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.
Lettuce
Posted by Angela (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) on 05/26/2008
★★★★★
I had about 15 atleast gallbladder attacks in 2 weeks -hospitalized one night as well and they wanted to take out the gallbladder for my "diamonds" gallstones which I'd had for 16 yrs. at least with no probs. except very sick in my 4 pregnancies because of excess bile... The attacks started due to taking digestive enzymes for 2 days and then going off them. The attacks began the next night with coleslaw, sausages, and saurkraut ..but continued for the next 2 weeks pretty much whatever I ate. In my worst attack I practically crawled to the computer to earthclinic.com. The 1/2 cup lettuce cure came up with 2 yeas. Sent son running to store for it and 20 mins. later after eating the 1/2 c. I had complete relief. As one writer speculated that it stimulated the liver to produce digestive enzymes that would stop the body from calling on the gallbladder to produce digestive bile.. So for the next 24 hrs. I ate nothing but iceberg lettuce -lots of it - and slices of organic apple. The next day I tried out eating whatever I wanted which had caused attacks throughout the prev. 2 wks. (except the cabbage/sausages -bad memory!) Even McDonald's failed to give me an attack. I am so thrilled with this cure of course!
Hearing once recently that digestive enz help people lose a lot of weight, I wonder if the stimulation of the liver a couple times a day with particularly iceberg lettuce (as it's supposed to work the best rather than other lettuces) would be a natural weight loss cure as well? I know it seems to make less of the slight puff around my ankles -more definition. So it might also help with fluid retention. As well my new pretty set wrinkles of 6 mos. ago have almost completely disappeared within a few days of ingesting 3x per day atleast (vertical ones beneath my eyes -not the crow's feet). Try it and I'd love to hear your feedback as I'm a personal trainer and would love to see if it helps people lose weight -at least it brings down the glycemic index of each meal you eat it with some.
Orange Juice
Posted by La Saundra (Montgomery, AL) on 08/11/2006
★★★★★
At the first sign of a gall bladder attack/Biliary Colic, I run for the orange juice or an orange. Every cholestoral Rx I've been prescribed, so far, causes my attacks!
Taurine, Lemon Juice
Posted by KB (Western Australia) on 05/05/2025
★★★★★
Gallbladder Attack Solution
I awoke to what I suspected was a gallbladder attack. I went to juice green apples a 250ml glass at a time with a glug of apple cider vinegar. Drank a few glasses of these until I tried the next solution. This consisted of 2 teaspoons of Taurine powder with a little water followed by the juice of one lemon only ( no water). This was done a couple of times and all the gallbladder pain dissipated and I was back to feeling no pain. What a relief.
Oatmeal
Posted by Carol (Georgetown, USA) on 01/21/2024
★★★★★
Gallbladder Attack
Eating oatmeal will push the bile through the bile tube and clean out the blocked stone. I have done this and it worked.
Chanca Piedra
Posted by mmsg (somewhere, europe) on 10/15/2023
Bill, or anyone else, would you know if chanca piedra would remove or minimize gallbladder polyps?
Peppermint Essential Oil, ACV
Posted by KB (Western Australia) on 06/20/2022
★★★★★
On the body over the pain area, rub peppermint essential oil to move the gallstones from the outside. It will penetrate into the body and help move the stones. I did this along with taking freshly juiced green apple juice and apple cider vinegar. Worked a treat.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Karen (Arkansas ) on 11/17/2018
Thank you so much. I will try the lecithin to keep on hand. I'm just 6 days from surgery, and eating moderately..so far-so good. No digestion problem yet, just getting all the poisons out of system from all the drugs from the surgery.
Lavender Oil
Posted by Anna (Evans, CO) on 09/06/2014
★★★★★
Wow. After supper last night my sister had another severe gallbladder attack. We already ran out of pain pills and after $4000+ in urgent care bills she decided she didn't want to spend that much again just for acetaminophen. After searching the web we tried the Apple Cider Vinegar/Apple Juice mixture. After 3 minutes she threw it up sending her into worse pain then before. We tried the ACV and apple juice once before to try to help with the pain and she had the same reaction, vomiting and worse pain. Then we saw the one comment about 1 drop of PURE ESSENTIAL OIL OF LAVENDER IN A TALL GLASS OF WATER SIPPED SLOWLY BUT STEADILY. She said it tastes terribly bitter but Praise the Lord, within 5 minutes the pain level went from 10 down to 7 and she stopped shaking from the pain. Thank you so much Jim for sharing your discovery of this use for Lavender oil. I hope the ACV and apple juice works for those of your reading this, but if not please try the lavender oil. I'm so glad we did!
Pickle Juice
Posted by Francesca (London) on 07/09/2023
Trying to avoid fat (the staying slim thing), is a killer for the gallbladder. And slows down bowel movements too, making everything feel worse. A teaspoon of olive oil with my lunch salad or sandwich really sorts things out on the gallbladder/digestive front for me. Then I try to manage the fear of being "fat ":-/ I know....I also use artichoke capsules, peppermint tea and chamomile in case of spastic attacks which come on if I am anxious or repress stuff, or eat a little too much.
Pickle Juice
Posted by M girl (Md) on 10/13/2021
For Tanzie…..you might research chance piedra on this site
Flax Seeds
Posted by Kim (Louisville Ohio) on 05/31/2014
★★★★★
The flax seed tea worked so well, thank you!
Triggers
Posted by Rebecca (Co, US) on 04/14/2014
★★★★★
I found that my attacks were brought on my a combo of stress (huge!!!! ), not drinking enough water, and eating a large meal late in the evening with lots of salad and dairy fats, my favorite combo. Too hard to digest. Under advice of a naturopath I take lecithin, vitamin C, fish oil, and GB 6 which is a chinese herb blend. I ditched dairy and coffee and drink green tea, which is a calmative, and I have been symptom and pain free for a year. And, I'm healthier than I've been in ages. My GB was the canary in the coal mine for me. I find that stress really triggers spasms. If I feel spasms coming on, I sip a little cider vinegar in juice, and I take a percocet which my primary doc prescribed in case of attack. In addition to helping with the sudden onset of debilitating pain, it has muscle relaxing properties that can help calm the spasming before it gets full-blown.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Erika (Atlanta, Ga) on 03/20/2014
★★★★★
I came across this site when looking for feedback on something I discovered by accident. I too have to watch fats in my diet because of gallbladder pain.
Recently I began having plain yogurt in the mornings mixed with a little honey (for flavor). I have been amazed at the positive impact it has had on my digestion and my gallbladder. Hope this helps.
White Vinegar in Orange Juice
Posted by Elizabeth (Fenton Michigan) on 12/27/2013
★★★★★
OMG! My husband looked this up but I refused. About 1/2 hour ago I was ready to leave Disney to go to the ER. My son mixed 1 spoon full of white vinegar with some apple juice and my pain went from a 12 to a 6!!!! I'm on my second small glass and am able to type this. I'm absolutely flabbergasted!! I was ready to go to ER! I just can't believe it stopped excrutiating pain that quick. So, if you think you need this.... Please try! It really worked
White Vinegar in Orange Juice
Posted by Chad (Pennsylvania) on 06/21/2013
★★★★★
My wife had a severe attack and the pain was killing her she said worse than giving birth and we didn't have any apple juice or Apple Cider Vinegar and it was late so no stores were open but I did have two oranges and some white vinegar so I made her some fresh squeezed oj with white vinegar and within 5 minutes the pain was gone. It was absolutely amazing. Thanks for all the different posts, it was a life saver.
Apple Juice
Posted by Steve (Las Vegas) on 09/03/2013
For a severe gallbladder attack I have found that nothing works faster than a TBSP of epsom salt in an 8oz glass of warm water with a little of your favorite juice mixed in to make it taste better. Lie on your right side immediately after drinking with your legs pulled up. You should feel relief within 30min or less. Be sure a bathroon is never too far away because it will clean you out. A full liver/gallbladder cleanse is something you want to plan for soon. Recipes are on google.
Pickle Juice
Posted by Charity (faithville, Us) on 05/14/2022
Cody this is not much information to reply to. Ginger will soothe the gut and little lemon in water. If you are low on salt it can make you nauseas. If you are low bile from producing cortisol from stress~ you will not be able to digest food.
Not sure what you eat but certain foods need different things to break them down. Bromelain, papaya tabs, bile, Hydrochloric acid, microbes from Kefir, magnesium shortage will affect valve in esophagus, and it won't close.
Copper shortage can allow parasites to grow in stomach ~as can low acid. B vitamins are normally created in the gut but if you have an unhealthy gut, it may be hard to absorb a supplement, nutritional yeast is full of B vitamins. If this is auto immune, you may be low water and mineral balance may be off, creating histamine response. Stones are painful, chance Piedra nickname is stonebreaker. Baking soda can be taken ~ dose on box says how much for stomach and immune issues. The liver requires healthy fats to create bile to absorb food. Stress will stop digestion. Soy lecithin granules remove bad fats from organs and feed brain choline and inositol for memory. L taurine removes msg and helps our bodies recover from toxins. Hope you find solution.
I start most days with milk thistle and tall glass of water and end most days with a tall glass of water. Leave water out for an hour uncovered to dissipate chlorine. Sometimes relationships can cause nausea. Could be a bowel blockage in that case an enema or colace, store brand is less expensive. Virus can cause nausea- lysine and zinc. I usually hit any cold like problem with hydrogen peroxide on a q tip in each ear until the fizzle stops and then repeat.
That is a small list of things I have tried, depends on what is the root of the issue. Only you can know that.
Ted's Remedies, Digestive Problems (earthclinic.com)
Probiotics
Posted by Icia (Manila, Philippines) on 01/18/2012
★★★★★
I found out I had gallstones about 5 months ago. I had to change my lifestyle completely, as a teenager that sucks big time.
The doctor told me to take Buscopan (Over the counter med) when I get an attack, it works SOMETIMES. Its main job is to relax the gallbladder, but then since it is a tablet it takes a LONG time to work, sometimes it never does. :/
When I feel a bit full after a meal I immediately drink YAKULT (a probiotic drink), I dunno why but 90% of time I drink this, I don't get an attack whether I eat something a bit fatty. :) So I hope it works for others too!
Apple juice ACV: I will try this next time I get an attack!
Thank you! :) Hope it works for me! :)
Garden Greens
Posted by Lynn (Gulfport, Fl) on 12/21/2011
★★★★★
Having had horrible gall bladder and attendant reflux episodes, I read about dandelion greens and beets and beet greens. I had dandelion greens coming up all over my yard, and started picking/cooking them. I had let them grow, so they were tall stalks when grown. I would eat them every day, at least a small plate full. I cooked and ate beets and beet greens from the store and took herbs (nettle) in capsules. I felt better in two days, but kept it up for two weeks. That was a year ago. I am having some twinges now, and started back on the herbs and beets with saurkraut (I don't like drinking vinegar). The relief is instant, and water helps. Keep the fat in the diet low until the condition improves.
Garden Greens
Posted by Lou (Tyler, Tx) on 06/06/2013
My mom used to cook dandelion greens and would add a little olive oil and lemon juice to make them taste better.
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.
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.
Flax Seeds
Posted by Jeanne (New York, NY) on 10/25/2009
Kelly's flax tea recipe caught my eye just in time. I just finished my first cup of flax seed tea after eating a very rich Indian dinner earlier tonight, which was starting to give me shooting gall bladder pain! I added half a cinnamon stick to the tea after it had boiled and a half teaspoon of blackstrap molasses since I don't like stevia's after-taste. Yummy! Too soon to tell if it has worked or not, but I think I will make a habit of drinking this regularly. My skin feels softer already. Thanks Kelly!
P.S. I did not grind the seeds before boiling them.
Ted's Lemon Bicarbonate Formula
Posted by Sandra (BD, WI) on 01/24/2008
★★★★★
I have tried Ted's lemon and baking soda mix (juice of 1 lemon and 1/2 tsp. baking soda in water)' morning and night for two days. I started with diarrhea and then due to pain in the upper right quadrant, started to think it might be related to gallbladder.(I was diagnosed with a slow emptying gall bladder) I think I may have disrupted by acid/base balance by over eating oranges and grapefruits around Christmas and then eating quite a bit of fruit as well. I do get some relief from the pain, but diarrhea is still with me for two plus weeks. I will stay with this treatment for a few more days.
