Biliary colic, ibs or costochondritis?

Im 18, underweight, and male. i have a typical teenage diet.
In february 2010, i got a severe pain under my right ribs, radiating to my back, lasting a couple of hours, it displayed typical symptoms of biliary colic, without the vomiting or diarrhea etc. so i went to the doctors the day after, and they diagnosed me with IBS.

Since then ive had blood tests, an ultrasound, and everything appeared to be fine.. no gallstones, kidney stones, or any abnormalities in any organs.

Anyway, im looking for some closure as to what could cause (or mimic) biliary colic, my friend has been diagnosed with costochondritis? he said his symptoms mimicked a heart attack.. and my ribs feel tender. im wondering if this could potentially have anything to do with it?

I still get little pains, but only when im thinking about it, or poking myself under my ribs to see if it hurts (i have really bad health anxiety)

Please help me, as this has been causing so much stress on me for the last two years :(

[Cdngal]

Do you find its worse after fatty meals?  Try a low fat diet for couple weeks and see if the pain goes away completely.

[dayjay75]

I dont eat loads of fat anyway, i went back to the docs for a second opinion, and they too said IBS can mimic biliary colic at times, and given my circumstances (18, male, healthy weight) gallstones, or any gallbladder problems, is very uncertain. He explained how trapped wind can also get under the ribs?

[Cdngal]

I am a healthy weight, etc etc not the typical patient for gallbladder problems, that being said i had mine out in January for a chronic inflammation and attacks... no stones.

[dayjay75]

Are you female? i dont wish to sound sexist, but i have heard 2/3 of people that get gallbladder problems are female, and not only that but being an 18 year old male? i mean, surely i wouldnt be able to live a year and a half with any chronic (or acute) gallbladder problems with a typical teenage lifestyle? by that i mean fast food, meat, cheese, alcohol etc. for sure, i would of been hospitalized (if not, dead) by now?

[Cdngal]

Yes I am female and more females have gallbladder issues for sure...I lived for God knows how long with a chronic problem, just got worse and worse until finally i had almost daily attacks, you can find out for sure of its gallbladder by having a HIDA scan which checks the function.  I do hope they will figure out for you so you can be treated and finally start to feel better... mine went on for 7 mths before they figured it out, and was living hell.  Are you scheduled for anymore tests?

[dayjay75]

Well i had this attack thing last year, in february, so a year and a half later, i havent had another one since, ive had niggles, but it doesnt help that i poke under my ribs to see if anythings wrong, so im going with the theory at the moment that im getting these niggles cause im forcing my fingers under my ribs..

As it stands at the moment im not scheduled for anymore tests, ive had blood tests and an ultrasound in the past, and they checked the biliary duct, and there was no evidence that anything passed through that.

It isnt really a living hell, unless i start thinking about it, then it starts feeling dull, i havent thrown up, i dont have jaundice etc, i do feel sick sometimes, and i lose my appetite, but thats most likely anxiety. i think that, if it was my gallbladder, and taking into account a typical teenage diet, i would of definitely had more than this one attack last year, and i guess that i would not be here if there was anything like that affecting me for so long?

[Cdngal]

Yes just see how it is over time, if you its starts to get more frequent or you get more symptoms, nausea, vomiting etc then make sure to get it checked out again... Hope you feel better soon.  

[dayjay75]

Thank you for your concern :D i always get paranoid if i vomit anyway haha, i do believe its more muscular/ribcage related, my girlfriend put weight onto the area, and it clicked, and sort of recreated the pain, not as bad as this one in question last year, at the time of the attack i was passing a lot of gas, but again, anxiety can be definitely put to that. i also find that once ive had a beer or two, the pain seems to fade significantly, and from what ive read about gallbladder, it gets worse with alcohol.. so i am more persuaded to think its nerves or muscle/bone problem.

[Cdngal]

Yes you are correct alcohol makes it much worse!!  Even post surgery i have issue with alcohol.

[dayjay75]

i think that answers my own question haha, its gotta be down to nerves or something like that. thank you so much for your concern and knowledge :D