Liver, pancreas, gall bladder ????????

[booban]

I'm a 43 year old male 6' tall and 175 lbs.  Good shape.  I do have a very mild case of psoriasis since I was 26 yrs old.  I've been a weekend drinker for 25 years.(20 to 30 beers per weekend) Also I love coffee.(6 to 10 cups per day)  The last 2 years I've had a dull pain under my right lower ribcage (2 to 3 inches to the right of my belly button)  The dull pain sometimes radiates to my back (lower right side) and when it is a little more intense it radiates to my right testicle.  My testicle does not seem swollen but has pain.  Also, it does not hurt to urinate.  The pain in my side is very dull and sometimes when I'm busy working I forget all about it.  I went to my doctor one year ago because I thought I injured something leaning over walls on my stomach doing carpenter work.  My doctor thought maybe I'd torn lining around my ribcage and gave me anti-inflammatory medicine. He also did blood work and I sent in scrapes from my stool (because sometimes I had a bloody stool, usually after a night of drinking) Everything came back okay.  The medicine helped but I know that wasn't the problem because the dull pain still exists.  It intensifies after a night of drinking.  My skin color is good, stool color is good, appetite is always good, no weight changes or attitude changes.  Sometimes it is uncomfortable to try and sleep on my right side.  Sometimes I feel a twitching in that area, like a nerve.  I know I should go to the doctor again and moderate on the drinking but I would like your opinion on what this could be.

Thanks.

[grampagaga]

i have been diagnosed with liver desease, early chirrosis and have taken interferon for a year with no results,now i hade a gastroscopy yesterday and the results were mild gastritis(a biopsy taken) and inflamation of the esphogus. I have no appetite even after not eating for long periods of time , although I watch my diet and eat good healthy food when I eat my blood pressure goes up and down daily. I take milk thistle,biotin, beta carotine, calcium and multi vitamins . My problem seems to be lower back stiffness and pain and over tiredness regardless of sleeping long or short periods  in the morning ( I have tried many types of beds etc )I am now at the point of depression unwanting to get up or go to work . My household bookkeeping and chores are being put off  and put off and put off . I have no desire to eat, sleep, work, or do things.Any help or suggestions

[booban]

My liver enzyme levels were normal a year ago.  Yes I do occasionally drink during the week, however I've tried to quit that completely.  The pain does not seem to move up but goes along the bottom of my ribcage and around to the right.  Can liver or gall bladder disease be reversable????

[Rubble]

u ever have blood work done to check liver enzyme levels?  any patterns?  do you drink also during the week or solely on the weekends?  also, that is an awful lot of coffee to drink each day ... regardless of your outcome you should really cut back on that caffeine intake.  does the pain move to higher up under your rib cage and/or to your right side?

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Right upper quadrant tenderness can be indicative of liver or gallbladder disease.  An ultrasound or a CT scan would be helpful in determining this.

If there continues to be bloody stool, a lower endoscopy - such as a flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy - can be considered.  A typical anti-inflammatory medication (i.e. Motrin or Aleve) would make the bleeding worse.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_b

[Rubble]

u might want to go get an ultrasound and make sure that there is nothing showing up in liver or gallbladder (would show any gallstones, etc).  Ultrasound can also give an indication if you have "fatty liver" or possibly slightly enlarged liver from drinking. I'd also have another updated blood test to check on the liver enzymes again as you really need to see changes in the levels vs one absolute test. I am having similar issues w/pain and very similar past drinking levels -> happy to private email you if you want to let you know what i've done to try and figure out what's wrong.

[booban]

The bloody stool is bright red blood that comes out last but doesn't happen very often.