Right Abdominal Pain

[Cory830]

So last night after eating some greasy chicken, I had a terrible case of diarrhea. A few hours later, after watching television in bed, laying on my right side, I began to feel a very dull pain in my lower right abdomen about an inch or two to the right of my navel and it extends from about an inch above where the navel is to about half an inch below. It wasn't severe at all and just kind of came and went. The pain doesn't get better or worse when I stand up, walk, touch the area or anything else that might trigger the pain. Today, I have had two normal bowel movements and have had no real problems other than that same dull pain in my right abdomen that is still off and on. I don't have a fever or any other problems. I was wondering if this has anything to do with my appendix or if this is more likely to do with just muscle cramps or something else.

[Cory830]

The pain is still here, but is still off and on and seems to float from closer to the kidney area to just below my rib cage, just to right of my navel to around the location of my appendix. When I press on where the pain is, sometimes it hurts, sometimes it doesn't. It only seems to hurt when I am either laying on my side or when I am sitting. BTW, I am a 21-year-old male if that helps.

Anyone know what this could be? Sore muscles (I did fall asleep on a couch a few nights ago)? Something more serious?

[lizziecee]

Hi Corey - there is a possibility your symptoms are due to Inflammatory Bowel Disease, particularly Crohn's, which often starts around the terminal ileum, next to the appendix.  When I was dx wih Crohn's in 1970, I had severe diarrhea and weight loss, but no pain until I was in hospital for tests. The only way I could describe it was like a "stitch" one gets after concerted exercise.  This was the last piece of the jigsaw for my symptoms to suggest Crohn's. I had a laparotomy (no scopes in those days) and indeed Crohn's was found in the small intestine, around the terminal ileum, which is why Crohn's used to be called "regional ilietis". Crohn's very often appears in teenagers and young adults - I wa 26 yrs old when first diagnosed.

I would respectfully suggest, if the pain continues for 2 weeks, that you see your doctor and request a referral to a gastroenterologist for testing.
Take care,
Liz.