I had my gallbladder removed. The damn thing was full of rocks, and after dealing with the pain and digestive problems, getting rid of it seemed like a pretty reasonable decision.

But here’s something nobody adequately prepared me for: apparently, your digestive system doesn’t always appreciate having one of its original components permanently removed.

Now I’m noticing greasy bowel movements, and some mornings, particularly after going a long time without eating, there’s green stuff in the toilet that sure as hell looks like bile.

Naturally, I started wondering what the hell was going on.

That led me down a rabbit hole about bile acid diarrhea, fat malabsorption, and the surprisingly complicated job that little green organ used to perform.

And here’s the kicker: these aren’t necessarily imaginary problems invented by the supplement industry. Some are well-documented medical conditions that can develop after gallbladder removal.

Now, I’m not claiming my surgery was unnecessary. Quite the opposite. My gallbladder had apparently decided to open a gravel quarry inside my abdomen.

But I do have a problem with the casual way we describe removing an organ as though nothing important changes afterward.

Because apparently there’s a difference between an organ you can live without and an organ that wasn’t doing anything useful.

Now, About the Bullshit…

I stumbled across a video of some guy explaining all the horrible things that supposedly happen after gallbladder removal. And to be fair, some of what he said was legitimate. But right about the time he started insisting you need ox bile supplements and digestive enzymes, I could practically hear the cash register ringing.

Funny how these people always manage to discover a terrifying medical problem that can conveniently be solved by buying supplements. What an incredible coincidence!

Except here’s the thing: you don’t automatically develop vitamin deficiencies or lose the ability to digest fat because your gallbladder is gone. Your liver still produces bile. And there’s no good evidence that everyone needs to start popping ox bile supplements after surgery.

That’s the bullshit.

But buried underneath that bullshit is something genuinely important. Bile acid diarrhea after gallbladder removal is real. Digestive complications are real. And persistent greasy stools or diarrhea deserve an actual medical evaluation because there are legitimate tests and treatments.

So I’m not buying the miracle supplements, and I’m certainly not taking medical advice from some guy whose diagnosis conveniently comes with a shopping cart.

But I’m also not ignoring the legitimate medical problem just because some asshole figured out how to monetize it.

Here’s Where I Stand

Look, I didn’t have my gallbladder removed because I was bored one Tuesday and thought surgery sounded like a fun way to spend the afternoon. I was in pain. Eating had become a game of Russian roulette, except instead of bullets, somebody had loaded the gun with gallstones.

I don’t regret having it removed. But now that the little bastard is gone, I’m discovering that the story doesn’t necessarily end when the surgeon closes you up and sends you home.

I don’t need somebody selling me a miracle cure. I don’t need somebody telling me everything is perfectly normal without actually investigating it. I just want to know what’s happening inside my own body, what’s worth worrying about, and what can actually be done about it.

The rocks are gone, the miners have been evicted, and I’d just like to know why the plumbing is still fucked up.