​​Gallstones ​

Your liver produces bile, which is a digestive fluid that helps to break down fatty foods. This bile is stored in your gallbladder. Bile contains cholesterol, bile salts and waste products. You may develop gallstones in your gallbladder if the balance of these substances is disturbed and your liver makes more cholesterol or salts than the bile can dissolve. 

Many of the risk factors for gallstones have to do with your diet. For instance, obesity, having a diet that consists of high fat and cholesterol, or losing weight rapidly in a short period of time may put you at greater risk of developing gallstones. Other risk factors include genetics, gender (women are more prone to gallstones), and age (more common amongst older people). 

Gallstones can present in a number of ways. These can be found incidentally on ultrasound done for some other reason while or they can result into a life threatening episode of inflammation of pancreas. There are a large variety of presentations in between the two extremes. 

When to seek expert advise

You should make an appointment with your doctor working with the GI and Surgery Service Line​ at The Aga Khan University Hospital if you have any of the symptoms that you are concerned about. However, you should seek immediate care if you experience any symptoms that indicate serious complications due to gallstones, such as:  

• High fever
  

• Chills 
  

• Skin or eyes that start to turn yellow 
  

• Intense abdominal pain, which makes it difficult to sit still or sit comfortably​.

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