Dr Bryan Betty: Gallstones

What are gallstones? 

Gall bladder: sits under the liver. 

Stores and concentrates bile: fluid made in liver which helps digest fats. 

This bile clumps together to form ‘stones’: From sand to small pebbles. 

  

Who is at risk? 

10% New Zealanders have gallstones, 80% have no symptoms. 

Most at risk:  

Women are twice as likely as men. 

Ages 20 to 60.  

If you’re carrying too much weight, have a family history of them, have diabetes, or experience rapid weight loss. 

  

What are the symptoms? 

80% have no symptoms.      

Can be severe pain, ‘colic’ - often pain in the right upper abdomen, through to your back between shoulder blades. 

Often after eating a large, fatty meal. 

They can cause nausea, vomiting, and indigestion. May mimic a heart attack. 

If it’s more severe it becomes infected or inflamed: fever, sweats, jaundice – turning yellow. 

  

How do we diagnose? 

History and exam, blood tests. 

The doctor will order an ultrasound to look for stones, sometimes an MRI scan. 

  

What do we do about them? 

Avoid fatty foods, drink plenty of fluids, slow weight reduction - not rapid. 

May need surgery ‘laparoscopic’ keyhole surgery to remove the gallbladder. 

We don’t need the gallbladder – get by very well without it. 

Often see ads for remedies such as lemon juice or large amounts of oil. These don’t work! No evidence at all! 

If you have pain in abdomen – see your GP. 

 

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