General Surgery
Gall bladder stones: when pain after meals means surgery
Department of General Surgery · 5 min read · Updated 13 July 2026
Gall stones are found on a large proportion of routine abdominal ultrasounds, and many of those patients have never had a symptom. The decision to operate depends on what the stones are doing, not on the fact that they exist.
The typical pain
Pain from gall stones sits in the upper right abdomen, often comes an hour or two after a fatty or heavy meal, may travel to the back or right shoulder, and lasts from thirty minutes to a few hours. Nausea is common. Many patients describe it as gas and treat it with antacids for months.
When removal is advised
Once stones cause symptoms, they usually keep causing them, and the complications are worse than the operation.
- Repeated episodes of pain after meals
- An attack of cholecystitis, with fever and tenderness
- Jaundice or a stone that has moved into the bile duct
- Pancreatitis caused by a stone
- A thickened gall bladder wall or a polyp on ultrasound
What surgery involves
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy removes the gall bladder through four small incisions, usually with a one to two day stay. Digestion continues normally afterwards; most patients are advised only to keep fatty food moderate for the first few weeks.
Silent stones found incidentally, with no symptoms at all, are often simply watched — that decision is made case by case.
This article is general health information and does not replace a consultation. For advice on your own condition, book an appointment or call +91 80067 77996. In an emergency, call +91 80067 77996.
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