I've recently been diagnosed with gallstones and I'm waiting to have my gallbladder removed. In the meantime, do you have any advice about a diet I can eat so as not to aggravate it?

Jim

Gallstones are found frequently in our population. It's estimated that more than 12 percent of men over age 50 have gallstones.

Most gallstones do not cause symptoms and are found incidentally when an ultrasound exam of the abdomen is done for other reasons. When gallstones move and temporarily block the duct leading out of the gallbladder, the result is severe pain. The pain usually occurs in the right upper abdomen, and is associated with nausea, vomiting and sometimes fever.

People who suffer recurrent attacks of this "biliary colic" are referred for surgery to remove the gallbladder. This procedure, called a cholecystectomy, is now routinely performed laparoscopically. This technique, which uses a smaller incision than traditional surgery, has lowered the risks of the operation and reduced the recovery time.

Aside from surgery, there is little you can do to prevent biliary colic. Although it is commonly believed that eating meals high in fat will bring on an attack of biliary colic, most attacks occur spontaneously, without any dietary triggers. We do know that attacks often occur late at night, during periods of physical inactivity and after substantial weight loss. Still, there are no specific recommendations -- dietary or otherwise -- aimed at preventing future biliary colic attacks. If you have recently had multiple attacks, it would be wise to have the surgery soon.