[meelk]

Have any of you ever tried this? Is it beyond the realm of pseudo-medicine and accepted by professionals anywhere?

[Cody Dawg]

What the hell is it?

[slugslugslug]

I read something debunking it in the Lancet (after a doctor who believed it wrote in). I'll try and get around to digging it up the other day.

You're talking the apple-juice-and-olive-oil thing, right?

[meelk]

Originally Posted by slugslugslug

I read something debunking it in the Lancet (after a doctor who believed it wrote in). I'll try and get around to digging it up the other day.

You're talking the apple-juice-and-olive-oil thing, right?

yep. and thanks.

[Stradlater]

Please enlighten us ignoramuses.

[wdlove]

Never heard of it. Doesn't sound like a good idea,

[cjrivera]

All I could find on it was from Rakel: Integrative Medicine, 1st ed., Copyright © 2003 Saunders
pg. 297


"Liver or Gallbladder Flush

A popular remedy for gallstones among the lay population is the gallbladder flush. This may involve a number of different recipes, many of which include olive oil. A common one consists of drinking 1 cup of olive oil with the juice of two lemons each morning for 5 days. This remedy has led to stories of large gallstones being passed. However, what is thought to be gallstones is actually a soft saponified complex of minerals, olive oil, and lemon juice produced in the intestines.[17] Although the monounsaturated fat in olive oil may stimulate the gallbladder to contract and expel small stones, caution should be used in recommending a flush for someone with large stones that could become lodged in the common duct, resulting in acute cholecystitis. It would be best to avoid a gallbladder flush until an ultrasound scan is performed to document the size and severity of gallstone formation."

Hope that helps...

[meelk]

the short of it is forcing gallstones out by drinking a combination of different things in a four day period.

[Cody Dawg]

BAD idea.

Have you ever had gallbladder pain?



I have. It was HORRIBLE. I had gallbladder spasms one day after eating a very fatty meal, eggs benedict with Hollindaise sauce, and it was terrible. I ended up in the hospital from it.

I don't recommend it at all.

[meelk]

Why would I be randomly asking about a gallbladder flush otherwise?

[OldManMac]

I had a severe gallstone attack almost five years ago. Never had any symptoms until the pain hit me one morning, as I was leaving for work. By the time I got to work an hour later, it was excruciating, and I wound up in a hospital, where some quack couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, even after a CAT scan and other tests. He pumped me full of pain killer and told me to see my doctor, which I did. He immediately said it was probably gallstones, and had me come back the next day for an ultrasound, which confirmed his diagnosis. He gave me more pain meds in case the pain returned, and I went to a specialist, who removed the gall bladder three weeks later. He said it was one of the most infected ones he had ever seen.

If you have any medical issues, you shouldn't be playing doctor, unless you are one, and get a professional to take care of it.

[slugslugslug]

I might be completely mistaken about the anatomy, but it seems at any rate that one shouldn't expect to be able to coax the intact stones out of your gall bladder and into your poop.

Anyway, the Lancet article involved doctors cooking up the components of the "flush" diet on a stove and getting something that was remarkably similar to allegedly passed stones. I really will get it for you soonish, but I gotta get back to my homework at the moment.

Good luck with your ordeal..

(Oh, I just noticed that cjrivera pretty much covered how people get fooled by this)

[Ganesha]

More calcium less lard.

[Cody Dawg]

If you're having gallstone attacks or gall bladder problems has it ever occurred to you to SEE A DOCTOR?



Instead of trying some concoction that apparently does not work?

[slugslugslug]

I don't know meelk's situation, but:

Has it occurred to you, Cody Dawg, that some people have minimal or no health insurance? That some people have had so many negative experiences with health care that they're hesitant to spend their time and money jumping through all the associated hoops? That they might have called a doctor but have a few weeks to wait before their appointment?

I believe that modern medicine has found some of the best ways to fix disease and injury, have admiration for lots of doctors (including my father and one of my close friends), and get really annoyed at people pushing worthless (but for occasional placebo effect) "alternative" cures. That said, I've heard and been through plenty of experience with doctors who are utterly disdainful of their patients and wind up requiring repeated appointments in order to misdiagnose people.

Unfortunately, folks probably remember these incidents better than the times they go to a doctor, he/she's nice enough, and the patient gets better.

[Cody Dawg]

Believe me, I understand what you're saying about doctors and medicine. I HATE GOING TO THE DOCTOR. I REALLY really hate it.

But, here's my concern: What if meelk has something else wrong with him? My sister-in-law just found out she has stones in her PANCREAS. Yes, that's right, in her pancreas. It is something that required medical intervention no matter the cost. Sometimes a doctor is what is needed, unfortunately.

How would we all feel if we endorsed him drinking this concoction and then found out later that he became more ill? Maybe it was pancreatitis and not gall stones and he needed medical help? Or, God forbid, it is a cancer of some type? Doubtful that it is, but you never know. Remember Steve Jobs? He had cancer of the pancreas and his pain came and went and he had no idea what it was and then it turned out it was pancreatic cancer. Thanks to intervention he is going to be fine.



All I know is that we all wish meelk the best.

[slugslugslug]

I meant to add, Cody, that I wasn't trying to be overly harsh toward you, since I realize repeated parallel questions may seem like a print equivalent to an accusatory jabbing finger. Just wanted to draw attention to a factor you may not have thought of..

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

Sometimes a doctor is what is needed, unfortunately.

How would we all feel if we endorsed him drinking this concoction and then found out later that he became more ill?

Anyway, in responding to your post I didn't mean to insinuate that I disagreed with your advice about seeing a doctor (and, dang, that sux about your sister-in-law. Hope it works out for her..), just that I didn't think you should be so scoldy (is that a word?) about it.

But I definitely endorsed avoiding the concoction..

Anyway, for the record: hey, meelk, you should probably go see a doctor.

All I know is that we all wish meelk the best.

Tru dat.

[TurboMac]

Yeah I just had a bad experince with a Doctor. I had a condition call Hyperhydrosis and they only do the sugury in 3 places in the US: Texas, California, and Hollywood Florida. SO I had my Ins. pre-qualify me, I went down for the procedure and it worked wonders. It has been a year and now the insurnace company does not want to pay b/c they didn't think it was Medically necessary. Actually they paid the Dr., but now are asking him for the money back. The Dr. doesn't want to give the Ins co reasons why he thought I was a canaidadte. So eventhough I had the best Ins. you can buy, and a pre-Qual they still want me to pay $17,000.00. Plus $5,000 b/c my lung colapsed after surgery. (1% exp this prob)

This has left a bad taste in my mouth, and I feel as though I don't want to go to the Dr anymore. Sorry for the De-rail but I try as hard as I can to self remedy mydelf anymore because you just never know. So I can se your point of trying to pass the stone on your own!

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by TurboMac

Yeah I just had a bad experince with a Doctor. I had a condition call Hyperhydrosis and they only do the sugury in 3 places in the US: Texas, California, and Hollywood Florida. SO I had my Ins. pre-qualify me, I went down for the procedure and it worked wonders. It has been a year and now the insurnace company does not want to pay b/c they didn't think it was Medically necessary. Actually they paid the Dr., but now are asking him for the money back. The Dr. doesn't want to give the Ins co reasons why he thought I was a canaidadte. So eventhough I had the best Ins. you can buy, and a pre-Qual they still want me to pay $17,000.00. Plus $5,000 b/c my lung colapsed after surgery. (1% exp this prob)

This has left a bad taste in my mouth, and I feel as though I don't want to go to the Dr anymore. Sorry for the De-rail but I try as hard as I can to self remedy mydelf anymore because you just never know. So I can se your point of trying to pass the stone on your own!

No offense, but that's not the doctor's fault. It is the insurance company's fault. You need to yell and complain to the insurance company. And to the insurance board in your state.

[TurboMac]

But all the Dr. has to do is tell the insurance company that it was Medically Necessary and write a report. He just doesn't want to give that info. And he sure as he!! isn't giving the money back.

[TurboMac]

Oh and no offense taken. I am no Dr and Insurance guru, but what I have been thru so far has left me with a burnt feeling. I don't like either party. I have been relatively healthy up until now so I have not had many dealings with Dr's or Insurance. I have a bad feeling once I turn 30 though things are going to change drastically.

[Cody Dawg]

TurboMac: You're going to be fine. For anyone who doesn't know, his condition is excessive sweating. Surgery involves destroying ganglia that contribute to sweating in certain areas.

Your prognosis is excellent. Just remember to always stay hydrated and you'll have a normal life and life span.

[TurboMac]

Actually it was clamping of the Ganglia or the Symphatic nerve chain. (Are they the same?) on the T2 thru T3 level. I read a lot about it befor I went thru it. They make two incisions under the armpits and go into your chest cavity and clamp the nerves that run inside you chest cavity with Titanium Clips, and no I don't set metal detectors off. Changed my life.

[jenniferhuber]

Originally Posted by slugslugslug

I might be completely mistaken about the anatomy, but it seems at any rate that one shouldn't expect to be able to coax the intact stones out of your gall bladder and into your poop.

Anyway, the Lancet article involved doctors cooking up the components of the "flush" diet on a stove and getting something that was remarkably similar to allegedly passed stones. I really will get it for you soonish, but I gotta get back to my homework at the moment.

Good luck with your ordeal..

(Oh, I just noticed that cjrivera pretty much covered how people get fooled by this)

I dug around on the internet & found that Lancet article you mentioned:

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/la...63738/fulltext