Which symptom is typically NOT found in patients with gallstones?

High fever is typically not associated with gallstones. The presence of gallstones often leads to symptoms related to digestive disturbances, such as gas and bloating, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes pain, especially in the upper right abdomen or the shoulder area due to referred pain.

Gas and bloating can occur when gallstones affect the normal digestion of fats, leading to disruption in digestive enzyme function and causing discomfort. Vomiting can also result from pain or as a reaction to the digestive upset caused by gallbladder stones.

Though sharp shoulder pain might seem somewhat atypical, it can actually occur due to referred pain from the diaphragm, which is innervated by the same nerve roots as the gallbladder. When inflammation or blockage occurs, the pain can radiate to the shoulder area.

A high fever is more indicative of a severe complication arising from gallstones, such as cholecystitis or pancreatitis, which is not a routine symptom associated specifically with gallstones themselves. In most cases of gallstones without complications, patients do not experience fever, making it the symptom least likely to be found in patients with gallstones.