How to prevent and treat gallstones? Can gallstones dissolve?

One of the most important elements in preventing gallstones is to ensure the liver produces enough bile and to help the release of bile. The thinner the bile, the easier it empties from the gallbladder. It is important to maintain a nutritious, balanced diet. For breakfast, it is advisable to eat soft-boiled eggs, bacon and toast with butter, all of which “call upon” the gallbladder and help empty the bile produced during the night. Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper.

The main symptoms of gallstones:

bloating,
crampy stomach, bile spasm
pain under the right rib cage,
stabbing pain radiating into the back
diarrhoea or constipation.

What can someone who has already developed gallstones do?

Taking bile acids and possibly bitter substances containing herbs
Consuming bile acids can relieve symptoms and even dissolve up to 10-15 mm of the so-called soft cholesterol stone.
A less stressful lifestyle can reduce the symptoms of gallstones.

"My daughter had biliary spasms every three months, she started taking GALLMET, she takes two a day, since then, she hasn't had biliary spasms for 3 years."
Zita B.

Bile stone dissolution

Principle: reversing the process of stone formation by restoring the altered ratio of bile constituents.

Two important bile acids are formed in the liver, whose role is to keep otherwise water-insoluble fats in emulsion. In cases where gallstones are formed from cholesterol crystals, they can be made soluble by taking capsules containing bile acids of high purity (urzo or chenodeoxycholic acid).

What to watch out for during gallstone dissolution?

First of all, patience is required, as the stone formation takes months and it is not possible to dissolve it immediately.
The duration of treatment depends on the size, type and number of stones. The expected duration of therapy can range from a few months to a year.

Which gallstones are suitable for gallstone dissolution?

It is mainly cholesterol-containing stones that can be dissolved. These are recognisable by the fact that they are not visible on X-rays taken without contrast material (the X-ray beam is transmitted), but are clearly visible on ultrasound. Floating stones are particularly suitable for lithotripsy.

Further rules for chemical bile leaching:

the size of the stone should not exceed 1-2 cm;
the stone should be smaller than half the size of the gallbladder;
a well-functioning gallbladder: it should be able to contract strongly when you eat;
the bile ducts must be free of stones and freely passable;
in the case of gallstone dissolution, you should check with the doctor supervising the gallstone dissolution what medicines you can take during the gallstone dissolution

"I have been taking GALLMET capsules for 2 years. I have had numerous biliary polyps, between 3 and 8 mm. On the last ultrasound the doctor only saw 1 polyp of 5 mm."
Hedvig B.

The benefits of gallstone dissolution

The safety and efficacy of gallstone dissolution with bile acids, without significant side effects, have been demonstrated in several international clinical studies in more than 10,000 patients.

During this treatment

the gallbladder is preserved, avoiding surgery;
no need to fear surgical risks and complications;
the treatment is painless and the patient can continue with their daily work.
symptoms of gallstones are relieved while taking bile acids: bloating, pain under the right ribcage, pain radiating into the back, constipation, etc.
We recommend drinking 2-3 litres of non-carbonated and additive-free drinking water a day.

Treatment effectiveness: can be effective in 60-70% of cases. Ultrasonography, possibly supplemented by contrast media X-ray, is a suitable method to check for stone size reduction. Follow-up examinations are recommended every 3-6 months. Pregnancy should be avoided during this period.

How are gallstones developed?

Gallstones are formed when the bile in the gallbladder up and becomes a saturated solution and if, any reason, a few broken cells get mixed in it, small crystals begin to precipitate on them. These are then deposited in the form of small bile polyps on the inner wall of the gallbladder. Over time, more and more layers are deposited.

What are the causes of gallstone formation?

One of the main causes is genetics, inherited primarily by women within the same family.
It is also common in women during pregnancy, further influenced by lifestyle and diet.
Another reason may be the insufficient intake of clean, non-carbonated and additive-free water, the proper water or general fluid intake being 3 but minimum 2 litres per day.
Excessive fat intake may be the most common cause. Being overweight and having high cholesterol levels make people more susceptible to developing gallstones.
On the other hand, people on certain diets may also be at risk if they do not consume sufficient amount of fat or oil in their food to stimulate the gallbladder and produce adequate bile.
In summary, genetics, malnutrition and liver dysfunction are the principal causes of gallstone formation.