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Upper Right Quadrant Pain

Posted by loophole @loophole, Sep 10, 2024

Hello,

I hope this post finds you in good health! I don’t know where else to go. For the last 4-5 years I’ve been experiencing an off and on pain localized to this one specific area of my abdomen area. To be precise it’s in the upper ride quadrant (specifically right below/behind the 8th & 9th rib.)

The feeling is as if something is being clenching or aching for about 15-30 seconds and then off for maybe a couple minutes. Sometimes I know I’m about to get it because I feel a quick stabbing pain, it’ll subside and then the ache will start. It’ll do that throughout the day. Frequency of episodes really are intermittent. But I’ve had pain last from 1 day to 2 almost 3 weeks and might go away for weeks or months.

The time it lasted 3 weeks was when I had to take acetaminophen for a surgery I had. The pain got so unbearable I went to the ER, they gave me morphine and the pain felt worse, then they gave me a GI cocktail and for some reason that kind of helped.

I feel like the pain is induced when I take pain medicine or drink alcohol but I almost rarely drink so it may be coincidence. I’ve also had a few episodes where I didn’t drink or take pain medicine and it just happens. It sucks.

Testing: I’ve had 2 upper endoscopies, I believe a duodenoscopy, 2 HIDA scans, 2 ultra sounds, Barum Swallow Test, PH test overnight, CT scans & X-rays, and blood tests (including liver function test during a very mild episode which I believe may not have have the most accurate reading). I’ve had blood work done by a rheumatologist and they found nothing remarkable apparently.

No one has an answer, except coming to the conclusion of it being IBS. Which I have my doubts about. So what can I do? I honestly feel alone with this pain. My SO understands and is supportive when I have episodes. That helps but I want to find out what is going on and why.

I am thinking it’s SOD or maybe something with my liver but I have no clue, I don’t know. My doctors have found nothing. I feel like I can’t come to terms with it being IBS because it’s ALWAYS in one spot.

Is there anyone else out there who has had this issue?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

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loophole | @loophole | May 10 12:49am
In reply to @erp27 "Hi! Having similar experience with you. But for me, it is especially prominent when sitting down,..." + (show)
Profile picture for erp27 @erp27

Hi! Having similar experience with you. But for me, it is especially prominent when sitting down, although I can also feel it at times in other positions.

When I experienced it, the pain is not severe, although it is on and off and lasts few days.

I do not experience it right now. But I will still try to schedule a consultation with a doctor to have a clearer picture of what is this. I fear that the pain will come back again and again.

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@erp27

I hope you find the answer and treatment to your issue. For me it doesn’t matter the position but it’s always the same spot. I did my consultation at the Mayo Clinic and they could not determine what the issue is. Now I am back to figuring out what I am going to do next!

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jayrob624 | @jayrob624 | 2 days ago

I am so glad I found your post. I was beginning to think it was all in my mind. On June 9th I went to the ER for the same exact issue. The pain comes and goes, I apply heat and it feels better for a short time. The ER didn't find anything and suggested it was a possible muscle strain. However, I was not working out or doing anything strenuous. On June 10th I went to my Gastro Dr. and he ordered a CT scan with contrast (yuk) and on June 15th the test came back negative. I am waiting on him to call me to discuss the results. I am so exhausted explaining my pain and not being able to find the source. Please keep me updated on your progress...it would give me some hope.

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jayrob624 | @jayrob624 | 1 day ago

Over the past several weeks I have had rib pain on the right and sometime on the back side. It usually comes after I eat, but has happened without me eating anything. On June 9th I went to the ER for the pain because the heating pad wasn't working all that well. The ER didn't find anything and suggested it was a possible muscle strain. However, I was not working out or doing anything strenuous that would cause the pain. On June 10th I went to my Gastro Dr. and he ordered a CT scan with contrast (yuk) and on June 15th the test came back negative. My liver, gallbladder and kidney were all negative. My follow up appt with my Gastro is July 1st so I am waiting on that day to discuss the results. I assume it's nothing serious because he hasn't called me. I am so exhausted explaining my pain and not being able to find the source.

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Janell, Volunteer Mentor | @jlharsh | 8 hours ago
In reply to @jayrob624 "Over the past several weeks I have had rib pain on the right and sometime on..." + (show)
Profile picture for jayrob624 @jayrob624

Over the past several weeks I have had rib pain on the right and sometime on the back side. It usually comes after I eat, but has happened without me eating anything. On June 9th I went to the ER for the pain because the heating pad wasn't working all that well. The ER didn't find anything and suggested it was a possible muscle strain. However, I was not working out or doing anything strenuous that would cause the pain. On June 10th I went to my Gastro Dr. and he ordered a CT scan with contrast (yuk) and on June 15th the test came back negative. My liver, gallbladder and kidney were all negative. My follow up appt with my Gastro is July 1st so I am waiting on that day to discuss the results. I assume it's nothing serious because he hasn't called me. I am so exhausted explaining my pain and not being able to find the source.

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@jayrob624, I am curious.

What happens if you stretch, walk, maybe do some deep abdominal breathing?

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crewsr | @crewsr | 4 hours ago

I broke a rib coughing too hard a couple of years ago (yes that can happen). It never has gotten back to normal (no pun intended). My doctor said to do some rib stretching for intercostal muscle spasms which worked for a while. However, it just so happens there's a kidney under there too and my most recent severe pain lasted 3 days and the intercostal stretches did little to alleviate the severe pain. I had to sleep in a recliner. Turned out it was a kidney stone trying to pass. Urine turned dark and cloudy indicating occult blood. You might consider that possibility?
X-rays may not always show a small stone.

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