Upper abdominal swelling, right upper quadrant pain

Hi, folks,

(I love the Anne question: Anyone experiencing any joy yet?!!! Please DO report any relief or joy-- or even any new knowledge; that would be a godsend & wonderful!)

Just wanted to apologize for all the typos. Was too. Early-eyed from fighting pain all day. So, like cris, I am menopausal or perinenopausal age, but not sure I'm going through either (no hot flashes; led an Uber healthy/organic/hormone-free/chemical-free lifestyle for most of my life and, until recently, seemed to age more slowly than normal). I HAVE traveled a lot and DO use cell phone a lot (but never microwave ovens), and DO drink a lot of water out of plastic bottles.?

The pain and sense of pressure is:

* right abdomen between pelvis and ribs;

* right upper abdomen as if pushing ribs out;

* right groin (not "groom," as Auto-correct earlier assumed!);

* on back, right kidney area or above;

* pelvic (that is where all began);

* low back/sacral spine and now traveling up to/past lumbar;

* left chest-- as if squeezing or stone in chest.

I also have nausea (VERY abnormal for me); (new is headaches-- also not at all normal for me); anemia; belching; oil in toilet; cat scan and ultrasound that said lesions on liver and Stone at gallbladder; MRI that said small masses on liver, no issue at gallbladder; organs normal size (?! Did they measure against normal sized people? I'm just over 5'; thickening of endometrium that may indicate "adenomyosis"; horrid constipation; some other abnormal blood results, but mostly within normal range. Have some kind of heart valve issues (tricuspid and mitral that don't always show up; very fast/shallow pulse; some sort of interval abnormality.

Desperate to get answers and feel better!!!

I would SO appreciate ANY clues I'll have! Thank you! Wishing everyone happy/delight-FULL Independence Day-- indoependence from any pain or healthy issues/freedom and joy!

This started for me in 2011 and was pretty darn severe when it came on. I used to go from normal to bloated in an instant. I mean my upper stomach, which as always been flat would suddenly puff out. IT's almost as like my stomach fills with water. I would also sweat.   I had pain around the bra line, sometimes under the sternum, wraps around the ribs, and is especially bad right by the spine. Massages don't hurt so I don't think it's costochondritis. And eating makes it worse and sometimes just standing still. It's like all of the nerves along this path go on fire, except it's more discomfort than intense pain. Shortly after this started my cholesterol spiked too and I was in extremely good shape when it started.  Now I feel bloated and pudgy 24/7.

Things that have helped inclued giving up gluten (I never thought I'd get that desperate, but I did, and darn it, it helped). Exercising, can temporarily cause a flare but I find in the long run, it helps. 

Anti-anxiety meds like Effexor and Cymbalta. When the area is tight it feels like these loosen it but I feel extra bloated on them but in less discomfort. I don't get sever pain just like something is enflamed around that area and then when it "cools" it feels like the inflammation leaves a trail of scar tissue which adheres my muscles to my ribs. 

At it's worse it would extend down into my right groin, into both shoulders, neck and right jaw.  Six years on I don't get the extremes, just a constant discomfort and bloating (which is an improvement). My back would also sweat along the spine at the bra line (inflammation?)

Of note, I had graves dissease and when it started going into remission these new symptoms popped up. I don't feel like it could be a coincidence. It also started after a severe and prolonged (1-2 year)  period of stress.

I keep thinking sphincter of oddi dysfunction but I don't generally get nauseous from it. I too have had colonoscopies, upper GI scopes, CT scan of abdomen/kidneys. I had a liver hemangioma when it started but has since gone away. Saw a rheumatologist & neurologist. No gallstones. You know the drill. But because I am female and got pregnant shortly after it started a lot was blamed on hormones, pregnancy, anxiety (my only anxiety was caused by my mysterious symptoms and having my doctor not believe me). 

My new doctor suggested myofascial pain disorder, which did fit many of my symptoms but does not explain the specificity of the pain around my right rib cage. 

Good luck to you all and please share any tips and diagnoses! 

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?

Still at wits end too. One minute convinced ive cancer then wondering if its muscle related. Just no idea and docs seem to have less and to boot are extremely uninterested xx 

Does anyone here get sharp stabling knife like pains in the rib area - bra line?  I had a real bad one a bit ago - Omg scared me.

I have also been suffering something similar however I do have Ulcerative Colitis and am waiting to hear if it is indeed a flare up, but in a different part of my intestine. BUT on my search for answers, I found something very, very interesting that may be the answer to some queries. 

https://www.dailystrength.org/group/fibromyalgia/discussion/i-found-my-one-problem - halfway down her message is this "Hepatic flexure syndrome is a relatively common medical issue. This condition can cause gas pains and abdominal discomfort. This pain is typically felt in the upper right portion of the abdomen and is thought to be caused by an abnormal accumulation of gas in the hepatic flexure. This syndrome is fairly easy to confuse with other abdominal disorders. Therefore, proper testing and medical intervention is important." 

Hepatic Flexure Syndrome. 

I am going to mention this syndrome to my doctor tomorrow to see if this could be partially the reason for my pain. 

This whole thing is driving me insane.  I know you can all relate.  Not getting into gastro for another 2 months is just crazy.  Gonna do abdominal US but everyone doubts anything will show.

WIsh there was an MRI that would show everything - both spinal stuff and organ stuff

 

Do any of you ever feel out of breath or wheezy with this?? 

I've been experiencing the same symptoms since last year. I do have a hiatal hernia which was diagnosed last year in the hospital, and Barrett's esophagus, which was diagnosed the beginning of this year via camera, but I don't know if they're related to the pain and swelling in my upper right abdomen. I can barely lay on my right side.

I DON'T have my gallbladder or my appendix though. Those were removed years ago (1995 and 1996 to be exact). All liver and lung tests as of May of this year came back normal, yet I'm still experiencing this discomfort.

My Dr. Found it was my liver my smptomts he new right away I was just like you

My liver was checked and I have 2nd stage fibrosis but the GI Doctor said it's not what's causing my abdominal pain.

I hope whatever you Doctor has done or medication is working to relieve your pain.

I even have gerd and gastritis which I take Protonex to help but all my pain remains.

The GI Doctor can't figure out what's causing the pain.

Its so bad I went to Emergency they did tests and also found nothing.

In happy if your Doctor found the source of your pain and hopefully brought you relief