If you have no symptoms
Silent gallstones usually don't need surgery. The chance of them causing trouble is about 1–2% a year. Exceptions include very large stones, a porcelain gallbladder, polyps or some special situations, which a specialist will check for.
If you've had a typical attack
Steady pain in the upper-right belly lasting from 30 minutes to a few hours, often after meals or at night. After a first proper attack, more attacks and complications become likely, and keyhole gallbladder removal is usually advised.
Life without a gallbladder
The liver keeps making bile, so most people eat normally. A minority have loose stools after fatty meals, which is treatable.
What doesn't work
Lemon and olive oil "flushes" and herbal stone dissolvers don't dissolve gallstones. Removing only the stone isn't done, because stones re-form.