Right rib cage pain.. Liver disease?
Posted , 17 users are following.
I have been having a discomfort on my right rib cage for the last 4 months. It all started when I was experiencing severe abdominal pain one day. The pain I was experiencing was right under my sternum. Very painful and sore. I went to see my doctor. Blood test were done and came back fine.. Yet the pains were still there..
A little bit of insight about myself..
I'm 42.
I have been a heavy drinker for 20 years. I would drink a 12 pack of beer every other night. No hard alcohol. Not much of a Smoker. I do tend to smoke when I drink but if I'm not drinking I smoke one cigarette before going to sleep.
Aproximately 3 years ago I decided to change my habits. I started running daily.. I went from 240 lbs to 195 in no time. Doing 5 miles a day 5 times a week. Kept my drinking down to twice a week. To me drinking is not a beer or two.. I drink until the beer is gone. Usually a 12 pack or more.
I had been feeling the best I have ever felt in my life... Running continuously and then I had a major catastrophe in my life that over stressed me and I was binge drinking for a week straight.. Then my body said no more... My abdomen started to hurt.. Right below my sternum and above my belly button... I eased of the alcohol and it went away.. A week later at a camping party I let loose... Had my fill of goodies and booze as well.. The pain returned... Same place.. Hard stabbing pains that wouldn't let me sleep..
So I went to see the doctor.. All blood tests came back fine. As a matter of fact the doctor told me I was in very good shape. He was not concerned with my pains.. A few days later my pain was so severe I went back to my doctor and he sent me to a GI. I told my GI that I was worried it was my liver and after the tests he said my liver was fine.. He also said my pancreas was fine except for a little fat in it it and all tests he did showed no problem other than I may have a mild case of gastritis. He then said that gastritis would not cause the kind of pain I have been experiencing so he sent me to see a pain doctor. The pain doctors gave me an epidural.. Which didn't help...
I went back to the GI which then gave me some anti acids and sent me on my way... I returned to the GI a week later with the same pains and then he prescribed me some Pantoprazole. It seemed to help but my pains persisted. I called my GI to make another appointment and he refused to see me. He told me that my problem was not GI related and I should go back to my GP... I was furious.. My pain is in my stomach.. I know it..
I decided to go see a different GP and this new doctor seemed to care. He actually spent more time than needed. He listened to me and eventually told me that all the tests that had been done previously had been fine but he would like to do one more..He had my poo analyzed and he concluded that my Pancras is deficient. The test came back just a little bit unde normal at 189 , where 200 is normal.
He said that the deficiency of the enzymes was the cause of my pain and constipation.. Which makes sense.. So he prescribed me some Creon. Which helped me have better bowel movements.. Stinky stinky bowel movements..
But now I still have the grawing pain on my right side. My tummy pains are gone but my right rib cage area still feels bad.. I have pain in my upper right shoulder, stiff neck, my lower ribs feel like some one cut them open and poured salt all over them. A burning sensation that will not go away...pain right under my right arm pit in the rib area...
I am very concerned that my liver is having issues and some how my doctors haven't found it yet..
Although every time I see a doctor I tell them my past and how I feel that this may be my liver going out they don't seem concerned..
I have obtained from alcohol. Yet the sensation is still there. If I keep my body moving while at work I tend to forget about it.. But once I sit down the pain comes back.. Is it in my head? For many years I struggled and told my self I had to stop.. I would drink and felt guilty as I did... I know u have some liver issues but is my mind telling me something.... I know the pain is real and I often get depressed and feel like I'm gonna die soon.. I am very concerned and confused.. My doctors tell me I'm OK... My body tells me I'm not...
0 likes, 25 replies
pat70811 lulu73
Posted
A little over three years ago, I had abdominal pain. It started in the lower left side. Then it was on the upper right side. Went to the doctor. I had blood tests, nothing. I had an ultrasound that showed I had gallstones. That was it. That was on a Friday. My doctor was arranging for a doctor to remove my gallbladder. On Monday, I threw up three large blood clots, nearly passed out and barely made it to the ER before I bled out from a gastrointestinal hemmorage. What I had was a giant 6 CM bleeding ulcer that I didn't know I had, nor did anyone else. I never had diahrea or a bloody stool. I never threw up blood until that day. I did have extreme pain.
Sydlee lulu73
Edited
I have the exact same pain and exact same background and age as you. It's ruining my life. I go to the doctor next week, but I am very frightened. Could you please give an update on your condition?
RedLRC Sydlee
Posted
dawn63126 Sydlee
Posted
I have a tightening in my right side I was told I have a little bit of a fatty liver.I have been a heavy drinker (beer) since a teenager.Im trying to change my habits it is such an annoying feeling in my rib cage.Anyone have any ideas that have helped them?
jennifer11970 lulu73
Posted
I've had similar pain, and for the last ~two years have told myself I had a cracked rib that was slow to heel. It was on and off pain, but mostly when my husband hugged me tightly or another pressure turn in my torso or something on the upper right side. X-rays showed my ribs were fine, about a month ago. I'm getting an MRI next. It's just weird. (And, my poop seems fine and normal for the record. ha!)
jennifer11970
Posted
Update: CT scan showed three very small "concerns" on my liver. MRI resulted into identifying those concerns as blood vessels (supposedly). The outcome was of nothing significant found, and no further follow up. BUT, I still have the weird pain. I'm going to find a liver specialist and see what is going on. So strange - it's a daily dull pain, now.
jennifer11970
Posted
stephanierosa jennifer11970
Posted
I had a doctor who similarly recommended I take ibuprofen daily for a week to see if that helped.
I'm off to a gastroenterologist because my scans also came back clear...so who knows. So complicated how everything is connected. All I want is to be able too sleep on my side at night, is that too much to ask for?
thinus64696 lulu73
Posted
kateNotSoGreat lulu73
Posted
I have a similar past with alcohol...Last night I woke up with a stomach ache above my belly button (not gas pains), it was a dull aching pain. For the past 3-4 years I have had major constipation. My GP has prescribed Stool Sofenters, Fiber mixers, and the sort to relieve it. The best I have found to work is over the counter Enemas. My doc said as long as it doesn't have (a harmful ingredient - can remember what the term is) I would be fine to use them if they helped. I can't have a bowel movement anymore if I don't do use one. I know this doesn't feel like constipation ( it's never been a pain above my belly button and under my sternum), yet I didn't enema anyways. Turns out, I had bowel movements like I usually do (basically, like large rabbit pellits). Anyhew, the pain above my belly button seemed to be relieved, but now I have a very dull aching pain on my right side, under the far left of my rib cage. I know what it feels like to have liver pains, as I am a recovering alcoholic. The pains were lower than what I am experiencing. I work in a wharehouse part-time, on my feet for about 5 hours, lost some weight, and the doc was happy with that I could feel the pain at work today, but it wasn't as bad as me sitting down and am feeling the pain more than I was when I was on my feet. I too, think maybe it's all in my head. But, of course, am searching onlibe for similar experiences to have a sense of what might be going on. I came across Gallstones, but had my gallbladder wasremoved during my detox from alcohol about 7 years ago. I keep coming across liver issues, but this pain is above my liver....When I had the scare of liver problems, it was right below the area as which I am concerned about, and experienceing now. I hate the doc appointments (who doesn't), but want to have a sense of what this would be. My father died of cirroshis of the liver when I was 9 years old (never knew him, but he must have been in his early 30's when he passed - I will be 38 this coming May 2018). Searching this experience (I am having), all I come across is liver related issues. Freaked out and really scared right now. Scared that the docs will have no clue as to what might be gong on (as I have read your difficult experience trying to find an answer, without a indication of what might be going on). Please let me know of anything you have discovered. I'm stressing so much about it now. This has all transgressed in the past 24 hours. Maybe I'm jumping the gun...but don't most people search the web when they experience an unknown pain before going to the docs? I know I am. I hope you are feeling better, are better, or have been told what the heck is gong on. -Sincerly Kate P.S....this all started after a very complicated, and an extremely stressful work related issue. True story that sucks (Ass). P.P.S Am I jumping the gun on this???
kateNotSoGreat lulu73
Posted
kateNotSoGreat lulu73
Posted
I can't believe you have been experiencing this over the past 4 months! It has been only 24 hours for me! Would not be able to function like this for a week, much less than 4 months. Obviously you are alive though... that's good to know, lol!
stephanierosa lulu73
Posted
I've had rib pain on the right side for about 2 months now. I've had a few events where I've had to go to the ER from gastro like symptoms and extreme dehydration, plus abdominal pain that made me feel like i was about to be in a scene from an alien movie where somethong was about to explode from my abdomen. I had 1 doctor tell me there was nothing suspicious about ending up in the ER from gastro once a month. But my regular doctor has had my liver tested and LOW AND BEHOLD i found out i have an inflammed liver. It would be worth having your liver ALT levels checked if you havent already (mine are 5 times the normal amount). If it weren't for my family doctor following up with bloods every time i got sick i might have ended up in the ER in the next month from liver failure. I don't drink or smoke, I think this is a case of s**t luck.
TL;DR i have pain in my right rib cage and i have an inflammed liver.
thinus64696 stephanierosa
Posted
Hi. I also went to a docter that told me I have a fatty liver and abdominal gas in my pancreas. He did a sonar. Excuse the spelling I'm afrikaans
lindsey_80643 thinus64696
Posted
lindsey_80643 stephanierosa
Posted
thinus64696 lindsey_80643
Posted
stephanierosa thinus64696
Posted
Yea I also was sent for an upper abdomen ultrasound as they thought the problem was with my gallbladder but they did not find any stones. Now I have to do other various procedures that test gallbladder function and liver function. And if that doesn't work they think it might be to do with my digestive system. I hope the treatment they have given you works soon!