Home>Articles>Alcohol after gallbladder removal: can you drink it?
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- How does the gallbladder work?
- How long after removal can you drink alcohol?
- What kind of alcohol can you drink?
- Why is it dangerous to drink alcohol after gallbladder removal?
- Doctors' opinion
Questions regarding whether alcohol can be consumed after gallbladder removal are of interest to many people. The bladder is removed mainly due to stones and other serious diseases, and this organ itself is responsible for the secretion of bile necessary for digestion and the dosage of its release. If a person has undergone surgery to remove a bladder, he is prescribed strict regulating dosages of alcohol, which cannot be exceeded, and a diet. Drinking alcohol after surgery and in the future may have undesirable results, and in this case, you again have to consult a doctor to eliminate side effects and normalize your health. To understand all the nuances, it is necessary to study in detail the functioning of the gallbladder and the features of alcohol processing.
The gallbladder and its work
Before answering the question of when alcohol can be consumed after removal of the gallbladder, and whether it is possible at all, it is necessary to examine in detail the work of the gallbladder. This organ is a satellite of the liver and actively participates in the digestion process , performing the following functions :
- Decomposition of fats and activation of intestinal and pancreatic enzymes,
- Participation in the digestion of food , stopping the action of gastric juice if necessary,
- Bactericidal effect , effect on the absorption of nutrients.
Bile accumulates in the organ and, if necessary, is released by it. In its absence, difficulties arise with digestion and problems in the fight against intoxication, including alcohol. If the functioning of an organ is disrupted and becomes unstable, which happens with high loads on the body, similar problems also arise.
Removal of the bladder, or cholecystectomy, is performed for chronic problems, diseases that cannot be dealt with otherwise. Cholesterosis, polyps, colic, chronic cholecystitis, cholangitis and other serious diseases lead to the need to remove the organ. This is a very complex operation, after which long-term treatment and recovery of the body is necessary. During the recovery period, the doctor prescribes the patient to adhere to a strict diet, which may extend for more than one month. And alcohol consumption is prohibited throughout this entire period. Immediately after the operation, you should not even drink water for 3 hours. Then the doctor prescribes a diet , following which for a given period, it is possible to transfer the body to a new mode of operation. Initially, the body without a bladder is very vulnerable, but then the liver ducts change their functions, begin to protect the digestive system from bacteria, and so on. The liver secretion begins to dose itself in its emissions.
Drinking alcohol after gallbladder removal means causing damage to the liver , which already begins to work as two organs. Most doctors indicate that after removing the bladder, it is advisable to give up alcohol for life , and also stick to a diet for life.
Reasons for gallstone surgery
The appearance of stones, inflammatory processes, precancerous or cancerous conditions, cholelithiasis - all these are reasons for intervention.
The symptoms are the most common. The patient experiences heaviness in the right hypochondrium, pain radiating to the shoulder blades, navel, around the waist, often gets tired and irritated. Seizures occur periodically. In this case, immediate surgical intervention is required, agreed with the doctor.
This is interesting:
in many parts of the world, such an operation is carried out using the old “old-fashioned” method. Not suspecting that there is a “certain laparoscopy”.
There are two options: laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy. Laparoscopy is a more modern method in which there is no need to make an incision; the operation is performed through an opening, which then heals without leaving scars. Open cholecystectomy is performed in extreme cases. For example, when a bubble bursts or there are other serious problems that prevent surgery.
Usually the procedure goes without complications, the patient recovers quickly. After some time, you can eat almost anything. But situations are different. Some will easily consume fatty foods and alcohol, while others will not be able to live without medication support.
It all depends on the strength of the body, age, state of immunity, or even the psychological state of the person.
Is it possible to drink alcohol after a gallbladder removal after some time?
to adhere to a diet and completely abstain from alcohol for a period of one month to a year, during which time it is worth eliminating alcohol completely. Only after your digestive system has fully recovered can you discuss with your doctor whether your body is ready to deal with alcohol again. Only after the doctor's permission can you take alcohol - in doses, as much as the specialist allows.
The first three years are the most critical; during this period, the load on the liver due to bladder disease and surgery will be especially high. Answering the question, can you drink alcohol after removal of the gallbladder, it is worth noting that even after the doctor’s permission and subject to all dosages, it is necessary to choose high-quality alcohol. In addition, it is necessary to exclude alcohol with dyes and various flavor enhancers; rely on a completely natural product. Also, avoid drinking carbonated drinks, choosing spicy snacks and fatty foods. Beer remains an extremely undesirable drink, and in order to clarify the issue of its use, it is necessary to consult a doctor separately. You should also completely eliminate coffee from your diet.
When drinking after gallbladder removal, you should choose snacks from fermented milk products and fruits; rice is also good. Honey, cabbage or pickled cucumbers without or with low vinegar content are also useful as a snack
Alcohol after gallbladder removal - drinks, timing and dosage
Whiskey, cognac, tequila are drinks that should be avoided. High-quality vodka and red wine are considered acceptable You should not choose drinks with dyes; you should also avoid any low-quality alcohol with fusel oils; this is extremely dangerous for an already weakened body.
After three years of rehabilitation and complete restoration of the digestive tract, you can take 50 g of vodka or 100 g of unfortified wine for six months; in the future, the dosage can be increased after six months, with the permission of a doctor . To reduce the risks of drinking alcohol, use fermented milk products , which perfectly remove toxins. It also helps to introduce a hydro regime and drink clean water without gases, which helps to quickly and gently remove the products that remain after the breakdown of alcohol. Additional safety measures, such as those listed above, can significantly reduce the risk of drinking alcohol in this state, when the body is especially vulnerable.
Why you should not drink alcohol after gallbladder removal - risks
When thinking about why alcohol should not be consumed after gallbladder removal, a person usually thinks about the risks that may arise when drinking alcohol. And in this case they really exist - it’s worth knowing about them in advance. In the absence of a gallbladder, alcohol will enter the body, bypassing the neutralization mechanism, it will decompose into acetic acid, which is extremely dangerous . In this situation, the liver and its ducts will be exposed to additional risks , and inflammation may develop. The consequences of drinking alcohol after removal of the gallbladder can be pancreatitis, cholangitis and inflammation of the ducts, and even cirrhosis of the liver. Stones may form because cholesterol can no longer be absorbed as efficiently.
Effect of alcohol
Experts are confident that “youth-aging” diseases of the gallbladder and ducts appear due to alcohol. The ducts and bladder are separated by special sphincters. But alcohol disrupts the functioning of this system. It stimulates the secretory functions of the pancreas, thereby increasing the pressure in the bladder. Due to which it begins to overstretch.
As a result, we have stagnation of bile and inflammation, after healing of which the ducts narrow due to the scars that appear.
While in the body, alcohol breaks down into acetaldehyde and carbon dioxide, which have a detrimental effect on all tissues; lipids are oxidized by free radicals, which leads to inflammation. The result may be cholangitis or cholecystitis.
Stagnant processes, in turn, lead to the formation of stones. So alcohol is the main enemy and culprit of diseases of the gallbladder and bile ducts.
What can you do to help your body?
You can help your body cope with alcohol not only through fermented milk and other healthy products. There is also the possibility of using specialized medications that can compensate for the lack of enzymes that occurs after removal of the gallbladder. Yogurts with bifidobacteria should be eaten regularly, they are extremely useful in such a situation, and as for drugs that restore liver microflora and replace enzymes, courses of taking them should be alternated in order to achieve normalization of health and eliminate the harmful effects of alcohol and other undesirable factors. Hepatoprotectors can also be taken , but the advisability of using drugs in this group must be discussed with a doctor in advance. Medicines may be prescribed in capsules containing fatty acids - this is beneficial for the liver. Taking medications is necessary to prevent complications that may arise after surgery, as well as to restore the liver and maintain its functionality throughout the entire period of adaptation to the new position, to work without a gallbladder. You should not refuse to take medications prescribed by your doctor if you want to get a positive result from treatment and achieve complete recovery of the body.
Alcohol after gallbladder removal – what do experts talk about?
Experts strongly suggest that you should give up alcoholic beverages after removal of the gallbladder, and the abstinence should be for life . If the patient is not ready to give up alcohol completely, it is extremely important to abstain from it in the first stages of treatment, and only then drink in small doses , carefully monitoring the state of the body.
If deterioration , it is necessary to give up salty, spicy and fatty foods, and make the diet more strict until the negative effects pass. You should eat porridge, drink low-fat broths, and vegetables. You can switch to six meals a day with a reduction in single servings, this will relieve the digestive system.
You also need to be careful about drinking . The diet should contain clean water, from 1 to 1.5 liters per day, it should be taken in equal portions throughout the day. You can also take up to two cups of lemon balm or chamomile tea, or regular tea. This approach will help minimize the consequences.
If you have any health problems after drinking alcohol, please contact our clinic immediately for help!
Life after surgery
Life goes on. Of course, you will have to limit yourself in some ways, especially by following a strict diet for the first year. Afterwards, look at the body’s reaction and needs. Someone gradually begins to eat fatty, spicy, salty foods, alcohol, someone is trying to follow a diet. Doctors give their patients the following advice:
1. Try to eat often, but in small portions. This is important because the secreted bile is capable of participating in the digestion of only small volumes of food.
2. Minimize the consumption of alcohol, fatty, spicy, salty foods. It's better to exclude it completely.
3. Do physical exercises regularly and walk in the fresh air. For prevention, you can periodically perform dubage to avoid stagnation of bile in the ducts, but only after consultation with your doctor and in the absence of contraindications.
4. Be less nervous, more calm and peaceful.
5. Get regular examinations from your doctor to identify and prevent other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
