• The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped sac located below your liver in the upper abdomen to the right.

• Gallstones are small, pebble-like substances that develop in the gallbladder.

• Fortunately, the gallbladder is an organ people can live without. Your liver produces enough bile to digest a normal diet.

• Once the gallbladder is removed, bile flows out of the liver through the hepatic ducts into the common bile duct and directly into the small intestine, instead of being stored in the gallbladder.

• Because now the bile flows into the small intestine more often, softer and more frequent stools can occur in about 1 percent of the people.

• These changes are usually temporary but talk to your health care provider, if they persist.

Gallstones can occasionally cause severe upper abdominal pain. This pain can radiate to the back, the shoulders and even the back of the neck. When they block the flow of bile, the bile and its toxins back up into the liver and seep into the bloodstream, causing jaundice.

Gallstones form when chemical imbalances cause cholesterol in the bile to become less soluble and to crystallize. These chemical imbalances could be due to any of the folllwing :

• Poor diet

• Unhealthy liver

• Excessive drugs and ingested chemicals

• Stagnant bile

• Simply the individual's natural tendency

• Yes. The major component of most gallstones is cholesterol which is not radio-opaque. This explains why many gallstones do not show up on a plain X-ray; only stones with a high calcium content are radio-opaque and visible.

• Ultrasound scans have a better chance of detecting gallstones, but may still miss stones in the bile ducts and the liver.

• Ultrasound scanning is the most common method used to detect gallstones.

• Gallstones are often discovered unintentionally during scans or X-rays for other concerns. They may exist for many years without notice, if they remain in the gallbladder.

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy ("Keyhole" Gallbladder Surgery) :

• In Keyhole surgery to remove the gallbladder, four small incisions are made around the abdomen, including one in the navel through which a tube with a tiny video camera is inserted. Guided by the camera images on a video screen, other tiny instruments are inserted through the other incisions and the diseased gall bladder is removed.

• Keyhole surgery has replaced traditional open surgery as the preferred method to remove the gallbladder, thanks to shorter surgery time, a shorter hospital stay, and a shorter recovery period. Among all the invasive methods of treatment, it offers the fastest relief from gallstone colic.

• If you have been diagnosed with gallstones but feel no pain, do not wait until the symptoms develop, consult your doctor for advice.

Although there isn't a set post gallbladder removal diet, the following tips may help minimise problems with bloating and diarrhoea after you've had your gallbladder taken out.

• Go Easy on the Fat: Avoid high-fat foods, fried and greasy foods, and fatty sauces and gravies for at least a week after surgery. Instead, choose fat-free or low-fat foods.

• Increase Your Dietary Fibre: This can help normalise bowel movements. Add soluble fibre, such as oats and barley, to your diet. Increase the amount of fibre slowly, such as over several weeks, because too much fibre at first can make gas and cramping worse. Consider adding these gas-producing foods back into your diet slowly:

  • Whole grain bread

  • Nuts

  • Legumes

  • Seeds

  • Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage

  • Cereal

• Eat Smaller, More-Frequent Meals: This ensures better mixing with the bile. A healthy meal should include small amounts of lean protein, such as poultry, fish or fat-free dairy, along with vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

• Avoid Spicy foods: Foods that contain capsaicin, the active ingredient in hot peppers, chillies, can irritate your stomach lining. This can cause stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

• Add foods Back into Your Diet Gradually: For the first few days after surgery, stick with clear liquids, broths, and semi solid foods. After that, gradually add more solid foods back into your diet. Re-introducing things too quickly can lead to diarrhoea, cramping and bloating

• You may also try limiting these foods:

  • Caffeine.

  • Dairy products like whole milk, ice cream, full-fat cheese, cream.

  • Very sweet foods.

  • Foods that are high in fat include ghee, butter, dalda.

  • Meats like beef, bacon, pork, lamb, veal, salami.

  • Hot dogs, junk food.

  • Processed baked goods such as cookies, pastries, and cakes.