Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: Jules on October 24, 2025, 07:18:14 PM
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I'm trying a low diet because I think I have gallstones. I'm waiting for a scan. Has anybody else done this and got any advice? Food suggestions, nutrients etc. No scare stories please as I can't cope with any more worry at present.
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I can't advise on a low fat diet but if you are really stressed it would be worth paying for a private scan.
I did this when I had suspected gallstones and it was done the day after my GP appointment. Waiting can be worse than the illness.
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I can't advise on a low fat diet but if you are really stressed it would be worth paying for a private scan.
I did this when I had suspected gallstones and it was done the day after my GP appointment. Waiting can be worse than the illness.
I'm okay. The stress isn't all about gallstones. There's been a lot of things happened this year so I'm trying to think positively and constructively. I did mention a private scan but my GP told me to phone the radiology department up and tell them I'm available most of the time if they get a cancellation. So I'm going to see what they tell me first about the wait. I don't eat that much fat anyway but cutting right down is hard. I'm struggling to know how to make the food appetising. My symptoms are better though. I just have cravings for a big cream cake!
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I went basically 0 fat after passing a gallstone until I got surgery. My consultant said I was risking malnutrition, so I wouldn't recommend it, but I was terrified of the episode repeating and my scan showed many gallstones in the gallbladder.
I found I adjusted in a few weeks, to the point that a couple of years post surgery I still really don't like fatty food and need to remind myself to use mayo/butter and eat nuts because I don't want to do malnutrition.
I can't remember exactly what meals I ate, but beans, lentils, prawns, rice, bread, vegetables are all fat free. No fat natural yoghurt for calcium and protein, to which I would add nut free muesli and extra dried fruit for my sweet tooth. Sushi was a safe snack when out (not the avocado), or boiled rice and prawn tikka in an Indian restaurant. But generally eating meals out was really difficult.
I hope you get your scan soon, but if you have to go low fat/fat free for a short bit, I'd say to stick with it and your taste will adjust. Good luck!
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Okay thanks. Yes my sister also did it waiting for surgery but said the same, that she didn't think she was getting the right nutrients. I've never eaten fatty foods much anyway or much red meat but obviously had some fat in my diet. I hate prawns. I'm having lean chicken and white fish, pulses, tofu, fruit and veg, no fat yoghurt, skimmed milk, bread etc. I have a decent breakfast of porridge and cereals. I can tolerate a bit of olive oil to saute foods. Im also taking supplements. I'm going to chase up a scan as I might be doing something unnecessarily. How long did you maintain that diet for?
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Just a word of caution. Sounds like you are convinced it gallstones, but it may not be.
My scan was negative for gallstones but I did have a polyp which needed monitoring. My pain turned out to be a kidney infection.
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Just a word of caution. Sounds like you are convinced it gallstones, but it may not be.
My scan was negative for gallstones but I did have a polyp which needed monitoring. My pain turned out to be a kidney infection.
Yes that's what I'm also bearing in mind. And if there's a long wait I will book a private scan so that Im not self diagnosing. I'm going off my sister's symptoms. Plus I've had a gastroscopy last week and it's not coming from my stomach
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:great:
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How long did you maintain that diet for?
About 6 months I think. It sounds like you are doing alright, and very low fat rather than zero fat.
Hope you can get the scan soon to be sure of the cause, and then can progress to a solution.
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How long did you maintain that diet for?
About 6 months I think. It sounds like you are doing alright, and very low fat rather than zero fat.
Hope you can get the scan soon to be sure of the cause, and then can progress to a solution.
That is quite a long time. I don't know how you managed that. I've already lost weight in less than a week and can't afford to lose much more. But I know it's preferable to the pain. I'm going to experiment a bit with what I can tolerate so that I'm not being too severe.
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I have managed to get a scan appointment on Friday. She initially said 6 weeks so it must be a cancellation. I'm fortunate in that I'm not working so am flexible but it shows if you ask nicely. So at least I will know whether I am barking up the wrong tree with the diet.
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How long did you maintain that diet for?
About 6 months I think. It sounds like you are doing alright, and very low fat rather than zero fat.
Hope you can get the scan soon to be sure of the cause, and then can progress to a solution.
Can I ask again, did the diet actually help? I ate some soya yoghurt today by mistake. I thought I'd bought fat free yoghurt. I've had pain this evening. It's definitely to the right, sometimes in my back. Gassy. Sometimes feels like I've pulled muscles in my ribs as it tugs when I reach forward. It could well be though as I walk a pulling dog.
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Sounds like gallstones if you start getting pains round ribs, gas etc after eating especially something fatty.
I got to a point that I was afraid to eat anything.
Sounds like the scan can’t come quick enough.
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Yes and I've not got enough spare fat to do that. The trouble is I'll just be in a long waiting list of consultant and surgery. I did tell a GP 5 weeks ago I thought it was that but she dismissed it, she said people with gallstones are usually overweight and I'm not. She said also my bloods for liver were okay. She didn't even examine my stomach. You have to DIY these days.
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The old saying for gallstones was fair fat female fertile and forty.
At 9st odd at the time I wasn’t overweight but ticked the other 4.
No scans for them then in 2000.
Hope you find out something either way tomorrow.
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I'm female and over 40 but not the rest. My sister had them and my niece though and it can run in families. Plus we have Gilbert's syndrome so have raised levels of billirubin. Plenty of clues for that GP!!
Yes I think diagnosis is easier now thankfully and keyhole surgery.
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Had the scan and everything normal. I'm flabbergasted. She said a small gallstone could have passed through the duct but there's none there now. I was convinced something was wrong, sure it was gallbladder especially knowing my sisters symptoms and the raised bilirubin factor. I've no idea what the pain is. But I'm going to stay on a low fat diet for a bit longer as my digestive system is more comfortable. I've had some loss this year, friends, an ex boyfriend and another friend undergoing cancer treatment so I'm probably feeling more anxious than usual.
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Glad everything went well for you Jules.
Anxiety and stress have a lot to answer for don't they.
Take care and relax now 😊
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Could be IBS or inflammation somewhere.
I aways get IBS pain on the right side. Nuts are a big trigger for me and I love nuts😠
And just another thought. Could it be muscle/tendon related???
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Thanks ladies. Yes I do have IBS though my cramps are usually lower abdominal. And it could be muscle related too as I've had costochondritis before so I think a couple of things have been going on. It definitely felt like gas trapped under my ribs and going to my back type of pain, burning too and triggered by food. And yes stress causes all sorts of things. But I've been reminded this year to always get checked if symptoms persist even if you're GP couldn't find anything. It could save your life.
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U must B so relieved!
4-5 years ago I began to alter my diet cutting out scones, croissants, hidden sugars and fats .......... DH has added more veg to our meals and I have gradually added the odd chocolate eclair and egg custards 'as a treat' these days.
As we age it mayB that our guts can't cope with items that we tolerated for years. It mayB that we don't exercise enough or in the same way which helps the digestive process.
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Yes that's true. I have such a sensitive digestive system but it's got worse over the years so now I've made a start I'll carry on for a bit. I don't eat pastry or fried food, barely any red meat but the treats had started increasing especially taking my mum out every week
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It took me years 2 decide which foods were causing problems and even now, my gut can be caught out!
Once I realised: and it was confirmed after eating a lot of stodge 1 C.mas and being SO ill on N Years Eve ....... I now know what to cut out.
Which makes it difficult 4 when we go out for morning coffee with friends :-\
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Yes I find eating out difficult. My stomach reacts to anything different. Every holiday abroad I have a stomach episode even in America it finally gets me at the end
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Oh I get over that by taking my own when visiting relatives: if we are in Big Company I can get by with a starter and then "I've eaten already tnx" and it's no longer a problem.
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I forgot to ask. Have you had a urine test for UTIs,,??
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I forgot to ask. Have you had a urine test for UTIs,,??
No, but it's definitely not that. It's too high up and too intermittent and I know what UTIs are like, I've had loads. I'm sure it's digestion related
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Maybe, but my kindney infection had none of the usua UTIl symptoms.
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Maybe, but my kindney infection had none of the usua UTIl symptoms.
Yes things can be different to the advice. I was in hospital with a bladder and kidney infection and even my GP didn't recognise it, declared me fit to travel and I was in hospital in NYC.
If it continues I will go back to my GP.
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