Gallstones

[hellomama]

UGH- I am so irritated. I don't want to be dealing with stupid gallbladder issues.
I have been super sore in that area ever since birth (however haven't had an actual attack since a few weeks postpartum 18 mos ago) so I finally talked tot he doctor about it and of course, they found stones.
Now, I can't get into to see my doctor until the 27th for "discussion" about what to do next.
I don't want it removed. and I am being a huge baby about this whole thing. I swear, birth has made me a million times more sensitive to pain then before.

Anyways, anyone have any advice for me??

[saturnfire16]

I don't have a lot of time right now, but I didn't want to read and not post.

I used to have gallbladder attacks until I stopped eating dairy. That stopped the attacks, but I still had stones. I did a cleanse from the book The Amazing Liver and Galbladder Cleanse, and I got rid of TONS of stones.

http://www.ecsi.net/bwr/forms/wforbA...=%20%20&sid=ZZ

[ValiantJoy07]

I had my gall bladder out. that said the stones were so abundant my liver was being taxed to the point of death..well failures hall way anyway. My liver enzymes were over 1000 normal is between 7-40.

For me it was gluten, bad fats, crappy diet, birth control pills (yaz in particular has been shown to cause gall bladder trouble...I was on yaz for about 6mls ...and pregnancy messes things up too).

I wish I had known.

This might be worth a gander. I am not Paleo. but I do lean that way, mostly lots of veggies, good fats, some clean meats and simple starches...I avoid beans and complex starches, nuts, dairy, soy, and gluten obviously. I feel great.

http://paleoparents.com/featured/how...a-gallbladder/

[Johns_Gal]

I had mine out after dd was born.

Honestly? I was scared. to. death, but I am go dlad it is gone. I went years with no attacks, then anything I aate, anything at all, would set me off into attacks that lasted days. I had a blockage and probably should have had it out right then, but I didn't know, midwives didn't say, and I hurt too bad to think.

Having read about the dangers of leaving it in, I am very glad I had that obnoxious thing removed. No one told me five years ago just how bad a gallbladder could do you.

[DancingWithElves]

1. do not do a cleanse that involves drinking oil. making stones move is not always a good idea. a right size stone will block a duct, necessitating emergency surgery, or worse.

2. just a personal experience: i went grain free a few years ago and cured both estrogen dominance and gallbladder issues. they are often related. this held even through pregnancy and birth, which in the past was a major contributing factor.

and good luck!

[marigold]

Dh has had gall stones since age 3 although they didn't really ever bother him until around 30. Since going grain-free their movement has significantly reduced. He did have a bad spell in Dec. though after getting a really bad case of the stomach flu, emptying everything so violently and completely caused some movement and he ended up spending a week in bed between flu and stones.

[LilacPhoenix]

Going gluten free has helped mine a lot I have a couple blog posts (on my health blog) that I'll find for you later - one about why I chose to not have my gallbladder taken out (with research I compiled) and the flush that I have had great success with the 6+ years I've been using it.

me if I don't post them by tomorrow

[hellomama]

Thank you guys! This is great help! That paleo parents article was scary and enlightening.
Since Lent begins today DH (who also read the article) prompted me to give up gluten. Grains? As in rice and oats and quinoa too?
I wonder why grains would have anything to do with gallbladder problems? (Especially since my doctor continually says to me-"lower fats and your pain will subside" hmm )
I am a hot mess. I totally have estrogen dominance. Don't have evidence of that on paper, but for seven days a month I have a migraine and I need to lose a good 50 lbs! Throughout both pregnancies I had severe, incapacitating migraines. While nursing, I had the same. Oddly enough before all babies I was on YAZ!
I have heard that excess belly weight = storage for estrogen. Which is disgusting and makes me sad.
I really just have a myriad of things going on, especially since I don't feel like I eat that much at all!
Thank you all for your input. I am not brave enough to try a cleanse, but feel happy that others have had success with it. (The gb cleanse)
The report said that I had little stones in ducts and large ones in my gb. :jaw drop

[ValiantJoy07]

I also found this extremely informative http://fourfoldhealing.com/2007/11/08/gall-stones/ as for the reason low grain can help.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by DancingWithElves

1. do not do a cleanse that involves drinking oil. making stones move is not always a good idea. a right size stone will block a duct, necessitating emergency surgery, or worse.

I had stones that were left to wait and they moved and blocked my bile duct, infecting my liver and making me very sick. I had mine out at 22.

[hellomama]

And how have you fared since Sparrow? The result showed that my liver was enlarged a bit.

(and it stinks I can't talk to the doc until the 27th)

[milkdud]

No advice but will say a prayer.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by hellomama

And how have you fared since Sparrow? The result showed that my liver was enlarged a bit.

(and it stinks I can't talk to the doc until the 27th)

Fine! There was also a family history of cruddy sick gall bladders. My dad and his sisters all had their's out before 35. The same surgeon remembered my dad and aunt (my dad is only 20 years older than me so it had only been about 8 years since his surgery).

[saturnfire16]

My thoughts on the wheat are that it contributes to inflammation, so it probably affects the liver when one is discussing liver disease. That's not researched, but maybe the article on gluten tells more?

The purpose of the gallbladder is to create bile that breaks down fats. Which is why your doctor is saying "low fat," why I don't have attacks when I'm not eating dairy and why other sources will say "low fat, no greasy, oily foods." The gallbladder not functioning properly or being overworked is what creates stones.

But gluten probably still affects the liver in an overall health/contributing to inflammation way.

[emerald]

I'm not sure where you are located, but I saw a dr in Austin (Victor Carsrud, a chiro with a background in genetics) who has experience with using herbs to dissolve stones. I had both gallstones and kidney stones a couple of years ago.

Initally, I went to the ER because of the pain, they recommended I stay overnight and have my gallbladder out in the morning. I said I would contact the surgeon and then I left to look into some other options. A holistic dr in Maine connected me with Carsurd.

He said it was very important to be 100% gluten-free, even down to your shampoo/condtioner. Apparently gluten-intolerance is connected to gallbladder issues.

Here's what I took: chanca piedra, hydrangea (I liked the Stone Breaker supplement from Herb Pharm, but there are others), high potency digestive enzymes and probiotics, vitamin d, vitamin C, beet root extract.

Besides gluten-free, dairy free for 2-3 weeks (longer depending on blood type and other factors), also have easy to digest foods like soup.

ETA: Carsud looked at the ER report and said even by allopathic standards, my gallbladder should not come out. It wasn't as bad as they were leading me to believe. My pain in part was coming from other issues.