 [ Symptoms ] are there any nonsurgical treatments for gallstones [ Disease ] if you have a medical condition and your doctor feels you should not have gallstone surgery he or she may prescribe the medications ursodiol actigall or chenodiol chenix these drugs work by dissolving cholesterol stones mild diarrhea is a side effect of both medications the downside of using either medication is that you may have to take it for years to completely dissolve the stones in addition the stones may come back after you stop taking the drug