Gallbladder diet: what to eat with gallstones and after gallbladder removal

This gallbladder diet article is for anyone with gallstones, or recovering from keyhole gallbladder removal (laparoscopic cholecystectomy). Your gallbladder stores bile, a liquid made by the liver that helps you digest fats³. This information is based on my experience with patients, alongside national guidance.

What can I eat if I have gallstones?

NICE's gallstone guideline (2014) advises avoiding the food and drink that trigger your symptoms until your gallbladder or gallstones are removed¹.

In our experience, patients most often cite heavy, fatty meals and dairy foods such as a roast dinner, pizza, battered fish and chips, cream and cheese as triggers.

Does a low-fat diet help gallstones?

NICE guidance does not mention a low-fat diet specifically¹, and NHS guidance says you may be advised to eat a low-fat diet while you wait for surgery⁴.

Many of our patients report that a lower-fat, lower-dairy diet helps their symptoms and makes bouts of pain less frequent and less severe, even if it doesn't stop them. It may also lead to some gradual weight loss.

A low-fat diet can be a short-term step until your operation and should not cause malnutrition if it includes protein, non-dairy fats and fresh fruit and vegetables. If your wait is long, ask your GP or a dietitian to check your diet.

Can losing weight quickly cause gallstones?

You may be more likely to get gallstones if you have lost weight quickly⁴⁵. A European guideline (EASL, 2016) says the risk rises when you lose more than 1.5 kg a week⁵. Avoiding rapid weight loss or yo-yo dieting, and instead losing weight steadily, can combat this.

What can I eat after gallbladder removal, and are there foods to avoid?

You can live without a gallbladder and continue to eat a normal, healthy diet², though small meals may be easier for the first few days⁶. NICE's guideline says that after removal you should not need to avoid the food and drink that triggered your symptoms¹.

In our experience with our patients, sometimes a high fat diet soon after gallbladder removal can lead to bloating, discomfort and loose motions. This is while the bile ducts adapt by dilating so they hold a little more bile, ready to help emulsify the fats you have eaten to aid their absorption.

We advise our patients to re-introduce the foods they avoided back into their diet gradually, over a few months after surgery, rather than returning immediately to a high fat diet before the bile ducts have adapted to there being no gallbladder.

Is diarrhoea normal after gallbladder removal?

After removal, NHS guidance says you may have symptoms such as feeling sick, indigestion, tummy pain or diarrhoea⁷. These usually improve soon after the operation⁷. A 2022 review of 21 studies found diarrhoea in 462 of 3,476 patients (about 13 in 100)⁸. Rates ranged from about 2 to 57 in 100 between studies, which defined diarrhoea and follow-up differently⁸.

The British Society of Gastroenterology's 2018 guideline for doctors on longer-lasting (chronic) diarrhoea says it may happen in up to 10 in 100 people after removal⁹.

In our experience, if you had symptoms like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) before your gallstones were found, these may get worse after surgery. That is why we always check that your symptoms really come from your gallstones before recommending an operation.

How can I book a consultation?

We aim to offer a consultation within 1 week of contacting us directly, and to be able to offer surgery within 1-3 weeks from your initial consultation. You can book a consultation with Mr Kirkby-Bott privately by phone, by email or through the online booking form¹⁰¹¹:

• Phone: 02380 178 991, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm
• Email: [email protected]
• Online: the online booking form
• Hospitals: Spire Southampton Hospital; Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital, Chandler's Ford; and Sarum Road Hospital, Winchester

On the NHS, ask your GP for a referral. In our experience, NHS waiting lists vary by hospital and location, and can be from a couple of months to 12 to 18 months. NHS England's latest figures show that people in England still waiting to start consultant-led treatment at the end of August 2026 had waited a median (middle) of 12.2 weeks so far¹². This covers all specialties, not just gallbladder surgery, and is not the time to surgery.

This article is general information, not a diagnosis. Speak to your GP or specialist about your own symptoms and results.

About the author

Mr James Kirkby-Bott

Mr James Kirkby-Bott is a Consultant Thyroid, Parathyroid, Gallbladder, Hernia and Lipoma Surgeon (BSc(Hons), MBBS, FRCSEd(Gen), FEBS(Endocrine)). He has a private practice at Spire Southampton, Nuffield Health Wessex and Sarum Road hospitals.

He set up the Acute Surgery Unit at University Hospital Southampton with two colleagues, and worked there for 10 years. Urgent gallstone problems were the unit's most common reason for referral, and he developed extensive experience treating the condition.

GMC number 4518619About Mr Kirkby-Bott

Written and clinically reviewed by Mr James Kirkby-Bott. Last reviewed 16/10/2026