Pains in right side

Alright... my pain has persided and now it doesnt hurt..from actually hurting and feeling nausas.. to now itjust feels very heavy and a strain feeling is going down my right arm and the back of my neck.. whats going on!?

[CalGal]

You may want to ask your doctor to check you for gallbladder issues.

[Matthew007]

sorry didn't respond right away to your last post, but yeah gallbladder or ulcer.  When you see your doctor he'll probably suggest testing for h. ploryi or a liver blood test (sometimes stones or problems show up in that liver blood test)  hopefully it's not the gallbladder.  Dark stools are a big sign of an ulcer though.  Avoid spicey/stress/chocolate..go bland and blah..applesauce..don't lay down right after you eat and eat low fat/oils until you get things figured out.  :S

[Calley1025]

Well.... i went to Mackinaw this weekend and ended up in the emergency room cuz of my spot under my ribs on the right So they took X-rays ultra sound, blood work and a urine test... FOUND NOTHING. so now i have to go tomrrow morning to get a Hida test... b ut i feel like i wont even make it till then :(

[Matthew007]

yeah you're probably going through what I went through back in 2007...basically I couldn't even lay on my right side, felt swollen and the nausea and pain was BAD..

umm on the hida scan don't stress about it, you just lay underneath a giant geiger counter looking thing, basically they put an IV in you and you sit there for..oo.. seemed like 45 min. to an hour..so try and relax.  Also i'd get some peppermints that you can suck on (to help with the nausea).  there's no pain..and you probably could even bring an ipod or something to help you relax..

yeah I think most likely..*cringe* it's your gallbladder, for your sake I HOPE not....I had to pay out of pocket myself for the surgery hence why i'm still living with the parents but..i'll cross my fingers..maybe it's gallbladder..but hopefully not, since they did an ultrasound..they didn't find any stones..usually you do a ct scan not an xray..but yeah just be prepared that it's your gallbladder that went kaput on you.  The Tech won't tell you the results normally..they send the results to your doctor so bug him after the next day for answers.  Don't eat anything fatty period..easy to digest foods only..heck even jello..hang in there..least you'll get a diagnosis soon but my bet is you have a gallbladder that isn't functioning at all or very well.

[Calley1025]

can you DIE from it??

[Matthew007]

EEeeee..normally no.. but it is possible, I know when they removed mine the surgeon said "it's a good thing it came out when it did..it was swollen and near rupturing.." so mine had to come out..if I had waiting any longer I probably could have been in serious trouble..

I think if it DID yes that could kill you with bile freely going all over the place like that.. that would not be a way to go...but I wouldn't stress or lose sleep over it, there are probably millions who are going through or have gone through what you're having...and laproscopic surgery for gallbladder removal is pretty common.

but anyway, I think I would move as fast as you can to get a diagnosis especially if this is gallbladder.  I think you'll learn that if you eat things that do not usually require liver/gallbladder action you'll limit the nausea/pain..but if you go out and eat a donut or ice cream you'll probably be hating life.  No doubt now you've finished your hida scan..hopefully you get your percentage back ... (still could be ulcer or some intestinal blockage going on..) but yeah my bet still is gallbladder..

Hope you get your answer soon.  Hida scan is the best test for gallbladder.

[Calley1025]

how long did it take for your results to come back to you? For the Hida scan?

[Matthew007]

Test was easy wasn't it? :)

umm usually 24 hours or less..the doctor should have the fax from the radiologist or whoever typed up the report the next day at his office so if you did it yesterday you should have it today or whatever.  Instant results basically.  Hope you're feeling ok or better than you were.

[Calley1025]

Well yeah i got it done at 8:30 in the morning yeasterday... so... you think tomrrow? oh and more weird question not sure if you would know if its weird or not.. but um... so when ever i drink a cold beverage it feels like it goes down my throut to my right side that hurts. It doesnt hurt me when i do it, but it feels like it doesnt go stright down it goes to the right side directly where my spot is.. when it hurts. lol Is that strange?

[Matthew007]

:) Nah not strange.. that's why I listed ulcer, usually you do a blood test or a breath test to eliminate that but sometimes h.ploryi might not be the problem and it could be just a full blown ulcer (caused usually by pain medication or some medication of somet type you could be taking..or pancreatitis if you've been drinking or going overboard on tylenol..you haven't been taking chronically any pain relievers have you?)

So it still might not be gallbladder..if it isn't usually those blood tests for h. ploryi or the for sure test woule be an endoscope to find out what's going on in there.  One thing you could try while sitting around it to get some tums or pepto bismal and see if that takes away the pain..or drink some milk (calcium seems to help ulcers..least temp..).  Just don't go overboard on it or you'll cause constipation.

I'm suprised your doctor didn't call you with the results already :S i'd bug him or the nurse first thing in the morning for answers because they would have gotten the results normally by now.  Good luck :)

[Calley1025]

Ya what would they have to se d a scope down ym throut?? Well ya it could be so much but all I know is it feels like it's spreading around not too
uch out of the range but moving out. Bit and if it's not my gall bladder I  freak out theady on the phone said it should take three to five business days I can't wait tho

[Calley1025]

Well i got my results back and it said its abnormal cuz its ejaction or w/e is at 16.5% and its soppose to be between 35-75. So she said eventually i will deff need it out... but i have to go to a GI doctor first/...  

[clns]

Better to get it out sooner than later cause the same thing happened to me they told me after 2 months of dealing with it that it was about three times the size it was supposed to be and near rupturing so just be careful and get it taken out asap.

Blessings

[Calley1025]

well thats just the thing.. it wasnt enlarged or... swallon or anything.. so thats why i have to go to a GI doctor to FOR SURE nothing is up

[Matthew007]

Hey sorry didn't log in yesterday,

but yeah well least you got a partial answer..it still could be OTHER factors but having a gallbladder not working correctly would explain your pain and nausea.  Eventually it will have to come out like clns said.  Mine was 12% I think..it was a few years ago.  I have a bad hunch my fructose intolerance may have caused my gallbladder to go south on me...I don't know how but I really do feel it did so if you don't feel better after surgery (if you do have surgery) that's one thing I would look into.

also, when I did my HIDA scan as well it wasn't swollen then but only a few weeks later it got to the point where I could even dare turn on my right side sleeping so be careful..if it does what it did to me, it'll only back up and could get super swollen so keep pushing.  As quick as it did go south and you got sick, it'll be that quick that it *could* get larger and swollen.  Ask the GI doctor lots of questions...and watch what you eat from here on out, and avoid fatty/oily foods.

Anyway, sorry to hear that Calley :S least you got a pretty good idea what the problem is, took me 2 years to find out my gallbladder quit..so you did the right thing.

[Matthew007]

for food intolerances I have bad anxiety.. trying to get it under control, but looking back when I had the gallbladder issue I had super bad anxiety at the same time (besides it's stressful going into surgery) so it's pretty normal to have anxiety when you're sick, but if it's super bad it still might be all from a food intolerance that you're having..like celiac/fructose/wheat/lactose/soy/corn..you name it..so thought i'd add that in there..that might save you some years and money.

Good luck! :S

[Calley1025]

yeah and that really confuses me too.. .becuase like last night i really wanted to test it out.. so i ate a bunch of chips.. i was fine, i ate broasted potato'ss this morning.. and still im fine, is it possible for your gallbladder to just heal back up an start working at normal speed?

[Matthew007]

Yeah i've heard of people who do the liver cleanse (google it..) it's like a cocktail of lemon juice and I think vinegar or olive oil or something nasty..people do that to clear out gallstones but I'd talk to your GI first of course.  But I do know some people that diet and ride it out and never have it removed but if your symptoms are severe like you were having or still are then.. I dunno.  I'd ask your GI expert a bunch of questions about that or maybe get 2 opinions...but I haven't had any serious problems with my surgery but some people have gotten chronic pain from it (i'm sure you've seen them on the board)

I dunno tough choices but once it starts to swell then for sure it needs to come out and quickly - hang in there :)

[Calley1025]

so i went to the Gi, and they just gave me a bunch of acid medication and i have to take it for two weeks and go back in .. then they r going to ttell me what they think

[Matthew007]

Smart move by your doctor...maybe it's a case of severe gastritis and it's causing a slight back up on your liver (possible..) I'm guessing you're on nexium or protonix..acidphex or something like that.  Yeah avoid anything that you think would be hard on the stomach to get a true test...

hopefully maybe that's the answer. :S  You're doing it right..surgery is no fun..i'd eliminate everything you can before you do it and go broke like me lol..

[Calley1025]

well ... already 2000 grand down but .. idk these pills he gave me have been helping alot.. idk maybe just because i stopped drinking alcohol.. and eating fatty foods. its hard to tell.. but yeah .. idk what else to do.. i mean i still FEEL where my spot is.. but it doesnt hurt or make my feel TOO nausus anymore

[Matthew007]

ahhh..did you tell the doctor you've been drinking?  Google pancreatitis and see if that matches any of your symptoms..an inflammed pancrease would def. screw up your blood tests and HIDA scan as well...that causes a lot of pain...also would affect the bile duct...

Yeah alcohol and tylenol if you don't watch it can cause fatty liver (google that too..) or pancreatitis..sometimes can be chronic so be very careful, and sometimes if you drink too much it can cause the pancrease to shut down...it's nothing to mess around with..i'd avoid alcohol and pain pills completely and stay on those acid reducers.  That might be why you're feeling slightly better..(alchohol is bad for you silly rabbit)

[Matthew007]

what I mean by chronic pancrease problems is..sometimes people suffer for the rest of their lives with that pain so yeah ..you don't want that. nononono..

[Calley1025]

but i love drinkin so much.. i know its not worth DYING for ...

[Matthew007]

lol Calley.. trying not lecture you but I'm SURE a ton of other people posting on this site would love to trade places with a healthy person right now (I would..)..if only they hadn't smoked..drank..exercised more..ate right..sometimes it's just bad luck..like with me I have some stupid food allergy that i'm trying to figure out.

anyway you're a really cute girl but yeah you best cut that stuff out completely esp. if there is a chance it's hurting your pancreas.. or else you could have kidney/liver/pancreas issues before you even get married.  I read somewhere that life expectancy without a pancreas is like 1 or 2 years.  Life's too short to be sick and i'm sure others will agree with me there.  BUT anyway your call but soon as you said alcohol with upper right abdominal pains that totally screams pancreatitis/ulcer.  I bet if you said that to your doctor he or she would jump out of their chair with the same thought most likely..you're just poisoning your pancreas/liver.....and would want a blood test for the pancreas function.  You'll be alright without it.. :)  Plus on a personal note..alcohol drinking all the time isn't that attractive anyway...(that's just me though..).  So yeah be strong..you'll be alright :)

[Calley1025]

alright, no i totally agree. And it might be that.. but does your pancreus or w/e hurt in a specific spot?? I knoww i read up on it a little bit. But is ther ea way to heal it? Or should like u said.. just cut out all the bad.. and it will just heal? I also am starting to get killer headaches. I dont no if ciggs are causing it but.. for the last couple days they have been killing me. Any idea?s

[Matthew007]

well it depends..in acute pancreatitis it's like doubling over pain that comes on initially strong.  Once you eat something...anything you feel major pain...

If you keep adding to the problem (like drinking) then it'll eventually become chronic pancreatitis which isn't as painful.  Normally during acute attacks some people feel the pain normally where the gallbladder is..but sometimes it's in the center to mid right (basically mimic's gallbladder pain) and lots of times a pancrease pain can be felt in the back..upper back areas (the pancreas goes to the front part of the abdomen on the right side..to the rear back upper back area right under the ribs area...I know weird but it goes behind the stomach..) *course I could be completely wrong but that's what my anatomy classes taught me..*

anyway so yeah normally ct scans do not pick up chronic pancreatitis because it takes a good tech and multiple ct scans to notice the change in size or inflammation (unless there's stones in the pancrease).  One way is to do a pancrease blood test..but they're only reliable during the "acute phase" not the "chronic phase".

Well what you could do is go back to your doctor and ask him about drinking and pancrease pain without the parents I guess, maybe they could do a blood test and hope for some result...but another home remedy is to go out and buy some digestive enzyme tablets and take them with meals as directed.  It'll take pressure off your pancrease if that really is the problem and help you digest...  That's basically the treatment right there that many people use..i'd avoid asprin or all pain pills since they only add to the problem.  Most people who have acute pancreatitis avoid the offender and get better but can't intake whatever it was without bringing it back on.  Some chronic cases do not go away and I think digestive enzymes are really the only way to go...

So it's hard to say i'm not an expert in any way of course..talking to your doctor would be a good route and ask about that and maybe test the pancrease function test..unless you already did it.  But yeah - get some digestive enzymes - that'll take pressure off the system and plus it'll help you still digest even if this is still gallbladder related anyway.. (go a little lower on sugar too..pancrease releases enzymes to help break down all food but it's big job is to break down sugars as well..)

[Matthew007]

chronic pain..just like a toothache will bring on headaches but whatever you do don't touch any pain relievers..those are bad for pancreas/liver issues.  Pain brings on headaches a lot basically..:S

[Calley1025]

alright well these pills i've been taking ya know for the acid.. have been helping. But its hard to tell if its the meds working or not becuase i totally changed my diet.. like i havnt drank in like 2 weeks or so and i dont eat greesy food. So ... its hard to tell. So is there any way to determine Chronic Pancritis?? or no. Because i actually was a heavy drinker from the age 14 on.. which would be 6 years :( and my hangovers were always excrusierating... so im pretty sure i messed myself up.. :( but ya i'll deff ask him for sure cuz i never thought of that. BUT.. would that cause my gallbladder so function badly

[Matthew007]

Yeah it would actually or could be related to the gallbladder and would affect your gallbladder.  Both the pancreas and gall bladder both join in the "common bile duct" (you can google image to see what i'm talking about) and both enzymes and bile both mix together to help aid digestion so one thing that can happen is.. like for example if your pancreas was just slightly swollen or irritated it could affect the common bile duct and you would have a HIDA scan reporting a low number due to an inflammation in that area...normally though you would have either elevated liver levels/a low HIDA scan number..and *usually* this is caught on a ct scan..but not always like I said before so yeah..the bile duct is super small and even a small inflammation can cause or make it difficult for bile or the pancreas to function or drain correctly. Fact, people who even pass tiny gallstones can get in serious pain and cause residual inflammation causing a whole bunch of other problems (but I don't think you have gallstones..maybe you do..who knows..)

But best bet is to go back to your gi specialist and tell them about the drinking and ect and tell them you're worried about your pancrease effecting these tests and such..and see what you can to help figure that out..maybe a pancrease function test to see if there's a problem (not always accurate but it's worth testing..you might get a final confirmation if you do that...but talk to the Gi specialist first..).  I'd give the acid reducers it's full course but when you do go back for sure mention everything about the drinking..because that was a very young age and hopefully you didn't do a number on your liver/gallbladder/pancreas..but usually heavy drinking affects liver and pancreas.

[Calley1025]

i really hope i didnt mess my own self up :( i had a really bad attack tonight... i hate like some tortilla chips a couple fries and some chicken tenders.. and i was doubled over in pain like woh. i took my stomach/anxiety pill and it seemed to calm me down and rest my stomach a little but.... this is so rediculous. If alcohol is the reason for all of this.. i will become an alcohol abuse teacher. But if you find out any other information about pancreas or gallbladder or anything Feel FREE to let me know. Thanks alot

[Calley1025]

Ok SO--- i went to the ER b/c i wanted to know. its NOT My liver, NOt my pancreas.. and they dont think the gall bladder is hurting me? Idk why but they think its acid reflex... except ever since i have been takin the pills idk.. thye work, they dont work , so im not sure if they r even the cause. Idk.. what to do, is it really my gallblasdder causing this???

[Matthew007]

Hey Calley :S

sorry to hear about the ER room, over the years i'd get in so much nausea and pain that I finally went into the ER room for help..sadly all I got was a nice $1000+ bill after that..it STILL could be your gallbladder ...a low ejection rate would cause digestive issues..nausea..pain..that's pretty normal.  

Anyway, you know i've been thinking, I have severe anxiety (or had it..during my worst times earlier this year) and had my gallbladder indicate low fraction rate but it wasn't caused by stones.  I thought that was the answer and had it removed without insurance.  I didn't feel better, and to this day i'm still paying the bills for that surgery (back in 2007)

Just in the last few months, I took matters in my own hands since doctors are dorks and worthless...   I went on a food elimination diet.  Yours comes on after eating certain food right?  Reason I thought pancreatitis was from your heavy drinking days (still could be) because pancreatitis brings on severe pain with any sugar or food.

But anyway another thing it could be....you mentioned anxiety... Sometimes people who have problems or food intolerance/allergies double over in pain, and the majority of food intolerances (even me) cause anxiety..sometimes so severe you can't leave the house, also usually with IBS issues..loose stools..ect...  You can be intolerant to anything..or allergic to anything and there's no for sure test out there for food intolerance, there is for skin ***** tests but that's just for allergic reactions via skin contact not digesting.  What you could do is go to the grocery store or have the parents get you some rice (white rice..not brown) get some either lactaid milk or cook some eggs every morning (could still be a problem)..get some spinach, or veggies..no carrots or onions..turkey is safe..meats and generally safe..no fruit... and get a safe gluten free multivitamin if you can..and then just eat no dairy/soy/fructose/wheat/gluten for a good 2 weeks, and then after add one of those items at a time adding gluten/wheat very last...

For example, I went dairy free for like a month and still felt like c r a p, it wasn't until I took soy out of my diet where my anxiety issues slowly faded..they're still there and I suspect I have fructose intolerance..but if acid blockers your taking failed..and your pancrease checks out then you might just be severely intolerant to something.  Are you having any IBS issues?  Also a warning..if you're let's say allergic/intolerant to dairy..a good like ..I dunno like the majority of pills have lactase in it..casein and such..so let's say you're lactose intolerant or have a really bad reaction to casein you might be poisioning yourself with the acid reducers!  (I found out my nexium has things I can't handle...had to stop that..)

An upper endoscope might not be a bad idea just to check and see if there's anything going on in there, like a ulcer/growth of some kinds which would cause problems.....maybe blood test for celiac and if you do the endoscope maybe do a biopsy checking for inflammation.  You might as well if you're going in again.

Basically something food wise you're either allergic to, or severely intolerant.  I'd start looking at all the labels from the dinner you had and closely look into it.  Soy absolutely kills me and takes me days to recover and i'm still sick....I didn't find that out until I did a elimination diet.  Now I highly suspect that I just need to find out what exactly is my problem food wise..no doctor will help me now.  It was hard to believe it's true but that's how I found my answer.  Just remember if you eat something it can delay in flaring up pain and such up to 3 days later..so it might not be something you just ate.  Takes a while for anything to get out of your system.


Anyway that's something to think about, you might as well try that if your'e going to be sitting around for weeks...it's a harsh diet but if you don't have attacks eating that super blah diet of nothing, then that should tell you something is up.  Something to try.  Endoscope is a really good idea though esp. with biopsies testing for celiac, or maybe doing a barium xray looking for a stricture in your small intestine (basically one area that might be twisted or..very difficult for food to pass through) that's another option..sort of a reach but i'm thinking of everything for you...

ok done writing my book :S hang in there!

[Calley1025]

Alright well my stool is super dark and green. Its been kinda up and down latly like weird time or loose... but ive also changed my eating ... to barly nething cuz im scared but mostly sandwitches no greesy food. Idk but about an hour ago i just had a major panic attack n started getting dizzy i calmed down but now im really weak feeling and i feel super shaky

[Matthew007]

super dark stools are either from...too much iron in your diet..to ulcer..

but green stools are usually from either not enough bile or too much bile..I've heard of a drug that slows down bile production (that's what one girl had..) but I can't remember the name..

Anyway well this post won't be much help but an upper endoscope to see if there is some sort of scarring or ulcer issue causing your problems..especially if it's anywhere near the bile duct... i'm not sure if you ever tested for h. ploryi...but anyway I do think that upper endoscope is a good idea.  Still could be gallbladder disease (they go bad..) so I dunno.. I feel for ya calley, i'm sick too - we both just gotta keep on fighting for answers :S

[Matthew007]

i've heard of ulcers requiring surgery..bleeding and such and they don't heal and require surgery so who knows..that upper endoscope might be a good idea.. or at least talk to your doctor about and tell them about what you just said..dark stools.  Does milk help you?  Usually if you have some form of ulcer..calcium helps..