Right sided umbilical pain at night

[ldb655]

I have been having night time pain, just to the right of my belly button, on and off for almost a year now.  The pain is sharp, burning and very intense.  I can wake me up from about 1am to 7am and usually last an hour and a half, during which time there's no position i can lie in that alleviates the pain.  
When it first started i had it every night for 4 weeks - completely exhausting.  But now it's probably once every ten days or so.  Sometimes its moderate pain, sometimes its severe.
I had IBS as a teenager, but i don't think that's the cause of this for several reasons: it makes no difference if i go to the loo, anti-spasmodics have not helped at all, and my doctor says IBS doesn't normally strike at night.
I've had ultrasounds and blood tests and all have come back normal.
Does anyone have any suggestions for what might be causing this?  I've just started a new job and can't take losing any more sleep.
Thanks,
LDB


This discussion is related to pain near navel on right side what is there?.

[Christopher R Watters, MD]

You are not giving a history of acute inflammation. It is more consistent with colic. Approximately 20% of the gallbladders that are removed today have no stones and would have a normal ultrasound but still cause significant pain. As for the travelling, because this is consistent with functional pain there is not a significant chance over the short term of progressing to a severe complication.

[ldb655]

Thanks for replying. That's helpful. I thought it might be something biliary that from what I'd read.  But i have a  question - wouldn't any gall stones or inflammation have shown up in my ultrasound or blood tests?  And also, do I need to do this urgently?  I'm travelling at the moment and won't be home for a few months.  Thanks.

[Christopher R Watters, MD]

I would suggest a HIDA scan with CCK stimulation to get a functional assessment of your gallbladder. You describe fairly typical biliary symptoms and have already had evidence of dysmotility in your GI tract.