citric acid and gallstones

[Guest guest]

Has anyone ever read information regarding citric acid and how it can

help the viscosity of bile, thereby relieving some of the pain

associated with gallstones and thickened bile? I read an article a

while ago which I cannot recall I believe I got it from the Center

for Disease Control. This article talked about the relationship of

bile and its acidity. And how that relates to the attacks. For

example the thicker the bile the more attacks when you have

gallstones moving about bumping the walls of the gallbladder because

the bile is thick. This then causes gallbladder inflamation and

pain. The hope is that by eating or taking more citric acid it thins

the bile thus reducing the pain.

Anyway I know this might sound crazy but I will give you my

experience with this in the hope that it might help others. From

June 2000 to December 2000 I was in the hosptial 5 times with severe

gallbladder attacks due to several large stones. Nothing I did

helped, flushes, supplements, diet changes etc. We had gotten to the

point of accepting the idea of surgery when the attacks suddenly

stopped. I was having daily pain and every other week or so it would

be unbearable to the point of hospitalization. It is now May 2001

and I have not had an attack since December 16th. The only thing

that my husband and I can think of that I changed was drinking

sprite. I had given up sodas several years ago because they were

empty calories and an extra expense that we could do without.

However, after my december attack I had resigned to the idea of

surgery and decided that I would start eating the stuff I had given

up because of my gallbladder which incluced pizza. One night I just

decided to have a sprite with it, and I started drinking them again,

about once every 4 or 5 days. In February we realized I had not had

any attacks. The only difference is the addition of the sprite which

has the acid I was talking about. It is now May, and I have had no

attacks, in fact no pain what so ever. The stones are still there.

I have read reports that half of the population have gallstones and

only about 20 percent have symptoms. Maybe this is because the

stones themselves dont cause attacks unless they get stuck in the

duct. Maybe the attacks are caused by the movement of the stones

because the bile gets thick. When the bile is thin it moves through

the gallbladder with ease thereby not making the stones move much.

Well this is my experience and I realize is sounds crazy, but the

attacks are gone, and the only thinkg that I can think of that would

affect the gallbladder in a positive way is the addition of the

citric acid in the sprite. The pizza and penut butter that I have

added to the diet would not have made it better ha ha. I told my

doctor about the sprite and asked him about the citric acid

connected. He did not discount it but he was not going to say that

was why the attacks were gone. He swears the attacks will come back

and I will have the surgery. Good luck to you all