Gallbladder/Pancreas and Atkins

[bedhead]

After the birth of my son in 1996, I had my gallbladder removed. Like many people I do not tolerate high fat very well, although there is no real pattern. I am wondering if anyone else who has had their gallbladder taken out has had problems or improvement in gallbladder related problems on Atkins.
I also have recurring pancreatitis, I am wondering also about that. Thanks for help

[csfdavis]

Try going to atkinscenter.com and seeing if there are any articles on that.

[oceangirl]

I had my gallbladder removed three months ago. It was the beginning of January- within two weeks of the operation I had gained 8 pounds- I was mortified when I went in for my 2 week post op check. I had been watching what I ate like the surgeon said, and stuck to a low/no fat diet, scant meats, and LOTS of grains...no wonder I put more weight on.

I mentioned to the Dr. I started Atkins and he was not pleased- claiming there is far too much fat and meat dispite my telling him that I haven't felt this healthy in a long long time. His opinion of this WOL is a big thumbs down- to each his own- it's working....why go back to a WOL that isn't working?

I haven't noticed anything other then losing weight and inches with the Atkins diet- however- the weight is coming off a bit slowly. So having no gallbladder might have something to do with that- I'm not really sure.

I suppose like so many other things- in the medical world there is a debate about Atkins followers who also have no gb. Half of the Dr's I see tell me it's a great way to reduce (just keep drinking water) while others are against it.

Don't know if this reply helped much! :daze:
oceangirl/Chris

[doreen T]

hi folks,

I think you will find the following posts to be helpful and informative: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?s=&postid=32347#post32347

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?s=&postid=313937#post313937:)

Doreen

[Stardust]

Just a thought about digesting fatty foods. Many times we are low on digestive enzymes and when the gallbladder is removed, a person would be lacking the digestive enzyme for fat. If you are having trouble digesting fat or have other digestive problems, you may want to look at a broad spectrum digestive enzyme supplement or you can be more specific and get one for digesting fat. Also a good idea to make sure you eating getting enough of your Vit B's and minerals, so you your body has a chance to make it's own enzymes.

The good thing about lc'ing is that many folks have the experience that their digestive problems clear up. Just remember everyone is different and responds differently to diet (nutrition changes) and supplementation.

Good luck and happy lc'ing.

[nsmith4366]

:thup:
YES you can Atkins with no gallbladder. HOW? Read on to discover WHY life is different without it on Atkins and what you can do to be a successful ATKINSER wout a gallbladder!!!

How it works

1. Your gallbladder makes bile.

2. Bile digests fats.

3. Before you had your gallbladder out your gallbladder, when stimulated by eating fat would squirt out exact needed amount of bile to digest the fat and fats were digested easily.

4. You had your gallbladder out.

SO WHAT? WELL...

5. Now bile doesn't come out of it when you eat fat. Instead bile drips continuously and slowly from your pancreas all day.
Instead of only getting the right amount of bile when you eat, like before, you have a steady running thin stream of this in your system all the time.

6. Fat absorbs bile.

7. Bile is an irritant to your system if you don't eat enough fat to absorb it.

OKAY - BUT HOW DOES THIS AFFECT ME? :

8. BUT if you eat too much fat in a meal you don't have enough bile in your system NOW to absorb it and the extra fat reaches your intestines and rushes right through you. Diahrea!

9. So now you now what there is to know about how the gallbladder works, where and how you are getting bile from now, where the bile is in your system (smaller amount of bile there all the time) the role of bile and how eating not enough fat or too much fat will result with you.

FINE. HOW SHOULD I COPE?

10. Well, I've found that a MODERATE fat Atkins diet/meaning SOME NOT LOTS OF fat with protein at smaller more frequent meals works for me and many other people who do Atkins with no gallbladder.

Get it? Yes, Atkins with no gallbladder = diahrea. Just cut your fat down to less than EXCESSive fat and the diahrea will stop. Or don't and just enjoy the diahrea (no fun!!!).

Hope this was helpful.
------------------
SUMMARY:D

Too little fat = too much bile in your system it constantly trickles from your pancreas now/not good for you - causes IBS or IBD or spastic colon/bile is an irritant, you might get ani puritis (look it up) or just a sore rear exit area (you know what I mean)...if this happens, up your fat and use desitin "there".

WAY Too MUCH fat = diarhea / you ate more fat than your bile can absorb and whoosh, the fat rushes food right through you (along with other nutrients!). If this happens eat less fat, even a little less will help - don't cut out fat you need SOME to absorb the bile you DO have in your system!!! And hey, use the Desitin "back there" until it's over - save your skin!
-------------------
The key is to find a balance. I've found it with Atkins, but moderate fats. This does not mean that you have to give up bacon or butter or mayo - it does mean eat NORMAL not excessive amounts. Induction is hard for us, but hey I managed to stay to induction levels without a gallbladder while upping protein and a little less fat.
:cool:

Peace. I hope I've helped.

[doreen T]

Actually, it would be good to double-check the correct facts with this post here (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?s=&postid=315593#post315593).

Doreen

[rustpot]

The four F's that are associated with gallbladder problems. I was at least three of the above when I had my Gall bladder removed by Laparoscopic surgery 5 years ago.

One large stone removed which I have in a jar at home!

I have to say that my post operative experience has been completely normal, my digestion has been normal. Everything is normal. I do Atkins/PP just like everyone else. Look at my stats..normal. Stalls and plateaus..... normal. Constipation during induction......normal. I am boringly normal. So normal that until I read this post I had not even thought of my little stone sitting in its jar in my bedside cupboard.

I have even given my stone a name. It is called Fred. Fred Gallstone. distant cousins of Fred and Wilma.

I now believe that I eat more fat than I did before the op. So with a gall bladder I perhaps would not have coped so well with fat digestion.

Fred is just a lump of cholesterol. Its origin is still largely not understood. Why some people have a propensity is thought in part to be genetic. Other correlations have been to obesity, fair skin, and age. For some reason it affects four times as many women as men.

So if you are Fair, Fat, Forty, and Female and you Fart and have a Fierce pain like indigestion after a Fatty meal you could have a Fred.

[Wendye]

I'm like you rustpot - boringly normal - except I had all 4 f's.
I had my gall bladder out (not with the new less intrusive methods) but 25 years ago when i was but 20 years old. This WOE has had no side effects but the weight loss for me.

Best of luck - how are you going now??

[nsmith4366]

I had my gallbladder out in 2000. Now I find that not enough fat I get constipation and too much bile in my intestines/burning/diaper rash (sorry but true), WAY too much fat and diahrea everytime (but I eat alot of fat, not WAY too much). Never had any of this before having it out. Started LCing in 98.
Doreen explained this all to me once. I appreciated it.

[Lisa N]

Had my gallbladder out when I was 30 (10 years ago) by the less invasive laparoscopic surgery and have never had a problem since. I never developed the post-surgical diarrhea and high amounts (60-70% of my calories from fat) do not bother me in the least. Not everyone will have problems with higher amounts of fat following gallbladder removal, but some will; we are all unique and react in our own individual way to the loss of the gallbladder. If higher amounts of fat seem to bother you, reduce it gradually until you feel better, but no farther than that our you can cause yourself a new set of problems. Balance is the key. BTW...the pancreas produces insulin, the liver produces bile.

[nsmith4366]

Did I say the pancreas delivers bile? I don't see it in my post. I know the liver produces bile and that's where I get it from now, not my gallbladder. Without a galbladder instead of measured amounts of bile when needed, a constant slow flow of bile throughout my system. Bile needs some fat to be absorbed otherwise it can become an irritant in the system...some fat is good. From what I understand, I don't have as much bile as before, and eating too much fat for the amount of bile that I have/more that the bile can handle, the extra fat just rushes through - and causes diahrea/problems but no weight gain - I can only absorb so much fat ...and since I limit carbs severely and keep protein to pretty normal amounts, losing weight is easy as pie.

If I am wrong with any of my details please correct. But read carefully, I may be right but just not using the right terminology - be kind, I'm alway learning!

[rustpot]

Sorry NSMITH

But I was confused by your post also:

Quotes

"1. Your gallbladder makes bile."

"Instead bile drips continuously and slowly from your pancreas all day."

"Too little fat = too much bile in your system it constantly trickles from your pancreas now/not good for you"


Not trying to be hard on you. I know you know what you mean.

[doreen T]

Ah, now this is the problem with copying and pasting the exact same post (aka double-posting) in two different places. It's very confusing for readers.

The exact same post was also part of this thread Embarassed to ask but I'll be brave. (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37911) .. it was discussed and points were clarified. Hence, my post in this thread, with the link to check for corrections ;). Normally, I remove duplicated posts for this reason.

It's better to post your message just once, then provide a link to it if you wish for others to see it. Otherwise, we end up with separate discussions and points being missed.

Doreen

[nsmith4366]

I'm bowing out of this thread. Back to lowcarb discussion for me.

[Wendye]

It's all a bit confusing for me - too technical - I'm losing, I feel great and that's all that matters.

Byeeee and good luck on your road - this hitchhikers outa here!