antispasmodic medication Bentyl stopped an attack

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to share my experience with you regarding my last

attack. I hope it might help some of you to get over your next

gallstone attacks.

After our discussion in this group of using Epsom salts during an

attack to dialate the ducts, I remembered that the doctors back in my

home country Bulgaria, would always give me antispasmodic medicine

when I had kidney attacks to get my painful muscles around the

kidneys relax. ly, I was very surprised that none of the

American doctors I had talked to about my gallstone attacks, have

ever mentioned antispasmodics. They always gave me really strong pain

killers--narcotics to deal with the pain only.

I told my doctor about the antispasmodic medicine helping with kidney

attacks (I live now in the US), and after our discussion, she agreed

that this makes sense. Usually during a gallstone attack, the

gallbladder and ducts contract around the stone, and this makes it

harder for the stone to pass. An antispasmodic would relax the

muscles and the stone would pass easier. So last Friday my doctor

prescribed me DICYCLOMINE(Bentyl) in case I got another severe

attack.

As it happened, I got a major attack that Friday evening, which

continued for more than 12 hours. At first I used about 1 tablespoon

of Epsom salts which relaxed me some but not enough ( I didn't want

to keep on taking Epsom salts to relax me further because I felt very

nausious too, and I'd already gotten bad diarrhea from just 1 tbsp of

Epsom salts). I then tried hot shower, which helped me for about 30

minuntes. Finally in the morning, more than 12 hours after the start

of the attack, my husband bought the antispasmodic medicine. My

attack subsided within 30 minutes after taking Bentyl. I believe the

stone managed to pass, after my muscles relaxed.

Then on Monday I also had a bad gallbladder pain (my gallbaldder is

still inflamed) after eating some fat. I think I got the pain because

after eating the fat my inflamed gallbladder contracted around the

stones. This too got relieved by taking Bentyl.

I am even wondering what will happen if I use Bentyl during a flush--

will this make the stones come out even easier than with Epsom

salts...

I just found a link which said that antispasmodics should be the

first drug to use in ER for gallstone attacks ( but apparently not

many doctors know about it):

http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic98.htm

" Dicyclomine hydrochloride (Bentyl) -- Has antimuscarinic and

anticholinergic effects on smooth muscle. Moderately effective in

reducing pain of gallbladder colic and cholecystitis. Used in many

institutions as first-line pain control for this disease, with

narcotics as second-line pain controllers. May not be given IV. "

Zora

[Guest guest]

Dear Zora,

Thanks for sharing this. Very interesting. My ex-husband used to get bad gb

attacks which never showed up on tests. Our doctor usually prescribed an

anti-spasmodic.

Regards,

Rosemary.

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to share my experience with you regarding my last

attack. I hope it might help some of you to get over your next

gallstone attacks.

After our discussion in this group of using Epsom salts during an

attack to dialate the ducts, I remembered that the doctors back in my

home country Bulgaria, would always give me antispasmodic medicine

when I had kidney attacks to get my painful muscles around the

kidneys relax. ly, I was very surprised that none of the

American doctors I had talked to about my gallstone attacks, have

ever mentioned antispasmodics. They always gave me really strong pain

killers--narcotics to deal with the pain only.

I told my doctor about the antispasmodic medicine helping with kidney

attacks (I live now in the US), and after our discussion, she agreed

that this makes sense. Usually during a gallstone attack, the

gallbladder and ducts contract around the stone, and this makes it

harder for the stone to pass. An antispasmodic would relax the

muscles and the stone would pass easier. So last Friday my doctor

prescribed me DICYCLOMINE(Bentyl) in case I got another severe

attack.

As it happened, I got a major attack that Friday evening, which

continued for more than 12 hours. At first I used about 1 tablespoon

of Epsom salts which relaxed me some but not enough ( I didn't want

to keep on taking Epsom salts to relax me further because I felt very

nausious too, and I'd already gotten bad diarrhea from just 1 tbsp of

Epsom salts). I then tried hot shower, which helped me for about 30

minuntes. Finally in the morning, more than 12 hours after the start

of the attack, my husband bought the antispasmodic medicine. My

attack subsided within 30 minutes after taking Bentyl. I believe the

stone managed to pass, after my muscles relaxed.

Then on Monday I also had a bad gallbladder pain (my gallbaldder is

still inflamed) after eating some fat. I think I got the pain because

after eating the fat my inflamed gallbladder contracted around the

stones. This too got relieved by taking Bentyl.

I am even wondering what will happen if I use Bentyl during a flush--

will this make the stones come out even easier than with Epsom

salts...

I just found a link which said that antispasmodics should be the

first drug to use in ER for gallstone attacks ( but apparently not

many doctors know about it):

http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic98.htm

" Dicyclomine hydrochloride (Bentyl) -- Has antimuscarinic and

anticholinergic effects on smooth muscle. Moderately effective in

reducing pain of gallbladder colic and cholecystitis. Used in many

institutions as first-line pain control for this disease, with

narcotics as second-line pain controllers. May not be given IV. "

Zora