Question:

I have been trying to find out what I can eat after I have my surgery. All my doctor said was to start a bland diet. He said not to have any dairy products either.

Answer:

Following a cholecystectomy (removal of the gall bladder), patients are often told to follow a low-fat diet for a few weeks or months. As healing occurs, the bile duct adapts and takes over the job of the gall bladder. This means that no dietary restrictions are usually needed after this point. A small percentage of people need to continue on a low-fat diet for relief, if they continue to have symptoms. A low-fat diet consist of non-fat dairy, bread & cereal products (excluding those made with large amounts of fat such as biscuits, doughnuts, muffins, fried items, etc), fruit (except the Avocado), vegetables (not fried and without added fat, cream sauces, and cheese sauce), and lean meat (not fried, processed luncheon meats or sausage, or gravy), fish (avoid packed in oil varieties) and poultry (omit the skin). Since I am not familiar with your individual case, for more specific assistance I’d recommend that you visit a registered dietitian. (See the American Dietetic Association website to find a RD in your area.)

Related Resources:

American Dietetic Association

For more information:

Go to the Diet and Nutrition health topic.