Annoying upper right ab pain

[Margo__0]

  I am a 46 year old woman, 120 lbs, 5'4'', one child.  No past health problems.  Two years ago I started having sporadic discomfort on my right side just inside the curve of my ribcage just above my waist.  It comes and goes during the day ( although I often have it first thing in the morning ) and it has even disappeared almost completely for a few months at a time.  Tight clothing seems to aggravate it.  At first, the pain was defined to a very exact spot - almost like a deep bruise that I could touch.  Now it is sort of cramp like and can cover a bigger area.  Eating doesn't have any big effect although sometimes I do feel better if I eat something.  I have been seen by a gastroenterologist and had many tests.  Ultra sounds, Hida scan, CAT scan.  I have been scoped up and down.  I don't have gallstones or "sludge".  I have a slight hiatial hernia, 2 stomach erosions and duodenitis and tested positive for H pylori.  I was treated with anitbiotics twice for the H pylori with no change.  One thing that sticks in my mind is that when I had one of the ultra sounds and the technician had the probe right on the spot that hurts, I asked what that was and she said the gallbladder.  My doctor says that the slight ulcers she found should not be causing this pain.  A gallbladder surgeon said that even though nothing tests wrong with my gallbladder that removing it would probably solve my problem.  I haven't read of anyone with these symtoms and I was hoping that perhaps you have had a patient with similar problems and could of offer some advice.  Thank you very much for your time.  Margo
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Dear Margo,
We have had many postings from patients with atypial abdominal pain who had the gall bladder removed and had persistence of pain after the surgery. The ease of removing the gall bladder is not a compelling reason for the surgery.  In your case, the absence of gall stones would suggest that the gall bladder is not the cause for your problem.  To confirm whether the gall bladder is normal, a CCK test can be done to assess gall bladder motility.  A normal study would be another argument against the gall bladder as a cause fr your problem.  
I suggest that you have a detailed discussion with your surgeon regarding benefits and risks of the procedure before you undergo a procedure.
This information is presented for educational purposes only.  Ask specific questions to your personal physician.
HFHSM.D.-rf
*keywords: abdominal pain, gall bladder
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