Jules - Like many of the other posters, I have had my gallbladder removed. I started getting attacks 4 weeks after my daughter was born in 1997. Years of being on the pill, dieting & pregnancy were put down as being some of the main causes. Since having my gallbladder out, I have had a few other attacks and I have found that I am unable to take some painkillers now that weren't an issue before having the GB removed. I am unable to take codeine or morpheine and end up in agony if I do, the pain is similar to the GB attacks.
I have a friend who did the lemon juice/olive oil thing and her gallstones dissolved and she hasn't had any issues since. That was 9 years ago that she did that. My Mum suggested way back when I had gallstones that I should try it, but I was skeptical as the olive oil scared me as I was basically unable to have any fat in my diet at the time and I was scared at the thought of drinking oil.
My gallstone attacks weren't always diet related. Sometimes if I stressed out a lot or I got really upset it would set off an attack.
Looking back now I wish I had tried anything other than having the operation. I have put on loads of weight since then and I now have irritable bowel syndrome too. I never had real weight issues before the GB operation, yeah I could do with losing some (as most girls want to) but since then my weight has just ballooned and I have found it much more difficult to lose. As someone else mentioned earlier, in the beginning, most fatty foods would just go straight through me too and it was awful... and by fatty foods I mean regular milk etc.
I have another friend who has been controlling her gallstones through diet and has had a pregnancy in between too. Her GB attacks weren't any more frequent or worse throughout her pregnancy, but she was very strict with what she ate.
I hope you find the best thing for you. Wishing you all the best, and loads of success for your IVF.