Digestive
Medicines for Gallstones
Hard stones that form in the gallbladder, often causing no symptoms but sometimes triggering severe pain or complications — treated, when needed, by removing the gallbladder.
Education and reference only. This explains which medicines are used and why, in plain language — it deliberately contains no doses and is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always discuss your own treatment with a qualified clinician, and check the BNF and the product labelling for prescribing detail.
Quick answer
What is Gallstones?
Gallstones are small, hard stones — usually made largely of cholesterol — that form in the gallbladder, the small pouch under the liver that stores bile. They are very common and often cause no symptoms, being found by chance.
- How it is treated: Gallstones causing no symptoms usually need no treatment.
- Self-care: A healthy weight, a balanced diet and avoiding very fatty meals may reduce symptoms and the risk of stones.
- When to seek help: See a doctor for repeated upper-abdominal pain after meals.
What it is
Gallstones are small, hard stones — usually made largely of cholesterol — that form in the gallbladder, the small pouch under the liver that stores bile. They are very common and often cause no symptoms, being found by chance. When a stone blocks the flow of bile, it can cause sudden, severe pain in the upper right abdomen (biliary colic), often after fatty meals. Complications include inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis), jaundice if a stone blocks the main bile duct, and pancreatitis. Risk is higher with older age, being female, being overweight and rapid weight loss.
How it is treated
Gallstones causing no symptoms usually need no treatment. When they cause pain or complications, the standard treatment is an operation to remove the gallbladder (cholecystectomy), most often by keyhole surgery — the body copes well without a gallbladder. Complications such as gallbladder inflammation or a blocked bile duct are treated urgently, sometimes with a procedure to remove a duct stone. Pain relief and dietary adjustment may help in the meantime.
For this condition, these medicines
Medicine classes used for Gallstones
Each links to a full, dose-free guide — what it is, how it works, who can and cannot use it, side effects, interactions and FAQs.
Beyond medication
Lifestyle and self-care
A healthy weight, a balanced diet and avoiding very fatty meals may reduce symptoms and the risk of stones. Losing weight gradually rather than rapidly lowers the chance of forming stones.
When to get help
When to see a doctor
See a doctor for repeated upper-abdominal pain after meals. Seek urgent care for severe or persistent pain, a high temperature, or yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), which can signal a serious complication.
Not sure how urgent it is? It is always OK to call NHS 111 for advice, day or night.
Answers
Gallstones: frequently asked questions
Do all gallstones need treatment?
No. Gallstones that cause no symptoms usually do not need treatment. Those causing pain or complications are typically treated by removing the gallbladder.
Can you live without a gallbladder?
Yes. After removal, bile flows directly from the liver to the gut and most people digest food normally.
Keep reading
Related articles
Sources
Where this is drawn from
- NICE CG188 — Gallstone disease
- NHS — Gallstones
Related conditions
Browse by body system
Building a patient-information or formulary resource?
We create evidence-led, dose-free clinical references and decision aids for teams.