How will a gallbladder removal affect my bowel habits?

Depending on the nature of the surgery and pre-existing conditions of the individual, the recovery period can be within a few days to more than a week. Assuming a minimally invasive surgery is done electively without any immediate complication, most patients are fit for discharge after 2-3 days. Do expect some loose stools for the following 2-3 months post surgery especially after ingestion of oily food. This is the time required for the body to make adjustments without the gallbladder. Most people can resume their usual diet and activity after this period.

The primary function of the gallbladder is to temporarily store and, at the same time, concentrate the bile juice within. Unknown to many, bile juice is secreted by the liver and not the gallbladder. After leaving the liver, the bile juice enters and leaves the gallbladder through the cystic duct which connects the liver ducts to the gallbladder. We now understand that the gallbladder functions very similarly to a store room for spare bile. As such, removing the gallbladder will not have a great impact on one’s health and certainly should not cause a drastic deterioration.