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Advice on pain under ribs right side
I really need some advice—I feel so lost and broken.
Last year, I started having pain on my right side under my ribs that sometimes radiated to my back. My bowel movements were normal, but the pain persisted. I was worried something was seriously wrong, so I went to the ER. They did a CT scan with contrast, but they found nothing. All my blood work was normal, and my CA-19 score was 7.
I then saw my gastroenterologist, who ordered a HIDA scan and an MRCP. Both tests came back normal, and no one could figure out what was going on. The pain was always worse when I sat, like I was squishing something. Eventually, after months, the pain just went away, and I don’t even know why.
Fast forward to a month ago—the pain is back, but worse. This time, I feel sharp pains on the right side of my stomach, which radiate down to my ribs and around to my back. I also have a reduced appetite and occasional nausea. After a month of dealing with it, I went to the ER again. They did an ultrasound and blood work; the blood work was normal, but the ultrasound noted:
> "The included liver is slightly increased in echogenicity, which may be due to steatosis or other hepatocellular conditions."
This time, I also have very loose stools. The only thing that seems to help a little is ibuprofen.
I told my gastroenterologist that I was worried about cancer—either pancreatic or liver—but she doesn’t think so, given all the tests I’ve had in the past eight months, including CT scans. She can't imagine something like that being missed so many times.
I’m scheduled for an MRI at the end of the month. Has anyone experienced anything like this?
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@michael1012 the very same here! I had an abdominal ultrasound which showed fatty liver disease (which I have had the past twenty years or so) with slight scarring now. My doctor sent me for a liver biopsy and the gastroenterologist is not concerned because the result is Stage 1 (or very mild, according to him).
I'm so sorry to hear it going through the same thing. I've been eating healthy. I exercise I'm a little overweight but not much. I'm in so much pain on a daily basis. I don't even know what to do anymore. I'm frustrated. Probably like you. My mindset is you don't hurt for no reason. And my wife is flabbergasted. How can somebody be in so much pain and have nothing show up on any scan or any blood work being off?. The pain on the right side of my stomach under my ribs radiates to my back. It's just so bad and I just don't understand. Doctors say a fatty liver can't cause pain. I've spoken to other people that says you know what fatty liver can put pressure on other organs and things and such.. like I just want to know what's going on
Sounds like a fatty liver which is steatosis that u mentioned. This is benign and not harmful. Many things we ingest effect our liver ie. Ibuprofen, Tylenol and many different meds we take. Make sure u have an updated med list to share with your GI Dr. Alcohol consumption obvious effects the liver, so only drink sparingly. The fact that your CA-19 is only 7 is a good sign because it's a marker for pancreatic cancer. I'm assuming you're having an abdominal MRI. If so that with give u more info after discussing results with a Dr. Good luck in finding answers.
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1 ReactionThank you appreciate you. I don't drink never have or drugs. I just have always eaten really bad my entire life. If this pain is from fatty liver and holy cow the pain. The pain nauseousness and fatigue is crazy. The only thing that's discouraging when I was in the ER and talking to my doctor, they were adamant that a fatty liver can cause these many symptoms in this much pain. I don't know what to believe
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1 ReactionPain is subjective meaning they can't tell u the amt of pain you're in, only u can! Everyone is different and experience things in different ways. U definite need more info which the MRI will give u hopefully. Did they check your liver levels? I'm assuming they did. Get all the facts. Don't question what you're experiencing. Our body has a way of telling us when something is going on with it. Be your own advocate! Take care of YOU!
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1 Reaction@michael1012 and @debrn2005 I don’t drink or smoke either, and only take prescription medications being mindful of their effects on my fatty liver. My fatty liver was discovered on an unrelated ultrasound about twenty years ago. I had absolutely no symptoms and would not have been aware I had one, if it were not discovered on that ultrasound. However, I have been experiencing pain in my upper right quadrant the past few years. CTscan, and ultrasounds over the years have revealed nothing other than the fatty liver which nobody (in medical professions) seemed to be concerned about till my pain got worse and my current physician sent me for another ultrasound recently which showed some scarring of the liver so she sent me to a gastroenterologist for a liver biopsy which I had last week.
Gastroenterologist who did the biopsy is not concerned about the scarring because it is “not bad at all, being at Stage 1” He did not ask for - nor was he interested in seeing - my medications list. All he seemed concerned about was how much pop I was drinking. Kept asking me that, and I kept telling him I only drink pop very occasionally if or when I eat certain foods because that is the only time I enjoy less than a half glass! He finally kept on about carbs and I told him - again and again - that I only eat two slices of whole wheat bread for breakfast and rice for dinner every day. I don’t eat cakes, cookies or other baked goods because I don’t have a sweet tooth. Told me to reduce my carbs and walked out of the room. As he was walking out I mentioned I had an older sister who died of cirrhosis (never touched alcohol, being Muslim), and an older brother who died of pancreatic cancer. He said that’s nothing to worry about!
Since the abdominal CT scan I had about ten years ago showed nothing, I have repeatedly asked for an MRI but no one wants to refer me for one - because nothing showed on the CT scan to warrant one!
In Canada you can’t get any scans or procedures unless approved by a specialist - and only a specialist can order MRIs. No specialist has been interested in ordering one. I have a very caring GP, but she cannot go over the heads of specialists. She has to accept their verdicts, because our government plan will not pay for it if she orders it against opinion of a specialist.
So … I guess I have to live with the pain, the cause of which no one can figure out. 🤷🏼♀️
That is awful. What is even stranger I had a mricp last april and nowhere did they mention that I had a fatty liver. I would think if I have one now enough to cause me pain I had one back in april
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2 Reactions@michael1012 have you had any abdominal surgeries? If so, the pain could be caused by adhesions …? I am beginning to wonder if that is the case with me, as I have had a few surgeries, the most extensive one being on my kidney which has left a scar from the middle of my torso in the front to the middle of my back … If that is the case, I probably could have the adhesions removed, but that would create more adhesions replacing the ones removed … sounds like a losing battle. 🤷🏼♀️
Liver & Gall Bladder are on the rt side...I am thinking gall bladder esp with the nausea & loose stools.
Any evidence of gallstones, elevated liver levels, elevated CA-19 (pancreatic cancer marker)? Given your family history and pain, I would think that would warrant further investigation. Just my opinion.
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