OMG so glad I found this forum
Posted , 4 users are following.
I am going through sometime similar. Started actually end of 2015 and lasted several months then went away and now it's back again. Feels like something is swollen under or on top of right rib under breast area and into my back. Sometimes the pain is on both sides of my ribs but mostly on the right. Have not had a HIDA scan yet that would be next I guess. Had ultrasound - everything normal. Had chest x rays and back x rays - going to PT for lower back and she thinks it's my spine - scoliosis etc. I am postmenopausal - have had thyroid low off and on for yrs but last time was normal. I'm so sick of worrying about what this is. It hurts, stabbing sometimes, but otherwise aching and now feels like stomachache some or like I'm pulling in all my abdominal muscles. I've been eating pretty low fat lately since this started again so I don't get it. I'm sorry to hear of all of you suffering with this also. Could it be kidney up as high as I mentioned? I do seem to urinate a lot lately but then again I'm drinking a lot of water. It feels like bugs crawling on me too sometimes - that seems like nerve pain. This all started after reaching really high in 2015 to decorate a Christmas tree? Coincidence??? Just seems worse this time and like it's involving organs?
0 likes, 7 replies
scruffster
Posted
Joe79711 scruffster
Posted
I'm having some of the similar pains for the last week or so. I have been under stress and have health anxiety.
However I have similar pains on both sides of my abdomen that feels just below the ribs. It's more of a dull pain there. Then some discomfort on my upper and lower back. I also have mild discomfort in my Lower abdomen on those same sides.
I went to the ER for this about 3 days ago. They did bloodwork, chest X-ray and an abdominal ultrasound. All were normal for me.
I guess I'm asking for advice..., they did an abdominal ultrasound and that was normal, that would rule out any kind of tumors in the stomach? Didn't know if you happen to know that?
I also had a colonoscopy about two years ago. So I assume that would rule out any chance of colon cancer.
Just driving myself crazy...
Joe79711 scruffster
Posted
scruffster Joe79711
Posted
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/upper-abdominal-swelling-right-upper-quadrant-pain-314007
sorry this was the discussion I was responding too - sorry I started a new one. I have health anxiety too which doesn't help anything. I think endoscopy is what shows stomach stuff like ulcers, etc. I Had real sharp pains today scared me so much
Susie100 scruffster
Posted
Hi Scruffster,
My pains are exactly as you describe yours.
Abdominal/pelvic scan clear but endoscopy found erosive gastritis and polyp which was almost clear after 3 months PPI.
I still have the same symptoms along with the symptoms you have (pain & extreme tenderness running from upper stomach & ribs around to right lower ribs, mid & upper back (sometimes left side too). It can feel like a tight band around my ribs.
Not sure if the gastritis & rib pains are connected or are from my spinal problems.
I have had 2 lumber ops and a recent double discectomy & fusion.
The symptoms remain & I have been referred to a consultant pain doctor/clinic. They think the sore upper abdomen/right rib pain is trapped nerve related in my thoracic spine(working more than usual because of stiff neck & lumbar spine). They are going to start with some mobilisation and exercise and maybe later a nerve block. At this point I've had no MRI etc. for disc problems in this area and to be honest more surgery would be massively way down the pecking order.
Like you I am post menopausal and when I think back I have had an incedence of reaching up and possibly straining the upper stomach. Interesting.
My gut feel is that excercise helps and if I can have some supervision to make it safe I'm hopeful.
Quite honestly I think the medical profession are just guessing like us and we will be lucky to find someone really knowledgeable who can solve our problems. Here in the uk the health service is very disjointed, if you have more than one thing wrong they don't talk to each other to look at the bigger picture.
It may be worth looking into your thoracic spine and the muscles around that area.
Good luck Scruffster let me know if you find your solution and I'll do the same for you.
scruffster Susie100
Posted
Same here. I actually have been going to PT for my lower back and have gotten stronger but she's sort of been working on the thoracic area and now we are going to concentrate more on that. I did PT back when this first started and I think it helped. I don't know why but keep thinking it's gastro related I just don't know. Wow you have been through a lot you poor thing. I was told by an ortho and also chiro and PT that these things don't always show on an MRI so didn't have one for thoracic. my lumbar has some bulging discs though. I started falling apart when I hit post meno i swear.
Susie100 scruffster
Posted
Had osteoarthritis in my hip from my 30's but just stiffness and kept it strong with exercise until I started to have sciatica in my 50's ( post menopause). After an X-ray my GP diagnosed pyriformi syndrome due to the hip arthritis but it got worse until a couple of years later I could hardly walk with the pain and could only stand for short periods. In all this time he failed to order an MRI but eventually sent me to a surgeon who told me I needed a complex total hip replacement due to protrusio, he also failed to order an MRI.
I had the hip surgery in November 2013 but was in agony afterwards. My leg pain was worse so I had 5 months of physio and large doses of Gabapentin which I hate. During this time my physio kept sending me back to my GP because she was worried about numbness in my saddle area and other spinal symptoms but my GP wasn't worried. Eventually an MRI was ordered and an appointment was made with a spinal surgeon for 3 months time. By this time I was wetting the bed so my physio looked up the results of the MRI, it showed severe spinal stenosis ( at this point I had very little back pain just leg and buttock pain) she was so worried she told me to go to A&E, so that weekend my husband made me go.
They kept me in and did an emergency laminectomy on L4/5 to decompress the spinal cord. The long term nerve damage has left me with some bladder problems and nerve pains in my back legs and feet. I was so upset afterwards that I was left so long with such a serious condition(cried a lot). However I was grateful that my mobility improved.
That was July 2014 and in 2015 after a lot of back & side pain of the type we have been discussing I was given a microdisectomy on L4/5 for a bulging disc. This did nothing at all but make the pain worse!
In may this year I underwent a 2 level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion on C4/5/6. I am hoping this will help with the horrible upper back and shoulder pain I get every time I try to do anything. I love to bake, do crafts, read, draw etc.
It's early days yet and I'm improving every day, it takes time for nerves to recover but I'm hopeful.
Like you I wonder if the gastric problems are connected they really seem to be at times.
If you think from this post I am a sad twisted old woman (63), I'm not 😊.
I look young for my age so I'm told 😜 I am active and I refuse to let the pain rule my life. I will stay active and put on my make up every morning just as I always have. I won't go down without a fight but it would be heaven to at least get rid of this incessant side pain!!!
Sorry for the rant but we have a lot in common with the joint & gastric problems. Thought you might be interested. 😊