Comprehensive Guide to Gallstones: Symptoms and Treatment

Can Gallstones Cause Fatigue and Dizziness?

Gallstones are small, hard deposits that can form in your gallbladder. Your gallbladder is the small, pear-shaped organ that sits just below your liver on the upper right side of your abdomen. The gallbladder's main job is to store bile, which helps break down fats from the food you eat. Gallstones form when bile contains too much cholesterol or bilirubin. When gallstones block the ducts that allow bile to leave the gallbladder, they can cause a variety of symptoms, including fatigue and dizziness in some people.

What Are the Symptoms of Gallstones?

Many people with gallstones do not have any symptoms at all. These are known as silent gallstones. However, when symptoms do occur they may include:

• Sudden, intense pain in the upper right abdomen or right shoulder blade area. This is known as biliary colic.
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever
• Chills
• Clay-colored stools
• Dark urine
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Indigestion after eating fatty or greasy foods

The pain of biliary colic often occurs after eating a meal, particularly one high in fat. It can last from a few minutes up to several hours. The pain may radiate to the right shoulder or back. Nausea and vomiting are also common symptoms.

How Gallstones Can Lead to Fatigue and Dizziness

Research shows that fatigue and dizziness are fairly common complaints among people diagnosed with gallstones. There are a few reasons why gallstones may cause these symptoms:

• Infection - If gallstones completely block the cystic duct leading from your gallbladder, bile can build up and cause inflammation and infection, known as cholecystitis. The immune system response to fight infections in the body can result in fatigue.
• Fever - If you have cholecystitis, fever is a common symptom. Fevers cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances that can make you feel dizzy and weak.
• Poor nutrition - Gallstones and related symptoms like nausea can make it difficult to eat a healthy diet. Poor nutrition deprives the body of nutrients needed to fight fatigue.
• Pain - The intense pain of biliary colic can be physically draining and exhausting, leaving you feeling fatigued.
• Stress - Experiencing any type of health problem is stressful on your body. High stress is linked to increased fatigue.

Other Causes of Fatigue and Dizziness

While gallstones may contribute to fatigue and dizziness in some cases, there are many other potential causes for these common symptoms, including:

• Viral infections like the flu or mono
• Thyroid disorders
• Anemia from low iron
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Sleep apnea
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Lung disease
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Depression or anxiety
• Food allergies or sensitivities
• Certain nutrient deficiencies like B12, folate or vitamin D
• Autoimmune disorders
• Celiac disease

Plus, many medications can also cause side effects like fatigue and dizziness including:

• Blood pressure medications
• Allergy and cold medications
• Pain medications
• Muscle relaxants
• Tranquilizers
• Some antidepressants

The takeaway is that fatigue and dizziness can have lots of causes. While gallstones may be one possible culprit, your doctor will need to do a full evaluation to determine what is resulting in your symptoms.

What Causes Gallstones?

Before discussing how to find relief from gallstone symptoms like fatigue and dizziness, it helps to understand what causes gallstones in the first place. The two main causes are:

Too Much Cholesterol in the Bile

Your liver produces bile, which is then stored in the gallbladder until needed to digest fat. Bile contains water, bile salts, lecithin, and cholesterol. Usually, the cholesterol remains dissolved in the bile. But if your bile contains too much cholesterol or the gallbladder doesn't empty properly the cholesterol can harden into gallstones. Obesity, high triglycerides, and diets high in refined carbs and saturated fats can all increase cholesterol levels and the risk of gallstones.

Too Much Bilirubin in the Bile

Bilirubin is a waste product formed when old red blood cells break down. Your liver normally removes bilirubin from the blood. But some conditions can cause excess bilirubin to build up and enter the bile, leading to gallstone formation. These conditions include:

• Cirrhosis
• Infections
• Inherited disorders that affect how the liver processes bilirubin

Gallstones that form due to bilirubin buildup are called pigment gallstones.

Other Gallstone Risk Factors

There are a variety of factors that can increase your chances of developing gallstones. These include:

• Age over 40 years old
• Female sex
• Family history
• Pregnancy
• Rapid weight loss
• Some ethnic groups including Mexican Americans and Native Americans have higher rates of gallstones
• Chronic health conditions like diabetes

Diagnosing Gallstones

Since fatigue and dizziness have so many possible causes, your doctor will need to do a full evaluation to determine if gallstones could be to blame. Diagnostic tests used to diagnose gallstones include:

Medical History and Physical Exam

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, health history, family history, and risk factors. During the physical exam, they will press on your abdomen to check for pain and fullness. Tenderness under the right rib cage may indicate gallbladder problems.

Blood Tests

Blood tests can check for signs of infection, such as elevated white blood cell count, as well as liver function tests. Bilirubin levels in the blood may be elevated.

Ultrasound

Also known as a sonogram, an abdominal ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of the organs. It is an effective, non-invasive way to visualize the gallbladder and look for gallstones.

Other Imaging Tests

Your doctor may order other imaging tests such as a hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scan, endoscopic ultrasound, or CT scan to check for gallstones or blockages of the bile ducts.

Gallbladder Function Tests

Tests like a CCK hippuran scan can check how well your gallbladder is able to empty and release bile. Poor gallbladder emptying can contribute to gallstone formation.

Treating Gallstones to Reduce Fatigue and Dizziness

Treatment options for gallstones depend on the severity of your symptoms and complications. Options may include:

Pain Medications

Over-the-counter medications like NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen) or prescription painkillers can help relieve episodes of biliary colic pain. But they do not treat the underlying cause.

Oral Dissolution Therapy

Drugs like ursodiol (Actigall) can help dissolve cholesterol gallstones. This medication works best for small stones and may take months to dissolve them.

Surgery to Remove the Gallbladder

If you have frequent or severe symptoms, surgery to take out the gallbladder, known as a cholecystectomy, may be required. This is a common and generally safe procedure. It can be done laparoscopically through tiny incisions or through one larger open incision.

With the gallbladder removed, bile flows directly from the liver into the small intestine. Your body can still digest fats normally with dietary changes.

Surgery may provide rapid relief from recurrent gallstone symptoms like pain, nausea, and fatigue.

Endoscopic or Surgical Procedures

Some other minimally invasive procedures may be options in certain cases. These include endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to remove stones or place a stent in the duct. Surgery can also be done to make a new connection between bile ducts.

Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Gallstones

Making diet and lifestyle changes can lower your risk for developing new gallstones. Try these prevention tips:

• Lose weight if overweight and maintain healthy body weight.
• Limit fried and fatty foods.
• Increase healthy fats like olive oil and fish.
• Eat more fiber with fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains.
• Limit refined carbohydrates like sugar, bread, pasta.
• Get regular exercise but avoid rapid weight loss.
• Don't smoke and limit alcohol.
• Improve control of chronic health conditions.
• Discuss medications that affect cholesterol with your doctor.

When to See a Doctor

Experiencing fatigue and dizziness? Gallstones may be one possible cause. But many conditions can lead to these nonspecific symptoms. It's important to make an appointment with your healthcare provider for an evaluation if you are dealing with:

• Persistent or worsening fatigue
• Chronic lightheadedness or dizziness
• Sudden, severe abdominal pain
• Pain under right rib cage
• Yellowing skin or eyes
• Fever and chills
• Nausea or vomiting

Finding and treating any underlying cause is key to relieving annoying symptoms like fatigue and dizziness and preventing complications.

The Bottom Line

Gallstones that obstruct the release of bile from your gallbladder can cause a wide array of symptoms. For some people, they may contribute to fatigue and dizziness. But many conditions can cause these nonspecific symptoms. Your doctor can help diagnose the cause and offer appropriate treatment to help resolve your fatigue, dizziness, and any other symptoms you are having.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.