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Upper Right Quadrant Pain
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?
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My nephew had recurring upper abdomen pain for 2 years….he thought it was indigestion and treated with antacids. Finally, he was diagnosed with gallbladder issue. He had surgery to remove his gallbladder and hasn’t had the pain anymore. Have they evaluated you for that?
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1 ReactionI was with the hida and ultra sounds but was told it is functioning as normal. They haven’t evaluated it more than that, that I’m aware of.
I’m no expert with it, but my nephew had multiple doctor visits as well as 2 ER visits before they diagnosed his gallbladder problem. It came in flares. It sounds like you’ve had plenty of tests. Horrible that they can’t figure it out. I’m just shocked no one mentioned gallbladder.
I hope you’ll get more responses around here.
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1 ReactionI’ve had nothing but problems since having my gallbladder out in 1986. Still have episodes of chronic pain under my right rib and of course no one knows why, I’ve had every test ran possible and nothing comes up. Very depressing!
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2 ReactionsYeah it’s always been a thought that maybe it is my gallbladder but the HIDA scan is apparently the test to examine the function of the gallbladder amongst other organs. But they said everything was unremarkable. I wish they’d be able to do it while I was actively having the pain though. Maybe I can talk to my doctor about it. I had the liver function test to supposedly rule out SOD and had it done while experiencing the pain but only the albumin levels were slightly high.
Stones sometimes hide and if I were you I would ask about getting a Lipase test at a lab when you are having the pain. I had my gallbladder removed several years ago and had pain in that spot a few times after (bad pains) and my GI told me to get to a walk-in clinic or ER and have lipase tested. I would ask about it.
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2 ReactionsI had terrible attacks in the gallbladder area for years. They did a HIDA scan. It came back normal. However, a surgeon finally took out my gallbladder and my attacks are gone.
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2 ReactionsI’m sorry you’re having to deal with this issue. Sounds horrible. Do you have a gastroenterologist? Rheumatology? Endocrinology? Does it happen after eating any specific foods? I would keep a diary each time it happens if the food you ate that day. My son has ibs. And has different symptoms than you but kept a diary of foods he ate and realized certain foods were making it much worse for him. If you think you have something else advocate for yourself!!! Find that specialist and get tests done. Tell your pcp about it and that you need help! Don’t give in or give up. You will get better. Sometimes you just have to make yourself be heard!!!!! 🙏🏻😊♥️
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1 ReactionDid they do any other tests to finally decide on taking it out?
No. They just did the HIDA scan. Maybe it was because of my symptoms? I would get terrible attacks that could last up to 30 minutes. Usually food choices precipitated it; cheesecake and pork. I think the doctor determined it was gallbladder sludge.
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