Direct answer: The main gallstone symptom is a sharp pain in the upper right of the belly, often after a fatty meal, lasting 30 minutes to several hours. It can come with vomiting, and sometimes fever or yellow eyes. Many gallstones cause no symptoms at all. Dr Raman Garg, surgical gastroenterologist in Bathinda, Punjab, India, confirms the cause with an ultrasound and examination.
What a gallstone is, in plain words
The gallbladder is a small pouch under the liver on the right side of your belly. It stores bile, a digestive juice that helps your body handle ghee, oil and fried food. When bile turns thick and hard, it forms stones (gallstones). In Punjabi and Hindi, people call this pite di pathri or pitte ki pathri. Some stones are as small as sand grains. Others are as big as a golf ball. You may have one stone or a hundred.
Symptoms: what it feels like
- Sharp or cramping pain in the upper right belly, or in the centre just below the breastbone
- Pain that spreads to the back or the right shoulder blade
- Pain starting 1 to 2 hours after parathas, pakoras, ghee-heavy food or a wedding meal
- Nausea, vomiting, bloating and a sour taste
- Pain lasting more than 30 minutes, often at night
If you are searching "pitt ki pathri ka dard kahan hota hai": the pain sits in the upper right belly, under the ribs. Gas pain moves around and eases with a burp. Gallstone pain stays in one place and does not ease so easily.
Take a 45 year old shopkeeper from Rampura Phul. After a heavy dinner at a family function, he wakes at 2 AM with pain under his right ribs. Antacid does nothing. By morning the pain fades. Two weeks later it returns after a plate of chole bhature. This pattern points to the gallbladder, and an ultrasound should be done.
Red flags: go to hospital the same day
| Warning sign | What it may mean |
|---|---|
| Fever with chills and belly pain | Infection of the gallbladder |
| Yellow eyes, dark urine, pale stools | Stone blocking the bile tube |
| Pain lasting more than 6 hours without relief | A severe gallbladder attack |
| Severe pain with back pain and repeated vomiting | Swollen pancreas from a stone |
Do not wait at home or take repeated painkillers. Get same-day hospital care. Dr Raman Garg's team at Bombay Gastro & Cancer Institute (BGCI) offers emergency care support 24/7 on +91 82641-60001.
Causes: why stones form
- Too much cholesterol in the bile, the most common reason
- The gallbladder not emptying well, so bile sits and thickens
- Too much bilirubin in the bile, seen in some blood conditions and liver problems
Stones form slowly, over months to years. They are not caused by one bad meal, hard water or eating tomatoes or seeds. These are common myths.
Risk factors
| Risk factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Female, age above 40 | Hormones raise cholesterol in bile |
| Pregnancy or many childbirths | Slower gallbladder emptying |
| Obesity or belly fat | More cholesterol in bile |
| Rapid weight loss | Bile thickens quickly |
| Diabetes | Slower emptying and higher stone risk |
| Family history | Stones often run in families |
| Fatty, fried, sweet-heavy diet | Raises cholesterol load |
| Long gaps without food | Bile sits in the gallbladder |
Farmers and mandi workers who skip meals through a long day, then eat a heavy meal at night, often fall into the last two groups.
Is ghee bad for gallstones?
If you already have stones, a lot of ghee and fried food can trigger a painful attack, because the gallbladder squeezes hard to release bile. A small amount of ghee may be tolerated. Ghee does not create stones by itself, and stopping it will not remove stones. Read the full plan in our gallstone diet guide.
Does a 2 cm stone need surgery?
If a 2 cm stone is causing pain, vomiting or attacks, doctors usually advise removing the gallbladder. Stone size is only one part of the decision. Your symptoms, age, other illnesses and ultrasound findings also count. A stone with no symptoms is often only watched.
Can Ayurveda or home remedies cure gallstones?
There is no solid proof that herbal powders, juices or lemon-oil mixes dissolve large stones. They may delay proper care, and an untreated stone can cause infection or jaundice. Read why in can gallstones dissolve without surgery.
How Dr Raman Garg diagnoses gallstones
First comes a talk about your symptoms and a belly examination. Then an ultrasound abdomen, which shows stones in most cases. A liver function test (LFT) checks the bile tube. If a stone may have moved into the bile duct, an MRCP scan is advised. CT, MRCP and HIDA scans are arranged with trusted imaging partners in Bathinda, and Dr Raman Garg reviews the report the same day. Patients from villages can send reports on WhatsApp first.
| Item | Starting (Rs) | Average (Rs) | Maximum (Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| OPD consultation | 500 | 700 | 1,000 |
| Ultrasound abdomen | 600 | 1,000 | 1,800 |
| Liver function test (LFT) | 400 | 600 | 1,200 |
| MRCP (bile duct scan) | 4,000 | 7,000 | 12,000 |
Note: These are typical Punjab costs for 2026. The final cost may vary after Dr Raman Garg examines you, depending on number of tests needed, gallstone size and number, and your health.
OPD consultation Rs 500 to 1,000. For surgery costs, see gallbladder removal cost in Punjab.
Treatment in short
Stones with no symptoms are often watched. Stones with repeated pain or attacks are treated by removing the gallbladder with keyhole surgery, usually with a same-day start of walking and discharge within 24 hours for most patients. Full details: gallstone treatment in Bathinda and laparoscopic gallbladder removal surgery.
Cashless insurance
BGCI is empanelled with almost all major insurers and TPAs, including Aditya Birla Health Insurance, Niva Bupa, Care Health Insurance, ICICI Lombard and Medi Assist TPA. The insurance desk arranges pre-authorisation. For Ayushman Bharat: Call us with your card details and our insurance desk will tell you the same day how your card can be used. See cashless insurance for gastro treatment.
When to see a doctor
- Pain in the upper right belly after meals, more than once
- Ultrasound showing stones, even if you feel fine, to plan follow-up
- Fever, yellow eyes, or pain beyond 6 hours: same-day hospital care
Patients from Rampura Phul and Maur Mandi reach BGCI in about 40 minutes. OPD is Monday to Saturday, 10 AM to 5 PM, at Bombay Gastro & Cancer Institute, Power House Road, Near Street No. 10, Bathinda, Punjab 151001, India. Call or WhatsApp +91 82641-60001 or +91 99885-03800. Meet Dr Raman Garg, or see all gastro treatment in Bathinda.
This page is general information; your plan is set after Dr Raman Garg examines you.