Gallstones are solid albums, which build up in your gall bladder as a result of cholesterol or bilirubin hardening into solid elements of the bile. They may be as small as grains or in the form of golf balls, and may or may not be silent or result in painful attacks and complications.
Most individuals cannot realize that they have survived until a bile duct is blocked by gallstones. You might have experienced remnants as follows when the symptoms appear:
Gallstones are caused by factors which modify bile composition or the functioning of the gallbladder such as:
In Cypress, the GastroDoxs is a clinic of the experts in the field of gallstones, and it is our duty to deliver high-quality treatment to the patients and personalized treatment programs. Be it a dietary recommendation to avoid stones, ursodiol treatment, with a view to dissolve cholesterol, or a minimally invasive laparoscopic cholecystectomy, our understanding and caring staff will provide high quality diagnostic and non-invasive treatments. We will be right beside you through it all-so you will gain a permanent relief, and be able to resume normal living.
We've successfully treated more than 1K patients, helping individuals improve their digestive health and overall well-being through expert, personalized care.
With over 20 years of experience, GastroDoxs has been a trusted provider of gastroenterology care, focusing on delivering the best outcomes for patients
Dr. Bharat Pothuri is a Board-Certified Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist. With extensive experience in digestive health, he specializes in advanced endoscopic procedures, chronic GI disorder management, and preventive care. Dr. Pothuri is dedicated to providing expert, patient-focused insights to help improve gut health and overall well-being.
Gallstones may vary in color to smooth yellow-green cholesterol stones, or may be dark gritty pigment stones. Their sizes are diverse, and they are small grains and stones up to a golf ball.
Gallstones cause spasms and pain in patients with gallstones when they are exposed to foods containing high levels of unhealthy fats and cholesterol e.g. fried food, heavy creams, processed meats and full fat dairy.
Restrict or eliminate the use of cheese, butter, whole milk, cream soups, burgers of fast-food, and other fatty or fried products because reduced stimulation of the gallbladder helps to avoid pain.
Yes. The abdominal pains may also be constipated, a discomfort that arises when the passage of bile to the intestines is obstructed by the presence of gallstones.
Yes. When the bile passes past the small intestine very rapidly (usually by way of some obstruction), it may result in loose and watery stools or diarrhea.
Small cholesterol gallstones can resolve through time particularly with ursodiol therapy, although majority of gallstones need medical intervention or surgery to eliminate symptoms.
It is rare, but the presence of stones in the bile ducts can still occur following the removal of the gallbladder and thus the presence of similar symptoms necessitates examination.
When the bile gets obstructed by the gallstones, the stools usually become pale or clay-colored or oily, since the pigments of bile are not able to travel towards the intestines to give the stools its color.
Such bile-acid drugs as Ursodiol usually need between 6-12 months of daily use to dissolve relatively small cholesterol stones, and their use varies with the size and composition of the stone.
See a specialist in case of recurrent pain in the upper-right part of the abdomen, jaundice (yellow coloring of skin or eyes), fever, vomiting, or unusual manifestations of digestive symptoms.
