Ongoing Undiagnosed Upper Abdominal Pain

[Sarsi]

I am a 32 year old married woman and mother of 2 children.

Shortly after the birth of my 2nd son (16 months ago) I started getting what I thought were stomach aches. (I had a flu so thought nothing much of it)
I ended up in the emergency department in agony one evening with severe pain just under my ribs and radiating up into my back.
I was diagnosed with having a gallstone & therefore organised to have my gallbladder removed.

I found that my pain wasn't textbook and occurred most days and was a constant ache just under my ribs, and eating neither made it worse or better.

I had my gallbladder removed last December (2009) and nothing has changed.

I am still in contant pain most days and it varies from a level 2-3 to a 8-9. Just under my ribs and up into my back. I get nausea when the pain is very bad, raised bloodpressure accordingly but no fevers.

I was admitted into hospital a couple of months ago with an infection in my bile duct and treated with antibiotics then discharged.

I have been seeing a gastro-enterologist and he is not sure what the cause of my pain is. I have suggested to him the Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction as a possibility. But he is reluctant to perform an ERCP due to apparent risks of pancreatitis???

My pain doesn't seem to be any better or worse from eating. I can be in agony even if I have been fasting.
I don't get any heartburn/reflux.
My stools tend to be loose and yellow in colour.

I have had CT scans, MRI (MRCP, numerous blood tests, endoscopy and colonoscopy, and have all come back relatively normal - showing no cause for my pain.

I have an appointment to organise an endescopic ultrasound at my hospital tomorrow so am hoping that will show something - but am not holding my breath.

Does anyone have any suggestions or answers that may help me.....please please please!!!!

Sarsi

[Sarsi]

Could perhaps the pregnancy have caused adhesions????? My doctor today at my hospital actually suggested possible adhesions......and if it is this....are there any tests to see them or is surgery the only solution????

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
If liver issues are ruled out by liver function tests then pain under right ribs can be due to any inflammatory bowel disease like Celiac or Crohn’s, IBS or due to food intolerance. Keep a stress diary, log in what you eat and the symptoms as they appear and see if there is a correlation. If all these are ruled out, then laproscopy should be done. Such an undiagnosed pain is usually due to adhesions and cutting the adhesions takes care of the pain. Pain under right rib case can also be due to pleurisy, asthma, or any other lung problems. Usually this is accompanied by lung related symptoms like breathlessness, cough etc. Since a confirmed diagnosis cannot be given on net please discuss with your doctor once. Hope this helps. Take care!