What No One Tells You After Gallbladder Surgery

Gallbladder removal is one of the most common surgeries in the U.S. but very few people are told what to do after. If you’ve had your gallbladder removed, you’ve probably noticed that something about your digestion feels… off. Digesting fats without a gallbladder is a bit like washing greasy dishes without soap: things just don’t break down the way they should.

Your gallbladder was a storage site for bile - a thick, yellow-green fluid made by the liver. Bile acts like dish soap, emulsifying (breaking down) fats so enzymes can finish the job and nutrients can be absorbed. Without a gallbladder, bile no longer gets stored and released in a strong, timely “squirt” when you eat. Instead, it slowly drips into your digestive tract like a leaky faucet.

And that matters A LOT.

Without enough bile at the right time, you may experience:

  • Constipation or sluggish bowel movements

  • Floating, shiny, or greasy stools

  • Nausea or indigestion

  • Diarrhea, bloating, or gas

  • Pain under the right rib cage

  • Trouble absorbing fats and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)

  • Hormone imbalances, dry skin, and fatigue

Many of my clients are women who were never told what to do after gallbladder surgery. I wasn’t either. Years after my own removal, it took nutritional therapy training to piece together why my energy, digestion, and hormones were struggling, and more importantly, what to do about it.

Here’s what’s really going on:

  • Your liver still makes bile (about 3–5 cups a day!), but without the gallbladder, there’s no storage tank.

  • Instead of being released in response to food, bile trickles in constantly - sometimes irritating the intestines and sometimes leaving you without enough when you need it most.

  • Over time, this “bile mismatch” can cause mucosal irritation, gut permeability, and nutrient deficiencies.

But the good news? There’s a lot you can do to help your body digest and absorb fats again.

My Top Tips for Fat Digestion Support (With or Without a Gallbladder):

❌ Avoid:

  • All processed vegetable oils (canola, soy, safflower, sunflower, corn, margarine, Crisco)

  • Fried foods (unless you’re frying them yourself in a healthy fat like beef tallow)

  • Chronic low-fat diets (your body needs fats — just the right kinds, in the right amounts)

✅ Do:

  • Eat smaller, balanced meals throughout the day (every ~3 hours)

  • Eat at consistent times to help your body find a digestive rhythm

  • Use bitter foods (like dandelion greens, arugula, artichokes, lemon, lime, apple cider vinegar) or digestive bitters before meals - bitters stimulate bile flow

  • Consider bile salts or ox bile with meals (especially if you’ve had your gallbladder removed but be sure to work with a practitioner for proper dosing)

  • Support your liver with milk thistle, artichoke, dandelion, turmeric, beets, and ginger

  • Include clean, quality fats: grass-fed butter, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, avocado, and well-raised animal fats

  • Get your fiber from easy-to-digest sources like root veggies, fruits, and properly prepared grains or legumes

Why It Matters Beyond Digestion

Bile doesn’t just help with fats. It’s also your body’s way of excreting toxins, excess hormones, heavy metals, pesticides, and other waste products. If bile is sluggish, your metabolism slows, your detox pathways get backed up, and symptoms multiply - from fatigue to hormone issues to skin changes.

And if you’re following a higher-fat diet without supporting bile flow and fat digestion, you might actually feel worse instead of better. I see this all the time with women who feel more sluggish, heavy, or nauseated after increasing healthy fats. It’s not because the fats are bad, but because the body isn’t breaking them down.

If you’re struggling with fat digestion, either with or without a gallbladder, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to figure it out in the dark. There are root-cause solutions that can help you digest, absorb, and thrive again.

I’ve walked this path myself, and I’d love to help you rebuild yours. If you’re ready to stop the digestive rollercoaster and finally feel good again, I can help. Book a discovery call HERE.

In Your Corner,

Karri

Karri Ball