Gallstones

[Mands1974]

Hi,I've had gall stones for about 6yrs now and am trying my hardest to change my lifestyle/eating habits so I can manage the pain without having to have my gallbladder removed. I know that surgery would probably be the easiest option but I'm Petrified of being put out by the anesthetic. I also have friends that have had their gallbladder removed and still suffer pain. I try and avoid greasy/fried food and I know dairy and pastry can trigger pain. I'm only human and sometimes I do have takeaways or something that I know could cause me pain,sometimes I'm lucky and I get away with it and the times I'm not I spend all night up in agony. I've found the following things can "sometimes" help....a nice hot bath,a hot water bottle either on my back or on my side,indigestion tablets,nurofen seems more effective than paracetamol. Also a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water...it tastes really grim but does seem to help...I think it has something to do with the acidity in it.....if anyone has any other methods that they use to try and ease the pain please let me know as I'm determined to control this without surgery....thanks...

[fkbkgo]

Sorry to be nosey but are you female & taking the oral contraceptive pill? It has been associated with gallstones for ages but only recently officially acknowledged as a cause. I suggest alternate contraception and keep up the healthy living. Well done to you for your attempts so far.

[Mands1974 in reply to fkbkgo]

Yes 42yr old female but not taking oral contraception. Think I have the gallstones from rapid weight loss....6st in 9mths...the pain is hard to deal with at times and does get to me occasionally but if I can avoid surgery then I'll do whatever it takes.

[Bob275 in reply to Mands1974]

Hi, When I went on diet I was ill nearly every day, in the end I had to give up. I had no problems until very recently and now it is nearly as bad as when I was on the diet. Will try changing my diet again. Hope you find the key to relieve your pain soon. Bob

[grace111]

it sounds as if your doing all you can to keep the pain to a minimum. i'v had mine out but it was very complicated and turned into a 5 hour operation and i had to get my bile duct reconstructed as there had been a stone in it for god knows how long and it had calcified to my tube and it was not able to be removed from the tube except to take away the whole bile duct. although even if you did have your gallbladder removed you can still get stones and still get them stuck in the bile duct as its the liver that makes the stones not the gallbladder. i met a few women on my 4 occasions in the hospital who had had their gallbladder removed many years ago and had stones in thier bile duct. i beleive there are flushes you can do. they are called gallstone flushes. i couldnt do it nor would i reccomend it as its everyone's own decision. i was in such pain constantly i had no choice i had to have it removed.yes many people have problems after its removed. some people have constant diarrhoea i know one woman who hasnt left her house for two years. everyone is so different. i still suffer some pain but nothing like it was before i have mirizzi's syndrome and thats because of the stone that was in the bile duct and i had constant infections, its atrophied 1/4 of my liver too. you can fnd lots of information online about gallstone flushes. i dont know if its a good idea or not many people it seems have managed with doing those flushes and have kept their gallbladder. i suppose it depends on the amount of pain you have. as you say try not to eat fatty or greasy foods. any creamy pastas or anything with cream and pizzas and chees'es also try eating very small meals but eat more of them. there are ways to get the good fats that our body needs. like ground up nuts and ground flax seeds. i grind up many seeds and put them on my cereal and in my soups. as the body does need good fats to function.if the pain every become worse and very bad go straight to the hospital as those stones can end up in the bile duct. i was petrified of being put out as well but it all worked out well in the end i lived to tell the tale. i wish you well.if you are overweight its good to get some exercise and loose weight. hope you dont mind me saying that. try your apple cider vinegar in some apple juice. and make sure its the one with the mother in it. the reason the apple cider is good is because its acidic and helps to break down the food.take it before a meal. dont take any ginger because this presses on the bile duct and releases more bile. the fattier the meal the more bile is needed to digest it all. all the best. keep in touch and let us know how its all going as there are many people now with gallstones. much more than ever. love grace xoxoxo

[Bob275]

Hi Mands1974, I am the same as you but I would have mine out tomorrow if I could. The doctors do not want to know and I am at this moment facing a night of agony as it has flared up again. I cannot sit in a bath so I have a shower and I do use a hotwater bottle as well. I guess I will have to go private to get it removed in the end. My daughter had hers done as an emergency as a stone had come down into her pancreas which got infected.

Another friends husband was sent home from A&E and told to just take some pain killers. He sat in a chair for 2 days as laying down was to painful. His wife made inquires and took him to a private hospital who removed it next day. The surgeon told them that if he had laid down the bladder would have burst and he would have died. They were going to sue the NHS hospital for sending him home but they agreed to pay his fees in full. None of the two are suffering any problems after the op.

[Mands1974 in reply to Bob275]

Sorry to hear your in pain,I hope it eases up soon for you,I'm currently suffering also which is horrible as I'm so tired but as you know,sleep just isn't gonna happen when your in pain. I have tried hot bath/water bottle earlier but it only temporarily eases it.looks like it's gonna be a long night 😣

[mherbie]

Hi, diet is my thing..and I have recently discovered Antony William book and online course Medical Medium. So a quote from his book. "The best way to get rid of gallstones is to lower your consumption of dense proteins and eat a diet that emphasizes sodium rich vegetables and fruits that contain healthy bio acids. By incorporating more spinach,kale,radishes,mustard grens,celery,lemons,oranges,grapefruit and limes into your meals and by drinking a glass of lemon water every morning and evening you can start the stone dissolving process. One safe and amazingly effective option for dissolving gallbladder stones and restoring the liver is to juice a handful of fresh raw asparagus along with whatever juice ingredients you like". Good luck!

[emerich]

Hi,I used to find beetroot helped calm the pain a bit,not sure why but it seemed to help. Not sure it does anything to dissolve the stones though. Try to reconsider having them removed, so much quicker for you . Hope you get some relief soon.