Life after your gallbladder
Do you still have your gallbladder?
The gallbladder is an organ that stores and concentrates bile. Think of it like a reservoir for the bile your body needs.
This organ is often removed to resolve symptoms that we believe to be caused by the gallbladder. These symptoms can include nausea, bloating, jaundice, and fever. Sometimes more extreme symptoms like cholecystitis can occur. Cholecystitis is the inflammation of the gallbladder itself.
When you have your gallbladder removed, the procedure is known as a cholecystectomy. The surgery usually has a two-week recovery time and then you can get back to your regular activities.
Removing your gallbladder will take care of those nagging and often painful symptoms. However, there can be some digestive side effects when you don’t have that bile reservoir.
Digestive Consequences
Once your gallbladder is gone, you may experience some uncomfortable issues. These can be one or more of the following:
heartburn
gas and bloating
constipation
nausea
indigestion
You can avoid these issue by providing your body with tools to create balance.
Digestive Solutions
One good way to combat these post-gallbladder issues is to add high fiber foods to your diet. High fiber foods include beets, dandelion and other greens, healthy fats, sprouted nuts and lean protein. This will help your body now that the gallbladder isn’t storing bile anymore.
You can also support your body’s natural healing process with various supplements. Some of the supplements that can help your modified digestive system include milk thistle, enzymes that help digest fats and barberry.
In Summary
These are only a few things to know about gallbladder removal and post-operative challenges. Every person is unique and may experience a different outcome when having their gallbladder removed. It’s important to deal with each case individually, based on that person’s needs and rhythms.
Have you had your gallbladder removed? Contact us to reach a better balance and better quality of life.
