The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
General Feedback
Posted by Judy (Meadville, Missouri,usa) on 12/07/2011
I had my gallbladder removed 7 years ago. I had nothing but trouble every since. I now have bile reflux. The bile that used to go into my gallbladder now dumps into my stomach. It's just like having my gallbladder back, pain, nauseau, back pain, bloat. Today my drs. has suggested that I eat pickled beets, and dill pickles also. So I'm going to try the apple cider vinegar. What do I have to lose at this point. I guess my comment is this, don't think because you have your gallbladder removed your problems will be over. I know it's only about 10% of the population will have this problem after surgery. Lucky me!
Epsom Salt
Posted by Shanti (Tiruvannamalai, Ta India) on 10/27/2011
★★★★★
I have to agree with Stephen from Baltimore. Laying prone, crawling, rolling, hanging upside down, writhing, moaning and crying do nothing to relieve the pain of gallbladder attacks unfortunately.
Epsom Salts are really the only thing that has any effect in my case. I take 2 large tablespoons with hot water. Normally I put the Epsom Salts in capsules so I don't gag taking them (I can't stand the taste). If I'm lucky, the pain will subside over the next 2 hours. It doesn't always work, but usually it does. Of course Epsom Salts not only relaxes bile ducts, it is a powerful laxative, so be prepared for an obvious side effect. It's better than having gallbladder pain though!
Avoid Lettuce
Posted by Trudy (Burton, Mi) on 10/16/2011
★★★★★
I have a sluggish gullbladder with no stones. I have had this problem for years and what I found is lettuce was causing most my attacks. After I stopped eating lettuce I don't have as many attacks and they are rarer than when I ate lettuce. I am now going to write down what I ate before every attack and see if there is a common link. Some say dairy products too can cause you problems. Next attack I will try the ACV and apple juice and add some baking soda in the mix for good measure. Thanks your site is awesome.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice
Posted by Jen (Bozeman, Mt, Us) on 09/30/2011
You should get some Chanca Peidra (stone breaker). It works great for gallstones and kidney stones. Even for constipation. I have no gallbladder as I had mine removed when I was 27 years old. I still get stones now so I use this when I start to feel them by palpitation of my liver. I take one capsule for a few days and it has helped fairly quickly. I don't know what it does scientifically but it works.
Bowel Function
Posted by Christian (Clacton, Essex) on 08/30/2011
★★★★★
Keeping the bowel moving is a key to stop the liver/gallbladder system gettting congested; probiotics, raw food, healthy fats, fibre such as psyillium, inulin, kefir etc. Chlorella can help normalize bowel function, and gut ecology but should be introduced slowly, and may require the help of digestive enzymes.
Artichoke extract can help, five days on followed by two days off.
if nuasea or an attack develops, lay off fats and oils for a few days, take plenty of water and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Choline bitarterate each day in body temp water will help, especially with nausea.
A Cacommile or choline bitarterate retention enema follow by swedish bitters will help. some people do 3 enemas within 36 hours, but dont forget to drink plenty of water, fibre, moderate amounts of healthy food and probiotics.
got to normalize bowel function as priority. if constipation is present or you alternate between that and loose fatty pale stools the liver is struggling and will do so as long as bowel function is poor.
some people find a castor oil pack with hot water bottle on it, - over the gallbladder/liver area for 30 mins gives relief AFTER an enema has been given.
do keep well hydrated, especially if using enemas.
General Feedback
Posted by Sandy (Paso Robles, Ca Usa) on 08/28/2011
Great site- really helpful esp. Ted. Been all over. But I did want to share about my gallbladder issues. There is a good herbal formula I resort to whether it is stomach or gallbladder. It is Health Concerns GB6. One pill will take away my pain in an hour. It is an herbal formula that my natural Dr. Gave me. And you must wait and not take right after a meal. At least an hour after a meal. But I will try some of the other ideas as well.
I used to have Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue and am well and the biggest thing was food allergies. They trigger so much. I cannot eat egg (and I believe that happened because of the flu shots) I had to take two of them years ago to take care of my ailing dad. Albumen in the shots and my body rejected it and now after eating eggs my whole life I cannot have any. Eating something with egg would give me both migraine and gallbladder pain.
But that aside the other big thing is sugar. NO ONE wants to hear that but you have to stop eating it. It is sooo destructive. Think of it this way:
The strongest bone in your body is your teeth and what eats teeth???SUGAR! So what is it doing to the rest of your body?
I don't eat it anymore. I do use a little honey and agave syrup because I hate Stevia.
I am thinking seriously about the fat issue and also something else I figure out. I can go along fine until I start to exercise and then I get sick. I think when I start to burn fat my body flips out as much as if I ate a fatty meal. And the water isuse is BIG. Water is so big. No one drinks enough water. I drink nothing but water and until my pee is very light lemon colored.
Check out the water cure and learn alot!!
www.watercure.com
I am also thinking more about trying to eat a little more fat like some of the posts mentioned.
Having the herbs and all is great BUT we need the CAUSE so we can be cured otherwise we are not much better than the Dr.s with their meds and surgeries.
Apple Juice
Posted by Amanda (Yankton, Sd) on 06/22/2011
★★★★★
I have recently had issues with my gallbladder, and I read somewhere that apple juice may help prevent symptoms. I now drink at least a glass a day, I chose the all natural stuff personally, and if I have eaten something that I know will probably trigger an attack, I drink an extra glass before I go to sleep. So far, most excellent results for three weeks now, no attacks, and no pain. I wish someone else who gets attacks would try for awhile and let me know if it works for them or not. Just thought I'd share my good luck with something semi-preventative with you all.
Laying Prone
Posted by Stephen (Baltimore, Maryland) on 04/20/2011
★☆☆☆☆
This simply does not help. When faced with a bad gall bladder attack there's little I can do but lay prone. The pain may continue to persist or increase regardless.
White Wine
Posted by Carie (Hudson, Oh) on 04/04/2011
★★★★★
I had my gallbladder removed a few years ago and still suffer with attacks. This past week I have had them every day. The ACV has been very helpful and I get relief within 20 minutes. But, like you, I had a drink this week (vodka/tonic) and this also helped! Maybe the alcohol helps to relax the area.
General Feedback
Posted by Francisca (Michelbach-le-bas, Alsace, France) on 03/03/2011
Hi, the common mistake is indeed eat little fat! If you want to understand better how it works maybe you should consider reading Barry Groves' book Trick and Treat where he explains the problem of eating a low fat diet and why when you start eating fat the stones start moving and you get pain but after you get rid of them eating enough fat will prevent you from having them! I have just had an ultrasound this afternoon because of high enzymes in the liver, luckily everything was ok and... No gallstones! The book is very interesting........ Whether ACV would help I don't know!
You can also get some information in Adelle Davis' book Let's Get Well. It is pretty much the same advice. She says that people get to afraid of having pain again that they stop eating fat which only makes things worse. She advises a diet rich in Vit. E and A also B vitamins and high in fats, low in carbohydrates. She says you should stay away from saturated fats but keep in mind that this book is very old so some of the information may be out of date. Still.... a very interesting book advised to me by some on this site and luckily I could get my hands on one! I hope this helps.....
Flax Seeds
Posted by Kelly (Cinti , Ohio) on 02/14/2011
Another good remedy for gallbladder attack is put 2 cups of water to boil, add 1tbs. Of flax seed, boil for 5 min. Boiling leeches the fs oil out of the seed and it will soothe an attack. It is tasteless so you can add a little cinnamon or sweetener.
Lavender Oil
Posted by Sherry (Kalso, Bc Canada) on 02/13/2011
★★★★★
Hi I wanted to say thanks for this suggestion. I have recently started having attacks and found out I have gall bladder sludge. I checked out this site and found the lavender oil to be something I could both afford and consume without gagging. I am amazed!! It really has cut the attacks and pain down to almost nothing!! I put a drop in a large glass of water and just sip it all the time!! An extra benefit has been the freshest breath of all time! Thanks again for a great idea :)
Apple Cider Vinegar, Lettuce
Posted by Lillamor (Whitsett, Nc) on 02/08/2011
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
Just wanted to add a word of caution concerning eating too much Comfrey... Comfrey leaf has been regularly ingested by thousands of people without negative effect, but there are studies that suggest that comfrey root has a component that can damage the liver. It is therefore recommended that comfrey root should not be taken internally.
I would do some serious research on this herb before taking too much of it. There is a lot of conflicting into about it.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice
Posted by Elangelique (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) on 12/25/2010
★★★★★
I had many attacks prior to finding the solution here with ACV. That helped immensely with immediate relief. The interesting thing to note for me was that I had an Ayurvedic doctor tell me to take, upon first rising, 2 tsp ACV 1 tsp lemon juice mixed in a glass of water. I had done this religiously for almost 11 months and have had awesome results with no attacks. The funny thing (or uber painful thing) is that I just woke to a major attack and am feeling that my 2 days of missed morning ritual has had an effect on my system! I see how the effects of NOT taking my morning "alkalizer" I call it, can wreak havoc on me. Here it is Christmas morning at 3:14am and just having my symptoms slowly subside. Hmm, maybe I'll run into Santa! I truly believe that this morning "alkalizer" balances my system.
The side effects have been that I lost weight on it too! I follow the ACV lemon juice (all organic) with a glass of "sole" (pronounced So-lay). The water/salt solution of Himalayan sea salts and water from a jar. 1 tsp of Sole with water before or after the ACV mixture. For 1 thing it prevents me from having coffee first thing in the morning and know that it helps to bring my PH balance into alignment.
If you don't know, the most important thing is to have the body in an alkaline state... For most diseases do not live in an alkaline body, only in an acid body. Research this yourself. This was shared with me by my holistic practitioner. All good information to share for better health! Our bodies know what is wanted. BTW I know that my niece of 6 years craves the vinegary taste and likes just 1tsp ACV with water now and again. (At times she craves pickle juice). Well, my symptoms have subsided and know that I will not overindulge even though it is Christmas. Off to bed before I run into Santa and surprise him!
Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice
Posted by Sp (Austin, Tx) on 11/27/2010
★★★★★
I had a gallblader attack about 8 months ago and did the apple juice and ACV and it worked very well, I then improved eating habits and had no problems but after Thanksgiving I began noting some discomforts and just thought it was "overeating. " The next day the pain began at about 4am, but I had no apple juice this time. So I did a mixture of ACV and Lemon Juice and within 5 min the pain was gone. Thanks
Flax Seeds
Posted by Anita (Dracut, Ma, United States Of America) on 07/06/2010
★★★★★
I found this flax seed tea works very well for gallbladder attacks. I have used the same recipe as Kelly but I also let it steep for 10 min after boiling. I also did not grind the seeds before boiling.
I find the texture very difficult to swallow (pardon the pun) so I dilute the tea with hot water (about 1:1) then drink two cups. The new addition of stevia sweetener was very helpful. This remedy works within 10 minutes and is very safe. I have, literally, been brought to my knees with chest and back pain, following spicy or rich foods, that can be attributed to gallbladder attacks. I drink the tea with the first signs of discomfort and have not had a severe attack since.
Ted's Lemon Bicarbonate Formula
Posted by Edlon (Memphis, Tn) on 04/02/2010
★★★★★
after going to the dr.s and being told my gall bladder needed to be removed i tried teds lemon bicarb cure and it worked for me! i used limes instead of lemons and used a 1/4 tsp of baking soda twice a day at first. now i take it once a day or every other day. my gall bladder attacks weren't s bad as i've read and heard about other folk's. anything is worth trying before letting the dr.s cut on you. am glad i found E.C. and ted's help. thanks for being here.
Ted's Lemon Bicarbonate Formula
Posted by Tamra (L.a., Ca) on 01/15/2010
★★★☆☆BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
I tried this same lemon and bicarbonate cure when I was having symptoms of gallbladder pain and abdominal fullness. It really did help the pain right away, though it came back a few days later, however it did cause diahrrea for several hours. I have tried this several times now and each time it helps the pain but causes the diahrea. I also have IBS and fibromyalgia, candida I am sure, plus a Hx of cancer,seizures (not recently) and M.S. Don't want to take it daily if it is going to cause diahrrea each day. Is this a bad thing or could it be cleansing in a way I need? Thanks in advance
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Ej (Middleboro, Ma) on 01/06/2010
Thanks everyone for the input. I'm in week 3 of this attack which is coming and going now. Gone at the moment, enough to make me think I can leave for my vacation on Friday.
Since my emergency room stay, where they told me it could be shingles or "something metastasized into the area" - loved that one - I've had a hydascan: normal function and no stones, two chest xrays: nothing, a CT scan on abd and pelvis (mostly looking for kidney stones): nothing. (Yes, I'm glowing a bit at this point from all the radiation) More acupunture, which helps temporarily. NO ONE knows what this is, even though it's obviously classic GB pain. I'm at my wits end with the medical establishment and can't believe this is what we are all paying for - soon to pay more with this Federal bill. All these tests are what drives the cost up, but the tests obviously DON'T WORK.
I've been drinking Apple juice mixed with carrot juice which makes me very gassy and exacerbates the pain. I don't know what to eat anymore.
I've used:
castor oil packs,
ACV,
lemon juice with olive oil,
stonebreaker,
gallstonex,
chinese herbs.
I take Mag citrate every night as a rule.
Use heating pad front and back alternating.
Have taken hot baths with Epsom salts
Use rebounder to move lymph fluid
Charcoal for gas - this really works!
I typically eat very low fat (less than 20 grams per day),Veggies, fruit, chicken or fish; next to no dairy or grain, so am perplexed at why this is happening at all. What more can I do to my diet to make my body work correctly? I've spent a fortune over and above my insurance premiums to try to stay well. It's disheartening and scary.
Well, enough of this rant. I'm going to try some more of your suggestions and hope that I don't end up in some Caribbean hospital over the next week or so.
My Best to you all!
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Shanti (Bangkok, Thailand) on 12/25/2009
Ej, Hopefully you are feeling better by now, but I thought I would say what works for me. I have been having Gallbladder attacks several times a month for over 15 years. I won't go into the list of things I have done long term that have helped right now, but what definitely helps me when an attack is taking place is Epsom Salts. It is the most vile tasting stuff on Earth, so I put it in capsules and take at least 5, sometimes up to 20, depending on the severity of the attack. I am pretty sensitive by now to how much I need to take. It helps for sure. It also causes the runs, but it's MORE than worth it! It doesn't always work quickly (sometimes it does), but always eventually. The Epsom Salts allows the bile ducts to relax. I am like you, no stones come up on multiple tests and no other issues either, though I have done well over 50 liver flushes and got multiple stones and other CRAZY stuff out of my liver/gallbladder over the years (including parasites). All this has been part of what has worked for me. Now that I am posting I will also say that there is an Amazonian herb called Stonebreaker (Phyllanthus niruri) which is supposed to heal the gallbladder and help remove stones. It has had amazing success rates in studies. I ordered some of this and took it (about a table spoon of powdered herb) during attacks and it definitely seemed to help! This is not the prescribed way to use it. You are meant to use it long term, but I went overseas and didn't take it with me, so I can't report on its long term effects. I will do it again when I get back.
Over the years the severity of my attacks has reduced very substantially... I rarely have an attack these days that has me begging for death, but that used to be very frequent a few years ago.
ACV sometimes helps me a little bit, but not enough to write home about (during an attack). Hot tea with lots of honey is a great help always, if only to calm me down. I sometimes drink litres of this during an attack.
Here are a few other things that have helped during bad attacks:
- enemas
- charcoal
- magnesium tablets (from the pharmacy)
- HOT HOT baths
- massage of area and the same area on the back
- doing a Hulda Clark liver flush during the attack sometimes releases the spasm
- sugar seems to help so sometimes I eat cough lollies if I don't have honey on hand to put in herbal tea.
- hot coffee sometimes can help (I have had no luck with coffee enemas during an attack)
- lying on a very hot surface or using hot water bottles front and back.
- Sounds silly, but sometimes TV is a great distraction during an attack. I don't normally watch it at all, but during an attack the distraction can help the relaxing of the gallbladder area in my experience.
- lying on my left side so the gallbladder can drain is less painful than on the right side normally.
- I used to have a yoga teacher who could stop an attack in its tracks with some very skillful manipulation/massage. It took him about 5 minutes to release the spasm and I was all good! :) Sorry I don't have his details anymore.
I have tried the flax remedy above with no luck, but I know many have benefited from it. Flax tends to make my gallbladder flare up more, whether it's oil or gel or seeds/flour. But that's only me perhaps.
I hope some of this helps. I know the desperation of a bad GB attack and would have loved to have known all this 15 years ago.
I wish you all the best!
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Kelly (Cincinnati, Ohio) on 12/24/2009
To EJ from Middleborro, Ma (12/23/09) something that helped me lessen the pain of a gallbladder attack was to put 1 tbsp of flax seed in a pan w/ 2-1/2 c,of water and boil for 5 minutes. Then pour the top off(containing flax seed oil) and sip. I added a little cinnamon and truvia to taste. It really helped! Also, check out gallbladderattack.com for further info on diet changes. You don't need to grind the flax seed to get the oil out, just boil it for tea, or put a tbsp. of flax seed with a cup of water in a clear jar in the fridge and by morning the water(pure water) will have leached out the oil and will be ready to use( not for cooking). can be used on food as an addition(oatmeal salads,etc.) as a source of omega-3 fatty acids (as there is in fish). gallbladderattack.com has alot of good info for sufferers. they might be able to help you identify triggers as, they can be different from person to person. I felt like I was having a heart attack with mine. don't give up on a naturopath. Google your area and find another one. You may have just gotten one with an attitude (just what you need when you are sick huh.) I hope this helps. Many Blessings.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Ej (Middleboro, Ma) on 12/23/2009
★☆☆☆☆
I'm in the midst of what I believe is a gallbladder attack now that had me in the hospital on Saturday. Ultrsound showed nothing, so they escorted me out. I've never had pain like this, even with kidney stones. I tried Belladonna and followed with acupuncture which seemed to work yesterday, but BD alone is not working today. My acupuncturist is now off for the holiday. I've tried ACV and have been drinking warm apple juice only for days but it doesn't relieve the pain. I've read a lot of literature on flushes and had been using gallstonex (with artichoke) but am concerned about trying to increase bile flow while I have this pain. Not sure what to do at this point. Any suggestions would be welcome. The allopaths don't seem to care.
Lavender Oil
Posted by Jill (Bronx, New York, United States) on 12/17/2009
★★★★★
Biliary Pain (Gallbladder, Sphincter of Oddi, Pancreatitis)
Although I had my gallbladder removed 9 months ago, I still get the classic "attack" pain every now and then. While I will get this checked out with my doctor (it is most likely a 'Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction') in the meantime I discovered a fantastic remedy that relieves the pain within SECONDS.
One drop of pure 100% essential oil of Lavender in a tall glass of water. Sip it slowly and steadily. I went from doubled over and delirious in pain to blissful relief in no less than 30 seconds (and have not had an attack since). I make sure I always have some on hand just in case though. A nice side-effect was it relaxed me so much I enjoyed a lovely afternoon nap! Lavender is on the FDA "GRAS" List (generally recognized as safe) for ingestion. Make sure whatever brand you purchase is 100% pure essential oil (not diluted with jojoba or other carrier oils... those would not be suitable for ingestion).
Pickle Juice
Posted by Lyn (Huntsville, Ohio) on 11/24/2009
★★★★★
Whenever I felt a gall bladder attack coming on, I would drink about a quarter cup of regular (not kosher) dill pickle juice or eat a lemon and I found that within minutes the pain and nausea were gone.
