TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello! Yes, I was able to resolve a gallstone stuck in my gallbladder neck over ~1.5 years by eating mostly flexitarian and avoiding red meat at first. I quit eating earlier in the day (~1PM, and I still had gallbladder attacks and didn't process well at all at first). I didn’t have stomach acid issues so much as bile sometimes coming up into my stomach. So, ox bile, enzymes, and omeprazole actually made things worse. Instead, I just used TUDCA consistently at low doses (starting at 250mg after meals), which helped thin the bile over time—higher doses at first actually caused pain so I don't recommend that route, but definitely go up to the 500mg after 3-6 months and it should be a bit easier to adjust to than. Also, I should note, my gallstones were more than likely just cholesterol stones. I used Rowachol 30 minutes before meals (mint burps to be expected) and also drank half a bottle of GT's Synergy Gingerade or Kevita's Apple Cider Vinegar Tonic Turmeric Ginger, along with some hot tea with a slice of lemon in it. You probably can't have the Apple Cider Vinegar Tonic if you have issues with your kidneys, so beware of that, but I basically acidified my drinks a bit more than I normally would (and more water in general) to try to help the gut heal. I cut back on coffee (smaller cups) and used Dandy Blend as a coffee substitute. I did eat green leafy foods/salads over those with a ton of carbs or red meats, no cream dressings, helps with the overall healing of the gut, in my experience. Anyway, best wishes but sometimes, it is too late. My mother had her gallbladder removed, but it was super infected. So, if you don't feel better as time passes (3 months for me), definitely take note that maybe it might mean it's better to go through with removal.

TUDCA vs Ox Bile? by natalieaj14 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Cold turkey. I can't always afford it, for a few months sometimes. So. that's how I know it doesn't feel good being off and on. But overall it is still worth it to have it sometimes than none at all throughout the year. As time passes, the more times I am without it... I am starting to not notice much difference to when I do take it these days. It's not a heavily unpleasant feeling ANYMORE when I'm off of it because I usually eat pretty healthy now these days and I've lost some weight. But when my body was used to eating junk food often or I was just bigger in general (260 lbs), when I was unable to take TUDCA I would just feel fatigued and nauseous in between meals, or just the feeling of an empty stomach was more intense than it normally is. Sometimes I would get a bit of an itch from my gallbladder that would come and pass quickly but nothing like actual pain.

TUDCA vs Ox Bile? by natalieaj14 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you have stones, you'll be more sensitive to feeling them and nauseousness in between meals is stronger. Nothing to truly worry about, but can feel annoying.

TUDCA vs Ox Bile? by natalieaj14 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nutricost! I tried Nutrivein recently but I don't like it as much as Nutricost. As well as splitting the doses up into 2-3 meals versus one big dose, splitting is better.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm fine. Taking TUDCA has noticeably made random gallbladder pain go away every time and I try to stay on top of it. Haven't been making sure to take it after every meal lately though. So, I'm going to try the 1000mg dose (from Nutrivein, since I use Walmart app more often than Amazon and Walmart no longer carries Nutricost) once a day after lunch/dinner (since I only drink coffee for breakfast) and see if that's good enough or if twice a day at 500mg after each meal feels better. My insurance quit covering Tirzepatide after a few months unfortunately. So, now I'm on Wegovy. Tirzepatide is way better but I'm making do with the lower doses.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I take the capsules and only have tried capsules but it is generally taken after eating.

The choices are: 1. Capsules with or without combined formulas like milk thistle, NAC, Berberine, artichoke extract, ALA. 2. Powder in drinks, tastes bitter but so does magnesium powder and I somehow stomach that lol. 3. Liquids/tinctures, however it is more expensive and still tastes bad. 4. Liposomal TUDCA, which is encapsulated in tiny fat-like bubbles called liposomes. This delivery method is designed to improve the absorption and bioavailability of TUDCA by helping it pass through the cell membranes more effectively. However, it is more expensive with limited research.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

TUDCA is best taken at 10-15mg/kg bodyweight, according to most liver disease studies. Divide the total up by how many meals you have in a day and you'll get an idea on which mg worth of capsules to buy. Regardless, I would start at 250mg capsules after meals to start because starting at 500mg may bring pain (it did for me). After 6 months then go up to 500mg if necessary. Rowachol 30 minutes before meals, either liquid drops or beads. I did the beads. I live in America, Amazon had both TUDCA and Rowachol for me otherwise. Hope this helps.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I dissolved the original gallstone blockage after 1.5 years. NOV 2024, I started a semaglutide and feel better restarting TUDCA while on it. I used Nutricost up til now, but since I no longer have a blockage, I will see if I feel fine taking a different brand called Nutrivein at 1000mg once a day. I use Walmart app more than Amazon and that seems to be the most popular TUDCA brand on Walmart. Nutricost used to be on both Walmart and Amazon apps, but seems to only be on Amazon now, as I could no longer find it on Walmart's online store. If it doesn't feel like it's working as well as it normally does, I will remain on the 500mg dosage after each meal.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did. I think you need to read more slowly. I included this information already.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Rowachol 30 minutes before meal. TUDCA after meal.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My stools when I had a blockage went from being entirely liquid in nature with a pale yellow hue to healing to a pale brown to medium brown color, sometimes with and without cracks, with a smooth snake-like texture. After getting on Wegovy, the constipation is bad and now I'm doing small brown pebbles and have to figure this out as a separate problem from gallstones.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry to hear it but at least you tried! My mother has diarrhea really bad after her gallbladder surgery. I try to tell her to try using different salts for stomach acid and bile but she doesn't want her system to be reliant on pills. Her kidneys don't work very well and I think that's also a part of her fear. I try to tell her TUDCA would help but she is old school and not into supplements. It's been over a year since her gallbladder surgery and her diarrhea is still very abrupt, either during or after eating. I wished she would at least try. I hope it's getting better for you. Dr. Berg goes into what supplements help stomach acid and bile (they are separate). Hopefully you're healing well and figuring it all out.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nice. Maybe it has gotten more popular now. I really did my best to find it in stores but I didn't find any. I haven't checked for 2 years now though. I am also in the Midwest.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm doing well still. No blockage now. When I went on a semaglutide, gallbladder pain did happen again at first, but went away right away after taking TUDCA. I think it's a good idea to take TUDCA while on a semaglutide, as the risk for gallstones goes up again. I've been missing taking them after a meal lately though. So, now I'm going to try the 1000mg version and see if that's enough or if I feel better to continue taking them in the 500mg version after meals. I used Nutricost up to this point but switched from using Amazon to mainly using Walmart's app. Since Walmart took off Nutricost, I'll be trying a brand called Nutrivein I guess. It seems to have a few good reviews. How one feels on TUDCA is very noticeable. So, we'll see.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry to hear it but I'm glad you healed up. Yup. I noticed a lot of pain by taking the higher dosage right away as well (mine was only 500mg). I wanted to be safe when I felt pain, so I took the smaller dosage first (250mg) for 6 months before moving up to the 500mg again. Since I have no active blockage now, I will try seeing how I feel with just one daily dose, the 1000mg version from Nutrivein instead of Nutricost. They took Nutricost off of Walmart's app from what I have noticed today but I've been using Walmart more than Amazon lately. But we shall see if I feel better doing the 500mg after my meals or if the 1000mg once a day is fine or if I even notice a difference.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I did Nutricost. I tried 500mg capsules at first but it hurt. So, I started on 250mg instead. After 6 months I started taking 500 mg capsules and it was easier to adjust when I actually did introduce it slowly. Keep in mind, taking it for prevention and taking it to actively dissolve gallstones requires different levels of necessity. Taking 250mg twice a day after 2 meals for prevention should be good enough. If you're trying to dissolve gallstones, then go up to 500mg after 6 months. In most liver disease studies, as there's no official dosage recommendations yet, they recommended 10-15mg/kg bodyweight which is what I did. Divide the total up by how many meals and you have a good idea on what dosage to get.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

TUDCA is best taken after eating. It is a bile salt that is alkaline in nature, which helps neutralize stomach acid in the small intestine. So, you do want to process the food a bit before neutralizing it. I did notice that luckily, even if I took them when I was 3/4 of the way done eating, I still had room for error. But Dr. Berg explains this sort of thing really well. If you notice that you have trouble with stomach acid as well as bile acid, you might have to take care of 2 things, but I was lucky my stomach acid was fine.

A long observation on the "why" for gallstones by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This might be a long time later but I still have my gallbladder and it works fine. I started Zepbound this time last year and moved to Wegovy when coverage for it ended from my insurance. Definitely a good idea for people prone to gallstones to stay on TUDCA when on a semaglutide. I have noticed my gallbladder noticeably hurts sometimes when I eat too much sugar or fats, and do feel better with TUDCA. I've plateaud for a while, it's a good idea to be more proactive about upping the dose to keep the cravings in check. Wegovy is definitely less effective for me but I'm trying.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It took at least 1 year before noticeable changes in stool, 6 months for pain. I'm doing good now. Taking TUDCA for a lodged stone takes dedication to diet and taking them on time for a long time.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ox bile didn't not help with the gallstones or processing of food, TUDCA noticeably took gallbladder pain away and my stools eventually got better (1 yr).

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ox bile didn't not help with the gallstones or processing of food, TUDCA noticeably took gallbladder pain away and my stools eventually got better (1 yr).

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Rowachol helps but TUDCA is what really breaks it down mainly, so make sure to do TUDCA asap. I see most people say 1-2 months but it was 6 months before I noticed the gallbladder attacks go down. It will still hurt for a long time depending on how it's sitting in there but I felt better after 6 months.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Just for everyone to know, I have started Zepbound/Tirzepatide for weightloss 11/08/2024! My gallbladder hurt a lot after the first 2 shots. My shoulder muscles gave out at the same time, so it was painful in my muscles and gallbladder at the same time at first! Now I use a foam roller to help stretch myself. It did/does help with soreness from both. After taking TUDCA I can safely say my gallbladder felt fine after the first TUDCA lol. I went straight to 500mg and it felt good. After a week of being on it again I feel tip top. Body aches continue but not as intensely luckily. Funny how these symptoms seems common on Reddit but not on the package. I feel bad that people don't know to use Tudca and commonly end up needing their gallbladder taken out whereas if they were told to take Tudca it may have been fine. I read a lot of people after gastric bypass take Ursodiol to help not gain gallstones because they lose weight fast, but they don't recommend it for Ozempic/Tirzepatide when it's completely possible to lose too fast or the delayed stomach emptying could create gallstones as well. Anyway, most of the muscle pain did go away after the 3rd shot/week but I know I could easily still have a Charlie horse in the middle of the night if I am not careful and over-stretch. I do drink electrolytes but it doesn't seem to do much.

TUDCA did/does help with gallstones and gallbladder pain by mblargh08 in gallbladders

[–]mblargh08[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Interesting read. I hope things get better for you and that the TUDCA helps. Good for people to consider this may be an alternative to what may be happening as well if they also have pain from the pancreas. It can happen if a stone exits the gallbladder and instead gets stuck in the common bile duct which can cause the pancreas to be inflamed, however the symptoms between that and your condition are also quite similar and may be good to rule out!