Gall stones?

Question

Can they heal on there own if you watch what you eat all the time?

Answer 1

I had gallstones.  The doctor told me to have my gallbladder removed.  I declined.  Haven't had a problem since.  I figure until and unless it happens a second time, having surgery to remove an organ seems like an extreme step to take.

Answer 2

Hi...well...they dont shrink. The treatment depends on their size. Smaller stones if not accompanied by cholecystitis( thats inflammation of gall bladder) can be left like that with conservative treatment. But bigger ones and those associated with inflammation have to be removed. This is usually done by an operation called Cholecystectomy. Now a days this procedure is being dome laproscopically too.

hope that helped. :)

Answer 3

Ok, in Sept. of this year, it will be 1 year since I've had my gallbladder removed.

If you think you have them, you need to see a dr., to see what He/She suggests for you.

I tried everything--tried to dissolve the stones--that takes too long.

I tried herbal medicine--that too takes too long and is dangerous, I am finding out.

I tried watching what I ate--that helps, but it does NOT fix the problem.  And eventually even the good food will turn on you.

I tried the fasting then drinking olive oil with lemon juice cleanse, etc., etc., etc.--I tried them all and basically all they did was make me sicker and it is highly dangerous (can cause stones into your pancreas).

You will need to have an ultrasound to see how many stones, how big, etc.  

If you haven't had a gallstone attack yet, you will swear you are dying when it happens and they get worse.

And letting the situation go can cause your gallbladder to rupture and it can kill you.

The best thing I did--was have the surgery.  While it hasn't been a bed of roses, it's sure been better than the attacks and the possibility of dying, I can promise you that!

Some people have a little trouble after surgery, some don't.  Again, all in all, it's nothing compared to the attacks.

Life is SOOOOOOO much better now.  I can eat what I want and am living pain free.

Also you should know that the stones can move and you can end up with one or more in your pancreas and then that brings about pancreatitis and you're in a whole new ball game there, a very, very dangerous one.

So, after all that being said, I suggest you go to your dr., have he/she find out how many stones you have, and what their suggestion is for you.  But don't wait too long.  I wish you luck.

Answer 4

I wouldn't take any chances with gallstones.  If they are small, they might pass into the cystic duct towards your small intestines but can get lodged someplace in between.  

If this happens, you get either acute cholecystitis (An acute blockage of the gallbladder leading to inflammation and possible rupture) or acute pancreatitis (The pancreas gets inflamed and can begin to dissolve itself with digestive enzymes) and then you would have to go to the ER.

Another possibility is that they will continue to grow into large stones, which lead to chronic cholecystitis.  I'd rather have them removed by the doctor first....

Answer 5

My mom and my aunt had gallstones. My aunt was petrified to have surgery and let it go years and she looked into ideas of shrinking the gallstones but nothing worked. My mom had the surgery and all was well. My aunt after suffering extreme pain from the gallstone eventually had to cave and had the surgery. So basically as the docs said to them, no way but surgery can you remove gallstones.

Answer 6

once formed the gall stones wont go by eating healthily all this will do is reduce the amount of attacks you have you need them treating

good luck

Answer 7

I actually did this gall bladder flush.  It was really awful.  I can't remember the exact order, but I took Epsom salt, then drank olive oil, took more Epsom salt, ate ton of lemons over a days period.  You can find the exact recipes on line.  Anyway, even though it was extremely awful and made me feel really sick for a couple of days (lol), I did pass my gall stones that way.  Since then, I haven't had any problems.  It may have been awful and gross, but it wasn't anything compared to the pain I was feeling prior to it because of the gall stones.  I thought I was literally dying, and my husband rushed me to the emergency room.  They wanted to do surgery, but I researched on the Internet and found the gall bladder flush and decided it was worth a try.  It was definitely better than surgery.

BTW, it has been over two years since I had an attack since I did the flush.

Answer 8

no... i work in the animal field but i'm sure it is similar with people as well.

if the stones are small enough and you get put on the right diet your body will break down the minerals or material that has built up inside your gallbladder.... but if the stones are large well then surgery is a definate must...

you might want to have an x-ray done and see what type of diet the doctor recommends!!! good luck

Answer 9

There are alternate therapies to try if you have the time to try them, just google alternate therapies for gall stones or speak to a naturopath or acupuncturist etc if you're really interested in going down that path.  Otherwise rip the bandaid off & get the surgery done, I had my gall bladder out when I was 11yrs old, people can be born with gall stones & I had sand in my gall bladder & the attacks were h**l on earth (apparently the smaller the stones ie sand the more it hurts - lucky me!).  They won't heal on their own, you may think you do because watching what you eat will hopefully avoid attacks but they'll be there lurking waiting for a slip up! Good luck!

Answer 10

There are 'cleanses' advertised, but my doctor tells me surgery is the only cure.

Answer 11

Treatments :

Medical

Cholesterol gallstones can sometimes be dissolved by oral ursodeoxycholic acid. Gallstones may recur however, once the drug is stopped. Obstruction of the common bile duct with gallstones can sometimes be relieved by endoscopic retrograde sphincterotomy (ERS) following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). A common misconception is that the use of ultrasound (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy) can be used to break up gallstones.[citation needed] Although this treatment is highly effective against kidney stones, it can only rarely be used to break up the softer and less brittle gallstones.

Surgical options

Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) has a 99% chance of eliminating the recurrence of cholelithiasis. Only symptomatic patients must be indicated to surgery. The lack of a gall bladder does not seem to have any negative consequences in many people. However, there is a significant proportion of the population, between 5-40%, who develop a condition called postcholecystectomy syndrome.[8]Symptoms include gastrointestinal distress and persistent pain in the upper right abdomen. 20% of patients develop chronic diarrhea.[9]

There are two surgery options: open procedure and laparoscopic: see the cholecystectomy article for more details.

Open cholecystectomy procedure: This involves a large incision into the abdomen (laparotomy) below the right lower ribs. A week of hospitalization, normal diet a week after release and normal activity a month after release.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: 3-4 small puncture holes for camera and instruments (available since the 1980s). Typically same-day release or one night hospital stay, followed by a week of home rest and pain medication. Can resume normal diet and light activity a week after release. (Decreased energy level and minor residual pain for a month or two.) Studies have shown that this procedure is as effective as the more invasive open cholecystectomy, provided the stones are accurately located by cholangiogram prior to the procedure so that they can all be removed. The procedure also has the benefit of reducing operative complications such as bowel perforation and vascular injury.

hope i helped you!!

good luck!