I'm going to jump in on this thread. My gallbladder was removed in 2014 after I had been having right upper ab pain for several years. All tests were normal except for a slightly abnormal gallbladder ejection fraction. The pain continued even after the GB was out. Started seeing a pain specialist after all GI testing came back normal. Have been on Tramadol and Gabapentin for pain which is in my right upper abdominal area. Surgeon thought it could be scar tissue from the GB surgery so he went in and took down scar tissue. Still no relief. This pain has totally controlled what I do. Some days are worse than others. It's been close to 10 years since I started my journey to find out what was causing this. I live in Northern MN and visited the University of MN to see Dr. Freeman the Sphincter of Oddi expert. He ruled out SOD. So it was back to the pain specialist. At one visit he suggested I see an interventional pain provider at a local pain center where I had nerve blocks. These did not relieve the pain. It is an aching sometimes sharp pain that can come on if I overly exert myself, other times it comes on for no reason and can last all day. The pain meds take the edge off. I even went as far as seeing a psychologist to learn mindfulness and how to control the pain by creating new pathways to the brain center that controls pain signals. It is very relaxing as I do carry a lot of stress in that area when the pain is bad.
The pain doc then said let's do a trigger point injection using bubivacaine and a small amount of Kenalog. I was able to put my finger on the exact spot where the pain was in the right upper abdomen right under my ribcage near the midline. He then had me do the Carnetts test by lifting my legs to see if the pain stayed the same or changed. It didn't change. He said he believed I had ACNES or anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome. The trigger point injection helped relieve the pain and though it only lasts a couple weeks it was such a relief. I do go back every few months for an injection. While it's not a cure it does help. We talked to the surgeon and asked about a neurectomy to cut the nerve causing the pain, however he wouldn't perform one in that area as you can lose all muscle tone in that area. So after all these years I finally have an answer as to what is causing the pain and while I'm learning to live with it and control it, it's still something I won't give up on. I do a lot of reading and research to see if anything new is being found through case studies which there is but unfortunately it's happening outside the US.
Through all of this I've had a good support group in my family and friends and most importantly with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. When others don't understand and get frustrated right along with me, I know that He knows and is always in control no matter what.
I wish you well in your journey for an answer. Don't give up. It took me years and many unneeded tests and visits as ACNES is so often overlooked as a cause of unexplained abdominal pain. So your answer is coming. I believe that. Take care.