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Gall Bladder removal and low-carb

5K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  jwags 
#1 ·
Hi,

My elder brother is Type-II as well. He's 49 now and has been a diabetic for about 10 years. He lives in another country, and I asked him about his BGs last weekend, and as usual the high carb diet recommended by his doctors keeps him in the 180-220 range, even after medication!

I want to recommend the low carb WOE to him, but he had a surgery to remove his gall bladder a few years ago. Low carbing means going high on fat. But someone without a gall-bladder cannot handle so much fat (or so I have read).

How does someone in that situation low-carb? What other alternatives to doing low carb, besides going high on fat might there be?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks

S.
 
#2 · (Edited)
Bile is still produced by the liver (just no longer stored in the gall bladder) so fat can still be digested. I have no direct experience myself but have heard from others without gall bladder who eat low-carb/high fat without problems. It might be wise to ease into it and give his body a chance to adjust -- same with any dietary change really.
 
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#3 ·
Hi - Sorry your brother is running such high blood sugar. It's infuriating that very few of us get proper counsel.

I had my gall bladder out some years ago, before diabetes, and eating fat was difficult at first. However, my body slowly adjusted until it became a problem only when I was out and ate a higher-fat meal. That said, I didn't have a high fat diet. However, I do now, and eating fat is not a gastric issue for me.

He will have some adjustment, but in time I suspect he'll be just fine.

More important than his fat issue right now though, is somehow convincing him to restrict his carbs. That's doing more damage than some gastric upset from fat will, though the later is surely more immediately uncomfortable.

Best wishes to you and your brother.
 
#4 ·
I had my gallbladder out in 1999, and started low carb on and off in 2002...I've never eaten low fat, not even after having my gallbladder out. I've never had an issue. Carbs seem to affect my gastric system more than anything else.

One of our friends "tries" to stay under 180 as his upper limit b/c that is what is recommended by the ADA - which means he's often around the 200 range as well. I'd love to talk him into doing low-carb, but he feels that since he's been a diabetic longer than I have, that he knows better.
 
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#5 ·
Thanks guys. This has been quite helpful. I will probably have him try to cut out carbs and repalce with good fats slowly. Since he is also on medication, things should be taken slowly anyway.

But knowing your stories from a similar situation gives me a much better feeling about this.

And yes - I did have to shock him out of his stupor telling him that his numbers were "completely unacceptable", and if he loves his kidneys and eyes, he better get them down. He thought his numbers were fine (thats what is "doc" tells him) - but at least he is willing to listen.

Thanks again for the responses!

S.
 
#6 ·
I think the problem here is that doctors allow patients to have those higher bgs without talking to them about restricting carbs. I still have my gallbladder so I can't comment on the fat, but definitely have him restrict the carbs. I think upping the fat is more about staying in Ketosis for weight loss.
 
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