How to Prevent a Gallstone Attack

Severe, steady, right sided upper abdominal pain can signal a gallstone attack. Annually, up to 25 million adults in the United States may unknowingly harbor tiny gallstones. These can enter the bile duct, obtruct it and quickly develop into an excruciating attack for over 1/3 of those afflicted. The tiny culprits of this pain (ranging in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball) are formed from hardened cholesterol often mixed with bilirubin and calcium. Those with known but silent gallstones or those with a family history can take preventative steps to avoid a gallstone attack.

Instructions

• 1

  Avoid rapid weight loss.

  Avoid obesity. Decrease weight steadily and avoid rapid weight loss. Cholesterol and bile salt amounts increase with weight gain while at the same time weight gain may decrease gallbladder emptying; this creates an optimal environment for a gallstone attack. Slow and steady wins the race, focus on achieving a weight loss of 1 - 2 pounds per week.

• 2

  Consume high fiber foods, fruits and vegetables.

  Watch your diet closely. Avoid refined sugars and increase consumption of high fiber foods along with fresh fruits and vegetables. Consume alcohol, if at all, in moderate amounts. According to the Nurses Health Study, those consuming foods with an increased amount of unsaturated fats (such as nuts and fish) on a regular basis (nuts, 1 ounce, several servings/week) have experienced a lower incidence of gallbladder attacks.

• 3

  Exercise every day for approximately 30 minutes.

  Exercise consistently. Exercising for 30 minutes a day, 7 days per week has been shown, according to Johns Hopkins, to reduce the occurrence of gallbladder symptoms (in addition to keeping obesity at bay).

• 4

  Review your current medications with your doctor.

  Review your current medications with your physician. Pay particular attention to hormone replacement therapies and cholesterol lowering medications as patients taking theses may have an increased risk of gallstones. Do not decrease or discontinue medication use prior to discussion with your doctor.

• 5

  Consider supplementing your healthy diet with vitamins C, E and calcium. According to the Mayo Clinic there is some evidence that those who don't get enough of these vitamins have an increased risk of gallstone attacks. The use of these vitamins to prevent attacks is currently under investigation but it has been theorized that their use may aid in warding off painful gallstone attacks.

• 6

  Discuss taking Ursodiol with your physician. Ursodiol is a naturally occurring bile acid that aids in dissolving cholesterol. It is used by many known to have a high risk of attacks.