Of all the gall!
I went for a flying trip to the Big Smoke on Tuesday – and I had a lovely day, on the whole. I took a friend with me who regaled me with stories from her childhood in Switzerland – making me laugh and sigh with her amazing tales. We looked over gently flooded plains and happily swollen creeks as we sped by in our filthy Prado.
I put the Prado through the automatic carwash (after the World’s Laziest Carwash Assistant made me hose the worst of the mud off myself) and we drove off looking reasonably presentable again.
I saw my darling sister and her gorgeous baby, Paris. I got cuddles and smiles from both.
I bought some pajamas for my kids – ladybird jammies for Violet, and Ben Ten for Dash. Some outfits for nieces whose birthdays are hitting about now. Cute.
I also visited the Radiology lab. And the lovely gentleman there told me I had one of the best rock collections he’d seen. Which might have been nice if he’d been discussing the arrangements of granite in the garden. But he wasn’t. He was talking about my gall bladder.
As I lay there in the semi-dark ultrasound room digesting this piece of news (if you’ll pardon the pun) I discovered I was less shocked than feeling a weird mix of disappointment and relief. Anyone who has endured gall problems will know what I mean. It’s nice to have an explanation, even if that explanation kinda sucks.
I had my first attack a couple of weeks ago – two hours into a five hour solo drive home from a meeting.
It was a long drive that night…those last three hours lasted about 20. I thought at first my bra was too tight (all those salt and vinegar chips I was eating on the journey were clearly going straight to my back fat) as something behind my ribs started to hurt, and I loosened it a little. Then took the darned thing off as I started getting a bit breathless. Didn’t help. I turned the Keith Urban up loud, breathed deep and tried to focus on driving.
But the time I got home, I was sweating with the discomfort. And had a fist in the small of my back to try and get more comfortable. Not fun. I curled up on the couch and felt very, very sorry for myself. Mr Incredible looked on incredulous… there seemed no reasonable explanation for my malaise. I had no fever yet the painful spasms through my upper abdomen lasted seven hours in total.
I spoke to some friends who have had gall problems and they all agreed the symptoms sounded like gall stones. So I did what anyone would do in the same position: no, not go straight to the doctor. I googled ‘gallstones’.
I had no idea about where the gallbladder was, what it did, or why mine had turned on me so violently. But after a little virtual digging, I discovered that apparently those salt and vinegar chips WERE to blame after all!
One friend (who has had her gall bladder removed) told me bluntly: ‘That’d be right. The four F’s… fair, female, fat and forty!‘ Slightly bemused, I argued that I was only three of those things… after all, I have a pretty darned olive complexion! Har-de-har… (Internally: FAT!? Bloody hell. Can’t put my head in the sand anymore… now I’ve got proof!). So I was a good girl for a week or so – fruit, veges, not too much fat on my plate.
A second attack last weekend, as I relaxed my diet during a meal at the pub in town, lasted two days. Ye gods. Talk about getting that long-promised diet forced upon you… I caved and went to the local GP. Who sent me for an ultrasound. And we all know what happened there. Funny bloke – admiring my rock collection. The world is full of comedians.
So I once again jumped on the ‘puter, and tracked down the things I had to divide into GOOD and BAD foods for my condition. And, my friends, I very nearly cried.
According to this article, the Foods to Avoid are:
- eggs
- pork
- onion
- fowl
- milk and other dairy products
- coffee
- grapefruit
- oranges
- beans (excluding green beans)
- nuts
- corn
- red meats
- alcohol
- saturated fats
- hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils and trans-fats.
- ANY fried foods.
Other potentially problematic foods include:
- black tea
- chocolate
- ice cream
- fruit juice
- margarine
- carbonated beverages
- tap water
- turnips, cabbage, cauliflower, oats, wheat, barley, rye, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, refined and bleached foods like white flour.
It also said to not overeat and do not eat under stress, if possible. Also I should avoid smoking.
So basically, every single thing on my normal everyday menu… is now forbidden. Unless I want to suffer chronic pain. Nice. (I don’t smoke however. One thing I don’t have to resist. Yay.) I made the mistake of googling further and noted that alcohol was also on the ‘not a good idea’ list. Welcome to my nightmare.
Foods I am allowed include:
- beets
- cucumbers
- green beans
- okra
- sweet potatoes
- avocados
- vinegars
- garlic
- ripe tomatoes
- shallots
- cold water fish
- lemons
- grapes
- apples
- berries
- papaya
- pears
- omega 3 oils and vegetable oils
- bread
- cereals
- pasta
- rice
- potatoes.
Now while some of these foods appeal – I have to say, they are usually ACCOMPANIMENTS to things I like to dine upon. For instance I love cherries – but with ice-cream. I adore green beans, but usually beside a nice steak and with a small dab of butter. Bread and butter are lifelong buddies in my world. As are rice and curries. Pasta with bacon and rich tomato sauces. I love baked potatoes and sweet spud, but rolled in olive oil first. And that is the REALLY painful kicker – it is important to prepare all the good foods without oils or fats. Talk about taking the fun out of life. And off the menu. (And can someone please tell me what the HECK an okra is?)
I am apparently expected to also eliminate coffee, tea and milk from the diet too. You heard me. Apparently (and I quote) “a good breakfast drink is lemon juice in hot water“. I suspect that is a matter of opinion. In MY opinion, a good breakfast drink is a full-bodied brewed long black with a generous dash of full cream milk. (And yes, I am now arguing with an inanimate online article. Out loud.)
Can I just say that I am SO glad that photography and blogging weren’t on that endless Banned List. I don’t mean to be a drama queen, but that might have been the end of me.
35 Comments
Gem
Lots of hugs from here!!! Advice – what can I say – I’m supposed to be looking after my stones too – so all I can say is good luck with that. Sorry. One big thing that does help is to drink lots – of WATER that is – I saw your eyes light up!
Gem´s last blog post ..Mary had a little lamb- and another and another!!!
Teri
Yipes! Mom had a bad gall bladder. She lost a lot of weight as she held off til summer to have it removed. Enforced healthy diets are no fun! (not that volunteer healthy diets are either…)
I would say to experiment a bit with what triggers your attacks. After all, you did go a bit of time between attacks.
Okra… a much maligned or beloved veggie. A staple here in The South. It’s a seed pod that has a slick/slimy sap when cut. It’s used a lot in Cajun/Creole cooking to thicken sauces (tomato cuts the slick consistancy). It can also be rolled in a flour/cornmeal mix and fried (yummy). Okra done well is delicious. Done badly it is gross.
Teri´s last blog post ..Before and After- The Garage – I Gotter Done!
Tara
Yikes!!
Somehow the promise of a more svelte figure just doesn’t cut it when facing that long (Long long!) banned list!
It’s funny, I don’t eat a lot of that stuff, but as soon as you tell me I can’t have it? That’s all I want. That’s why I diets never work.
Jayke
Oh how awful! At least you can still have pasta, but thinking about that list makes me tear up a bit.
You need to get yourself to a nutritionist! Enforcing restrictive diets is awful, but enforcing them on your own makes the potential for failure much higher. A nutritionist would help you make meal plans and a diet that ensures you still get the proper nutrients and proteins and whatnot without aggravating your condition.
Another thing I would suggest is an elimination diet. This sort of diet is often recommended for people with suspected food related allergies, but will also work wonderfully in your case.
What you do is completely eliminate all of the “bad” foods from your diet. Continue that way for a month, then gradually add foods back in, one per week (starting with the most dearly missed) that way you can pin point exactly which foods are causing you problems, and which ones are on the “don’t” list but don’t seem to negatively affect you.
If the food of the week doesn’t bother you, leave it in. If it does, put it on the official “don’t” list and try something else the next week.
Feel better!
Jayke´s last blog post ..Back- But Busy
Bush Babe
I am trying to be good at the moment – the slightest thing seems to be setting me off at the moment. *sigh*
Thanks for the encouragement!
🙂
BB
Carol/Red Dirt in My Soul
Teri is very correct in that okra done well (fried or pickled IMO) is delicious but done badly (boiled) is gross! I wish you the best with your diet … but honestly, I know you can do it, and try to add one small bit back into your diet as you go, perhaps it’s not necessary to ban all for the duration. Also, don’t suffer. If the attacks get bad, go to the doctor. My m-i-l was a Christian Science believer, and didn’t go to the doctor. Hers developed into a massive infection before she ended in the emergency room … eventually which led to a heart attack a day later. So don’t be too gallant about the pain. Don’t mean to scare you… you are young, and relatively healthy, and not so overweight as she was… but it can *become* serious!
Now you’ll never want to hear from me again… 😉
Carol/Red Dirt in My Soul´s last blog post ..Questions and Answers – September Edition
Theresa in Alberta
You poor dear!!! (((HUG))) I witnessed two of my co-workers suffer thru gal bladder attacks last winter, not at all nice 🙁
They had the offending stones removed, it is just day surgery. Take care!!!
Patches
Oh goodness, that’s not much fun at all – the stones OR the do not eat list! Yikes! I’m not sure I could really survive without coffee or alcohol. Or red meat. Or butter.
You should check out PW’s Tasty Kitchen recipes though. There are all sorts of inventive and super tasty looking recipes for special dietary needs.
Good luck!
Kelly
Oh my. I’m sorry! As you said…there are some wonderful items on that “allowed” list, but the other list has some pretty important stuff on it.
My best friend had her gall bladder removed when she was in her 40s and now lives a normal dietary life. She still has to watch certain things.
(((hugs)))
Kelly´s last blog post ..Crispy Roasted Chicken Breasts with Orange and Cardamom
A Novel Woman
Jeez Louise. I hear ya, sistah. I’ve had a “sluggish” gallbladder, but no stones, despite sharing the pain you described. Apparently I have “sand” instead of stones. But I drink coffee and eat chocolate. However, my diet is relatively low fat and the fats I do eat are olive oil and canola oil and occasionally butter. Lots of veggies because I like them, and steak. We buy a whole filet mignon and cut it into steaks now rather than some of the fattier cuts. I eat lots of fish because I like it. Haven’t had an attack in years (knock wood, spit and spin three times.) However liver tests showed up an extreme sensitivity to alcohol (despite the fact that I only drink maybe 2-3 drinks a week) so no more of my beloved single malts except on special occasions. Do days of the week ending in “y” count as special?
If you do have to have your gallbladder out, there is a new, keyhole surgery that is fast and leaves a tiny scar. It’s a one day thing. And you’ll feel a whole lot better right away.
Hang in there!
A Novel Woman´s last blog post ..Fall is here
Jenni in KS
Yikes. That’s a heck of list. Are you going to have the offending organ taken out? Will you be able to eat any of those things (in moderation of course) if you do?
Jenni in KS´s last blog post ..He Even Does His Own Stunts!
Leenie
I’m sure you’re gonna hear plenty of stories from those who’ve “been there.” But I have to mention that the gall stone the surgeon took out of my hubby was the size of my big toe and looked like a piece of black asphalt (bitumin). I thought the doctor picked it up in the parking lot and showed it to me as a joke. Sheeesh! Nothing to mess with. Take care!
Leenie´s last blog post ..FIRE- BOULDER COLORADO
Kate
I had my gall bladder out last October after suffering attacks from January of that year. Finally, in August I found out it was a huge stone. I don’t understand why it’s not being taken out, though. I eat regularly now and have ice cream every now and then and feel a thousand times better!
Kate´s last blog post ..Point blank
Chookyblue
I was a long way from 40 and I got mine out……..I feel your pain……..goodluck………
Chookyblue´s last blog post ..I love candy
debby
NO COFFEE? Good heavens woman! Get that dang thing out. Life without coffee? It ain’t worth living.
debby´s last blog post ..Dumb
Hippomanic Jen
Oh you poor thing! I hadn’t actually ever thought about Gall Stones but now realising that I have history on both sides of the family, am heading into my late 30s, am of ghost-like complexion, and am well… not precisely slender, with a love of potato chips – you have given me a wake-up call.
And I would be starting the diet straight away as a preventative and to keep you company, except that reading through the terrible list you have there the only non-itchy spot things would be rice, potatoes, green beans, pears, shallots and garlic.
I think not!
Seriously, I hope it goes well for you. Can’t they just whack it out and you go back to normal food?
Amanda
just got Hugs Babe. Big gentle ones.
FWIW my SIL had her gallbladder removed and hasn’t looked back.
Bush Babe
Oh gosh – THANKS y’all. Who knew so many people had gall issues! I am getting such mixed signals from the internets (not you lot, Mr Google) that it’s reassuring to hear real-life experiences.
One thing I have heard is that your metabolism gets badly affected by gallbladder removal – anyone experience this?
🙂
BB
Paint Girl
Oh goodness! I could not survive without eating all the Do Not Eat foods!! I just couldn’t do it, even with a rock collection!
I feel for you. I haven’t ever had that problem before, but I am sure it is miserable. Hope your feeling better!
Gretchen in KS
First off, ((((((((hugs))))))))) I hope you’re feeling better, and if you MUST have any more attacks, let them be Brief!
My father-in-law swore by drinking grapefruit juice to get rid of gall stones. His doctor may or may not have approved in full, but didn’t tell him not to, and he claimed it solved his problems… Might be worth discussing with your own medical professionals. I have to wonder, if lemon is on the good list, why are oranges and grapefruits bad?? All citrus, after all. And who wants HOT lemon juice??? Cold lemonade–scrumptious! But I want mine ICE cold, please.
Also, have a good friend who had her gallbladder out when she was 14. At the time she was told she’d never be able to eat fatty foods again, restricted diet, you get the idea… Yeah, not so much. She lived with us for a while, and ate what we ate, including fried foods now and then, and while she and I are both heavier than we either one ought to be, I don’t think it’s the fault of my gall bladder or her lack thereof.
Hang in there! You are not alone!
naomi
i had my gall bladder removed in 1993 about 10 months after boy was born. there is a genetic link to gall bladder issues and i’m just one of a long line of my mother’s sisters, aunts and her mother who had theirs removed. i intensely disliked the idea of having to restrict my diet to accommodate the issues it was having. i do have one hint for you though. cranberry juice. i started drinking a glass at each meal and one before bed. it seemed to help, especially with small attacks. the big ones were terrible and i ended up in emergency getting some demerol/gravol to dull the pain. about a week before surgery i ended up with an infection. joy.
i was ever so glad to have that thing removed.
naomi´s last blog post ..And Because He’s That Good
debby
Tim had his gall bladder out right just a couple weeks into my cancer stuff. Remember that? His metabolism? Unaffected. In fact, quite honestly, I don’t know anyone whose metabolism has been negatively affected. The surgery knocked Tim down for three days (a record…he’s always doing something.) He eats whatever he wants.
It seems like leaving it in place will be a lot bigger pain (pun intended) than having it out.
debby´s last blog post ..Dumb
jeanie
I see potatoes on that list and I see vinegar – we just have to invent some salt & vinegar mash equivalent!
The Sweet Valley High Body Book (oh yes, I was a teenager in the 80s, wasn’t I) endorsed the lemon juice in hot water starter – it isn’t that bad.
jeanie´s last blog post ..Salinas Gift
Julie in Australia
Hmmm…after reading through everyones replies…this is my experience. My son had his out at 18yrs after agonizing pain for months…Dr blamed his fatty ‘Golden Arches’ diet. Nephew (not blood related) had his out…same pain,at 30yrs, his wife blamed the ‘bearded southern gentlemans’diet. Now, years later, they both admit…OK,these days,they know the after effects of eating fatty junk food will send them racing to the bathroom…but they just shrug and say they just accept that if they eat fat they know what to expect! But the idiots eat it occasionally anyway! But for my sons sake, I have made subtle changes to the way I cook and how I plan our menus, and with the help of our trusty treadmill, he is doing just fine. So I have to say BB…I agree with Jayke…see a Nutritionist and let an expert to guide you to a tasty well balanced way of living. The right one can teach you how to plan and cook so you can adjust to an inevitible lifestyle change. I do wish you well BB…and keep on blogging about this…you will do a lot of good for so many people. This complaint is becoming way too common these days…and happening to such young people…mmm…worth a thought huh!
Bush Babe
You know the wierd thing Julie – I don’t really eat much fast food! And it’s not like it’s on tap for me out here – those salt and vinegar chips were a treat I might have once a month, when travelling. Apparently all that lovely diane sauce with my steak, and those divine Indian curries do just as much damage!
🙂
BB
Julie in Australia
Yeah…that’s hardly fair is it. Seems like your gallbladder was going to be in line for failure no matter what you did. But you know what…now, years later we eat our perfect Aussie Rib-eyes once a week here (with a low fat salad mind you) and my gallbladder-less son cooks the most amazing curries with beef,chicken or lamb just as often so even if yours needs to come out…the future isnt as grim as it looks right now. But…please consider getting a professional nutritionist in to help you. Skip all the worrying…go straight to the experts. Thinking of you…
Nancy in Iowa
I was going to jump up and yell, “Oooh, oooh, ask me, I know the answer!” Darn, the others from the South beat me to it. I had my first fried okra when I moved to Atlanta from California – had never heard of it before. It was excellent! But like the others said, if it isn’t fried and done well, it’s just plain gross and slimy! I plan to take a road trip to Savannah next month to see my baby grandson (and his Mom and Dad, of course) and plan to get in some things I’ve missed, like fried okra, fried green tomatoes, oops – sorry about the fried stuff!
Nancy in Iowa
Oh! I didn’t even wish you well! I’m very sorry about your gall bladder pain….
Jen
Bush Babe, ah, this sounds like something I might also suffer from. But no where as badly as you are. I have some [well mostly all of] the four F’s. Darn..
I really hope they figure out whats wrong, and that you get a chance to eat the “real” foods in life again. Having gone through a super restrictive diet lately I can only offer my sympathies to you. It totally sucks!
Anyways, you wanted to know about the reflection, sorry it took so long. It’s from Windows Live Writer, I love that program, it’s simple and wonderful to use.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
Jen´s last blog post ..Well…that’s a cute name
jeanie
Oh – and okra. The Sierra Leone community had some awesome okra recipes that didn’t involve deep frying. Okra stew does have the slimy components, but very wonderful slime it was!
jeanie´s last blog post ..Somethings missing
Pencil Writer
Dear BB, I can sympathize with you. 27 years ago, just barely 38 at the time, my husband suffered a terrific, horrific, gall bladder attack. He was on his knees begging me to slug him in the back to dislodge the pain. We even wondered if he had an ulcer. At the ER, they thought he couldn’t possibly be 38, he looked so young. And told me they were afraid he was having a heart attack.
We looked back–after the surgery a few days later–and realized that he’d been having smaller attacks from time to time. His big difficulty was rich foods and spicy stuff. Love hot peppers, etc.
His stone looked like an olive pit–only it was the size of a LARGE olive. He had the old fashioned kind of gall bladder surgery–told he now knew what a C-Section birth felt like. (Yeah. Really.) His scar is l-o-n-g, long.
After about a year of restrictive dieting–and nothing like your LONG list, he gradually began eating his favorites. I rarely fry chicken (like Southern fried chicken) but he eats anything he wants, including his beloved peppers and other hot stuff.
And about okra. It is one of my MOST FAVORITE veggies! Since I live in the south, I can find it lots of places. And, I’m blessed to have wonderful friends who know of my penchant for the good stuff and bring me fresh okra when they have a surplus. I love it fried, smothered with tomatoes, onions and bacon. I love it in Gumbo (which is the African name for “okra”). One of these days I’m going to make chicken gumbo and blog the process.
As others have mentioned, if you boil okra, it gets very slimy. However, I LOVE IT that way too. It helps if you add bacon, or butter–though you’ll have to wait–if/when you try it–till your ailment is under control or you become gall bladder free.
But, do be of good cheer. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Delicious eating and freedom from pain.
Will be praying for your quick recovery and joy in living (and eating)once more!
Mikey
Oh my gosh! I had no idea they could cause such problems. And what in the heck ARE you sposed to eat? That list is ridiculous!
I hope you get better soon, and remove the rock collection. You know, you can keep it and make a little rock garden. That’s what happens with the bladder stones we take out of dogs at the vet clinic. Got a nice little conversation piece going on 🙂
Just an idea!!
Mikey´s last blog post ..Riding- Wildflowers and Green Horseshoes
Kids With Allergies
I drop a comment when I appreciate a post on a site or I have something to contribute to the conversation.
It’s caused by the sincerness displayed in the article I looked at. And on this post Of all the gall! | Bush Babe of Oz. I was excited enough to drop a thought 😛 I do have 2 questions for you if you don’t mind.
Is it just me or do some of these remarks come across like they are left by brain dead people?
😛 And, if you are posting on other places,
I’d like to follow you. Could you make a list every one of all your community pages like your twitter feed, Facebook page or linkedin profile?
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