Final answer:
After cholecystectomy, patients usually need to modify their diets to a low-fat regimen, eat smaller meals more frequently, and limit high-fat foods to aid digestion as their bodies adapt to the absence of the gallbladder.
Step-by-step explanation:
Patients who have undergone cholecystectomy usually need dietary modifications to their eating habits. Since the gallbladder's role in digestion is to store bile and release it into the small intestine when needed, its removal means that bile from the liver will be less concentrated and its release will not be as well coordinated with meals. As a result, digestive disturbances such as diarrhea or bloating can occur, particularly after eating fatty meals. To manage these symptoms and aid digestion, patients are generally advised to:
- Adopt a low-fat diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Avoid large meals and instead eat smaller, more frequent meals.
- Limit high-fat and greasy foods, as well as very high-fiber foods, until their body adapts to the change.
Gradually, most patients will be able to return to a normal diet, although they often find it beneficial to maintain some of these changes long-term to avoid discomfort.