I have gallstones. I read somewhere that if you take 3 tablespoons of olive oil and lemon juice before going to bed, it might make the stones pass. Is this true?

P.

Gallstones form as a result of several factors, including a high concentration of cholesterol in the bile, low levels of bile salts and a gallbladder that empties poorly. When a stone blocks the duct that drains the gallbladder, a patient may experience severe upper abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. If the blockage remains for an extended period, fever and bacterial infection of the gallbladder may follow. The standard treatment for such problems is surgical removal of the gallbladder (cholecystectomy). This is now done laparoscopically (using miniature surgical instruments inserted through tiny slits) often on an outpatient basis.

Over the years, various other remedies for gallstones have been tried with limited success. Oral preparations of bile salts are available. However, they are not very effective in dissolving stones and there is always a risk of future stone development.

I am not aware of any scientific data to support the remedy you describe for gallstones. Lemon juice and olive oil probably have minimal effects on the gallbladder. Even if they did enable stones to "pass," you would not want your gallstones to pass out of the gallbladder because they could get stuck and block the ducts. I recommend that any patient with gallstone-related problems meet with an experienced surgeon to discuss the details of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.