What is gallstones?
Gallstones are small, hard deposits, usually of cholesterol, that form in the gallbladder, the pouch beneath the liver that stores bile. Many people have gallstones without symptoms, but stones that block the gallbladder's outlet cause biliary colic: waves of severe pain in the upper right abdomen, often after fatty food. Stones can also trigger inflammation (cholecystitis), jaundice or pancreatitis.
Gallstones are very common, particularly in women, people over 40 and those who are overweight or have lost weight rapidly. Diagnosis is usually made with an ultrasound scan of the abdomen, alongside blood tests to check liver function and rule out complications. An MRI scan (MRCP) is sometimes used to look for stones that have moved into the bile duct.
Common symptoms
- Sudden, intense pain in the upper right abdomen or centre of the tummy
- Pain spreading to the right shoulder blade or back
- Pain triggered by fatty or rich meals, often lasting one to five hours
- Nausea and vomiting during attacks
- Bloating and intolerance of fatty foods
- Fever, persistent pain or yellowing of the skin (signs of complications needing urgent care)
How long will you wait?
Routine NHS referral-to-treatment for gallbladder removal commonly takes four to nine months at many trusts, with the ultrasound and clinic appointments adding time at the start of the pathway.
Privately, you can typically see a consultant within 3–7 days, with an ultrasound arranged promptly and surgery usually scheduled within 2–4 weeks.
NHS England median referral-to-treatment wait: 12.4 weeks, with 2.5 million people waiting over 18 weeks (May 2026). Individual waits vary by trust and urgency.
Treatment options
- Dietary management. A lower-fat diet can reduce the frequency of attacks while awaiting treatment, though it does not remove the stones.
- Laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Keyhole removal of the gallbladder is the definitive treatment for symptomatic gallstones, usually done as a day case or one-night stay.
- ERCP. An endoscopic procedure used to remove stones that have escaped into the bile duct, often before or alongside gallbladder surgery.
What does private treatment cost?
As a guide, self-pay laparoscopic gallbladder removal typically costs around £6,000–£8,500 in the UK in 2026, including the hospital stay and routine follow-up.
Does health insurance cover gallstones?
Gallstone disease that first causes symptoms after your policy starts is typically well covered by private medical insurance, from the diagnostic ultrasound through to keyhole gallbladder removal, as it is an acute condition with a curative operation. If you had gallstone symptoms or a known diagnosis before taking out cover, insurers will usually exclude it as pre-existing initially, though moratorium policies may cover it after a defined symptom-free period.
Frequently asked questions
Can gallstones be treated without removing the gallbladder?
Rarely, and not very effectively. Stone-dissolving tablets work slowly, only for certain small cholesterol stones, and stones usually return when treatment stops. Sound-wave therapy is seldom used for gallstones in the UK. Because the gallbladder itself tends to keep forming stones, removing it by keyhole surgery remains the standard and most reliable treatment for people with symptoms.
Will I miss my gallbladder after surgery?
Most people notice no long-term difference. Bile simply flows directly from the liver into the intestine instead of being stored. A minority experience looser stools or find very fatty meals less comfortable, and this usually settles over weeks to months. The relief from recurrent attacks of biliary pain almost always far outweighs these minor digestive changes.
What happens if I leave symptomatic gallstones untreated?
Attacks tend to recur unpredictably, and each episode carries a small risk of complications: acute cholecystitis (an inflamed, infected gallbladder), jaundice from a stone blocking the bile duct, or pancreatitis, which can be serious. That is why surgeons usually recommend planned removal once stones have caused symptoms, rather than waiting for an emergency admission.