Question 1

What are the symptoms of gallstones?

Accepted Answer

Severe pain in the higher right part of your abdomen, potentially extending to the higher back is a key symptom of gallbladder stones. Other symptoms include:

Fever and shivering.
Severe nausea and vomiting.
Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
Clay-colored stools or dark urine.

Question 2

What are the signs of a failing gallbladder?

Accepted Answer

Some of the major signs of a failing gallbladder include:

Intense and sharp pain in the mid/upper right section of the abdomen. Mostly, gallbladder pain will come and go. But gallbladder pain can oscillate between mild, irregular, and severe. When gallbladder issues are left untreated, they can lead to frequent pain. The episodes will radiate through the chest and back.
Vomiting or nausea. If you have any gallbladder issues, it will show up as nausea and vomiting. Long-term gallbladder diseases will lead to digestive problems that will cause frequent nausea.
Fever. Fever and chills are major signs of an infection in the body. This symptom will surface if the gallbladder problems have escalated into an infection.
Change in bowel movement pattern. A failing gallbladder will usually result in a change in bowel movements. This includes sudden diarrhoea, along with light chalky stools, which point to problems in the bile ducts.
Change in urine. Dark urine can signal a block in the bile duct.
Jaundice. When the liver bile doesn't reach the intestines, it can lead to yellowing of the skin. This will signal a failing gallbladder due to a blockage in the bile ducts caused by gallstones.

Question 3

Can gallstones kill you?

Accepted Answer

Acute cholecystitis is not usually a medical emergency. However, in the later stages, it could lead to the death of the tissues of the gallbladder, called gangrenous cholecystitis, which can cause a serious infection.

Question 4

Is alcohol bad for gallstones?

Accepted Answer

Currently, research does not show any direct link between alcohol and gallbladder attacks, including gallstones. However, if your liver is impaired, leading to imbalanced bile, it can increase your chances of developing gallbladder stones.

Question 5

Can gallstones cause liver damage?

Accepted Answer

Most commonly, gallstones can cause an obstruction of the ducts that drain bile from the liver. Abnormalities in the gap of the digestive juice epithelial duct into the small intestine will result in abnormalities of bile flow, which could damage the liver.

Question 6

Can gallstones come back after the gallbladder is removed?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes, stones could be left behind after the removal of the bladder (cholecystectomy). Typically, they are found within 3 years of you having undergone the procedure. Recurrent gallstones continue to develop within the bile duct after the gallbladder has been removed.

Question 7

What can I expect after gallbladder removal?

Accepted Answer

You might experience the following once your bladder is removed:

Difficulty digesting fat. It may take your body time to adjust to its new method of digesting fat.
Diarrhoea and flatulence.
Constipation.
Intestinal injury.
Jaundice or fever.

Question 8

What are the long-term side effects of gallbladder removal?

Accepted Answer

Long-term side effects include:

Difficulty digesting fatty foods.
Temporary diarrhoea.
Chronic diarrhoea.
Temporary constipation.
Retained stone in a bile duct.
Intestinal injury.

Question 9

Can gallbladder removal cause weight loss?

Accepted Answer

After surgery, you might have some trouble digesting fatty foods until your body adjusts. This might cause weight loss.

Question 10

When should you see a doctor for your gallbladder?

Accepted Answer

If you observe gallbladder issues, seek medical attention immediately. Mild or intermittent pain that does not go away completely needs immediate attention. Ensure that you make an appointment with your doctor so that the problem can be examined further. If the symptoms include severe nausea, fever and vomitting, it can indicate a serious infection and inflammation that will need immediate treatment.

Question 11

Are gallstones a sign of cancer?

Accepted Answer

Gallstones are a common symptom and risk factor for bladder cancer. Hence, cancer screening is recommended for people suffering from gallstones.

Question 12

Can gallstones go away without surgery?

Accepted Answer

There is a chance that gallstones disappear on their own, but that doesn't usually happen, and treatment is necessary. Gallstones can also occur without causing any symptoms. In such cases, making changes in your diet can help prevent any further complications.

However, your doctor will recommend you stay alert for any symptoms of gallstone complications. Sometimes, the symptoms may surface as an intensifying pain in the upper right abdomen. You need to get these signs and symptoms diagnosed for appropriate treatment.

Question 13

Are gallstones dangerous?

Accepted Answer

Gallstones can be dangerous because they can lead to serious infections and damage to the gallbladder, liver and pancreas, if left untreated. Life-threatening conditions may also occur if damage to these organs is severe enough to hinder their normal functioning.

Question 14

How long does gallbladder surgery take?

Accepted Answer

The gallbladder is removed by a surgical procedure called a cholecystectomy. It is a common surgery that doesn’t entail many risks of complications. Usually, you will be able to go home on the same day as your cholecystectomy. In case of any complications, you might have to stay one or more nights in the hospital to manage these symptoms.

Question 15

What happens after gallbladder removal?

Accepted Answer

The gallbladder stores bile produced by the liver in between meals. After its removal, the bile won’t be stored anymore. It will instead directly flow into the intestine, whenever the liver makes it. Although the amount of bile will be reduced now, it will still be enough to help digest and transfer the fat from your intestine into your body.

A few people may experience softer and more frequent stools after the removal of the gallbladder, but the changes are often temporary. However, it is best to discuss any such changes with your doctor.

Question 16

Do I need to change my diet after gallbladder surgery?

Accepted Answer

After the removal of the gallbladder, most people don't have to make major changes in their diet. You may be asked to follow a special diet before the surgery, but you don't have to continue it afterwards. Some people experience indigestion, bloating and diarrhoea after surgery, but this usually improves within a few weeks.

If you notice that the consumption of certain foods or drinks triggers symptoms, you must avoid them in the future. Besides, you should aim to have a balanced and healthy diet in general.

Question 17

What kind of diet helps with gallbladder health?

Accepted Answer

Doctors usually think that a low-fat diet can help treat gallstones or at least prevent them from growing. But new studies have proven that drastic weight loss can lead to an increase in gallstone size, instead of shrinking them.

To avoid this, include different types of foods that will not only prevent gallstones but also help maintain your overall health and aid in keeping any gallstone pain under control. However, you must inform your doctor if any pain is caused due to gallbladder issues. Doctors, with the help of nutritionists and dieticians, can help develop a diet plan that's suitable for you. Your diet will normally include high-fibre foods, such as beans, fruits, peas, whole grains and vegetables, while carbohydrate and sugar intake will be reduced. Additionally, you should consume healthy fats like fish oil and olive oil.

Question 18

When should I seek medical care for gallstones?

Accepted Answer

Seeking medical care for gallstones is necessary if you observe ongoing or recurring episodes of abdominal pain, 30 minutes to one hour after meals. Emergency care may be required if you have abdominal pain along with any of the following conditions:

Over-the-counter pain medications don’t work to control abdominal pain.
Chronic diarrhoea.
Fever, chills, sweating, or vomiting.
Jaundice

Question 19

Are there any non-surgical treatments for gallstones?

Accepted Answer

Non-surgical treatments for gallstones are performed in situations where the patient has a serious medical condition that prevents surgery. Even after it is treated, there is a possibility that gallstones may return. So, they might have to be treated regularly for a very long time or for the rest of their life.

The following non-surgical treatments are used by doctors to remove or break up gallstones.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, or ERCP, is a non-surgical treatment for the removal of gallstones stuck in the bile duct.
Oral dissolution therapy uses medicines like ursodiol NID external link (Actigall) and chenodiol NIH external link (Chenix) to break up gallstones. This treatment is effective only when the stones are small. It may take months or years of treatment to break up all the stones.
Shock wave lithotripsy is a treatment method used to blast gallstones into small pieces for easy removal. The procedure is rarely used or sometimes used along with ursodiol.

Question 20

What is the diagnosis process for gallbladder issues?

Accepted Answer

If a doctor suspects a gallbladder issue, they will ask for the following tests:

Imaging: Imaging tests for the gallbladder include ultrasound and CT scans that image the gallbladder. These are commonly used for gallstones.
Tests to examine blocked bile ducts: These tests use dyes to identify a gallstone causing a blockage in the bile duct. The tests include an MRI, HIDA scans and ERCP.

Question 21

How do you treat gallstones naturally?

Accepted Answer

Although medicines and surgical options can effectively manage gallbladder issues, some people turn to natural remedies as well for gallstone treatment. Reliable evidence about the effectiveness of natural alternatives is yet to be found. Some of the popular methods are:

To cleanse the gallbladder, a blend of apple juice, olive oil and herbs is consumed for two to five days.
People drink dandelion teas to eliminate gallstones.
Milk thistle has been used for centuries to detoxify the liver.
Lysimachiae herba, or gold coin grass, is a well-known Chinese remedy for removing gallstones.
Artichoke extracts are used to help gallbladder function and stimulate bile production.
Some yoga poses that help relieve gallstones are Bhujangasana, Dhanurasana, Pachimotasana, Sarvangasana and Shalabhasana.

Gallstones and Gallbladder diseases