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Pain/discomfort under right rib cage.

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kit4410
kit4410

I have been experiencing this for the last few months, I have been searching the web looking for answers.  I am a 45 year old female, in good health, I take no medications, thin, active, I eat healthy, so I am at a loss. I have this feeling like there is something under my right rib cage as if something is stuck underneath or enlarged. At first I thought I had strained a muscle b/c I had been working out in the yard the day before it started. It doesn't hurt, it just feels like there is something there that shouldn't be but when I touch the area there is no swelling or bulge. After about 3-4 weeks when it wasn't going away I went to see my doctor. They did blood work, urine labs and sent me for an ultrasound of gallbladder, all came back normal. I have no other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, etc. just this feeling like something is there. It seemed to go away on it's own and then came back and has come and gone since sometimes lasting a few days, sometimes a few weeks. When it is back wearing a bra is uncomfortable. Sometimes there is a warmth or burning sensation in the area. The only other symptoms I have had that I think are related are these: A few months before this started I experienced a fluttering sensation, almost like when I was pregnant and the baby moved, in the same location, a couple of times. Since this has started, on 3 or 4 different occasions, I have experienced a charlie horse like spasm in the same area, below the right rib, when bending over from a sitting position. Does anyone have any answers as to what this might be?  Does it sound like IBS? Peptic Ulcer? Hiatal Hernia?  

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  • Guest
    Guest kit4410

    Edited

    I found this thread while searching my symptoms like many women here. Like some of you, I've had ultrasounds, CT scan, blood work and everything came back normal. My pain has been pretty constant for the last 3-4 months. I'm a healthy, active 53 year old female, that eats healthy (mostly Paleo diet) no dairy, grains, pasta and since the first of the year no red meat either. I have no acid reflux or heartburn issues at all. I  do find it's worse after exercise.  Does anyone else find that? 

    • gwen45436
      gwen45436 Guest

      Edited

      Hi, my tennis ball is on my left side right under the breast.  Wearing a bra is awkward so I have bought ones without a bone.  Still have it though.  Weird as with no bra I can feel it more, feel I need to hold it and support it with the bra.  I do have HH/Reflux and had gastritis 5 years ago but when they are an issue my appetite goes haywire or I feel sickly or my mouth gets bitter.  But with this tennis ball feeling, I am still hungry and am eating normally.  It just won't budge.  Had it off and on; sometimes it goes away for a few weeks.  Had it three weeks now.  I thought it was a pulled muscle as I like to work out and do gentle sit ups and yes it is worse after.  I also use light hand weights and use them for peck excercising, though not excessively.  I have had to stop doing that which is frustrating.  My diet is very good, fruit and veg, fish and chicken, meat once a week.  Lots of water. 

      I was tested for H Py 18 months ago and clear.

      Not sure if anyone else does, but when I go to bed it disappears completely until I get up again.  This is so frustrating for us, especially when  you are fit and active.  Why does it not happen to couch potatoes lol (I know a few and they don't seem to have health probs!!!)

  • jane56559
    jane56559 kit4410

    Edited

    I have exactly the same and I can honestly tell you that that it's down to anxiety, I get the feeling like somethings squirming about under the left ribcage and there something stuck under there, I only get it wen I'm at rest and it's quiet and I start to think about negative things,

    Doctors will diagnose anxiety as a cause xxx

    • david02868
      david02868 jane56559

      Posted

      I agree on Anxiety, I have similar symptoms and seeks worse when under stress.
  • louise57001
    louise57001 kit4410

    Edited

    I agree with stress , but it’s the feeling that there is something in there that worries me the most . I have an MRI date at last! I just hope they don’t find anything , I can live with not knowing what this actually is if nothing else shows up.... 
  • Legend13
    Legend13 kit4410

    Posted

    These symptoms sound so similar to mine. Constant dull ache under my right rib with pain that spreads down my right hand side every now and again. I have had full blood work and an ultrasound and all came back normal. I’m a 32 year old male that is generally fit and healthy although I do suffer from celiac disease. Really not sure as to what to do next as Iv been suffering this for 3 months now with no answers. It’s really starting to affect my anxiety levels. 
  • rcolb
    rcolb kit4410

    Posted

    March 21, 2018

    Hi Kit.  Did you ever get any answers to your pain?  I have almost the exact same symptoms. Would love to hear from you.

    Rita

  • kikoi
    kikoi kit4410

    Posted

    I have had the same problem for almost 8 months.  If you received a diagnosis, please post.  It is so uncomfortable to sit or bend and wearing anything around my rib cage bothers me.  When I eat it  seem worse and I do have nausea with it.  My gallbladder was removed 15 yrs ago.  
  • caroline21071
    caroline21071 kit4410

    Posted

    I've been having the same pain since January and it's starting to make me anxious something is seriously wrong.

    I have bloods- normal. Abdo ultrasound - normal and pelvic and transvaginal ultrasound - normal. The GP that referred me has now left and I saw a very dismissive GP for my results who said she was very reassured by the ultrasound results and as i had IBS before it was probably that and she didn't feel I warranted any further investigation s. I felt completely dismissed And she wasn't listening to me. She had only just met me and was very patronising. I went home with my tail between my legs feeling stupid but my pain persists. Sometimes my whole right side feels abnormal and I feel like my ribs on the right side are in a vice. I get pain below which refers to my back and shoulder blade area. I see a.chiropractor regularly and even he thought it was my gallbladder. I also get pain shooting up through my breast. It's like a spikey oain. Sometimes worse when I.bend over. I started to get reflux symptoms at a similar time and my stomach can feel so sore at times but also sore under my ribs. I've cut out wheat dairy etc but can't say that has really made a difference. It's now making me feel depressed. At a complete loss. I may go back to another GP and ask for a gastro referral even though the last one didn't feel it was warranted. I also feel like something is stuck under my ribs like everyone else.. this is not normal !.

    • Katrine47
      Katrine47 caroline21071

      Posted

      I am in the same boat as you. I had a hernia, umbilical hernia repair done April last year. Ever since that I’ve had a severe pain under my right rib cage. They did a CT scan said I had a lesion 2.5 cm on my liver and they wanted to confirm with MRI to make sure it wasn’t anything dangerous had the MRI in June last year and came back normal they did confirm the 2.5 cm lesion that said this was nothing dangerous that most people have things like this and they are discovering under MRIs.  I also had abdominal ultrasound to check ovaries and female stuff and that all came back normal. My surgeon then referred me to a Gastro specialist who concluded that I either had scar tissue or scar neuroma From the hernia repair. They referred me to a pain clinic with and proceeded to inject me with Cortizone to see if it helped it did not. Then pain management clinic wanted me to try Botox injections to numb the area. I have decided not to do that because I would like to find the root of the problem not just covered up with medicine. I ended up going to the new doctor for second opinion who sent me to their pain clinic and they suggested physical therapy. I have started doing this and it is making me feel better. We work on strengthening my abdomen after the surgery. I still have the pressure in Ameri from hernia repair. They referred me to a pain clinic with and proceeded to inject me with Cortizone to see if it helped it did not. Then pain management clinic wanted me to try Botox injections to numb the area. I have decided not to do that because I would like to find the root of the problem not just covered up with medicine. I ended up going to the new doctor for second opinion who sent me to their pain clinic and they suggested physical therapy. I have started doing this and it is making me feel better. We work on strengthening my abdomen after the surgery. I still have the pressure  under my rib cage all the time so I’m not sure physical therapy is helping that part.  Feels like a bubble feeling under my ribs like something stuck there .I’m also very unsure what to do now and feel like there’s something really wrong with my liver and that I’m going to die from this.   I don’t know what to do from this point either- doctors seem to think everything is OK because I had MRIs done last June. I’m just worried something is changed in the last 10 months.  Something definitely does not feel right .
    • Katrine47
      Katrine47

      Posted

      Before my hernia repair I was very active I would go running and hiking every day. I’m not overweight and have not had any other health problems before this. It is a scary feeling to think that something is really wrong and nobody will listen to you. I honestly am not sure what I’m going to do now or if I should request another ultrasound or something of my liver since it has been 10 months since my MRI
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