More than 20% of people with Cholecystectomy experience a significant change in their bowel movement. Most people experience diarrhea, light stools, and even no poop for 3 days. But irregular stool movement after gallbladder removal can be treated with diet and some medicines. So, why does stool color change after gallbladder removal?
Gallbladders play an important role in the digestion of food, particularly in digesting fat. Therefore, after its removal, you may notice a considerable change in your digestive health. Moreover, bile leakage may lead to bowel movement and color changes after cholecystectomy.
Let me share this and many more essential facts related to stool change with gallbladder removal. Moreover, you will find some essential precautionary and healthy measures to promote bowel health after cholecystectomy.
Table of Content
Does Stool Color Change After Gallbladder Removal?
Cholecystectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures in the United States. The majority of people do not experience postoperative side effects, but some may experience fecal incontinence. Bowel changes can range from frequent leakage to significant loss of control and normal brown color. Some may experience yellow diarrhea, or greenish color poop. Others may have clay-color stools or foul poops. Also, people experience severe yellow diarrhea and bloating after cholecystectomy.
Indeed, the majority of people experience a noticeable change in the color of their poops. Normally, the gall bladder releases bile into the intestine to break down the fat. With no gallbladder, you may notice a sudden change in your dietary habits and digestion process.
Some people experience yellow and smelly bowel movements. Besides these, some people may have no poop for days after gallbladder removal. A disorderly bile flow or medicines you take are causing bowel incontinence.
The fecal complication may appear soon after the surgery in some people, while in others, it appears after weeks or even months.
Yellow Poop After Gallbladder Removal
Yellow poop is typical following cholecystectomy for many people. Also, some people may experience odorous yellow poop after this surgery. Bile is usually the cause of it. Typically, colon irritation may result in diarrhea accompanied by a yellow tint when bile reaches the colon.
Related to read: Why does my poop smell like a skunk?
Also, the increased bile salt can make bowel movements more potent and stinky. Fortunately, this condition can cure in a short time as your body becomes adjusted after cholecystectomy. However, it takes a few weeks.
However, you should consult a physician if the bowel color and smell do not improve over time.
Related to read: Yellow Balls in Stool: Should You be Concerned?
Stool Is Green After Gallbladder Removal
Typically, green stool or its shade is normal. It is more likely to happen when you eat green or leafy veggies or green color addictive food. Anyhow, it is not a problem of concern but normal. Even if you have dark green poo, it is still okay!
However, if you have loose, watery texture green diarrhea, you could have recently had gallbladder surgery. Consequently, you may experience green diarrhea or green poop due to increased bile in your digestive tract.
Moreover, if you experience fever, watery flow, stomach ache, or blood in stools, you should consult a doctor.
Related to read: Pea-Sized Black Balls in Your Stool?
Light Colored Stool After Gallbladder Removal
After the gallbladder removal, you may experience a change in your stool movement. The difference is short-term, and the stool habit may become normal in most cases. However, the problem is not mild in some cases, even if you don’t have other symptoms.
Typically, light brown stool after gallbladder removal is considered normal. In fact, any shade of brown or green is acceptable. However, pale or clay-colored stool after gallbladder removal is not normal.
This could result from bile leakage in your stool or an issue with biliary drainage. In some cases, complications may remain after the gallbladder removal. It may lead to certain health changes from digestion to the defecation process.
Moreover, when bile accumulates in the body, it may lead to jaundice. It may cause light colored stool. When you have pale skin and eyes, you should see a health care provider right away.
On the whole, light colored stool after gallbladder removal is temporary, but if it persists, you should consult your doctor.
Related to read: Light Colored Stool After Gallbladder Removal: What’s Wrong With My Poop?
Thin Stools After Gallbladder Removal
Almost 20% of people report frequent, loose, or watery poop after gallbladder removal.
Following gallbladder removal, diarrhea is caused by the direct release of bile into the intestines. Usually, gallbladders collect and concentrate bile, which is then released in response to food to aid in fat digestion.
However, bile becomes less concentrated with no gallbladder and continuously enters the intestines, potentially leading to laxative effects resulting in watery poop.
Besides this, the fat you eat at one time also matters. If your fat intake is smaller, then you can have regular bowels. High fat intake leads to indigestion that can lead to thin stools, diarrhea, and bloating.
Mostly, this condition goes away in a few weeks or within a month after cholecystectomy. However, talk with your doctor if your diarrhea becomes severe with time or if you have sudden weight loss, fatigue, and weakness.
Mucus In Stool After Gallbladder Removal
Most people experience the mucus residue in their stools after gallbladder removal. As a matter of fact, small amounts of mucus along with stools are not a medical concern.
After the gallbladder removal, mucus in the poop results from bile released directly into the small intestine. In this case, it acts as a laxative by softening hard stools that might otherwise become uncontrollable. Consequently, it causes an increase in bowel movements or bowel leakage after gallbladder surgery.
Often, these symptoms resolve on their own, but sometimes they persist. However, your healthcare provider may prescribe you some drugs and a dietary plan to control this condition.
Related to read: Sesame Seed-like Things in Stool – Why Is It Like This?
Can Have No Gallbladder Cause Diarrhea?
Diarrhea after gallbladder removal is known as bile acid malabsorption (BAM). It results in bile acid diarrhea, the most common complaint with no gallbladder. People with BAM experience stomach pain, bowel incontinence, and bloating.
The intestine may contain more than usual bile after gall duct removal, which results in diarrhea. As a result, bile acid stimulates the contractility of intestine muscles and promotes the secretion of fluid by the intestine.
While there is no good treatment for diarrhea, some orally ingested resins (cholestyramine) and fatty acids (oleic acid) may help control bile acid and slow down muscle movement.
How Long Does It Take For Your Bowels To Get Back To Normal After Gallbladder Surgery?
Bowel incontinence after gallbladder surgery may return to normal once the body becomes adapted to work without a gallbladder. In the case of diarrhea or a change in stool color, it may take 2 to 4 weeks to return to normal. Anyhow, it can last longer as well. Moreover, constipation or bloating can be relieved with some diet and medicines.
However, people with laparoscopic surgery instead of open surgery tend to recover quickly. You should seek medical attention if you have unusual bowel conditions or if your bowel becomes more problematic with time rather than getting better.
How To Promote Healthy Stools After Cholecystectomy Through Diet And Lifestyle?
To promote your postoperative healing and digestive health, you should consult your provider for faster recovery. No doubt, bowel incontinence, and the digestive issue are the most common side effects of cholecystectomy, but you can improve your digestion and defecation health with the following method:
- Make dietary changes that may contain high fiber.
- Drink plenty of water, and follow regular bowel habits. Moreover, do little exercise such as a short walk to promote digestion and bowel regulation.
- Eat smaller and more frequent meals.
- Furthermore, physical therapy may help to treat bowel incontinence.
- In addition, reduce fat consumption and replace it with healthy fats.
- Moreover, cut back on coffee, sugar, spicy products, dairy products, and junk food.
- It is best to avoid greasy food after surgery as it can lead to bloating, flatulence, and constipation.
What Foods Should You Avoid If You Have No Gallbladder?
After the gallbladder removal, your digestive system finds it hard to break down the fat properly. Therefore, try to limit your fat content. Following is the complete list of food you should avoid after gallbladder surgery:
- Greasy, fried, and fatty food
- Processed food (desserts, pizza, cakes, sausages)
- Refined sugar
- Spicy food
- Fatty meat (lamb, pork, bacon, mutton)
- Dairy products (cheese, butter, cream, full-fat yogurt, whole milk)
- Caffeinated beverages
- Carbonated beverages
- Alcohol beverage
Related to read: How to Stop a Gallbladder Attack While It Is Happening?
FAQs
What are the symptoms of bile leakage after gallbladder surgery?
Bile leakage to the tummy may happen after the gallbladder removal. It may manifest itself as a swollen tummy, stomach pain, and fever. Biliary leakage after cholecystectomy can be a severe complication.
Is it normal to have pale stool after gallbladder removal?
Pale, clay color, or yellowish stool after gallbladder removal is not normal. It may indicate a problem with the biliary system drainage. Moreover, bile salts in the stool may also give it a pale color.
What are the long-term side effects of gallbladder removal?
Following are the few long-term Post-cholecystectomy syndromes:
- Bowel incontinence
- Fatty food intolerance
- Flatulence
- Thin and watery stool
- Episodes of stomach pain
- Jaundice
Why do I have right shoulder pain months after gallbladder surgery?
Anesthesia for this procedure usually causes minimal pain. The abdomen and small incision sites will be sore in the first few days, and some patients will experience shoulder pain. These symptoms after a month of operation result from gas remaining in your abdomen after the operation. Eventually, it will be gone.
Related to read: Can Gas Cause Shoulder Pain?
Can you still get gallbladder pain without a gallbladder?
Sometimes, pancreas and stomach pain may mimic gall bladder pain. Therefore, if you have the following conditions, you may have pain similar to gallbladder pain even with no gallbladder: heart attack, ulcer, pancreatitis, IBS, kidney stone, appendicitis, and postcholecystectomy syndrome.
What color should poop be after gallbladder removal?
Indeed, you may experience a significant change in the bowel pattern after gallbladder removal. Most people may have yellow, watery poop with a disgusting smell. Some may have light brown poop with mucus discharge. Also, you may have constipation. But, these symptoms may go away eventually. You should consult a doctor if this condition persists.
Does stool color change after gallbladder removal?
The majority of people experience a considerable change in stool color after gallbladder removal. Some may have clay-like, yellow mucus type, or light colored stool. However, with time, stool movement can normalize.
Conclusion
Although a man can live a healthy life without a gallbladder, still they may experience some digestion and bowel obstructions. Anyhow, most of these can be cured with time. You can cure it as well with a fiber-rich and probiotic diet.
However, if the irregular stools after gallbladder removal lasts longer than 2 to 3 weeks, you should consult your health provider.
