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"Only" 24/7 pain in the upper right quadrant - IBS??

Posted , 9 users are following.

Guest
Guest

Hi all.

My first post on these forums.

I'm 43.

15 years ago I had some kind of infection while in India after which I had a short period of acid reflux problems for the first time, followed by a few months of extraordinarily smelly gas. Like abnormally foul.

Soon after that a curious problem appeared. Every time I ate a slightly larger meal than the usual, I got pain just below the ribs on the right side about 1h after eating or perhaps 90 minutes tops. The pain was only mild to moderate but continuing 24 hour per day, lasting 3 - 7 days, after which all went back to normal. It happened rarely later as I got used to eating smaller meals.

9 months ago it happened again and I also had constipation for some time afterwards. About 2 weeks in the pain was almost gone, but then had a slightly too large meal and it increased again.

It's been almost the same since:

  • Nonstop pain since the end of March, pain level between 2/10 when feeling good up to 4/10 when feeling depressed. Never sharp, never completely absent.
  • No diarrhoea and only occasional mild constipation
  • Pain is neither increased nor decreased by either eating or defecating
  • fodmap diet - a little less gas, but no change in pain

Ultrasound normal, CBC normal, liver enzymes test normal, stool color normal (ranging between light brown and dark brown, but never yellow or black), urine color normal.

  • Rifaximin improved stool consistency, but no change in pain
  • Mebeverin (antispasmodic) - no effect
  • Antidepressants - increased frequency of movements but no or virtually no change in pain

What do you guys think?

Both gastroenterologists thus far have said IBS, which would be fine if the pain was, say, 5 hours per day, but I just can't manage another permanent incurable pain (I'm living with back pain as a result of surgery 10 years ago).

Thanks (and sorry for a long post)

1 like, 24 replies

24 Replies

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  • stephen29372
    stephen29372 Guest

    Posted

    your story is the same as mine. right side pain and round into the back. the last two years I have had, CT, MRI, colonoscopy and endoscopy, 10s of blood tests, but still I worry its something more than IBS and functional dyspepsia....how are you doing now.

    • Guest
      Guest stephen29372

      Posted

      Sorry for a late reply, Stephen.

      It's the same.

      Saw 2 more specialists. They agree it's not precisely IBS, but as my CT scan with contrast and stool test (lactoferrin + calprotectin) were all negative it has to be a functional disorder. Probably a post-infectious one (resulting from tropical intestinal infections). I have exhausted most options among medicines, though.

      I'm also suffering from regular flu-like illnesses (fatigue + muscle pain), but that too is a mystery as my blood tests are normal or at least very close to normal.

      There's a scientific theory that functional disorders are caused by endocannabinoid deficiency and indeed a drug is being developped for IBS that only targets the CB2 receptor (so you won't God forbid get high).

      I'm, however, moving on to cannabis oil within the next 3 months if the pain doesn't go. When this pain appeared temporarily in the past I used to definitely feel the benefit, but I stopped partaking 2 years ago.

      This is not a recommendation to others as I've read that cannabis may actually increase your chances of getting IBS in the future, but all of my other options have been exhausted).

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 Guest

      Posted

      There is a form of IBS called post infectious IBS. Sounds like what you are experiencing.

  • sam33225
    sam33225 Guest

    Posted

    why is yellow stool bad? i have ibs and since going glutenfree my stool is more yellow.

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 sam33225

      Posted

      Yellow stools can be as result of stools moving through you too fast or indigested food which is yellow. Change of diet can cause stool changes.

    • sam33225
      sam33225 pippa58442

      Posted

      going fodmap an especially glutenfree decreased my symptoms a lot. yesterday though i had a flare when i wanted to go to bed. i had taken vitamin d ! mistake!

  • becky000
    becky000 Guest

    Edited

    Just wondering if you found relief from cannabis oil?

    I was diagnosed with IBS years ago. They told me it was anxiety aggravated IBS. but last year I had upper right hand alternating with upper left hand pain. I had a colonoscopy and an endoscopy. they diagnosed helicobacter pylori, the treatment for which just caused more digestive issues and pain. I then had a scan and they discovered gallstones so I had my gallbladder removed. There were 2 stones only. 11 months later my IBS is much worse. And I now have to deal with no gallbladder and bile problems of which there are plenty. Every time my stomach reacts to loss of GB I have a flare-up of IBS.

    None of the usual medications work for the pain. not even the prescription ones.

    I'd be interested to hear if cannabis helps.

    Did they check your gallbladder?

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