- Usually drinking too much Coke causes a stomach ache, but in this case it was the opposite.
A popular urban myth states that Coca-Cola (and other similar drinks) will dissolve a tooth within days. While that’s not true, cola drinks are acidic, and drinking too much can damage your teeth.
But their acidity may have beneficial effects as well, as this woman’s case demonstrates.
A Massachusetts woman reported to a hospital with debilitating pain in her stomach that over-the-counter medications wouldn’t cure. The doctors soon discovered the reason behind her gastrointestinal discomfort.
Inside the woman’s stomach was a large gastrolith, or a glob of undigested matter that had caused a blockage.
Intestinal blockages can sometimes require surgery, but the doctors decided to try a noninvasive method first. So, they told the woman to drink large amounts of Diet Coke every day.
It sounds like complete quackery, but much to the woman’s surprise, the treatment worked. Within a couple of days, the gastrolith dissolved, and her pain disappeared for good.
Stomach Pains
Our patient is a 63-year-old woman from Massachusetts. Although she was otherwise healthy, she was seriously overweight and suffered from type 2 diabetes.
About a year before this case, her doctors had put her on the weight-loss drug Ozempic. Although the drug generally isn’t a miracle cure, it had worked very well in this woman’s case.
Over the year she’d been using Ozempic, she’d lost 40 pounds, thanks to both the drug and an overall healthier lifestyle. Her weight loss had been particularly rapid in the month before her hospital visit.
And that hospital visit was due because she suddenly developed a cocktail of strange issues. Over that month, she had begun to experience nausea and vomiting, together with a loss of appetite.
Yet, the most pressing issue was her searing pain. It had started in her abdomen but soon spread to her right side and back.
Antacids and other non-prescription medications had failed to provide any relief. So, the woman decided it was time to turn to professionals.
Clogged Pipes
After the woman checked in to the hospital, the doctors gave her the usual inspections. Her gallbladder, pancreas, and associated pipework were all normal, so the doctors decided to inspect her stomach.
That’s where they found the culprit. A large gastrolith, also called a gastric bezoar, had formed in her stomach and partially blocked her intestines.
Bezoars are formed when a bunch of undigested or poorly digested solid matter lumps together. The cause behind the woman’s obstruction was likely Ozempic.
The drug works by slowing the rate at which the stomach empties into the intestines, which in turn causes you to eat less and lower your caloric intake. In rare cases, however, this can result in gastroliths, as undigested food has more time to linger and clump in the stomach.
Fortunately, the doctors knew just the cure. They told the woman to start chugging Coke.
Coke to the Rescue
The doctors’ suggestion sounds ridiculous, but there’s actually solid evidence backing cola drinks’ medical potential. Previous case reports have shown that large amounts of Coke or similar soda drunk within a narrow time window can effectively dissolve gastric bezoars.
What the doctors don’t know is whether it’s the cola’s acidity, carbonation, or something else that gets rid of the clump. They just know that it can work.
And in this woman’s case, the other option was surgery, which can always lead to complications. So, they decided to give Coke a try.
Due to the woman’s diabetes, though, they prescribed Diet Coke instead of the regular stuff. Additionally, the woman really hates carbonated drinks, so instead of the initial 12 cups of Coke per day, they lowered the prescription to 6 cups.
I can only imagine how skeptical the woman must have felt. To her shock, though, Coke did the trick.
After two days of her Coke regimen, she suddenly felt a “tight pulling sensation” in her abdomen. And then… Nothing.
Her pain disappeared immediately. A subsequent visit to the doctor confirmed that her stomach obstruction had dissolved and she was good as new.
However, due to the issue, the doctors have not put the woman back on Ozempic. She also gained some weight back, but at least she’s not in constant agony because of her stomach obstruction.