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Chronic Right-Side Abdominal/Back Gallbladder Pain
A quick little medical history about myself: I have had IBS for years and have been able to manage it well. I am lactose intolerant, with certain dairy products affecting me worse than others. And I have been seen by an ENT for a chronic GERD related cough for which I was prescribed Prilosec.
For the last two months, I have been feeling an abdominal pain that has moved around as it progressed. Even before this, I have noticed that I have been burping quite a lot. It first started in episodes that would come for a few days then go away and come back a few days later. The first episode was on the right side near my appendix but then went away on its own after a few days. Then it came back on the other side and another time it was more in the back near my kidneys. Now it is becoming more frequent and is accompanied by occasional back pain. All of the pains are relatively mild but are becoming more frequent now. I have been burping a lot more now and it typically gets worse after a meal. The pain now is predominantly in my upper center/left abdomen. I went to my GP about five days ago, and she put the stethoscope up to my gut and said she heard A LOT of gas in there. I also have not passed a normally sized bowel movement in well over a week. They have been infrequent and smaller than normal, very thin, but normal colored. I have taken Miralax once a day for five days now but still have not passed a normal bowel movement, just smaller infrequent ones. Anyways, she ran some blood work and urinalysis on me to check kidney, liver, and pancreatic functions. Everything came back normal (somewhat of a relief) and I have a follow up with her in two days. Since my last visit, I have tried to limit my dairy intake, and well as my carb intake, such as breads and such. I have also been eating more fiber-rich foods and nothing has changed, in fact, things have been getting worse since my last visit. The back pain now comes instantly when I get up in the morning but fades over the day. And the GI symptoms flare up after I eat anything, especially the excessive burping. I've still been eating the same amount of food and my weight has stayed the same, but these symptoms are not only uncomfortable, but they are causing me such much unwanted stress and anxiety.
Does anyone have any similar stories? Can anyone share any ideas as to what might be going on or what I should ask my GP in two days?
Thanks!
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I messaged my doctor and he doesn’t seemed concerned
@jadillow I think any time you have a persistent pain like that it’s worth at least a call to your doctor. It could be something as minor as constipation but you won’t know unless you wait longer which could be risky. You know your own body. Do you feel as if it’s something more serious? Really, only you can make that decision if you should call now or wait a day or so to see if it goes away.
JK
Has anyone had severe gallbladder pain and all tests show no findings? I also have IBD.
Hi @gabe4223, You'll see that I moved your post to this conversation.
- Chronic Right-Side Abdominal/Back Gallbladder Pain
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/chronic-abdominal-and-back-pain/
While the original member who first posted is no longer active, they also had irritable bowel and gallbladder pain as well as some other the other members in this discussion. I would encourage you read through the four pages to get a feel for what others have experienced. You might also find this reference info informative: The Real Difference Between Acid Reflux And Gallbladder Pain: https://www.healthdigest.com/789105/the-real-difference-between-acid-reflux-and-gallbladder-pain/
"Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and gallbladder disease are common conditions that can cause nausea and pain in the upper abdomen." -- GERD and gallbladder disease: Link and comparison: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/gerd-and-gallbladder
How long have your symptoms been going on?
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2 Reactions@gabe4223, I had pain from my gallbladder for several years and was told that *all* tests were normal. One gastroenterologist said it was caused by having a fatty liver and irritable bowel syndrome, and the others said it was just IBS. When they finally realized that my pain was abnormal (or got tired of listening to me complain), I found out there was one more test that they had not ordered - a HIDA scan. The scan indicated that although I did not have gallstones, my gallbladder was barely functioning. They removed it, and the pain is completely gone.
My mother, uncle, and aunt had the same experience after my surgery. It took all of them over a year to convince their gastroenterologists to order a HIDA scan. After their gallbladders were removed, they fully recovered, as well. Thus, if you have not had a HIDA scan done yet, you should ask for one.
FWIW, it sounds to me like the original poster could definitely have SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) and anyone with the symptoms they described should seek out a breath test for SIBO.
@gabe4223 -
What type of IBD do you have?
ulcerative colitis,
Reading the @violetc post I see that she finally had an abnormal HIDA scan- have you been tested with a HIDA scan?
Yes , they said my gallbladder was Healthy