Will I Lose Weight After Gallbladder Surgery?
Gallbladder surgery does not necessarily cause weight loss, although some people do lose weight afterward. The gallbladder does not regulate weight or cause weight gain, though, so removing it does not directly affect weight loss.
Gallbladder Surgery
The most common type of gallbladder surgery is a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, or surgery to remove the gallbladder. Doctors usually perform this operation when a patient has gallstones that are causing pain or other symptoms.
Gallbladder Function
The gallbladder stores bile, which is made by the liver, and releases it into the intestine in response to food, particularly fatty foods. Bile helps digest fat.
Low Fat Diet After Gallbladder Surgery
After gallbladder surgery, some patients no longer digest fat very well. Eating large amounts of fat may cause bloating, gas, diarrhea or discomfort. Therefore many doctors recommend a low fat diet after gallbladder surgery. Eating a low fat diet causes many patients to lose weight.
Diarrhea
Some patients experience diarrhea after gallbladder surgery. Doctors aren't quite sure why this is but suspect it may be due to an increase in bile draining into the large intestine. If diarrhea is severe or persists over a period of time, patients may experience some weight loss.
The Immediate Recovery Period
Patients may lose a little weight in the immediate recovery period because they may have little appetite or may not feel well due to their surgery. Patients generally recover quickly from gallbladder surgery, though, and do not lose much weight during this time.
