Cholelithiasis, chronic and acute cholecystitis are quite common diseases that cause people to suffer from pain and lie down on the operating table in an attempt to get rid of constant discomfort. In some cases, pathologies in the functioning of the gallbladder can be life-threatening. Preparations for the gallbladder, provided they are used in a timely manner, can prevent the formation of stones or even gently dissolve and remove existing ones (such cases are known and recorded in medicine). Pharmacology does not stand still: choleretic medicines have long been cheap and do not have any side effects for he alth in general.
Common causes of gallbladder pathologies
Cholecystitis is one of the most common diseases of the gallbladder. Almost always, if left untreated, cholelithiasis begins. If the patient shows negligence towards his own he alth and does not treat it, then over time you have to"go under the knife" - remove the body completely. What are the reasons for the development of the initial stages of pathologies and when is it time to start taking drugs for the gallbladder to ensure that the disease does not progress?
- Unhe althy diet is the main reason for the development of cholecystitis and the subsequent formation of stones. The abundance of fatty, high-calorie foods, strict diets and temporary hunger strikes - all this sooner or later leads to inflammation of the cells of the pancreas, impaired bile outflow, and fatty degeneration of liver cells. If the reason is a malnutrition, then it is not necessary to start taking drugs for the gallbladder - it is enough to review your diet and strictly adhere to the medical diet "Table No. 5".
- Alcohol abuse is the second most common factor that affects the incidence of cholecystitis, cholestasis and cholelithiasis. Almost all people who abuse alcoholic beverages at least once a month, after several years of such a regimen, are diagnosed with chronic cholecystitis. After receiving such a diagnosis, you should once and for all leave your bad habits in the past and stick to the plan for taking medications prescribed by the gastroenterologist for the treatment of the gallbladder.
- Hereditary and acquired physiological factors also affect the possibility of gallstone disease. In particular, with a congenital feature - an inflection of the gallbladder - stones can form even if a person eats properly and does not drink alcohol at all. because offeatures of the anatomical shape of the organ, bile stagnates, pain begins, stones form over time. The patient, knowing his such physiological feature, must constantly take choleretic drugs when the gallbladder is bent.
Symptoms of gallbladder disease: when to see a doctor
Depending on the symptoms, the doctor will refer you to the necessary studies and make an accurate diagnosis.
- Dyskinesia, or dysfunction occurs as a result of the innervation of the organ and, as a result, a violation of the contractility of its walls, due to which bile is released into the duodenum 12 out of time or in insufficient quantities. Digestion problems begin, liver function worsens, and a person suffers from pulling pain in the epigastric region.
- Cholecystitis is an inflammatory process of the organ. The disease can develop due to exposure to pathogenic flora, bacteria. Often the onset of cholecystitis can contribute to improper nutrition. The patient feels weakness, pulling pain in the solar plexus and right side, he is characterized by asthenia and decreased performance.
- Cholelithiasis is characterized by the formation of stones due to a violation of the chemical composition of the contents of the gall sac, in some cases due to a distortion of the composition of bile or the anatomical features of the organ. The patient suffers from indigestion and nausea, bloating - the functioning of all body systems is deformed, over time,severe pain.
- The gallbladder can be prone to parasitic invasions - these are Giardia, Echinococcus, and also relatively large helminths. The patient suffers from nausea, loses weight, may experience vomiting after each meal - the symptoms of the presence of parasites in the gallbladder are always different depending on the individual.
- When pain occurs in the right hypochondrium, with nausea and vomiting after eating, which are accompanied by weakness, you should definitely undergo a full examination, and not self-medicate. These can be symptoms of tumor diseases of the gallbladder - from benign to malignant polyps.
Principles for the use of pharmacological therapy in gallstone disease
Depending on the location and intensity of the pain syndrome, as well as on the basis of the studies obtained (ultrasound, MRI, biochemical blood test), the doctor will make a diagnosis and prescribe a course of treatment. It is forbidden to self-diagnose and choose drugs for the gallbladder: this can provoke an outflow of bile and detachment of stones from the walls, as a result of which severe pain can begin and worsen, even death.
If the disease has gone far and the removal of the organ is necessary - do not panic. People live for decades without a gallbladder. Of course, you will have to adhere to a strict diet and take drugs when the gallbladder is removed (these are most often hepatoprotectors, as well as drugs thatreplenish the function of bile in digestion). But in general, the patient after surgery leads a full life.
Classification of effective drugs for the gallbladder
According to the principle of action, the whole variety of pharmacological agents can be divided into several groups.
- Anspasmodics - relieve spasms and pain, allow you to normalize the outflow of bile (especially if taken in parallel with choleretic drugs - an experienced gastroenterologist can prescribe such a bunch, it is strictly forbidden to prescribe such drugs to yourself).
- Hepatoprotectors will help not only restore the outflow of bile, but also prevent the development of liver pathologies (the functions of the liver and bile are closely interconnected, and if the "neighbor" is ill, the pathology of the second organ will inevitably begin).
- Antibiotic and antiparasitic medicines.
- choleretic teas, capsules, syrups, etc.
Drugs from the group of antispasmodics for pain in cholecystitis
The patient may experience so much discomfort that they will not be able to walk to the pharmacy. Therefore, antispasmodics should always be present in the first-aid kit. They can also be used as preparations after gallbladder removal - but only after consultation with your doctor. You should never prescribe painkillers on your own. The following drugs are most often used for stagnation of bile in the gallbladder, which is accompanied bypain:
- "Drotaverine" or its more expensive analogue "No-shpa" - have a vasodilating, relaxing the muscles of internal organs and hypotensive action.
- "Spasmalgon" - a combined drug, with stones in the gallbladder will help relieve pain before the arrival of an ambulance.
- "Noshpalgin" is a powerful combined pain reliever, before using which you should consult your doctor.
What drugs can be used for gallstone disease
Cholelithiasis is a dangerous condition, and it is forbidden to choose drugs to alleviate discomfort. At any time, under the influence of a choleretic agent, the stone can move away, which will lead to a deterioration in the condition and increased pain. If possible, you should visit a gastroenterologist every quarter and take a referral for an ultrasound (and, if necessary, an MRI) to monitor the condition of the stones, their density, size and location in the organ.
With the timely intake of drugs for splitting stones (Ursosan has proven itself well in this regard), it is still possible to get rid of them without surgery. Removal of the gallbladder can be prevented. Yes, sometimes doctors take such drastic measures in an emergency situation during an exacerbation. What drugs to take after gallbladder removal due to stones? Here we need a whole range of pharmacological agents: painkillers, hapatoprotectors, antibiotics, and many other drugs.
Effective drugs with a choleretic effect and reviews about them
If you treat the disease at an early stage and regularly drink choleretic drugs, then it is possible to completely avoid the appearance of stones or contribute to their crushing and painless exit.
Most often, gastroenterologists prescribe the following drugs to dissolve gallstones with a choleretic effect:
- "Ursoliv", "Ursosan", "Exhol", "Ursodez" - drugs with ursodeoxycholic acid as an active ingredient. Patient reviews indicate that it is thanks to these drugs that it is possible to achieve a gradual disposal of stones.
- "Heptor", "Heptral" contain the main active ingredient ademetionine, which also has a hepatoprotective effect.
- "Holenzim" acts due to the bile acids in the composition, is a means of combined action on the gallbladder. What drugs have the same effect? "Essentiale" can be compared in action, although it has a slightly different composition and the main principle of action - hepatoprotective.
- "Allohol" - another choleretic drug based on herbal ingredients. In addition to choleretic, it also has a mild hepatoprotective effect. Patient reviews about this drug are positive: relief comes after a week of taking, depending on the severity of the symptoms, sometimes it can happen even faster.
- "Holosas" is a mild herbal choleretic drug, which is often prescribed even to children and adolescents, as well as pregnant women (self-administration of the drug is prohibited, since if stones are present, they can suddenly begin to pass).
Hepatoprotectors: preparations for the liver and gallbladder
These are medicines and dietary supplements, which are primarily aimed at restoring liver cells. Why are they so often prescribed by gastroenterologists as drugs to dissolve gallstones? The fact is that the liver and gallbladder are nearby, and the functioning of each of these organs is in close relationship with the state of the other.
Therefore, very often in violation of the outflow of bile, cholecystitis, it is advisable to conduct a course of hepatoprotector. If necessary, antibiotics or antiparasitics are also prescribed (depending on the overall clinical picture).
Hepatoprotectors that are advisable to take with various disorders of the functioning of the gallbladder:
- "Karsil";
- "Essentiale";
- "Heptral" or its equivalent "Heptor";
- "Essliver";
- "Phosphogliv".
Antibiotic and antiparasitic drugs and reviews about them
Quite often the causes of inflammatory processes in the gallbladder are bacterial and helminthicinvasions. As a result of this process, a person constantly feels weakness, malaise, nausea after eating, and a subfebrile temperature can last for a long time. In such cases, treatment with antibacterial or antiparasitic drugs is necessary. In no case should you prescribe them on your own: only after the gastroenterologist has the test results in his hands and he can find out which bacterium or parasite caused the onset of inflammation, it is possible to prescribe the medicine in the required dosage. Patients' testimonies indicate that with correctly prescribed therapy, the symptoms recede already on the second or third day from the start of treatment.
Most often, as part of complex therapy for diseases of the gallbladder of a bacterial nature, the following drugs are used:
- "Cefozalin";
- "Cefotaxime";
- "Ciprofloxacin";
- "Metronidazole".
If the tests showed the presence of a parasitic invasion, you should choose a drug for the treatment of a particular type - be it helminths, roundworms, etc.
Doctor's advice: how to prevent the formation of stones in the gallbladder
Disease is always easier to prevent than to treat. This statement is also true in relation to the pathologies of the gallbladder. Simple advice from a gastroenterologist on how to minimize the risks of developing pathology is presented below.
- Eat right - reduce to a minimum the consumption of fatty foods, which require a lot of enzymes for digestion, and,accordingly, a lot of bile.
- Exclude from your diet any alcoholic beverages, be it beer, cocktails, wines or spirits. Regular use, even in small doses, is almost guaranteed to lead to the development of cholecystitis and pancreatitis.
- Regularly, at least once a year, do an ultrasound of the abdominal organs. If the bend of the gallbladder is visible on the monitor, then a choleretic drug should be drunk from time to time in order to exclude the possibility of stagnation of bile and associated stone formation in the future.
- Avoid undercooked meat. Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating. Never forget to wash your hands before eating or preparing meals.
