What are Gallstones?

Gallstones are small stones, usually made of cholesterol, that form in the gallbladder. In most cases they do not cause any symptoms.

However, if a gallstone becomes trapped in a duct (opening) inside the gallbladder it can trigger a sudden intense abdominal pain that usually lasts between one and five hours. This type of abdominal pain is known as biliary colic.

The medical term for symptoms and complications related to gallstones is gallstone disease or cholelithiasis.

Gallstone disease can also cause inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis). This can cause persistent pain, yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice) and a high temperature (fever) of 38°C (100.4°F) or above.

In some cases a gallstone can move into the pancreas, causing it to become irritated and inflamed. This is known as acute pancreatitis and causes abdominal pain that gets progressively worse.

Treatment

In cases of gallstones with no symptoms, a policy of ‘watchful waiting’ is recommended. This means you will receive no immediate treatment, but you should look out for any worsening of your condition and report any symptoms to your GP.

As a general rule, the longer you go without experiencing any symptoms, the less likely it is that your condition will worsen.

The treatment plan for uncomplicated gallstone disease will depend on the frequency and severity of your symptoms, and the effect they have on your quality of life.

If your symptoms are mild and infrequent, and your quality of life is largely unaffected, surgery is not usually recommended. You may be prescribed painkillers, which you can use to control the symptoms if you experience another episode of biliary colic.

Surgery to remove your gallbladder will usually be recommended if your symptoms are more severe and occur frequently, leading to a reduction in your quality of life.

Whenever possible, surgery is recommended for all cases of complicated gallstone disease.

My Story

My gallstones appeared shortly after the birth of my son in March 2012.  My gallbladder attacks usually last 5-6 hours and the pain is unbearable - significantly worse than childbirth!  As time has passed, my symptoms have worsened to include acid reflux (when I get too full), nausea and exhaustion.  I have lost 3'7 since first diagnosis.  I have had my pre-op appointment in December and am currently awaiting the date of my operation.