallstones. I next had what I think was an attack several months later, though the symptoms were totally different. I had terrible indigestion like pain in my gullet coming over me again in waves of pain which were unbearable.I’d had a high fat meal and wine. The out of hours GP said he thought it was a stomach ulcer. I was then treated wit a course of Ranitadine for a month in the hopes that would be the end of it. My GP said if it happened again I would need to be sent for a camera down to check for ulcers. I really didn’t fancy that! So for the last few years every time I’ve felt an attack starting I’ve taken some Ranitadine and Gaviscon and thats done the trick. Then a fortnight ago I felt I was starting with a water infection which then developed into increasing pain in my lower back, just to the right of my spine. I was diagnosed as having a water infection and given a 3 day course of antibiotics. They did nothing to help, 2 days later I begged the GP for some strong painkiller, she then thought because of the pain the infection had spread to my kidneys so gave me a stronger antibiotic for a further 7 days. I thought I was sorted. Then 4 days after finishing the antibiotics I got up on Saturday with a slight nigle at the base of my back. Took painkillers but went to work at 8.30am, by 9.30am I was on the phone pleading my husband come and get me because I couldn’t stand the pain in my chest. took my usual remedys and the chest pain improved but back pain continued to worsen. Went to the out of hours GP clinic, told my water sample was clear and the pain was muscular/skeletal back pain just keep taking painkillers(couldn’t have anti-inflamatories because of suspected stomach ulcer) By Sunday the pain had got so bad I could barely walk to the toilet as any movement was agony, I was vomiting, even unable to keep water down, never mind painkillers. My husband called the out of hours GP who gave me an antisickness injection and injection of painkillers, but wasn’t sure what the problem was. She said if i didn’t improve in the next few hours i must call them back out, which we did. The next GP said I was starting to dehydrate and my urine was testing positive for infection. So, I was admitted by ambulance to hospital. I was put on a drip and injected with morphine but it didn’t help so they gave me intravenous paracetamol which did help and a different antisickness injection. The registrar I saw was convinced it was kidney infection and arranged an ultrasound scan. This showed my kidney to be normal but I was told I have several gall stones. I was released from hospital that evening with no advise or further explanation, only being told by a nurse I would be sent for in 4 weeks. I went today to see my GP confused, how could it have been gall stones causing the pain when it was in the wrong place? was it an ulcer and gall stones? what about the kidney and water infection? the Dr I saw seemed very clued up. He expained that I don’t have a “classic” case. He’s fairly sure it’s all the gallstones, and I suffer from refered pain, which is where you feel the pain elsewhere in the body to where the trouble is. The pain travels along nerves to another area. He said its quite common to get pain in your right shoulder or to think you have an idigestion type pain. The difference being indigestion feels like a constant type of pain and gall stones feel like the waves of pain I get. He thinks the water infection is because my gallbladder is close to my bladder and is forcing white blood cells (infection) out that way. At least I feel a lttle happier about what it is now. I’ve to finish the antibiotics again, and keep going with the painkillers, cut out fat etc. He said the reason i have to wait 4 weeks for the consultation is because you have to have been attck free for 6-8 before they operate, as an inflammed gallbladder is much more likely to rupture. If I have any more attacks in the mean time I’ve to get more antibiotics and painkiller. I’ve barely eaten for 2 days as I’m too scared, so what I relief to find your list of foods to give me some guidance and get me started. As someone else said every cloud has a silver lining, it’ll help me lose the pounds I put on over christmas!
January 20th, 2010 at 8:55 am
Hi
Has anyone had a try at these flushes that are all over the net ?
January 21st, 2010 at 8:09 am
oops…meant to say skinny cow hot chocolate…over 14 per hundred fat…10 saturated
January 22nd, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Just arrived home the hospital,,, was an emergency admission due to gallstones,,
i have been sent home with strong pain killers and im waiting for my op in2 to 4 weeks,, i need diet advice has the hospital just tell me fat free any advice please
January 23rd, 2010 at 3:13 am
Hey guys! Wow i know its been said before but its so good to read from other guys who are going through exact same thing as me! Helps me get over the whole ‘nobody knowsss what i’m going through, nobody understandddss’ aspect especially in middle of attack when I feel like the whole world is against me lol
Anyways I’m 23 years old I’ve been gettin attacks since end of July/August last year I was really stupid and took me months to see a doctor about it because I put it down to anxiety attacks/bad indigestion somethin along those lines… Anyway of course the attacks didnt go away and got worse and worse so finally visited my GP in November who suggested it may be gallstones which came as no surprise as so many of my family members have had the same joy, infact so many of us have had them they have now been dubbed the ‘family jewels’ quite frankly I would have preferred a diamond
anywho diet wise mine has been EXTREMELY limited, infact i could probably experiment a bit more but have had about 4 SEVERE attacks and the very thought of them terrifies me I just cannot go through that again! I find i can eat as much dry toast with beans as i like, toast with jam and rice with peas and sweetcorn, i also have mash potato (without butter) the odd time with beans ohhh and i havent seen anyone else mention it but FRYS TURKISH DELIGHT have been my absoloute life saver! My dad was advised they were fine to eat when he had his gallstones and never experienced any bother so i tried them myself and they literally have saved my mental health because im a chocolate ADDICT haha
Anyways the whole eating rice wit peas and sweetcorn almost every day for my dinner for 2 months straight kinda got to me and I decided to go a bit mad on christmas day…. all i had was mash potato with veg and vegetarian gravy oh and a glass of sleour (however u spell) not sure whether it was the brussell sprout or the sleour but i paid for it christmas night! now that night it wasnt an EXTREME attack it was managable was more tightness than antyhing else (not the severe theres an alien inside me tryin to burst out pain)
so i thought i was ok but got the same pain again boxing night it lasted 4 hours which by my standards wasnt a bad attack because ive had previous ones that lasted 6,12, even 36 hours!! Once the pain was gone i thought id b ok to go out the night after boxing night prob aided with a bit of peer preassure i ended up makin the ridiculously stupid decision to have a few drinks! All i had was vodka with cranberry juice but basically the experience that followed i dont think ill even b able to look at vodka or cranberry juice ever again lol
I had 2 SEVERE attacks on the monday even though all i ate was a cup of soup, one in morning one in evening, the same again on tuesday after trying to eat some bread with jam…. another 2 attacks on the wednesday (i cant remember what i tried to eat that day) then on the thursday NEW YEARS EVE i was in agonising pain again after attempting some food…. so i thought right this is stupid ill just eat NOTHING on the friday try let my gallbladder settle down….that was the worst day of all I had SEVERE vommiting like somethin I never experienced before I was throwing up every 15 mins and the worst was I had nothing in stomach so was just horrendous
My ones noticed I looked very yellow so decided to take me to a&e imagine me sittin there new years day with all the drunkerds me throwin up al over place in waitin room i was that bad they rushed me on into triage then straight into emergancy
anywho cut a long story short they took my bloods said there was somethin they didnt like so admitted me…. was given anti sickness tablet but i was still throwin up so they gave me somethin through a drip that worked miracles then they put me on some other drip cuz i was really dehydrated due to not eatin/drinkin much all week
so anyway turned out one of my stones managed to find its way into my bile duct or pancreatic duct im not sure which and got stuck and ended up gettin acute pancreatitis
thats the craic there oh and I was in hospital for my BIRTHDAY and everything poor me lol ill not forget that one in hurry!
TOUCH WOOD from being let out of hospital from that attack i havent had as much as a twinge and ive FINALLY got my date my operation is end of February it cant come a moment too soon i cant wait to start my gall bladder free life hehe
btw upside of this whole senario ive lost 3 stone woop woop best diet ive ever been on haha
January 24th, 2010 at 10:39 am
Hi guys,
This website is absolutely brilliant! My husband, who is 72 next week, had his 1st attack when we were in London just before Christmas. We were staying in a hotel overnight waiting to go to the theatre the next day but found ourselves in A&E instead. Really scary as he was in terrible pain – the same as everyone else has described, after eating a really nice but (presumably) very high fat curry in a restaurant the night before. He was kept in overnight and they diagnosed bilary colic. By the following lunchtime the pain had completely gone. He saw about 4 doctors, 3 of whom said he had classic gallstones symptoms, so when we got home to Norfolk he saw his GP who referred him for an ultrasound scan. We weren’t told how long that would take, but before he could have it, last Sunday the pain came back again (it had been “niggling” all week) and he was rushed to A&E again, diagnosed with pancreatitis, put on a drip, given 2 lots of morphine and kept in for 5 days. They said they thought a gallstone had got stuck somewhere so did x-rays, ultrasound, and a CT scan, but said they couldn’t actually see any stones on the ultrasound scan, and although they have now said he will have to have his gallbladder removed, they haven’t actually said that they saw any stones on the CT scan either, though they seem to be convinced they are there. My main question is, has anyone else had both an ultrasound and a CT scan without them actually finding the gallstones? Maybe there are too small. Like lots of you, we were told he must eat a low fat diet, but not given a diet sheet, so we looked on the net and found a very detailed diet sheet for gallstone sufferers on our local hospital (Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital) website. If anyone would like it, look on http://www.nnuh.nhs.uk and follow links to “patient information”, then leaflets for gallstones dietary advice. I did the Weight Watchers diet a few years ago and the gallstones diet is very similar.
Good luck to everyone who is waiting for an op, and in the meantime if you get another attack, call that ambulance, because I’ve now read that every time you get pancreatitis, it can damage your pancreas a bit more, so don’t put up with the pain. There are lots of people who go to A&E with minor things but this is different, so don’t think you are being a nuisance. We hesitated before dialling 999 the second time, but now I’ve read more about gallstones and pancreatitis I would call them instantly.
January 24th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
I was so glad to find this website – it is amazing. Since Christmas I had what I thought was indigestion which just wouldn’t go away, so I just put up with it for 3 weeks. Like I’ve read some others say it was like I had a really tight bra on all the time! Then one day it turned from being just merely uncomfortable to being the worst pain I have ever felt (even worse than childbirth). I went to my A&E and was admitted. They thought I had gallstones and put me on drips and pain killers which worked fairly well. So the next day I started eating – was that a big mistake!!. The pain was back along with frequent bouts of sickness. that settled down when I stopped eating. Which I did for 4 days. When I started turning yellow I had a ERCP which showed that I had a big gallstone which was lodged in the bile duct and the duct was narrow in two places, so they put something in to open the duct and that did improve things. I have to have another ERCP in 2 weeks time and then have the gallbladder out after that but apparently not until all the inflamation has gone. I was in hospital for a week but am now home, although I am VERY wary about what I eat. It’s nice to know how others cope with this and that things can get better. Although I will miss a nice juicy steak, cream, cheese, chocolate etc etc. I know some people say they can tolerate eating fat but I am scared to try at the moment. Still I have been wanting to lose weight for a while now so every cloud…
January 24th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
I was admitted to my local hospital a week ago following three acute episodes of pain which I attributed firstly to severe indigestion and then to a perforating peptic ulcer. The first pain struck when I was in a shopping centre with my 20 year old son and felt like I had an alien writhing in my stomach which was reaching up to grip me by the throat. It came in waves and I managed to get home on the tube by breathing through it as in labour. It seemed to subside after gaviscon. The next night I woke up in agony feeling like I had a red hot coal in my stomach which wasn’t relieved by gaviscon but which subsided again after a couple of hours. I decided I would visit my GP on the Monday to discuss my indigestion problem. When I woke up the following night with the same pain I was really afraid that something in my stomach was going to rupture so got my husband to take me to A & E. Imagine my surprise when I was told I had pancreatitis due to a gall stone and that one of my liver enzymes which should have been 35 was over 1000 ! Fortunately scans have shown that I have passed the stone and none have been detected. I have been sent home with no more than the “have a low fat diet” advice. I was surprised that my cholesterol level wasn’t tested, as I know that that it can constitute 80% of some stones, and I’ve never had it done. I consider myself (and so do those who know me) to eat a pretty healthy diet and I was only about half a stone overweight (although I lost 5lbs in hospital). I wonder if I may have had a gall stone 18 years ago when I had severe right sided pain, nausea and loose yellow poo after eating a Magnum, which the GP attributed to IBS without doing any blood tests ! I didn’t have any nausea or the back pain that many have described and genuinely thought that my indigestion might be due to the fact that I have just sat an exam and handed in 3 assignments in one week for an intensive degree course which I am studying for aged 49! It was quite a challenge to select anything palatable and low fat from the hospital menu so I survived initially on jelly and then salads from the M & S shop in the hospital foyer. I’m now going to have a bowl of jelly, it’s the only thing that doesn’t give me indigestion !
January 24th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Grainne, you are fun =) Glad it turned out well in the end and grats on the weight loss …which I am still working on!
January 26th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
I’ve had about 5 “attacks” in this past year. The first one was last March after a big family dinner which I figured was severe gas due to the bean salad I ate, it was intensely painful but passed after 20 minutes or so then I was fine. The next time it happened was months later and I again thought it was severe gas due to some chili I had the night before, it passed in a short amount of time again and I was fine. Then it happened at the end of Sep just days before my Europe trip but was more intense and lasted almost an hour! I went to the clinic and he said it was due to the stress about the trip, no blood tests or anything just gave me some ulcer medication and that was that. Thank god I was fine over in Europe.
Then it happened again in November so I was thinking for sure I had an ulcer, so I started to avoid all acidic foods and drinks and continued with the prescription. I kept feeling minor pains, but I thought I was thinking about it too much thus creating more stress and affecting the ulcer. It happened again in December and I left work to go to the clinic. I said this keeps happening and I can’t live like this. He set me up for an ultrasound for Jan 13th, which was a few weeks later. Well guess what, Jan 12th I awoke with the most severe pain I’ve ever felt. I was literally in pure agony and thought my apendix was about to burst!!!! I was vomitting from the pain. I took myself to the hospital where they hooked me up to the iv and fed me gravol and whatever else to calm me down. The doc there said it didn’t sound like an ulcer or appendix, and suggested it might be gallstones. The next day luckily was my ultrasound and now I just got the results back and they said I have gallstones.
I have an appointment with a specialist on Feb 5th, but I am away on business to San Fran this sunday til Feb 1oth, so I will have to reschedule that. I am going to demand that it be removed!!! Forget about all this diet control, or oral treatments, just get the stupid thing out if it’s not even a neccessary organ. I’ve had 2 friends have theirs removed after MONTHS of a boring controlled diet, all to just get it removed in the end anyway. Now they are totally fine, no more pains, can eat whatever they want anytime they want.
I miss ice cream, and chocolate, and creamcheese. I always watch what I eat, and am not overweight at all and I want to be able to live a life where I eat well most of the time but get to enjoy a slice of cheesecake or an icecream when I wish without looking at it like it’s going to murder me ;p
What really stinks now, is the whole time I’m in San Fran they feed you breakfast and lunch everyday and they make the most delicious foods but I won’t be able to enjoy them. I wish that stupid doc back in Sep cared enough to send me for tests then I would have had it removed by now and enjoy my trip to san Fran. Instead I will be stressed out and worried the whole time about having another attack!!!
Good luck to everyone…especially those of you choosing not to get the surgery!
January 27th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
Hey All,
I, too, have gallstones. Had the first very seriously painful attack in Nov of 2008. Ultrasound confirmed stones. Was recommended to a surgeon who wanted to remove it. I decided to do some research and have found a great eating plan that works for me. I am still in possession of my gallbladder and, except for 3 minor attacks, two weeks ago, after going off my plan from Nov. thru Jan., have not had further problems. Check out this site http://www.gallbladderattack.com
I am eating the beet salad every other day, throughout the week. I also take 8 – 9 Stone Free tablets per day. My diet consists of fruits, veggies, cold water fish, whole wheat pasta with home made sauce, the occassional egg, olive oil, flax oil, high fiber Wasa crackers, whole wheat and multigrain bread, oatmeal. Avoid like the plague, any hydrogenated oils. I found these oils, which are generally used in fast food, to be the kiss of death for me. After following this regimen, and taking the equivalent of 6 bottles of Stone Free, you will probably be gallstone free and be able to control future stones by eating the beetroot salad. Good luck all.
January 29th, 2010 at 7:01 am
After getting signs of liver damage (fatty liver, enzymes up, enlarged spleen) I changed my diet (no alcohol, low fat, more fruit and veg) and got my liver ‘fixed’, only to be rewarded with a gallstone (1/2″ x 1/3″). Lucky for me, it just sits there and does not cause any symptoms. Nevertheless, I thought the thing should come out (stone, not bladder) and I tried the olive oil and lime juice cleanse. Didn’t work at all, just made me feel like you would expect after drinking a quart of oil and lime juice.
Since then, I’ve been taking artichoke capsules which seem to have reduced the size of my stone, although it is not gone yet…
January 29th, 2010 at 7:40 am
Hi Julia
Can you tell what the stone tablets does to the gallstone ?and can you buy them in the uk . I am going to manila to see my granchildren in 7 weeks and dont have a date for my op yet… and I wont be geting keyhole so I will wait till Iget back .I am going to boracay philppines for 4 day on holiday with my chridchildren and I am bit worried that a stone get stuck when I am there they dont have a hospital just a clinic Its only 4 day there ,,,and back to manila for 10 days Im not worried about geting any attacks my diet is doing well ………just a stone geting stuck in the wrong place can anyone out there can give me some advice plesase thanks
January 29th, 2010 at 3:49 pm
Samantha– Thank you for the advice, I was about ready to go to the ER when the pain finally stopped after a week! When I saw my surgeon about it she said that’s what it probably was — and wasn’t surprised when it hurt for her to press on my upper right abdomen, citing it as something similar to bruising post-injury — but I was able to last until January 21st for my surgery!
All went well; they kept me overnight because my oxygenation levels went down during surgery but I proceeded to keep my vitals up the entire night and was able to keep down all the liquids they gave me. I was also able to eat solid food later in the day. My incisions have been healing extremely well with little to no bleeding, and I have a concert tomorrow (Saturday). My only concern is the back pain I’ve been having! I made sure it wasn’t a symptom of blood clotting but I have yet to find anything online about back pain after having this surgery. Has anyone else experienced it? And if so, does it dissipate? It’s been painful enough that I’ve been taking the Percocet I was prescribed solely to alleviate it, and I really don’t like the effect opiates have on me but I have a tolerance to other painkillers
My post-op appointment is in the first week of February, at least, but I’d like to know if this pain will go away on its own before I try to make an earlier appointment with my surgeon.
Thank you!
February 6th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
Hi All
Great advice here . I was at my GP yesterday after having what he thinks was an attack on wednesday morning . I had been suffering what I thought was indegestion since Christmas . I also have been feeling constant pressure on my chest like someone was sitting on it . I also seem to burp a lot too . He is now having me scheduled for an ultrasound and to have the scope down into my stomach . He thinks it is Gallstones . After leaving the doctors I felt as if I was imagining the symptoms and that I couldn’t have gallstones . I am afraid of my life to eat since wednesday . Has anyone any advice .
Thanks ever so much
February 8th, 2010 at 10:56 am
Hi To all just found out after 6 months of test that my husband has gallstones been looking on heaps of webs sites for recipes, one thing i did find was if you take a teaspoon of flaxseed oil a day will help fight any fat you have in your body, and also you cannot eat wheat, milk, vegies , such as broc, cali, cabbage, brussels, only brown rice, no coffee, so i went to super market, and brought, corn flakes, no wheat, then for luch i will him a salad s/wich, tom, fresh chicken breast, that i have steamed prior,also you can buy pasta that has no wheat in it, i made pasta last night with shallots, zucinni, and fresh tom, and fresh garlic, fresh garlic is really good . Will look for more recipes with in the week. my husband has had pain now since july 09, have only found out now that he has gallstones, now on a waiting list.
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