Chronic Right Side Pain With Confusing Causes

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2 years of chronic pain located at lower, right side of abdomen around bottom rib in 3 inch region between bottom rib and pelvis. Sometimes pain is higher up and more central. Appendics taken out 10 years ago. Feels like jabbing a blunt instrument in that area. Affected by compression/sitting. Had all tests - trust me. Everything to do with liver and gallbladder and intestines and stomach and kidneys was tested. Pain can be debilitating. Also tried chiropractor/PT.

I've mentioned to doctors that medications can make it worse but all have had no answer for this.

Why would a pain like this be made worse by taking certain medications, by sitting for too long, or by eating certain foods, or by physical exertion? There are confusing overlaps that have puzzled all doctors. That is my central question. I take pain medication but still have problems. Some of the meds I've taken for pain have even seemed to make it worse while others make it better.

I've had all of the suggestions like Crohns, kidneys, liver, g.b. - but all have been supposedly ruled out by tests. If it wasn't for the g.b. tests that were negative I'd say it's classic gallbladder symptoms. Recently I've been wondering if there is some occassional liver swelling that causes problems in that area. I've had a few enzyme tests and they have been normal. I wonder if gallbladder can "hide" from tests at times. Is this too low for gallbladder? If it was gallbladder would meds cause pain?

Any possibilities outside of gallbladder or liver? Why would a med cause pain? After 2 yrs could pain ever = emergency?

[jewel9876]

I thought I was going crazy.  Has anyone gotten any answers yet from your Doctors?  My pain just started a month and a half ago, and I'm miserable.  I don't think I could deal with it for years.  My sympathies to those of you who have had to deal with this mystery.  My Doctors just keep throwing test after test at me like they are trying to just pacify me.  Just gets annoying.

[better1000]

I have pain in the lower right side that seems to be triggered by:
1) Drinking Coffee
2) Eating Spicy Foods
3) Eating Onions, Garlic, or other strong spices.

I stopped going to regular medical doctors because they just throw pills at you.
Things to Do:
1) Read up on the ileocecal valve.
2) Look into Primal Defense by Garden of Life it's the only thing that stops my pain.  I take one first thing in the morning. Read the reviews on it.
If I stop taking it the pain comes back.

[Iceman1980]

I have read everyone's comments and am relieved to hear it is not just me. My doctors in the Uk are also flumoxed about the problem after having every test come back ok. They are sending me to a mucular-skeletal specialist, but I am not sure that is the right route. I also suffer with IBS, anxiety and back problems, which sounds similiar to a number of others who have written. It would be interesting to know how many of us suffer with stress/anxiety leading up to the pain. I had been vomitting aggresively when I first experienced it after drinking too much alcohol. I have now quit drinking, eat pretty healthy, don't smoke, 31 and otherwise in good health If anyone does figure out a way to reduce the pain please let me know as it is so frustrating.

[ripka]

I have had the same pain for my entire life now. I am now 20 years old and must walk with a cane because the pressure of straightening my back sends hot firey rods down my right leg and up into my bladder/pelvis and kidney region mainly on that side. It started as a diagnosis of "migrains" but my entire life has seemed like one big test project. I have never been able to stand for long periods of time, got in trouble at school for needing to put my feet up, I started going to the chiropractor for my lower back at about 13 and physio for mainly my upper around 14/15 after chiropractor didn't help...I've had every blood test and **** test for almost everything possible...I was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia due to my intense, widespread pain when the doc ran out of testing when I was 18. I have Insane acid reflux/ GERD as well and the two have never been addressed with anything further than tests, meds for muscle synchronization/control anti-nausea and the one I still take, PPI, or an acid inhibitor, and my own changes I have taken upon myself to make me feel as good as possible, but I had to leave my job in June and havn't been able to stand for more than 30 seconds since..it hurts to hold in pee.. I originally thought I had a kidney infection, but no, it is the same lower back pain I have always had every time I get my period but instead of getting slightly better after my cramps went away, last june I had to leave work half an hour after I arrived and havn't been able to do anything since. Sleeping is painful, lifting or flexing my right leg, walking, even sitting..and standing has always been the worst. It is Crippling.
The doctor will do NOTHING but tell me to go to physio, I am on PPI's, muscle relaxants. and just recently nerve medication, but I don't know what to do, my doc doesn't know what to do, and my life feels over at 20...I never knew how bad it could get, and I never had a pain-free life. I NEVER knew this intense of pain existed...it feels EXACTLY like a hot steel rod being shoved in there, and when that pain goes away, there is always either crippling pressure or cold stinging numbness....can ANYONE help? I have a much more detailed list of symptoms, I just have to end this somewhere. I have been stuck in my house for over 6 months now.

[CatdaBrat]

I'm no doctor of course, but your comment about a hot steel rod and then cold stinging numbness sounds like it's a nerve problem rather than muscular or skeletal.

[mom5374]

I'm sorry to hear your mom in is so much pain. I can identify WELL! I have had the same type pain in my right side, under my right rib cage radiating into my back between the base of my shoulder blade & the top of my right kidney, for several years. The 1st time it hit was in the middle of the night 7 I woke up almost screaming the pain was so bad. For many years it would come & go but the area was always sore even tot he touch.I thought after I had my gallbladder out it would stop, but unfortunately it didn't. It got better for a brief time, but then came back. Lately the pain is relentless & rarely lets up. `I finally went to the ER in the middle of the night recently & because of serious spine problems that I have to take pretty strong pain meds for, the ER doctor treated me as if I was only there to get more pain meds which was extremely maddening. I told her I did not want any pain meds I wanted to know what was wrong with me & what could be done for it. She gave in & ran a few basic tests; a good bit of bloodwork, urine specimen & sonogram of the area. The sonogram showed the liver & pancreas looked ok which surprised the doctor. Because I'm overweight she rather rudely told me she was sure I had fatty liver disease if nothing else since I'm so "grossly overweight & obviously don't take care of myself". She of course jumped to that conclusion without even looking at my medical information that shows that I do have medical problems that have unfortunately brought on the weight problems. The liver function bloodwork also came back normal, which also proved her theory wrong. I wanted to stick my tongue out at her, say haha & tell her not so nice things, but I refrained. lol The only things that showed up in my other tests were an elevated white blood cell count & a unrinary tract infection which i was given a course of the antibiotic Macrobid.  I did get refered to a gastroenterologist from my ER visit which is hopefully going to get to the bottom of the problem, but we'll see. The odd thing is after taking the antibiotic, my side was not as painful. It still hurt, but it did give me some relief for almost 2 weeks. I just had my appointment with the new specialist & at least he did seem concerned. He is going to schedule me for an endoscopy & a colonoscopy so he can actually "look" at what's going on throughout my entire gastro system & do any biopsies he thinks necessary while he's in there. He did tell me there is a good possibility I have Celiac Disease, probably have IBS & my also have gallstones in the duct even though my gallbladder has been removed. He said it is not very common, but it does happen & it causes many of the  symptoms that I'm having. He did not say what, if anything, could be done for it though. All of this to say try taking her to a doctor that specialises in gastroenterology. This is about the only "ologist" I haven't seen for this problem, so I'm cautiously optomistic at this point. Hopefully it won't take too long to get the tests done. I hope you can find a good specialist in your area that is willing to listen & try to help your mom. From taking care of my mother for a long time, I know how helpless & aggrevated you feel knowing she's hurting & something is wrong but not being able to get your mom taken of. I really hope you find a doctor very soon that can help her.                            Please let all of us know how it goes.

[daughter623]

My mother, now 87, has had this same side pain for so many years, I can not even remember.  She too, years ago,  had her gallbladder removed and the pain status did not change,  She has had every test and scan imaginable and not one doctor has a clue as to what is wrong. She also suffers constipation and diarrhea.  
She is on so many pills for this and that, and her pain is only getting worse.  What sort of doctor can help with this??