Constant Rib pain and shoulder pain

[hollyhobbie]

I would appreciate your medical advice.  Since my renal removal in July 2009, I have been dealing with rib pain.  I wasn't diagnosed with costochondritis until September 2009.  I've been treated with Advil, Aleve and Steroids with no success.   Due to all the anti-inflammatory drugs it has affected my kidneys.  So I need to be careful in what drugs I take.  I took a bone scan and there was no tracer activity in my chest, but there was in left kidney.  I do not know what this means, but I'm going to urologist to find out what this means.  My PCP stated that the tracer did not fully leave my kidney.  I have a history of kidney stones and my left ureter has scar tissue due to surgery so I am concerned about that.  My PCP is going to refer me to a rheumatologist.     I'm using pain killers to deal with the pain on daily basis.  

Do you have any suggestions as to what I can do?

Thank you so much!  

[hollyhobbie]

I had my left stent removal.  I had several two stent surgeries one in April and June.  In the April surgery the surgeon placed a tear in my ureter.  It took two surgeries from April to July to repair it.  I have scar tissue in two places in my ureter.   I've had one heck of year!

[hollyhobbie]

Thank you for your reply back.  I am so sorry I incorrectly wrote in my message that I had a renal removal and left out the word stent.  That makes a big difference!  I will make the other suggestions you made to my doctor.  I saw my doctor the other day and I did not get to see your response until today.  He ordered blood work for a kidney and liver functioning test and a C-Reaction Protein test.  I will find out the results on Monday.  I see my urologist this week and I get my KUB check for kidney stones.  Thank you again.  

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
You have not mentioned which kidney it is. Pain at the right ribs and right shoulder is usually due to gall stones, duodenal ulcer and liver infection. Pain at the left ribs and leftt shoulder is usually a referred pain from abdomen like stomach ulcers, pancreatitis, and aortic dissection.
So apart from taking pain medications for costochondritis discuss with your doctor these possibilities.
Also kidney removal could have resulted in adhesions in the abdomen causing these referred pains to ribs and shoulder. Adhesions cannot be caught on CT scan, MRI or ultrasound. These can cause a tugging, pulling and pricking kind of pain or discomfort often unbearable. Hence an exploratory laparoscopy will make the picture clear in these cases.
I think you should discuss these possibilities with your doctor. It is difficult to comment beyond this without examining. A comprehensive investigation is required keeping all the points in mind.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!