Anyone Else Have Their Gallbladder Removed?

Hi all, I was just curious if anyone else is able to be a successful truck driver after gallbladder removal?? I had mine taken Out in November after a severe “gallbladder attack” it was only functioning at 6%. I’m doing good now but the biggest side effect is now I am a ticking time bomb when it comes to having to go to the bathroom. It comes out of nowhere with no warning and after I eat anything it hits about 20-30 mins later. Has anyone else had this issue? I know it’s the least ideal problem to have while being a truck driver. I’m supposed to go to cdl school tomorrow and that’s the biggest thing I’m worried about. I’d hate to have to stop 5-6 times a day for just a bathroom break. And I know there will be tons of time when there is no bathroom available...hahaha. Any help or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!!

Hey Josh, I've still got all my organs so I can't really give advice based on that unique brotherhood, but I will say this may be less of an issue than you're thinking it might be.

For starters, there's a lot of places you can stop and use a restroom. There's a ton of truck stops and rest areas. I don't think the lack of facilities is going to be a problem. There's a few parts of the country that might be a little challenging, but you'll learn to plan and deal with the issue if it continues. You can simply pull into a fuel Island, pull up past the pumps and park while going inside to the restroom - you won't need to actually find a parking spot.

Also, as a general practice, it's great to stop every couple of hours anyway and just get out of the truck and stretch a little or walk around for a short ten minute break. It refreshes you, and improves the circulation of blood in your legs. You don't have to stay in that driver's seat for 10 or 11 hours straight. You can take a short break, incorporate a bathroom break in with it and you'll be good to go for another few hours.

You're the master of your destiny out here, and maintaining your health is important for a long successful career in trucking. I've watched several of our members have to quit trucking because they didn't take good care of themselves out here on the road. Keep that in mind.

I think your biggest challenge will be while with your trainer. I suggest you have the conversation with them upfront. Let them know about your recent surgery, and explain the issue. Any reasonable minded person will understand.

Keep us posted on how things are going. We love hearing reports from you guys. You're going to have a lot of challenges, but I really think this one is a minor concern.

One alternative I've seen others periodically mention is the use of a 5 gallon bucket. Unfortunately there are areas of the country that are pretty barren and you may have a bit of distance between exits. I do not go out that way in a truck but I recall taking a road trip with my dad to Vegas. There really wasnt many places to pull off at in a car much less a semi. It was late at night but I recall seeing signs on I-70 (?) In Colorado or Utah that said no services 200 miles. It's not the most glamorous to talk about but others have mentioned a 5 gallon bucket lined with a plastic bag and cat litter for emergencies. Atleast you're aware of the issue and you can try to avoid eating unless you know you'll be somewhere you can handle business.

Hello Josh

I had my gall bladder removed in '96. What you are going through is completely normal. It takes a while for the body to learn how to process fats etc without the gall bladder regulating bile secretion. The BEST advice I can give to you is to restrict your intake of fat. Choose leaner meats, I personally eat more chicken, eggs, canned fish (sardines, tuna , oysters etc) than red meat. When I get a craving for pizza (my all time favorite food) I found a great cauliflower crust that I can buy at the store and I make my own at home using lean turkey pepperoni, chicken Italian sausage (yes you read that right, Italian sausage made with ground up chicken meat), black olives and other veggies. Sometimes I will splurge and use whole mozzarella cheese, but often its low fat.

Regulating your fat intake is going to be HUGE. You mentioned " I’m doing good now but the biggest side effect is now I am a ticking time bomb when it comes to having to go to the bathroom. It comes out of nowhere with no warning and after I eat anything it hits about 20-30 mins later. . What is anything? Are we talking a burger and fries? Steak, buttery mashed potatoes, Lean chicken breast vegetables, hummus with pita bread, a fish dinner with rice? You get the idea.

I am not trying to knock you man, I just want to snap you awake a bit and help you put the two and two together. I have found personally for myself and others, that most people rarely correlate the reaction to the habits. If it truly is ANYTHING you eat,, then please stay in touch with your doctor to address any other possible concerns along the way.

Best thing you can do right now is to adopt a low fat diet rich in lean meats , fish , eggs and occasional red meat plus fruits, vegetables and nuts. Eliminate the drive thru fast food and the processed stuff found in the stores. Its going to be a pain in the buttocks especially if you are used to the standard American Fare of grab and go. But you have to go deep on this - fats mean ALL fats- butter, margarine, cooking oils etc. I had to avoid anything fried for about 8 or 9 months while my body healed up after surgery and it got used to not having a GB.

The good news is there are fats you CAN have which should not trigger the rush too much - olive oil is king! Look for the Extra Virgin kind I use it to cook my eggs in, for salads, hummus dips, alot of uses for that. You do want to remember to use it sparingly and with common sense as it is still a fat and too much is not good. For pan cooking I would use non fat canola spray or canola oil. Butter should be okay in small quantities and is much better than transfat Margarine, but still if you are having attacks this frequent, I would just stick with Olive Oil and Canola - Canola is fairly inert and shouldn't trigger you that bad.

I'll leave the other OTR guys to give advice as to how to address the in the cab toilet alternatives......

If you have any other questions about gall bladder stuff , feel free to hit me up and ask questions, I wish you all the best man, you got this!

Moe

Thanks for all the info Moe. I did have a pretty bad diet, fast food and pizza were regulars since we have a family of 7, much easier and cheaper to feed the small army haha. I have noticed when I eat fish like tilapia, salmon it is a little better. But a burger or pizza and it’s almost straight to the bathroom.

Once I get out on the road I’m planning on eating real light, especially during the day. So hopefully I can get this under control and can enjoy my new career. Thanks for your info, I appreciate it

Wow 7 kids! You are only behind by buddy who has 8 of the darn buggers lol, I dunno how he does it lol.

Low fat diet all the way with Gall bladder issues. I am also seeing in general, that we as Americans eat WAY more than is actually needed to get by through our work day. I am doing all the work I am with the painting company I work for on a light diet. This is even moving around ladders, scaffolding, heavy 5 gallon buckets of primer and paint plus pumps and sprayers. Getting on my hands and knees in the dirt masking house foundations and prepping them for paint etc. I'll usually start off the day with a couple of home made banana oat bran muffins with 2 tbsps peanut butter (1/2 tbsp each muffin half) , coffee (because well...coffee....about 12 to 16 oz) . During the work day I will drink lots of water, snack on some nuts and usually carry a protein shake or a couple Cliff Bars for lunch. Sometimes some Sun Chips (multigrain)

At dinner time , its a lean protein (like this week a hybrid turkey loaf 2 pounds turkey, 1 pound ground beef) , some brown rice and a cucumber salad.

Try to incorporate multigrain - whole wheat, oats, oat bran, Rye, things like that into your diet if you can. They will make you fuller longer as it takes the body longer to digest them and helps prevent cravings and hunger. I know money must be tight with a family of 7 , plus trying to get started in trucking, but you can find really good deals on oats, oat bran and whole wheat in bulk if you look hard enough, plus with some creativity I am sure you could get some family healthy recipes going :)

Water all the way man, no energy drinks that stuff slows you down despite the labeling - peeing all the time . plus makes me jittery- save your energy drink or soda consumption to the 34 hour resets or hometime etc, if at all.

Even at 6'2 , 330 (i have more to lose for sure, I lost 120 pounds the last 2 years). I am getting down with the younger guys and keeping up.

Its all about diet .

Good luck on your career!

Thanks for all the info Moe. I did have a pretty bad diet, fast food and pizza were regulars since we have a family of 7, much easier and cheaper to feed the small army haha. I have noticed when I eat fish like tilapia, salmon it is a little better. But a burger or pizza and it’s almost straight to the bathroom.

Once I get out on the road I’m planning on eating real light, especially during the day. So hopefully I can get this under control and can enjoy my new career. Thanks for your info, I appreciate it

Sounds like lots of good advice.

I can just add that after Prostate removal surgery it was necessary to wear a "pad" (adult diaper) to cover leakage. I was on an insulin pump and weighed 212#. I completely changed my diet and now weigh 162ish. I recently changed my diet drastically again.

I feel better, have more energy and much better and more regular "outputs".

Eat to live, don't live to eat.

A big change in perspective makes small to large changes in diet much easier!

I had mine taken out about 4 years ago when I was 18. And I know your pain about the bathroom runs. However with time everything starts to return to normal. You may find that you have some “trigger” foods that you should avoid. I can’t say for curtain how long it took for me to return to absolute normal, but it does happen.

Harvest how long did it take to go back to normal? I had mine taken out in November and am still dealing with issues. So it’s been about 5 months. I’m usually running to the bathroom 2-3 times a day minimum.