Treat Gallbladder Disease

Lots of medical issues cause stomach pain, and you may be wondering if your gallbladder is the problem. Gallstones and cholecystitis – inflammation of the gallbladder – are relatively common diseases. It’s important to catch gallbladder disease early to get treatment and minimize your risk of complications. If possible, prevent gallbladder disease by eating healthy and maintaining a healthy weight. If you do have symptoms, see your doctor to get diagnosed and referred to a hospital or specialist, take your medications, and have surgery if necessary.

Steps

Seeking Medical Care

1. See your doctor if you have pain after eating. The most common indication of cholecystitis is pain after you eat, especially after eating a large or fatty meal. The pain is usually in your upper right abdomen. See your doctor if this occurs regularly or suddenly.
   • The pain can sometimes also be felt in your right shoulder, between your shoulder blades on your back, or in the center of your abdomen just below your breastbone. It may also feel tender when you touch your abdomen. Pain can last from a few minutes to hours.
   • You may also have nausea, vomiting, or a fever (a temperature of 100.4°F/38°C or higher).
   • Cholecystitis is often caused by gallstones that block the bile duct and cause bile build-up in the gallbladder. It’s important to see your doctor to resolve the problem and prevent complications like gallbladder rupture.
2. Get emergency medical care if you have severe abdominal pain. Seek emergency care if you have stomach or abdominal pain that is so severe you can’t sit still or get comfortable. This can be a sign of a serious illness that needs prompt treatment. Have someone drive you to the hospital, or call emergency services for help.
   • If you get a high fever of 104°F/40°C or higher, or the whites of your eyes turn yellow, call for emergency care.
3. Check yourself into the hospital. If your doctor thinks you have cholecystitis they may send you to the hospital or refer you to a gastroenterologist – a doctor who specializes in the digestive system. Most treatments for gallbladder disease involve staying in the hospital for a few days. Doctors will want to monitor your signs and symptoms, and try to decrease the inflammation in your gallbladder. This is a normal course of action, so don’t worry.
   • Mild symptoms usually subside in a day or two, though sometimes surgery is necessary.

Treating Gallstones

1. Fast if your doctor says to. Your doctor will probably suggest you don’t eat or drink anything for a little while, usually a few days, to take stress off of your gallbladder. If you have very mild symptoms and are told you don’t need hospitalization, drink water and eat small meals that are very low in fat. Usually you’ll be in the hospital, and the doctors will control what food you get.
   • You might need to get IV (intravenous, or into your vein) fluids so you don’t get dehydrated.
2. Take your medications as directed. If you have an infection in your gallbladder, you will need antibiotics. Take them exactly as prescribed. Your doctor may also give you pain medication to make you more comfortable. Use these only as directed, and don’t take more than your doctor tells you to.
3. Have surgery, if necessary. Cholecystitis often comes back and can sometimes be severe, so you may need surgery to remove your gallbladder. When you have surgery will depend on how serious your symptoms are – sometimes it will be within two days of seeing your doctor, but other times you may be able to wait a little while. If a tumor is causing your gallbladder problems, you will need to have it removed.
   • Most gallbladder surgeries are done with small instruments and cameras through tiny incisions (laparoscopic surgery), so you won’t even have big scars.
   • You don’t need your gallbladder! Other parts of your body can take over your gallbladder’s job once it’s removed.
4. Take it easy for two weeks after surgery. You should be able to return to your normal activities in about two weeks if you have laparoscopic surgery. In the mean time, take time off of work to rest. Don't drive for the first week. Incorporate slow walking into your day after a few days of rest, and gradually increase your activity. Start eating a normal, healthy diet when you get home from the hospital. Ask your doctor if you have any specific questions about recovery.
   • Ask your doctor for recovery guidelines if you have open surgery. Open surgery requires more extensive recovery than laparoscopic surgery.
5. Take medicine to dissolve gallstones if you can’t have surgery. If you can’t have surgery for some reason, ask your doctor about medications. The medications ursodiol (Actigall) and chenodiol (Chenix) can dissolve some kinds of gallstones, but this can take months or even years to work. Your gallstones might also return once the treatment is stopped, so this options isn’t the best choice if you can have surgery instead.
6. Ask if you qualify for shock wave treatment. Only about 15% of people with gallstones can successfully use shockwave treatment, called extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy. This uses painless shock waves to break up stones while you sit in a bath.
   • Ask your doctor if this may work for you. It’s most effective if you have only one gallstone that’s smaller than 2cm in diameter.
7. Discuss the risks and benefits of a gallbladder cleanse with your doctor. Alternative medicine practitioners suggest a gallbladder cleanse to break up gallstones – a mix of olive oil, herbs, and fruit juice (there’s no set specific recipe). There’s no data showing these work, and they may be risky to your health. Talk to your doctor first if you're interested in trying one.

Diagnosing and Preventing Gallbladder Disease

1. Participate in diagnostic testing. Go to the hospital prepared to participate in testing. You will probably have a blood sample taken, and they may look at your gallbladder with an ultrasound machine or CT scan. Do these important tests as soon as your doctor recommends it.
   • You may also need a HIDA scan – a test that watches how bile moves in and out of your gallbladder. This involves injecting radioactive dye into your body. Tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney problems before this test.
   • A procedure call ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) can both diagnose and remove gallstones. It does not remove your gallbladder.
2. Maintain a healthy weight. Overweight people are at greatest risk of getting gallstones. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight by limiting your calorie intake and doing aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes 5 days a week.
   • Lose weight slowly to limit your risk of getting gallstones. Aim to lose 1-2 pounds (0.5-1 kilogram) a week.
3. Eat a low-fat, high-fiber diet. Eating fatty foods raises your risk of getting gallstones. Eat healthy by limiting the fat in your diet, and eating a lot of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
   • Base your meals on whole grain pasta and rice with fresh vegetables. Eat low-fat proteins like salmon and skinless chicken. If you eat red meat, choose lean cuts and only have small portions.
   • Keep a regular meal schedule and don’t skip meals. Fasting can increase your risk for gallstones.

Tips

• Some gallstones that don’t cause symptoms will never need treatment. If you experience mild symptoms, talk to your doctor about your next step.

Warnings

• You’re at higher risk of getting gallstones if you’re pregnant, overweight, female and over age 40, have diabetes, take medicine containing estrogen like the birth control pill, or have liver disease. Be alert for symptoms of gallbladder disease.
• Gallbladder cancer is very rare, but it’s more common in people who have gallbladder disease. If you have symptoms of gallstones or cholecystitis, get treatment for it quickly to prevent complications.

Sources and Citations

See also

• Stay Regular
• Eat After an IBD Flare
• Choose a Gastroenterologist
• Diagnose Allergic Colitis in Babies
• Deal With Constipation
• Relieve Constipation Quickly and Naturally
• Reduce Excess Stomach Acid
• Get Rid of a Belly Ache from Too Much Junk Food
• Stop Stomach Problems
• Force a Burp

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