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Pressure in Right Rib cage, Front and Back plus unexplained weight loss

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beverley66197
beverley66197

I have been having pressure in my right rib cage, front and back for about 2 months now.  I have lost 10 pounds in 9 months, without trying.  It feels like I have a baby's foot stuck in my ribs, the same as when I was pregnant.  I have sporadic GERD.  I had an abdominal ultrasound.  Liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys all look normal.  The only thing showing is a cluster of cysts in the right hepatic lobe, which the report says these were present in an ultrasound I had in 2007.  I am having lack of bile, as evidenced by lightened stool colour.  I had blood work that shows liver enzymes are all normal.  I have been diagnosed as hypo-thyroid as a result of this blood work (low T3, high TSH, normal T4).  My colon seems to be very sluggish on the right side, meaning I am slightly bloated on the right side.  Up to now, I have been on no medications.  I am very concerned that this is something serious.  Any suggestions?

 

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • pippa58442
    pippa58442 beverley66197

    Posted

    Being hypo thyroid would make you gain weight without trying and would cause you to be extremely tired along with a host of other problems. Hyper thryroid would cause you to lose weight without trying and would cause you to have tremendous energy along with other symptoms. Are you on thryroid medication? The thyroid controls everything in your body and is a very important gland.  Ask your doctor whether you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroid) or an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroid). These conditions are treated differently.

    What has been done about the cysts?

    • beverley66197
      beverley66197 pippa58442

      Posted

      I was on dessicated thyroid for about 10 years but in the last year, it was not raising my free T3 into the low range.  We tried increasing the dessicated thyroid but it lowered my TSH too much and I started getting chest pains.  My Dr. recommended I go off of it and see what happened with my other numbers.  My TSH and free T4 were always normal until then.  After only 3 weeks off of dessicated, my T3 remained the same , my T4 remained the same and my TSH went up to 9.  I am now back on dessicated.  So when I lost weight, I was on a thyroid med.

      As for the cysts, the Dr. and the radiologist both said that the cysts are inconsequential, but I have bile restriction and a cyst pressing on the bile duct makes sense to me.

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 beverley66197

      Posted

      Getting your thyroid hormones balanced can be very tricky and can take time.  It takes a very experienced and knowledgeable doctor to get your levels right.    It may be worth seeing an endocrinologist as well.  Has your doctor suggested removing the cyst if it is pressing on the bile duct.
    • beverley66197
      beverley66197 pippa58442

      Posted

      Thanks for your comments.  I'm hopeful that my thyroid treatment makes a difference in the pressure I have in my rib cage.  That is my main worry, but I do think all of the symptoms are related.  My doctor does not think the cysts have anything to do with any of my issues.  I'm not sure how to convince her. 

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 beverley66197

      Posted

      An ultrasound may show if the cyst is pressing on your bile duct.  Rib cage pain could be gastritis which is often visible on  an endoscopy, or it could be costochondritis which is inflammation of the cartillage in the rib cage.

      I have had costochondritis and it is very painful.  Sometimes it can come and go or be chronic.  I have had a few flare ups of it since my first three month episode in 2014.   The subsequent attacks haven’t been as bad.  It can be caused by stress and so can gastritis.  Try not to worry because anxiety can intensify your symptoms.

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