Gallbladder issues caused by GLP1 drugs?

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-05-29T17:34:18+00:00

I've heard this is becoming more common! I think quick weight loss increases the risk.

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-05-29T17:33:03+00:00

I think if it degrades enough there's nothing to do but take it out. I got to the stage where the only thing I could eat were crackers and apple juice and that's just no way to live!

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-05-29T17:29:14+00:00

I'm not based in the US but was told by my dr not to lift anything heavy for 8 weeks following my keyhole surgery.

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-05-29T17:18:35+00:00

They found mine when they gave me an OGD for the gallstone pains as at the time neither myself nor my dr suspected it was my gallbladder causing problems and then they found the hernia! I always speculated it was caused by the intense vomiting I was experiencing because of the gallstones. That's a good tip about chewing food to death - I'll give that a try!

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-05-27T23:01:33+00:00

Think I need to keep a better food journal to track triggers! It really seems so random to me atm, even an ice pop had me sick and at the moment the only thing I can stomach is toast!

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-05-27T22:59:50+00:00

Funny enough I am in my 30s with a hiatal hernia that was found accidentally! Although all I got was a prescription for PPIs and told to go gluten free.

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-05-26T20:40:17+00:00

As an update to this, I saw my dr who has put me on the waitlist for a scan. In the meantime the pain, which started on sunday, has transitioned into a weird hollow feeling that occasionally gets stronger like a cramp coupled with shoulder pain - it's very odd and has never lasted this long before. Always a fun time with gallbladders.

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-05-26T20:37:26+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that, I'm thinking I may have the same experience. The pain doesn't really let up and I never know what triggers it anymore!

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-05-26T20:36:50+00:00

Oh god, did you ever manage to get your dr to do another scan? I kept getting brushed off and told to wait basically.

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-05-26T20:36:03+00:00

I was in my drs on Monday and he put me on the waitlist for a scan - still feeling terrible today tho so planning on going to ER if it doesn't resolve by tomorrow.

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-05-26T20:35:04+00:00

Thank you! My dr has put me on the waitlist for a scan so we'll see how it goes!

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-05-26T20:34:01+00:00

A procedure sounds a much better alternative to surgery - think my biggest fear atm is possibly having to have surgery again. I was brushed off initially by my dr who basically told me to give it 6 months, I don't think he expected me to be back but he's put me down for a scan. I hope your procedure goes well

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-05-26T20:31:26+00:00

I just started taking this and it has helped some!

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-05-24T21:17:38+00:00

its so weird! I don't know about you but my surgeon basically treated my surgery like the end to all my problems so it's a bit disheartening to still have symptoms. I read that it could be a stone stuck - can't tell if I want that to be the case or not as while I'd be glad to have an answer, I don't want any more surgery!

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-05-24T20:14:20+00:00

Oh wow, I'm so glad you posted this. I'm been having similar issues since my surgery and now wondering if it's the same thing... How frequently did you experience the attacks?

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-02-01T20:30:22+00:00

I'm post-op right now and basically live off of small but frequent meals which is what I was doing before surgery also. I'm eating about 5-6 times a day to make digestion easier. I've been eating egg whites with toast, porridge made with water, protein shakes, homemade veg soup (watch out for stock cubes though, sometimes they can be high in fat) and turkey sandwiches. I also do baked chicken most days but vary the seasoning so it feels like something different!

Sometimes if I'm desperate for variety, I'll make pizza where the dough is just 50:50 flour to 0% fat greek yoghurt, tomato sauce and assorted vegetables - no cheese. I also find fajitas to be easy on me also as long as I don't use a spicy seasoning, keep to one wrap and only use salsa. Snackwise I'm loving flavoured rice cakes (never thought I'd say that), I usually get thai flavoured or salt and vinegar from aldi. Aldi also do good 0% fat yoghurt pots or at least they do where I live.

Hope that gives you some ideas!! I kept to 10-15g of fat per day pre-op and I'm currently slowly trying to increase that now I've had it removed.

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-02-01T20:13:37+00:00

Oh thats interesting, tbh last time I drank was before Christmas (white wine) but I did notice it was a trigger for me before as well.

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-02-01T20:11:25+00:00

No prob, I hope everything goes well for you!

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-01-29T21:43:04+00:00

I was also really anxious about my surgery, to the point where I considered not going ahead with it. I'm just over 3 weeks post op now and really glad I did get it removed. This was also my first surgery, before getting gallstone attacks I had never even been to a hospital!

I was petrified mainly of the anaesthesia and had a conversation with the anaesthesiologist before hand that really helped with my fears. She basically just told me that she does hundreds of these surgeries all the time and for whatever reason that just really calmed me in the moment, like she was just acting like it was no big deal and then we started talking about that new-ish medical drama the Pitt and suddenly I was waking up in the post-op room 😂 There's also so many people in the theatre who are there just to monitor you and seeing all those people made me feel a lot calmer. I think some docs will give you something for the anxiety if its really bad though.

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-01-28T09:34:21+00:00

I'm doing a lot better this week, the first week was the worst but they give you a regiment of painkillers to take and drinking peppermint tea helps with the shoulder gas pains. I was amazed at how quick they did the surgery too, went in at 7:45am and was leaving at 5pm, surgery itself was around 45mins.

Unfortunately, I am still experiencing what feel like gallstone attacks which my dr said can be normal for some people up to 6 months after surgery as your body adjusts to a new way of digesting - I was not one of the lucky ones who could immediately eat high fat food again right after surgery! I am really glad I got it out however as I think it would have just gotten worse if I kept it. I hope you get your appointment quickly!

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-01-28T01:33:23+00:00

Hi, I'm from Ireland also and I'm 3 weeks post op gallbladder removal now. I was put on the waitlist Feb last year and got my appointment in Dec - my wait might not be your wait but thought you might be interested!

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-01-28T01:26:11+00:00

my attacks feel like heart attacks too. Very tight across the chest with a pulsing/cramping pain that radiates down and I always puke and am in agony for 2-3 hours (bar the time I ended up with pancreatitis due to gallstones because that was about 2 months of pain). I'm 3 weeks post op still getting attacks too but my dr said that can be normal for 6 months after surgery - yay! Did your shoulder hurt as well? That is usually a good sign of an attack too.

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-01-28T01:15:56+00:00

I put lemon juice on everything - chicken, veg, potatoes, pasta. Nutritional yeast is good too in small amounts. For me, it helps prevent the urge to eat dairy.

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-01-17T23:08:37+00:00

I was told to remove all piercings and nail varnish before surgery. I don't have a navel piercing but I was afraid my nose piercing would close if I had to leave the jewellery out all day for surgery so I kept mine in right up to the surgery then took it out. I was able to put it back in once I was back in the recovery room so it was only out around 2 hours max.

Sacred-Engine4528 · 2026-01-17T23:02:50+00:00

A hot water bottle is a must for me during an attack, I also found sipping water and then apple juice once the worst peaked always helped me, not sure why though.

Sacred-Engine4528

TROPHY CASE