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always right side pain - dont know what to do

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Posted 3/30/2011 2:11 AM (GMT 0)
finally, I have been two weeks without heartburn after trying a chinese herb concoction from my mothers chinese herb dr.

I had been on chinese herbs in the past and got a right side pain below my rib, which turned out to be a bad reaction to my liver...then got it again when taking Ranitidine (8 months later), but all tests came back ok and the dr's didn't know what it was. I got it when taking Cimetidine (and all other beta blockers), and then with Prilosec and Nexium. Now I am getting it when taking simple digestive enzymes (the only thing I am taking right now).

The dr's think I am nuts...tests always come back normal, BUT I am always so afraid that it is something serious like my liver or pancreas. I hope its either my intestine or gallbladder and that it is nothing serious...but we never get to the bottom of it. I always have to stop the medication (or enzymes), and heartburn will come back very strong, and Ill be at square one again.

has anyone had anything similar to this? what could it be? My last option and the only thing I havent done is a HIDA scan, but I don't see how digestive enzymes could be hurting my gallbladder. I can only imagine medication hurting my liver, since that is what happened a year+ ago...

I am only 27, good health aside from GERD and this related issue which happens every time I take any pill these days. And I swear its not psychological...as soon as I stop the pills the pain always subsides, makes no sense. I have no more ideas of what to do!
Posted 3/30/2011 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
I have had right sided pain for a long time, too, and have no answers. It is possible that you have gallstones, unrelated to your GERD or your herbal treatments, and perhaps a HIDA scan is worth your time (also an abdominal ultrasound to see if there are large stones).

I had both and the findings were inconclusive (no stones, low end of normal ejection fraction). But I have an inflammatory bowel disease, so I could have inflammation in the duodenum, or gallbladder, or bile ducts, etc. causing my pain. I think further investigation is warranted for you.

I've stopped taking my ppi because ppi's may reduce gallbladder function. The level of pain in my RUQ is unchanged, however.
Posted 3/30/2011 7:00 PM (GMT 0)
interesting, thanks for sharing.

is the ruq pain potentially caused by IBD? I have no answers, and only get it when taking any medication/enzymes/etc. today I had pancreatic and liver tests to see if they show anything this time around, but we will see. I solve the GERD when the pain comes, and when it goes the GERD comes back. Somehow both are inversely connected, and no doctors know what., it is all about.
Posted 3/31/2011 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
RUQ pain can be caused by Crohn's. My GI told me that pregnancy (not a risk for you, acidrefluxman) can create gallstones, and since I've had a few pregnancies maybe I have small stones (not visible on abdominal u/s).

However, my RUQ is not triggered by fatty meals, which seems to be the common complaint of those with gallbladder problems. My RUQ pain seems to be related to the fullness of my bowels, so I'm guessing that I have a stricture or something in the duodenum. I had an esophageal stricture a few years ago, so there you go.

I will probably need to do some imaging studies (endoscopy or small bowel follow through) which I am delaying because I don't like them and my RUQ is not that bad. Usually when it's bothering me I'd say it's a 3 on a scale of 10. Every now and then it will get to the point that it disrupts my sleep.

It seems odd that your pain is related to taking pills. Sometimes we can have what's called "referred pain," so what you're feeling in the RUQ may actually be caused elsewhere in your gut. Maybe you're having esophageal spasms?  Diagnosing bowel problems is hard and takes a long time.
Posted 3/31/2011 2:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hello

I have right sided pain that comes and goes... A couple of years ago I couldn't even ride my horse because it was so bad and I swore it was appendicitis or something like that. I had it for over 7 month straight, so my GI ordered a colonoscopy which came back normal, except for my Left sided U/C.... Then, one day, it just went away and stayed away for several months. Now I get it off and on, and I'm pretty sure it's IBS, because if I take a Bentyl, it get's much better... I find that stress aggravates it too and different foods I eat. You might want to try Bentyl and see if that helps..

Today I'm going to see my GI for heartburn that I just can't get rid of, even with taking Nexium every day.... I was here looking around and saw your post and wanted to chime in since it sounds exactly like what I was dealing with... my pain was right below my right rib, and I was so worried that it was my liver or gallbladder, but all my tests came back normal.

I'm pretty sure now that it is IBS and it is probably my colon in a constant spasm when I have this pain and boy o boy.... Bentyl sure helps it...

Good luck~ Susie
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