Treatment of gallstones with tablets

To dissolve or not to dissolve

Dissolving gallstones is a serious step that not everyone decides to take. Today, experts speak out categorically against this method of treatment. If stones form in the gall bladder, dissolving them will not solve the problem of stone formation. After all, cholelithiasis is based on disorders of cholesterol metabolism in combination with an unhealthy lifestyle and poor nutrition.

If several decades ago the dissolution of gallstones or litholytic therapy was used in private and public clinics, today professionals openly recognize this treatment method as only a temporary relief from stones. After the procedure, the person returns to his usual diet and lifestyle, and the stones form again. And the long course of gallstone disease impairs the functionality of other organs of the digestive tract, especially the liver and pancreas. Therefore, dissolving gallstones without eliminating the effect of predisposing factors does not make sense.

Rock breaking tablets

Drug therapy is based on taking drugs designed to crush gallstones, followed by their removal.

Stone tablets based on ursodeoxycholic and chenodeoxycholic acids are used to dissolve only fresh cholesterol formations.

In order not to cause harm to your body, you need to not only know what drugs dissolve stones, their indications and contraindications, but entrust the treatment to a specialist. Self-medication can have negative consequences.

Based on ursodeoxycholic acid

The list of drugs for dissolving gallstones based on ursodeoxycholic acid is extensive. Frequently prescribed drugs:

These drugs effectively dissolve cholesterol stones and plaques, prevent their subsequent formation, dilute bile, and protect liver cells.

Ursofalk

Reduces cholesterol levels in the bloodstream. Ursolfak has proven itself well, rarely produces side effects, but is quite expensive. Contraindicated in acute cholecystitis, cholangitis. Prescribed with caution to pregnant women. The dosage regimen is strictly individual.

Ursohol

Inhibits the formation of cholesterol and increases its solubility. Available in capsule form. The drug is usually prescribed in a two-week course. The daily dose is taken at night. Ursochol may have side effects - diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, headache. Cannot be used for pancreatitis, renal failure, or individual intolerance.

Ursosan

It is taken for a long time, until stones are completely absorbed and removed from the gallbladder, as well as for the purpose of prevention after they are removed from the body. Daily dose – from 2 to 5 capsules daily.

Medicines for cholelithiasis, produced in capsules, are swallowed without chewing and washed down with water.

Based on chenodeoxycholic acid

Medicines for cholelithiasis based on chenodeoxycholic acid quickly dissolve and remove choleliths.

Rules for dissolving gallstones

If you still decide to dissolve gallstones without surgery, it is better to consult with your doctor about how to do this. He will prescribe special preparations with acids, which, when used for a long time, can destroy stones and facilitate their easy removal from the gallbladder and ducts.

Basic rules for dissolving gallstones:

• tablets for dissolving gallstones based on acids or folk recipes are used only outside of exacerbation of cholecystitis, cholelithiasis or other inflammatory process in the digestive organs;
• throughout the entire period of treatment it is necessary to follow a low-cholesterol diet, do not eat spicy, fatty and fried foods, and do not drink alcohol;
• before starting to use any medicine to dissolve gallstones, it is recommended to consult with your doctor and undergo an ultrasound scan to make sure there is no risk of biliary colic and blockage of the ducts;
• It is strictly forbidden to use products to dissolve gallstones if the stones are mobile and small or medium in size - in this case there will be an increased risk of blockage of the bile duct and the development of colic.

You should be especially careful when dissolving gallstones using folk remedies, since many recipes are based on the use of choleretic components that can cause the movement of stones.

The mechanism of stone formation and their types

The activity of the gallbladder is closely related to the functioning of the liver. The liver produces bile and cholesterol. If the bile is “correct” it will not form sediment, and subsequently stones. The gallbladder is a reservoir for storing bile and it is here that stones form from a dense suspension. They can be cholesterol, mixed and bilirubin (calcium salts and bilirubin). Most often, stones are made of cholesterol.

Before deciding on conservative treatment, it is necessary to identify the type of stones in the gall bladder, so that cholesterol stones can be dissolved and removed from the gall bladder. If we are talking about the other two types of stones, then in most cases surgery or crushing is indicated (if the stones are not large in size). Conservative treatment of cholesterol stones comes down to crushing and taking special medications. They are divided into two types: Ziflan and preparations containing bile acids.

Litholytic therapy

Litholytic therapy is a relatively new method of dissolving gallstones without surgery. The essence of the procedure is that acid is injected into the patient’s gallbladder, which destroys the stones. This method is suitable for dissolving cholesterol stones, if the ducts are patency and there are no signs of inflammation of the bladder walls. Litholytic therapy is carried out in a medical institution, after obtaining examination data and determining the nature of the stones.

Concomitant therapy

Taking medications that dissolve gallstones should be accompanied by health therapy for the whole body. First of all, this concerns proper and regular nutrition with a reduction in the amount of fatty foods. Smoked and semi-finished products, fast food and alcohol are contraindicated. There are specially designed diets for the prevention of gallstone disease.

You should lead a more active lifestyle, take more walks in the fresh air, and do not neglect sports. An important point is the treatment of concomitant diseases, especially chronic ones, as well as direct foci of infection, for example, diseased teeth and gums. An integrated approach to improving the health of the body will definitely bring positive results, and its effectiveness will last for many years to come.

Author of the article: Gorshenina Elena Ivanovna | Gastroenterologist

Education: Diploma in General Medicine received from the Russian State Medical University named after. N. I. Pirogova (2005). Postgraduate studies in Gastroenterology - educational and scientific medical center.

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Cholelits are stones of calcareous, cholesterol or mixed origin, which form in the gallbladder due to stagnation of bile. They disrupt normal digestion processes and are dangerous because they can block the bile duct. Treatment of cholelithiasis, or cholelithiasis (GSD), must be timely. Therapy includes a diet and pills prescribed by a doctor. Preparations for dissolving gallstones make it possible to preserve the affected organ and carry out treatment without surgery, with medication.

Dissolving stones with drugs

To dissolve gallstones, chenodeoxycholic and ursodeoxycholic acids are used. The drugs are sold at the pharmacy. They are prescribed for a long period - 6 months or more. But such drugs do not treat gallstone disease, although they still have certain medicinal properties. What drugs are usually prescribed to dissolve stones?

Ursofalk

Ursofalk is one of the commonly prescribed drugs to dissolve gallstones. It is a hepatoprotective agent and contains ursodeoxycholic acid.

Ursofalk, like other drugs with a similar mechanism of action, is contraindicated in X-ray positive stones that contain a lot of calcium. It is impossible to dissolve such stones.

Ursofalk has the following actions:

• accelerates the flow of bile;
• promotes the dissolution of cholesterol stones;
• reduces the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver, reduces the percentage of its absorption in the intestine;
• increases the content of bile acids in bile;
• increase the production of pancreatic juice;
• reduces the lithogenicity of bile, reduces its saturation with cholesterol;
• promotes the restoration of liver cells.

The drug is taken daily in the evening with water. It is recommended to continue taking the drug for at least 6 months. The daily dose is 10-15 mg per 1 kg of human weight.

Ursofalk is contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation. Also, the drug is not used in case of low functionality of the gallbladder, exacerbation of any inflammatory processes of the digestive tract, liver cirrhosis in the decompensated stage and severe disturbances in the functioning of the pancreas, liver and kidneys.

Preparations with bile acids

The human body produces several types of bile acids. In such drugs as Ursohol, Ursofalk and Ursosan, the active ingredient is ursodeoxycholic acid. Henodeoxycholic acid forms the basis of such drugs as Henochol, Henosan and Henofalk. These medications are designed to restore the ratio between bile acids, which are in insufficient quantities in the body, and cholesterol.

Doctors recommend taking each type of bile acids (preparations containing them) at the same time to achieve maximum effect. The mechanism of their action is as follows: some acids combine with cholesterol to change its structure from solid to liquid, others dissolve in bile, performing a stone-dissolving function.

Treatment with these drugs is long-term but effective, as evidenced by the thirty-year history of use in medicine. The period of taking medications can be from six months to two years. They are usually taken before bed. To monitor the condition of the gallbladder, ultrasounds are prescribed twice a year.

In what cases is taking bile acids indicated:

when the diameter of gallstones does not exceed 15 mm;

there are no stones in the gallbladder ducts;

stones do not occupy more than 50% of the gallbladder volume;

the organ contracts normally.

For successful dissolution of gallstones, it is necessary that the stones are purely cholesterol, their size does not exceed 15-20 mm, and the gallbladder (no more than half filled with stones) and bile ducts fully retain their function.

When treated with drugs containing bile acids, the following medications are contraindicated:

Hormonal contraceptives containing estrogen;

Cholestyramine and similar drugs designed to remove excess cholesterol;

Almagel and other medications that reduce stomach acidity, as they reduce the absorption of bile acids.

Other contraindications include pregnancy and lactation, duodenal and gastric ulcers, inflammatory processes in the gallbladder and ducts, and liver disease.

Traditional methods of dissolving gallstones

There are several dozen ways to dissolve gallstones using folk remedies. When choosing the right remedy, remember the possible complications:

• exacerbation of cholecystitis and other chronic diseases of the biliary system;
• biliary colic;
• blockage of the gallbladder ducts with stones;
• the appearance of pain in the right hypochondrium.

In the first weeks of using folk remedies, pain appears in most cases. If the pain intensifies, you should stop using the product and consult a doctor. Traditional methods of dissolving stones have a choleretic effect, move stones and promote their fragmentation. Pain is associated with this.

Bear bile

Bear bile is an analogue of drugs with acids. The product can be used not only to dissolve existing stones, but also to prevent their re-formation.

You can prepare a tincture based on bear bile. This will require 0.5 liters of alcohol or vodka and 22-25 g of dried bear gall bladder. The tincture takes 2-4 weeks to prepare (stand in a dark place). Take it an hour before meals in a volume of 1-2 teaspoons. The course of treatment is 1-2 months.

Herbs for dissolving stones

It is quite difficult to dissolve stones in the gallstones with the help of herbs. Plants have a predominantly choleretic effect, and acid is needed to crush and reduce the size of stones. Therefore, you should not place high hopes on herbs to dissolve gallstones.

To reduce the lithogenicity of bile and accelerate its excretion, you can use the following herbs:

• milk thistle;
• dandelion;
• corn silk;
• calendula;
• tansy.

Herbs can be used individually or combined with each other. The main thing is not to use them during an exacerbation, when there is pain in the right hypochondrium and signs of cholecystitis.

Juice therapy

Juice therapy, despite its simplicity, is considered a rather aggressive way to dissolve stones. In the first days of treatment, pain in the stomach and right hypochondrium often appears. If the pain intensifies, you should no longer take the juices.

To dissolve gallstones, use a mixture of beet and carrot juices. Drink 0.5-1 glass of juice per day - preferably in small sips, so as not to provoke the progression of stones. For 1 beet it is recommended to take 3-4 medium-sized carrots. It is better to drink the juice along with the pulp. The beet juice must be left at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

Dissolution of gallstones according to Bolotov

Academician B.V. Bolotov, together with his follower D.V. Naumov, many years ago began to use two effective methods for dissolving stones in the gall bladder:

• based on black radish;
• based on chicken bile.

Both methods actually dissolve stones, but mainly cholesterol ones. Dense bilirubin stones are difficult to reduce in size.

To prepare 3-5 liters of black radish juice you will need 10 kg of the vegetable. The finished product must be stored in the refrigerator. The cake remaining from the crushed black radish is mixed with sugar or honey in the ratio of 300-500 g of sugar or honey per 1 kg of cake and stored under pressure.

Start drinking a teaspoon of juice an hour after eating. If pain in the right hypochondrium does not appear against the background of the injury, the dose is gradually increased to a tablespoon. The final dosage is 0.5 cups. If moderate pain occurs, it is recommended to apply a warm water heating pad to the right side. This will speed up the cleansing of the ducts from salts and small stones. When the period is over, start eating the cake, which must be kept under pressure all this time. The daily dosage is a tablespoon.

Chicken bile must be taken fresh. It is advisable to use domestic chickens. After carefully separating the gallbladder, it is recommended to pour the bile into a glass container and use it to form bread balls the size of a small bean. A few drops of chicken bile are placed inside them. A few hours after eating, it is recommended to swallow 5-10 of these balls without chewing.

Indications and contraindications

Medicines for gallstones are prescribed in the following situations:

1. the formation of cholesterol stones that are present in suspension;
2. stone size - up to 20 mm;
3. free passage of bile through the ducts;
4. absence of violations of the regulatory activity of the gallbladder;
5. absence of sand and stones in the channels;
6. the filling of the organ with stones is less than 50%.

Before starting medical treatment of the gallbladder, you need to conduct a comprehensive examination. Conservative therapy lasts quite a long time.

It is worth considering that such means cannot always be used. The main restrictions on the use of such drugs include:

• dysfunction of the gallbladder;
• frequent hepatic colic;
• pregnancy;
• acute pathologies of the biliary tract;
• formation of calcium or bilirubin stones;
• presence of mixed stones.

My experience of dissolving stones

My dears, I want to share my experience with you. As I already told you, I also found out everything about whether and how to dissolve gallstones. At first I had experience in dissolving stones using folk remedies. I found a medical center, where they told me that now we will clean everything for you, the stones will dissolve and come out. And I trusted. I found out the details, then read about the cleaning that was offered to me, it seemed that in my understanding everything was fine.

Under the guidance of doctors, they prescribed a strict diet, preparation for cleansing, then it was necessary to carry it out with the help of lemon and olive oil. Before this, I made tubes. If only you knew how bad I felt, my temperature rose to almost 40. The attacks of colic were so severe that I called an ambulance. It’s good that I stopped in time and didn’t continue cleaning. Otherwise it would definitely just be abdominal surgery further on the gallbladder.

After that, after some time, I went to Moscow to the Research Institute of Gastroenterology. And there the doctor also told in detail that not all stones can be dissolved. And if you dissolve them, then only under the supervision of a doctor. But the drugs are all very strong, they affect the liver and pancreas.

Every week you need to take tests and go to see a doctor to assess whether you can continue to use drugs to dissolve stones. The treatment is long and there is no guarantee that the stones will dissolve and not all stones can be dissolved. My only pebble could not be dissolved. This is to say everything very, very briefly at our everyday level.

Principles of drug therapy

The principle of action of tablets for gallstones is based on chemical reactions with these formations. These medications usually need to be taken over a long period of time. Thanks to this therapy, it is possible to normalize the composition of bile and achieve the destruction of stones.

Drug therapy for the development of gallstone disease has several goals:

• destruction of small stones;
• softening of stones before using minimally invasive methods of cleansing the gallbladder.

The principle of the appearance of such formations is determined by their chemical composition. However, most often the causes are due to dietary disturbances and metabolic problems.

Quite dense formations appear in the structure of the gallbladder. To cope with the problem, you need to normalize your diet and take some medications.

Pigment stones can also be treated because their elements react to the activity of the drug ingredients. Calculi containing calcium salts can only be removed surgically, since medications have no effect on them.

Amazing video “How to dissolve gallstones without surgery”

Dear readers, just recently I found an amazing channel run by doctor Yuri Andreevich Frolov. And in his video he talks about the problem of stones in the gall bladder, liver and, partly, in the kidneys. I highly recommend watching it!

The doctor explains in such an accessible and interesting way how you can dissolve gallstones without surgery. And here I discovered a lot of interesting things for myself. You may also be interested in this information.

Ask your questions in the comments. I will definitely answer them for you.

You may be

What are stones and why do they appear?

Let's start looking at it from the very beginning. When food after the stomach enters the duodenum for further digestion and absorption, the body secretes bile, which it first accumulates in the gallbladder.

This circulation occurs through the common bile duct, and the bile itself forms the most important organ - the liver. It is produced with a certain composition and concentration.

If for some reason there are disturbances and an imbalance in its composition in the body, gallstones can form, which can be located in the liver, gall bladder or bile ducts. This is what can cause great inconvenience for a person.

In most cases, the formation of stones is associated with an unbalanced diet, in which animal fats predominate. Also, their appearance may be a consequence of toxic or infectious liver damage.

Can all stones be dissolved?

Gallstones vary in their chemical composition. They can be cholesterol, bilirubin (also called pigment), calcareous, or mixed.

The first ones consist of 80%

from cholesterol, the latter consist of bilirubin, which is a water-insoluble bile pigment, as well as other elements of hemoglobin breakdown. Calcareous stones appear due to the deposition of calcium salts, which occurs during inflammatory processes on the walls of the gallbladder. Mixed ones are formed in the presence of several unfavorable processes and have a diverse composition.

When treating a person, the main element of therapy is the correct determination of the composition of the stones. Unfortunately, only cholesterol formations can be dissolved

.