Upper right abdominal pain/discomfort for four months now

Hi,

So after searching this forum for days, I have decided to create my own post and hopefully get some thoughts/opinions. I understand I can't be diagnosed here but I'm curious to know if anyone else is suffering with similar issues.

It started four months ago when I had my baby via C-section. I was kept in hospital due to high LFTs and jaundice. I had an abdominal ultrasound which showed normal appearances of my liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen and kidneys. The only comment was a ever so slightly dilated common bile duct and the very distal part of it was obscured by bowel. No stones seen. I had no pain at this time.

Since around one week post partum I developed a slight niggly pain just under my right rib cage. It was barely noticeable. Over time, that pain has wrapped around the bottom of my entire right rib cage and into the back (all the way to the spine). I also have pain about 2 inches to the right of my belly button.

The pain has been present every single day and comes in the form of mild waves or shooting pains. It feels as though it is boring right through me to my back. The pain feels very internal. I'm aware of it constantly as I have a constant dull ache in the area and then the additional intermittent pains on top every few minutes or on a good day, every hour.

I can't pin the pain to any kind of food or drink (although I did have one quite bad episode after a fry up which resulted in a very clay coloured stool the next morning). Normally fatty foods don't bother it. I have been taking apple cider vinegar to try help. Nothing makes it better or worse. I would say on a normal day it is a 4 or 5 out of 10 for pain levels.

Most mornings I have no pain for about 30 minutes and then it gets progressively worse throughout the day, until I am very uncomfortable at night. I feel a sensation of fullness under my right rib cage when I bend and when I lay on my right side. The pain also sometimes travels to the right of my bellybutton but 2-3 inches down. The pain is often stingy or like a burning sensation. Then it will switch to a dull ache or a deep stabbing sensation.

My bowel movements are much more 'can't go or go too much' lately.

For information, I have no appendix. I have had a pelvic ultrasound which was all clear. My LFTs completely normalised and all of my other blood results are normal. Coeliac test negative. Calprotectin test fine. Urine sample fine. Kidney scan fine. I do suffer from reflux and take PPIs. I also experience occasional nausea.

I have seen a GI Consultant who suggests an MRI which I will have soon but I just wondered if anyone had experienced anything similar?

I considered my gallbladder (as does the consultant) but my GP thinks not as the ultrasound showed no stones and I don't have typical 'attacks'. My pain is just intermittent throughout each day but overall constant. I have considered maybe IBS or even an ulcer but I'm not sure they would cause the complete right side pain.

I've obviously googled and things like pancreatic and bile duct cancer have popped up so I've had my panic about that too! Although the consultant said my symptoms do not suggest those things.

Any opinions welcome as it is making me thoroughly miserable now.

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