Alana in Canada Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 Hi! I did a whole 60 last year--in October and November. I followed a fairly low carb regimen until May when I was told I had tiny gall stones and would need to have surgery to remove my gall bladder. At that time, I declined. It had been a relief to get the diagnosis, however. From about the third week of the whole60 and about every four or five weeks after that--like clockwork!--I would suffer horribly. The last attack--in May had me bedridden for five solid days of pain. I lost 10 pounds that week. I had LOVED the fat I'd eaten while on the whole30 (and subsequently). --But, because of the gallstones, I stopped eating it--and started filling up on pasta, rice, legumes and potatoes, again. I gained all the weight I'd lost too. (40 pounds in all, from October to May, not counting that last 10. I'm a big girl--I could stand to lose more.) ANYWAY--thanks for sticking with me-- I want to start a whole30 in January but I am scared to death I may bring on another gall stone attack. As well, I'm afraid that if I do a low-fat version of the whole30, I will feel hungry. That will significantly sabotage my success. What would you advise? TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmary Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 I don't have experience living with gall stones, but I did find this interesting: http://www.thepaleomom.com/2012/12/the-link-between-gallbladder-disease-and-gluten-sensitivity.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana in Canada Posted December 26, 2013 Author Share Posted December 26, 2013 That was interesting, Miss Mary. Thank you. I was glad to be reminded of the role my gallbladder plays in absorbing fat soluble vitamins. I guess my question is, when I am on a whole30 --what can I do to help myself feel satiety if I can't eat as much fat as I would otherwise want? I am also now working at a job where I can only eat at set times (and I willobviously have to bring my food --no more relying on the vending machine!) --so it's really important to me to know I can survive without hunger building up to an uncontrollable degree..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 MCTs like coconut oil don't require bile (from the gallbladder), so you may be able to increase your intake of those to help with your overall fat intake. A little extra protein will help you stay satisfied as well. Welcome back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana in Canada Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share Posted December 27, 2013 Thanks Robin! Nicet o "see" you again. I'll look up some MTC's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrayS Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 I don't have experience living with gall stones, but I did find this interesting: http://www.thepaleomom.com/2012/12/the-link-between-gallbladder-disease-and-gluten-sensitivity.html I wish I had any clue about this in the years prior to getting my gallbladder removed. Maybe I would've been able to save it, I will never know. That said, I seem to do fine without it, and while there has been slight residual discomfort over the years it doesn't hold a candle to the horrendous pain that led to my choosing to have it removed. Still, I just wonder how much better my W30 experience might be if I still had it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina R Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 That was interesting, Miss Mary. Thank you. I was glad to be reminded of the role my gallbladder plays in absorbing fat soluble vitamins. I guess my question is, when I am on a whole30 --what can I do to help myself feel satiety if I can't eat as much fat as I would otherwise want? I am also now working at a job where I can only eat at set times (and I willobviously have to bring my food --no more relying on the vending machine!) --so it's really important to me to know I can survive without hunger building up to an uncontrollable degree..... Do you take any digestive enzymes? I had my gallbladder removed year ago and just recently started taking supplements to help me digest protein and fats. I got them from my chiropractor so I am not sure what would work for you. You may also have issues with other foods like olive oil, hot peppers, red meat and pork. It's a guessing game. By the way do you know what your blood type is? Type As typically have low stomach acid and have trouble digesting meat and usually are low in Vitamin B and D. (Eat right for your blood type). Coffee can actually be good for Type As because it increases stomach acid. Unfortunately those of us without a gallbladder or with gallbladder issues have to do a lot more trial and error. I am thinking about getting Robb Wolfs book The Paleo Solution. I think he has a section that talks about gallbladder issues, that even the skin of an apple can cause problems for us. Good Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana in Canada Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 During this whole30, I didn't bother with making ghee--thanks to Robin's suggestion, I'm just using coconut oil where I would normally have butter on my veggies. I think it may be helping. I am also being careful with pork fat. That means I trim it off as much as possible either before or after cooking depending on the cut. Things are going well, so far--no pain. Once or twice, when I have felt like I might be getting "heartburn" (my first clue things are starting up) I have a tablespoon of apple-cider vinegar. I wait to see if things settle down and if not, I take another. (This only happened once, though) Awful....but waaaaaaaaaaaay better than three or four days of pain! Just thought I'd pass that along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cala Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 I too have been diagnosed with gall stones, but have not had the awful pain others talk about; just general "indigestion," especially if I eat until I am full. I have found that having smaller but balanced meals: complete with a healthy fat, protien, and carb help to keep my stomach happy. I also regularly take a probiotic and use probiotic drinks. They are so much better than the apple cider vinegar. You just have to look for the ones with no added sugar, of course. I use to eat yogurt, especially greek yogurt; but have since found dairy in general to be problematic for me (something I discovered from my first Whole 30). I have type A+ blood, and do seem to have some issues with red meat, and pork. But if I stick to really lean high-quality cuts, I do ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praxisproject Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 Make sure you talk to your doctor about any kind of stones. Some stones can be dissolved, some can be triggered by weight loss (if you're losing a lot of weight, talk prevention options with your doc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen_Suep Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 My gallbladder attacks were similar to yours Cala. After discussing with my medical team, we decided that it'd be our best bet to remove my gallbladder. I can still eat pretty much everything I did before (except I'm eating a lot cleaner than then). But it's definitely worthwhile to discuss with your doctor about any kind of gallstones/gallbladder issue. Sometimes, it can become serious quickly so it's best to be informed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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