The shocking truth about gallbladder surgery! Why are so many people losing their gallbladders?

According to a study published in the British Journal of General Practice it was found that having the gallbladder surgically removed (this operation is known as cholecystectomy) does not always relieve upper abdominal pain. This is also true in those who have proven gallstones.

Gallstones are very common but they are not always the cause of the patient’s pain!

This study found that after surgery:

  • 45% of the patients with so called “gallbladder pain” did not have gallstones.
  • One third of the patients saw their doctor again with the same pain they had suffered prior to the surgery. What a disappointing result for these patients!
  • Most of the patients who had their gallbladder removed were pain free 12 months after surgery, but so were 63% of the patients who had kept their gallbladder with its stones.

If you have a chronic or grumbling gall bladder problem, there is no need to panic and rush into surgery to have your gallbladder out.

If you have a severe acute gallbladder attack where infection or blockage of the gallbladder is involved, well then, that’s a different matter! In that situation having your gallbladder out may save your life.

Unless you are in severe acute pain or your doctor suspects that you have gallbladder cancer, it is often possible to save your precious gallbladder. Indeed having your gallbladder out may not relieve your abdominal pain.

Having your gallbladder out may not help any of your symptoms and may make your digestion much worse!

Gallstones are often silent and this means they do not produce any symptoms. Many people go to their grave with gallstones that never caused any problems.
Check for other causes of pain!

If you have upper abdominal pain and proven gallstones, it is important to check for other causes of upper abdominal pain such as stomach ulcers, gastritis, reflux, pancreatic disorders, gastric infections and fatty liver. These can be treated effectively so that it is often possible to avoid gallbladder surgery. It is also possible to slowly dissolve gallstones over time with dietary and nutritional strategies.

Beware – your gallbladder is precious!

You may be talked into having your gallbladder out at the earliest convenience. The surgeon may tell you, “Why not get it removed? It’s not important and it’s making you sick?” Another common thing that doctors will say is “After your gallbladder is removed, you can eat whatever you like without any pain.”

Well, I disagree with both of these concepts for a couple of reasons –

The gallbladder concentrates bile and supplies a quick shot of bile into the small intestine during a meal – this facilitates the digestion and absorption of fats.

The gallbladder may not be the cause of any, or just a few of your symptoms, and may not be making you sick. Having a gallbladder condition is usually a consequence of having digestive problems. It’s important to fix those problems, otherwise you may still have symptoms after your gallbladder is removed. People with a poorly functioning gallbladder usually do not produce enough digestive enzymes. This can be improved with a Digestive Enzymes supplement.

Livatone can support your gallbladder function and the healthy production of bile. I formulated Livatone to contain the most important natural ingredients that work together synergistically –

  • Milk thistle
  • Dandelion
  • Globe artichoke
  • Taurine

These essential ingredients are combined together in a base of powdered vegetables. The powdered form of Livatone is the best to start with and it can be stirred into juice. Use the powder in a dose of 2 tsp daily for 2 months. Then change to the Livatone capsules for maintenance.

Extra life saving tips to help your gallbladder

  • Include fresh green leafy herbs in your salads – the best liver cleansing herbs for your salads are mint, parsley, chives, green onion, shallots, basil, and cilantro (coriander). Use small amounts only to start with. If you use large amounts, you may find the taste disagreeable.
  • Avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water; this will reduce the risk of gallstones, as well as kidney stones. Taking an ox bile supplement helps to make the bile less thick. This is ideal for those with sludge or stones in their gallbladder.
  • Do raw juicing using cabbage, carrot, ginger, mint, parsley, red radish and apple.
  • Healthy bile is important for fat metabolism and cholesterol control. The liver is the major fat burning organ in your body and has a lot to do with your weight. Improving your liver function can make weight loss much easier.

Case history

I will never forget a patient of mine who was already in her 70s when she first consulted me. She was troubled by chronic but intermittent pain over the area of her liver (right upper quadrant of the abdomen). This pain was due to cysts in her liver as well as cysts in her bile ducts. She had had her gallbladder removed in her 40s, because of stones and sludge. Notwithstanding, the reduction in her symptoms was modest and she continued to have intermittent pain. Over the years she developed more liver cysts and had some stones form in her bile ducts, even though her gallbladder was removed.

These recurrent stones caused temporary and painful blockages in her bile ducts and this increased the size of her liver cysts. This is not surprising, as blockages lead to an increase in pressure in the ducts and pressure leads to swelling in the tubes, which can lead to cysts. She had gained excess weight since her gallbladder was removed.

I thought to myself – “This lady is a real challenge, as the surgeons had not been able to help her.”

Once I examined her and took her history I could see that she was very dehydrated and had red liver palms. Her skin and her eyes had a yellowish or sallow complexion and her tongue was coated with a green-white colored layer. She did not drink very much water and her diet was lacking in raw fruits and vegetables. Most of her food was cooked. She did eat vegetables, which was one positive thing, but they were generally over cooked. She did not eat fruit everyday and did not take vitamin C, so she was sure to have a vitamin C deficiency.

This elderly lady was a prime example of the need to take care of your liver and bile ducts, even after your gallbladder is removed. Her surgeon had told her that she “could eat anything and everything now that her gallbladder was removed”. How incorrect is that!
Because she had not known how to take care of her bile ducts, she had suffered needlessly for many years. Well that was about to change, as she was going to start supporting her gallbladder and bile ducts with Livatone. Livatone would also support the production of healthy bile. By supporting the production of healthy bile by the liver cells we can keep the bile ducts healthy and avoid the formation of more stones in the bile ducts.

Even if you have had your gall bladder out I encourage you to support your liver in its major function of bile manufacture. For more information see Dr Cabot’s book ‘Save Your Gallbladder Naturally and What to Do If You’ve Already Lost It’.

Reference: British Journal of General Practice 2004; 54:574-79

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.