What are the symptoms of chronic gall bladder disease?

The main symptom of gallbladder problems is pain in the upper right rear shoulderblade area, pain in the right upper abdomen just under the ribs, diarrhea, gas and bloating with a very tender belly. It's most usually ociated with a high fat meal- although a highly spiced meal if you aren't used to it is also one that can trigger an attack. Females are more likely to have the problem than men, and a recent pregnancy can set the stage, as can being overweight. A doctor can usually settle the matter with a quick ultrasound of the gallbladder which can reveal the stones responsible for the trouble. The most reliable cure is removal of the gallbladder. There is a medication which can dissolve them, if they are made of cholesterol. BUT the medication is expensive, and you have to take it for a minimum of one year for it to work. In that time you must have repeated regular liver function tests and ultrasounds to monitor the effectiveness. And unfortunately, although the stones do dissolve, they tend to reform again in most people within two years of stopping the medicine. There is nothing else on the market, or available at the health food shops that can dissolve gallstones- despite the ads. Anything strong enough to dissolve a gallstone is by nature nasty stuff to take by mouth, and hazards the liver attached to it. She can try sticking to a no fat diet, which will help cut down on the incidents of attacks, but that really just puts off the inevitable for a while. Things just gradually progress to the point that you can't stand it anymore. Or a gallstone will slip down into the common duct and block off the pancreas to trigger pancreatitis. She might be able to ignore a gallbladder attack, but not the pancreatitis. That will land her in the hospital sicker than a dog and in surgery to remove the blockage. She will be weeks recouperating then. If she gets it removed in a laproscopic procedure, she can do it as a day surgery, and be back on her feet in less than a week. So if she does have gallstones, the sooner she has it removed, the better she will feel.