What causes gallstones and how can you avoid it?

While samgyupsal and fatty meats are often irresistible, eating too much of these items can be bad for your health — specifically for your gallbladder.

In an episode of PinoyMD, Angelica Santos, 23, related how she struggled with gallstones. 

Angelica would always go out with her friends to dine in restaurants and have her fill of unli-samgyupsal offers, often staying as long as three hours enjoying the delicious fare.

"Samgyupsal inaabot kami ng three hours, siyempre nakakahilo, masakit sa batok pero inaano namin, sayang sa pagkain kasi unli," she shared.

In 2018, Angelica would start to feel abdominal pain after drinking coffee. She was sent to the hospital and was told that she might have ulcer.

She was given pain killers and felt better for the next few months until she felt another pain in 2019, this time after eating oily and fatty foods.

"'Pag kumakain po ako ng mamantika o mga baboy, 'yung mga taba, dun siya nati-trigger. Dun siya mabilis sumakit tapos ang atake niya, laging sa gabi tsaka sa madaling araw," she said.

Thinking it was only ulcer, she continued eating the unhealthy foods after being given pain killers through injection.

In 2020, Angelica felt an unbearable pain. She consulted another doctor who told her she had gallstones, and that she needed to undergo surgery as soon as possible.

What causes a person to have gallstones and how to avoid it

The gallbladder or abdo is an organ beside the liver, where the bile made by our liver ends up.

According to PinoyMD, bile is a liquid released by the gallbladder as a person is eating to help in digestion and absorption of nutrients from food.

"Imbis na liquid siya na dadaloy papunta sa bituka, kapag tayo ay kumakain ang nangyayari, tumitigas. So parang yung liquid, nanuyo at tumigas sa loob ng abdo," Gastroenterologist Dr. Edhel Tripon said.

These solidified liquids become gallstones.

There are multiple factors and reasons why some people get them, including old age and genetics.

Tripon shared that gallstones are more common to women than men, and those who are obese or who lose weight drastically often also get gallstones.

"Kapag mahilig kumain ng matataba, you’re more likely to be obese, you’re more likely to have dyslipidemia, higher blood cholesterol, so yes that will increase your gallstones in the long run," Dr. Tripon said.

She also noted that it can also be hereditary.

Symptoms of gallstones include fever, extreme pain in the abdomen, back, and shoulder blades, and having yellow-ish skin.

"Yung mga sintoma ng gallstones kung saan sumasakit yung itaas na bahagi ng tiyan and lagnat and naduduwal maari rin po syang makita sa ibang sakit sa tiyan. Importanteng kumonsulta para ma-examine po kayo ng inyong doctor at masiurado na dahil po ito sa gallstones," she added.

However, most people only learn about their gallstones, because most patients have asymptomatic gallstones.

"Majority of these patients don’t have symptoms, meaning incidentally na-ultrasound sila. 'Ay may bato po kayo sa abdo,' pero wala silang nararamdaman at all," she said.

Dr. Tripon there are complications associated with gallstones.

"'Pag palagi siyang nakaka-cause ng irritation sa abdo, puwedeng mamaga ang gallstones. 'Yun yung colicystitis," she said.

"Kung yung gallstones ay lumabas sa abdo at bumara sa bile ducts, yun ay tinatawag na coledocolitiasis," she added.

According to Dr. Tripon, another complication is pancreatitis since the gallblader and pancreas have one main outlet.

Dr. Tripon said to avoid getting gallstones you can take more of the good fats which is called the "mono-unsaturated at poly-unsaturated fats can help decrease the risk of gallstones, that is the healthy fats."

Dr. Tripon also suggests exercise, lifestyle change, and not to hurry losing weight. — Jannielyn Ann Bigtas/LA, GMA News