pain in upper right side

[nathan-w]

  I have reoccurring pain in the area of my duodenum(sic) especially if I eat the wrong foods
  I was once diagnosed with diverticulitis, and since hypertension.
  The hypertension is under control with the use of 240 mg cardizem cd
  tabs taken in the AM.  I follow that with .25 mg of Xanax to control
  the jitters the cardizem seems to cause.  I also take a baby asprin at night.  After I had been taking the
  cardizem about 8 weeks I noticed edema in my hands each morning upon
  waking, this will go away after I get up an move around.  I keep thinking
  this will go away with time but after 8 months it still persists.
  Back to the pain in my upper right side, I know some of it is gas
  however I feel like there is a cause but I don't know what is causing
  the gas.  Exercise does help alleviate the pain.  Maalox tabs chewed after meals
  also help but I would like to be without the pain part forever.
_________________________________
Dear Nathan:
Thank you for your letter.  I hope that you are currently feeling better.  Unfortunately, you do not provide much detail regarding your abdominal pain and it is therefore difficult to make suggestions that will relieve the pain.
There are many causes of pain in the area under the right rib cage.  Possible sources of pain include inflammation of the duodenum (duodenal ulcer or duodenitis), gallbladder disease, hepatitis, and colon disorders.  Intestinal gas can also be a cause of discomfort in this area.
It is difficult to suggest treatment without knowing the specific etiology of the pain. Since you are receiving treatment for your hypertension, I assume that you are under a physician's care.  You did not mention whether you discussed this matter with him/her and whether any tests were done to investigate your pain. A talk with your doctor might be a logical beginning point.  Topics to explore are the relationships between the discomfort and certain foods e.g. dairy products, fatty foods non absorbable sugars, beans, etc.  It is unlikely that your medications are causing the symptoms but this option should also be discussed.  Depending on the characteristics of your pain including the factors that make it better or worse, you may require investigation for gallstones or ulcer disease.  
Good luck.  I hope your problems resolve.
This response is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered medical advice.  Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health.  
If you would like to be seen at our institution, please call 1-800-653-6568, our Referring Physicians' Office and make an appointment with Dr. Zonca, one of our experts in gastrointestinal disease.
One final comment.  Your letter is titled Barrett's Esophagus. This is a condition in which the esophageal mucosa is altered.  The diagnosis is made at endoscopy. There appears to be an increased incidence of cancer associated with Barret's esophagus.  I do not believe that this diagnosis is related to your problems but if it is, please write again.  
HFHSM.D.-mz
*keywords: abdominal pain, gas, irritable bowel disease
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