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 Theherbwitch (Camden, Sc, Usa) on 06/24/2012
I used to own 3 herb stores, and I have assisted many, many, people (including myself), in removal of gallstones through diet/herb combinations. Not only is it highly probable that you can be successful doing this, you must also realize that rarely does one remove the stones from more than one bile duct at a time using a cleanse. Therefore, it is necessary (and most people do NOT like this) to REPEAT the cleanse once every other month for a few months, in order to get rid of the stones, then go on an herbal maintenance program to address the cholesterol issues one had to have in the first place for the stones to form. The bile ducts are like "fingers"between the liver and gall bladder. When the stones block this opening, this is when an "attack" occurs. Also, cleaning the colon FIRST is not optional, as you can get very sick if you don't. Ihaveseen many, many people do a cleanse, get rid of a JARFUL of stones, then go back to their old dietary habits and change nothing, then are shocked when they have to have a gall bladder removed, on an emergency basis, because it is diseased and dysfunctional.
Chanca Piedra
Posted by D. Jones (Seaford De, De) on 05/29/2012
★★★★★
Just wanted to say that I have been using Chanca Piedra for 2 years and it should be the first option in my opinion. I have used high doses of vit C as well as Chanca Piedra, lethicin, and magnesium for gallstones. I tried many things but Chanca and vit C would be my first move as well as lethicin and magnesium. Also I started to lessen the chanca after some time and added biotin and fenugreek which is good for diabetes as well. Of course a healthy diet and lower fat intake is a must. Having gone through the attacks and what I call the heats, I wouldn't be without the Chanca and C. It took me 6 months to find out about these supplements and I hate to see someone else suffer needlessly. I used the 400 mg of Chanca 3x's a day till relief then cut back to once a day, maybe 2 if I had any fatty meal or snacks, I love walnuts. And I started out at 1000 mg of C 3x's a day, probably could take more. Somebody advised me on the C and I believe that to be a huge help too. Taurine is something to look into as well. Hope this helps someone as well, the cleansing did not help me so this was a blessing when I got this info.
Castor Oil Packs
Posted by Connie (Houston, Texas) on 05/25/2012
★★★★★
My husband was rushed to the ER with extreme pain and said it was as severe a pain as a kidney stone he passed eight years earlier. A CT scan showed many gallstones, some too large to ever pass, and much inflammation. While existing on pain meds while waiting until Monday ( on a week-end of course) to see his doctor we remembered hearing about castor oil packs especially for gallbladder attacks. We got online and got instructions. He had three in two days and the pain had begun to fade by the end of the first treatment. No more pain and he followed up with another remedy: a daily glass of natural apple juice (the kind you can't see through) and a spoonful of virgin olive oil for a month. This happened in July 2009 and two physical exams since then have shown no problem at all. Hurray!
Swedish Bitters
Posted by Jan (Se Q'ld, Australia) on 05/20/2012
★★★★★
Hi, I notice you don't YET have a segment for SWEDISH BITTERS. I would like to see it as to me it is a medicine chest in a bottle as it helps so many ailments.
I've seen a person healed of pain in just 5 or 6minutes from Gallbladder stones pain attack. Amazing results after a tbspn of the Swedish Bitters brown liquid in a little water, swallowed and then the application of SB Compress over the pain area.
I've seen my husband's knee healed after an accident and application of compress on his knee for an hour or so, for a few days in a row. I've had a badly sprained ankle heal overnight with the application of a Swedish Bitters compress. I am never without it in my medicine cabinet, bathroom and kitchen.
Hope this can help someone.
Apples
Posted by Nicole (Sydney, Australia) on 01/31/2012
★★★★★
A few years ago I was diagnosed with Gall Stones and was having to sleep upright on the couch due to the reflux. My doctor said well all we can do is schedule you in for an operation to remove your Gall Bladder as if we just remove the stones they will eventually come back. I argued that I didn't want a part of my body removed for no real good reason but doctor knows best, right? There was a waiting list at the hospital so I suffered for about 4 weeks until my operation date and in the meantime a colleague at work noticed I wasn't in the best health and asked me what was wrong and I told her. The next day she came to me and said she had mentioned me to her Chilean Grandmother who passed on this old folk cure for me to try.
You need to eat a minimum of 8 big apples in a 24 hour period (green are the best as they are the most acidic but you can mix it up).
Starting at breakfast on day one, eat nothing but raw apples for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Day two repeat as per day one. On day two before you go to bed drink 2/3 cup of virgin olive oil, follow this with a 1/3 cup of lemon juice (to get the oil out of your mouth). Then go to sleep on your right side for the night. Freshly squeezed apple juice and herbal teas are ok for these 2 days but don't skimp on the apples, the more the better.
The acid in the apples will break down the gallstones naturally and the olive oil will help with the elimination of the broken down stones. This is amazing and worked for me so well that my awful symptoms immediately passed and I could lie down in my bed again to sleep that 2nd night.
I went to my pre-op appointment and when the nurse asked how I am I said I'm fine now, the stones are gone. She didn't believe me until another ultrasound showed I was all clear! She then asked me how I did it and said she would tell a relative of hers about it.
Unsurprisingly the doctor didn't believe a word of my story and just said there must have been a mistake in my original ultrasound to which I replied "I've not mistaken the pain I've been in the past few weeks, it was real and now it's completely gone". I still have both ultrasounds and my whole body is intact. I do the apple diet every year as a preventative although my diet has also changed for the better so therefore I don't expect to have Gall Stones ever again.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Jon (Salt Lake City, Utah) on 01/14/2012
I had my first Gallbladder Issue a year and a half ago, I thought it was the cholesterol so I went vegan. But even eating raw veggies and alternate protein sources I still had to do flushes often. I even got my biggest stone (larger than a quarter) when I was vegan. Soo.... I think it has to do more with healthy bile rather than low cholesterol levels. Lately I am trying raw goats milk, salmon, and a chinese herb gold coin grass. As well as yoga and meditation. I'll see what happens. Lol
Parsley
Posted by Erika (Oakland, Ca) on 01/08/2012
Just so women know, parsley tea will often bring on menses in a non-preganant woman if she is late on her cycle for stress or hormonal reasons. So be aware the while the tea may help your gall bladder, it may also bring an early or unexpected menstrual period.
Peppermint
Posted by Molly (Qualicum, Bc Canada) on 11/10/2011
★★★★★
I read Andreas Moritz book on the "Amazing Liver & Gallbladder Flush". It is an excellent tool to help get rid of stones. Lately I found the enteric coated peppermint capsules have almost been a miracle. They are supposed to help dissolve the stones, plus the pain is gone within about 15 minutes. You have to take them in between meals on an empty stomach. Sometimes I just take them in the middle of the night if I wake up. Gold Coin Grass tincture helps (available from SensibleHealth. Com) and some of their other tinctures help clear the congested bile. Another good site is GallbladderAttack.com
Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Apple Juice
Posted by Seema (Delhi, New Delhi) on 10/19/2011
My mother suffering from gallbladder stones- stone size is 3mm or 4mm 8-9 stones. She was 60 years old, weight is 29 kg, heart -patient, high b. P, aurthrities, heap-replacement surgery is already done in june 2011. In that time we prefer only naturalpathy. We see your site and started apple, ginger, clove, cinnamon juice only two spoons. It sufficent or this thing is remove gallbladder stones. Tell me the proper quantity or if it's effective or not.
Produce Bile
Posted by Susan (Denver, Co) on 10/07/2011
BEETS, BEET GREENS, RAW OR COOKED (DAILY FOR ME) THINS THE BILE. I HAVE IT EVERY MORNING, FIRST THING. SUCH A RELIEF!
General Feedback
Posted by Molly (Qualicum Beach, Bc Canada) on 09/28/2011
The best advice I ever got about the gallstones that were causing me problems was from a book by Andreas Moritz called "The Amazing Liver & Gallbladder Flush". I cannot stress what a difference this book has made to my life. He explains how to flush stones out of your liver and gallbladder. It will save you lots of cash and visits to the hospital.
Gravel Root
Posted by Goat Lady (Marietta, Ohio/us) on 08/02/2011
★★★★★
Since a major gall stone attack about 10 years ago, every summer my family collects Joe Pye Weed (Gravel Root) and makes green drink from it as well as drying some for winter usage. Now if I get a tell-tale twinge, I start taking apple juice to soften the stones and have a glass of gravel root tea each day for a few days to dissolve them. It works every time. I'm not even aware when they pass. (I also try to do the kidney-gall bladder flush each fall.)
In addition, we collect the gravel root each August and feed it to our dairy goats. We lost a buck about 15 years ago to kidney stones. Haven't had a case since. Also, a friend cleared up his kidney stones and has had no more. He was seeing a doctor every few months and was told he would have to for the rest of his life. Now he drinks a glass or two a week of the tea and has had no trouble for 2-3 years plus his general health has improved.
All parts of the plant are useful, but we don't mess with the roots because they are a pain to clean. We collect the plants from along creeks and country roadsides when their flowers are their brightest pink. (They are truly pink, NOT purplish. ) The following website has a good picture of the plant although the color is somewhat washed out. The flower head can be very conical. I suspect it is forming seeds: www.altnature.com/gallery/joe_pye_weed.htm.
Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Apple Juice
Posted by James P. (Fargo, Nd) on 05/19/2011
★★★★★
The prep was easy, the mixes were pretty nasty tasting, but afterward I only felt minor "gurgling" on right flank.... Nothing painful or extraordinary. The next day I had a pretty serious case of diarrhea and released about 100 m&m sized green pellets. I couldn't believe it!! It's hard to believe that a natural, non-invasive and $12 solution to this problem exists! I'm going to try it again in a month, to rehydrate myself and to prevent a low in potassium! Thanks everyone!
Chanca Piedra
Posted by Celt33 (Toronto, On, Canada) on 05/15/2011
★★★★★
L. M. I have been using the Chanca Piedra from AOR for about 2 weeks now and about 90% of the symptoms are gone. I take one capsule 3 times a day on an empty stomach.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Liz (Irving, Tx) on 04/22/2011
★★★☆☆BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
Hi, this is Liz, I'm responding to my own post to let you know what's happened to me since I made that first post.
About two days after I made that post I passed a huge gallstone that had been slowly working it's way out, and obviously making me feel nauseous and terrible while doing so. I was sitting on the couch feeling horrible, then, boom! Felt it pass, got a lot of gurgling sounds from up around my gallbladder area and instantly felt much better! Nausea gone! Yay!
A couple days after that I did my first Liver Flush with olive oil and lemon juice. I flushed out over a 1/4 cup of pee sized to almost marble sized stones. I have done three more since then, and durring the third I was amazed when I flushed out two huge stones that were between the size gumballs and golfballs. I couldn't believe it, especially since I hadn't felt any pain or discomfort while doing the flush. I was still passing around the same amount of stones, around a 1/4 or so each time. The last flush I did I didn't pass any at all, which is kinda suspicious considering that in all the ones I'd done before I had passed so many. But I do feel better, so I'm going wait and do another one and see what happens then.
I didn't realize that by doing these flushes you're also giving your body a really good detox. Your liver can hold a lot of toxins so if you do a flush it's likely going to release some of them. So if anyone out there is doing one of these flushes and it makes you feel worse or feel kinda sick afterwards, it might not be that it's made you worse, it could be detox. Remember to drink lots of water to help flush everything out and keep up on your electrolytes and it will pass faster and make you feel better.
Also I wanted to say that I've found that taking 4 Tablespoons of Epsom Salt was WAY too much for me. My mother and have had the same amount of success with only taking 2 teaspoons - 1 tablespoon once in the evening and then once again in the morning. But of course everybody's different, so that might not work for you.
I have had No Problems Whatsoever with taking ACV or Apple Juice since passing that first gallstone, and I take back everything I said about it making me feel sick and nauseous. It's actually very good and recommended for nausea and stomach problems becuase it settles the stomach and is good for your body.
Thank you. Good luck to all of you, and thank you so much to everyone who has posted their stories here, you've helped me so much! - Liz
Chanca Piedra
Posted by L.m. (Redding, California) on 04/06/2011
Several years ago I had an ultrsound done and they found that I have four large gallstones about 2cm in size. Of course my doctor wanted me to have my gallbladder taken out but I would not consent. Over the years I have done numerous liver/gallbladder flushes but these gallstones are to big to flush. I would like to dissolve them and I want to find out what the best formula for doing this is. I am not only interested in the formula/substance but also want to know the science behind how it works.
A friend of mine who is into natural remidies recomended a South American herb called Chanca Piedra which he said translates as "break stone. " I can't find any dosage information or instructions on the most effective way to use it. I have made tea with it but am considering putting it into capsules. If you have information regarding this herb and the most effective way to take it I would be interested. I am also interested if you know of any other substance that would dissolve these monster stones I have.
Sincerely, L.M.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Liz (Irving, Tx) on 04/05/2011
Hello, I have been having gallstone issues for the past month and a half without realizing it for the first month, then after the pain and nausea became so bad that it drove me to the hospital I found out that I either had gallstones or gastritis. I started doing some research and started taking Lecithin, Magnesium, Milk Thistle, Burdock Root, Cinnamon and Ginger.
And it all started to go away very quickly, and I could actually feel the stones moving through the ducts and out!
Then about a week ago I heard about Apple Juice, and I wanted to do as much as I could to disolve the gallstones as quickly as possible so I tried it - but it upset my stomach and gave me diarrhea so bad that I had to stop. (My mother told me it did the same thing when I was a baby, so she wasn't surprised. ) And the nausea started to go away immediately after stopping it.
Then I noticed a few days ago that I was having horrible Heat Intolerance in 80 degree weather and other symptoms of low electrolytes- dizziness, confusion, faitigue- and I was having symptoms of Malabsorbsion from the very beginning- so I started taking apple cider vinegar to replenish my electrolytes and liquide multi-vitamines to help my body absorb them better. But I think the apple cider vinegar has made my nausea come back just as strong as before!
When I stopped the apple juice, the nausea went away. Now that I'm taking the apple cider vinegar it's come back, and I can barely eat anything!
I feel much better when I take it, and I haven't had any painful or uncomfortable feelings in my gallbladder area for two days now. I feel almost completely normal except for the upset stomach, and there is now a burning/clawing sensation going on in my stomach along with it that I think is a symptom of high stomach acid caused by the apple cider vinegar.
I'm worried that if I stop the apple cider vinegar I will run low on electrolytes again, and since I'm still not digesting my food all the way so I know that is still a possiblity.
Is there anything I can take with the apple cider vinegar to stop the nausea? I've heard about taking baking soda with it. Does that work?
Olive Oil and Lemon Juice, Dietary Changes
Posted by Kimberly (Minneapolis, Mn) on 02/07/2011
Hi Dan. Just to let you know, the cholesterol in your gall bladder and gallstones is produced in your own liver. It is not the cholesterol that we may or may not choose to ingest.
Olive Oil and Lemon Juice, Dietary Changes
Posted by Dan (Hollywood, Fl, U.S.A.) on 09/04/2010
★★★★☆
I have been flushing my gallbladder on occasion for the last approximately 18 years simply using 10-12 ounces of olive oil taken a few ounces every 15 minutes followed by a sip of lemon juice.
I am a 52 year-old male, 6 ft. Tall, 150 pounds. I have been a Vegan for 27 years, eating a mostly raw food diet. Yet, I still get a gallbladder full of
Gallstones periodically (twice in the last 4 years.) I had always attributed this to occasionally eating foods cooked in oil or roasted nuts, as these indulgences would result in either a gallbladder attack or extreme discomfort. However, everything I have been reading says that these green wax-like stones are comprised mainly of cholesterol which my girlfriend informed me only comes from animal products. Therefore my experience tells me that the cholesterol theory may be incomplete. In my search to eliminate gallstone producing fats from my diet I stopped eating "raw" cashews because they are heated in the shelling process and so are actually not raw. Does anyone have any ideas on why non-cholesterol eating people get gallstones?
Milk Thistle, Dandelion
Posted by Glight (Hattiesburg, Ms, Usa) on 05/13/2010
★★★★★
For Maria in Shreveport--I have had Gallbladder problems as well. I have wonderful success with Milk Thistle and Dandelion. You can find the two as a mixture in capsule form in a good Vitamin Store. I also take a high grade Acidoph at night on empty stomach,and ACV in my water bottle-about a teaspoon for half litre. I drink 2 a day. She may also check for gluten sensitivity and too much omega 6. Good Luck!
Mustard
Posted by Tanya (Hailey, Id) on 09/30/2009
★★★★★
I suffered unusual pain in my upper right abdomen and just thought about it for 36 hours wondering what it could be. Remembering my mom's problems with her gallbladder, I thought I'd try her sworn remedy. I purchased some ground mustard and opened it in the car to take some - about 1/4 teaspoon using the foil top as a spoon.. Got home, drank a ton of water! Craving my homemade white bean, tomato, corn soup and wanting more of the mustard in a palatable form, I dumped 1 tsp in each of 2 good bowls of the soup. I also bought a bunch of organic cherry tomatoes I was craving. I ate it wondering if I ate too much.. Then took a hot bath, dressed up really warm, sweating everywhere, put a magnet on my side, went to bed and woke up pain-free. Completely. I am surprised I had this issue because I try hard to listen to my body but I read that my diet may have contributed to it - and severe stress. "Thank you mom!" (June 1923- October 2008)
Milk Thistle, Dandelion, Magnesium
Posted by JLlerenas (Ventura, CA, USA) on 04/19/2009
Have you considered that the stones passed are from more than just the Gall bladder? So it's really not that preposterous, just not well understood. This is not a claim of veracity either or of proof that they are stones. Thanks for your post, it supplement's Ted's post well.
