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Posted 8/14/2017 6:35 PM (GMT 0)
It's been awhile but I'd appreciate some feedback.
I've been dealing with this pain in my right side (front, under last rib) for 6 months now. Can't find it but I'm pretty sure I posted about this same issue in the past but this time it just won't go away.
Here's a little of my history. Dx'ed with UC in 2004. Got through my first flare and have been in remission since. Nothing major. Last 3 or 4 scopes came back perfect. Nothing. Biopsies all clear. Taking Colazol 3 tablets a day as maintenance. (That's 3 a day not 3 3x a day).

When pain first started saw my GI. He didn't think too much of it since I was scoped less then a year before. Next saw my PCP who dx'ed it as back related. Sent for physical therapy 8 weeks. Still pain.

Have had several X-Rays.......Nothing.
2 MRI's...........Nothing.... but Did see a back issue.
2 Cat Scans with contrast...........Nothing.
All blood work was perfect.

Went to a different Dr and said nothing but "I have a pain in my right side". Several X-rays and another round of Cat scans.....Nothing
All internal organs, bile ducts, etc......"Normal".
More blood work..........All perfect.

Went back to PCP who referred me to Neurology.
Neurology looks at my history and says...."You need to see a Gastro
Dr".

Now have an appointment with my Gastro Dr 9/1/17.
This is where I started back in April (?).

Thanks for letting me vent but does anyone have issues like this?
Posted 8/14/2017 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome back! I'm glad your UC is doing well, but the pains sounds awful. And being tossed around like a hot potato between doctors isn't fun....

Are they frequent or infrequent? How severe on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being unbearable)?

I'm no doctor, but will just throw out things as I think of them:

Hmm lower-right side, under ribs and I guess that'd be the general area of the pancreas (problem pancreatitis), gall bladder (problem gall stones), liver (prob Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis), and kidney (prob kidney stones).

Certainly, as UC patients we have much, much higher incidence of PSC and pancreatitis than the general population. But you said your bile ducts were clear so that might rule out PSC...

We're also more prone to various clots, usually deep-vein stuff but it can be anything. Are you on any blood thinners or had any problems with clotting in the past?

Have you ever had any lower abdominal surgeries (problem Abdominal adhesions)?

Are you sure the pain isn't at a joint? I know we're much, much more common to have joint issues www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/resources/arthritis.html

Have you been investigated for all of the above?
Posted 8/14/2017 8:00 PM (GMT 0)

iPoop said...
Welcome back! I'm glad your UC is doing well, but the pains sounds awful.

Are they frequent or infrequent? How severe on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being unbearable)?

Hmm lower-right side, under ribs and I guess that'd be the general area of the pancreas (problem pancreatitis), gall bladder (problem gall stones), liver (prob Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis), and kidney (prob kidney stones).

Have you been investigated for all of the above?

Certainly, as UC patients we have much, much higher incidence of PSC and pancreatitis than the general population. But you said your bile ducts were clear so that might rule out PSC...

We're also more prone to various clots, usually deep-vein stuff but it can be anything. Are you on any blood thinners or had any problems with clotting in the past?

Have you ever had any lower abdominal surgeries?

Every test shows all internal organs "Normal".
MRI states: Liver-Normal
Gallbladder and bile ducts-Normal
Pancreas- Normal
Spleen- Normal
Adrenal Glands- Normal
Kidneys- Normal
Aorta- Normal, No aneurysm
Bladder- Normal
Peritoneal Cavity- Normal

Bowel/Mesentery- Stomach and small bowel loops are within normal limits. Colonic loops are normal. No wall thickening or evidence of inflammation. No evidence of appendicitis. No obstruction.

Pain is about from 3 to 4 depending on activity. Just enough to be annoying.

Lower abdominal surgery? Yes.
Elected to have sigmoid colon resection due to diverticulitis. Shortly after suffered an adhesion. Haven't ruled that out again.
Spoke with my GI Dr about PSC. He said "it doesn't go like that".

I'll be seeing him again in 2 weeks.

It's just after seeing so many different dr's they all say the same.
"I have no dx for what you're feeling".
IMO pain is the body's warning system. Something isn't right.
Posted 8/14/2017 8:11 PM (GMT 0)
Only a guess, but based on what you describe and the prior re-section of the sigmoid colon, I'd lean adhesions as a consequence of that surgery. I believe there's ways of looking into that, don't recall how.

"Spoke with my GI Dr about PSC. He said "it doesn't go like that"."

Yeah usually you start with PSC and then get UC, the incidence of that course is very high, like 70 percent or something wacky. The other way around there appears to be no statistically significant relationship. Probably what the doc meant.
Posted 8/15/2017 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
I get pain there sometimes. I also get pain on the lower left hand side which seems to be related to eating and I think it is where the inflammation is. The pain in the right side just under my rib cage is worse. I just thought it was a UC thing. I'll mention it to my doctor tomorrow.
Posted 8/15/2017 4:48 AM (GMT 0)
Could it be GERD. I had this constant dull ache a couple of years ago and I was worried. It usually presents itself with pain under the rib.
Posted 8/15/2017 1:56 PM (GMT 0)
Do you feel it when you sneeze or cough or breathe heavily (due to vigorous exercise, say)? My husband had a mystery right side pain that seemed to last FOREVER. He underwent a ton of tests. No one could diagnose it. I theorized all along it might be pulled/strained diaphragm. Unfortunately I don't think there's any way to diagnose it. It takes forever to heal because, unlike some other muscle you injure, you cannot completely rest your diaphragm. You have to continue breathing.
Posted 8/15/2017 2:57 PM (GMT 0)
Sneeze or cough.....No.

Here's how it goes for me.
Wake up in the Morning all is good. No pain. As I go through the day I can feel it "starting". Sitting is the worst. Standing seems to relieve most of this pain. By bed time it's at it's peak. After "relaxing" for about an hour that pain starts to lessen. Doesn't keep me awake. Next morning all is well and the cycle begins again. Seems the less active I am the better the pain. Now IMO this points to muscle but still very concerned. My biggest fear PSC. However all test mentioned above seem to eliminate PSC.

Just don't know and neither do the any Dr's I've seen.
Posted 8/15/2017 3:52 PM (GMT 0)
Iv got similar pain on the right side right next to my belly button!

Very very tender, had a colonoscopy and nothing shown up on scan, strange.
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