Chronic Right Side Pain With Confusing Causes

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2 years of chronic pain located at lower, right side of abdomen around bottom rib in 3 inch region between bottom rib and pelvis. Sometimes pain is higher up and more central. Appendics taken out 10 years ago. Feels like jabbing a blunt instrument in that area. Affected by compression/sitting. Had all tests - trust me. Everything to do with liver and gallbladder and intestines and stomach and kidneys was tested. Pain can be debilitating. Also tried chiropractor/PT.

I've mentioned to doctors that medications can make it worse but all have had no answer for this.

Why would a pain like this be made worse by taking certain medications, by sitting for too long, or by eating certain foods, or by physical exertion? There are confusing overlaps that have puzzled all doctors. That is my central question. I take pain medication but still have problems. Some of the meds I've taken for pain have even seemed to make it worse while others make it better.

I've had all of the suggestions like Crohns, kidneys, liver, g.b. - but all have been supposedly ruled out by tests. If it wasn't for the g.b. tests that were negative I'd say it's classic gallbladder symptoms. Recently I've been wondering if there is some occassional liver swelling that causes problems in that area. I've had a few enzyme tests and they have been normal. I wonder if gallbladder can "hide" from tests at times. Is this too low for gallbladder? If it was gallbladder would meds cause pain?

Any possibilities outside of gallbladder or liver? Why would a med cause pain? After 2 yrs could pain ever = emergency?

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I know what you mean about drs. My pain doc is really great and really listens. But my GI doc is in the room for about 3 minutes - is a nice guy - but acts like my ideas on it are a distraction. Before I know it some other test is scheduled and he's out the door. I want to tell him that I spend 24-7 with my prob and he spends about 8 minutes per year so I might have some decent suggestions.

I'm glad you're having some relief. Answers can come in the strangest places so keep looking.

[BRINA3]

I AM NOT SURE IF YOUR STILL READING THIS BLOG OR NOT, BUT IF YOU ARE I AM TOO IN THE SAME SHOES BUT I TOO AM IN THE MEDICAL FIELD NOT A DR. BUT A REP SO I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THE "I AM NOT SURE" FROM THE DOCS. I HAVE DONE THE HIDA AND HAD MY APPENDIX REMOVED AND STILL INCUR THE PAIN. ALTHOUGH KNOCK ON WOOD IT HAS SUBSIDED SOME. I WANTED TO SEE HOW MUCH SODA YOU HAVE BEEN DRINKING. I CUT THIS OUT OF MY DIET AND IT SEEMS AS IF I AM NOT EXPERIENCING THE PAIN AS OFTEN AT ALL. ALTHOUGH I KNOW SOMETHING IS GOING ON AND THAT IS WHY I AM SEEING A HEMATOLIGIST. HE IS RUNNING SOME TESTS AND I WILL HAVE MOST OF THE RESULTS BACK ON MONDAY. ALTHOUGH HE HAS TOLD ME THAT MY B-12 IS LOW AND MY WBC HIGH, SO THERE IS SOMETHING UP. AS YOU SAID IT IS WORSE WHEN I AM SITTING OR CRUNCHED OR EXERCISE. IS THERE A CHANGE IN ANY OF YOUR BOWELS? SODA? I REFUSE TO LET THIS GO, SO I AM WORKING AGGRESSIVELY TO FIND AN ANSWER FOR IF YOU HAVE CHECKED SOME OF THE OTHER BLOGS THERE ARE ALOT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS.

[Ruthie37]

i HAVE HAD PAIN ESPECIALLY WHEN DOING ABDOMINAL EXERCISES, NOW i CAN'T DO THEM WITHOUT FEELING THE PAIN IS ON ITS WAY.  Comes about once a month.

It last for about 2 days and sore for two days.  Have had this for about 7 years.  No gallstones, but suspect the appendics but only 50% sure.  

[sebastian888]

I have been having the same type of pain on my right side for just over a year now.  They did all kinds of tests when it first started last summer and found nothing.  I had my gallbladdder out more than ten years ago.  I have noticed that foods and stress definitely make it worse.  I have read about sphincter of oddi and this seems to fit.  one doctor mentioned it as a possibility but the test for it sounds too scary.  another doc said it was just IBS or something and dismissed me.  I get worried something horrible is about to burst and I'll die.  of course that makes it worse as i stress myself out.

[russ1106]

I do not know if this is similiar or not. But my pain started about 15 years ago just from after having sex and an orgasm. I am a male, age 36 now. Now it sets off if I reach or stretch the wrong way. For example if I have to wipe after going to the bathroom the pain sets off on the right side. It feels like its gonna blow up and the pain is so excruciating. Once I had the pain in the mid center of my stomach when I bent over to pick up my cat. Oh my god, I would not wish that pain on my worst enemy. And only once did it flare up on my left side but kept spasming for a whole day. I too have had many tests where the first doctor said it was food poisioning (endescopy) and the second doctor said it was just hemmorhoids (colonoscopy), but neither test showed anything out of the norm besides those two things. The pain has gotten consistently worse now especially when I have to wipe after going to the bathroom. About 80% of the time that right pain will shoot up and it is just so unbearable.

I do not know if these are similiar to the symptoms you all go through or not. I do know I do the following which could contribute to it, lets find the common link;

1.) I drink alot of coffee
2.) I eat alot of bread
3.) I drink alot of soda.
4.) I smoke
5.) I am overweight

Well I just cant help to think that something above is what is in common with others who have the same pain.

Again, 1st time I ever had the pain was in extreme lower right just above the groin after sex. Then it has graduated over the years to the right side just under the rib. That one time in center stomach, and that one time on left side just under rib.

I do not know why Doctors have a hard time figuring this out.

[hello1129]

I have had the pain in my right side for years but over the last 6 months it has been very bad. I have diarrhea, very painful at times, stomach pain. something else I saw from a few other people is  yeast which they did find in my stool sample but they didn't seem to think it was anything. so they just ignored it.   I am in pain every day. I am scheduled for a colonoscopy, liver ultrasound, and a liver specialist. Only because I switched doctors. My last doc for 3 years I was telling him about my symptoms and he didn't listen.

1) I drink alot of coffee
2) I smoke
3) I am overweight
4) I do drink pop but not more then one a day.

I was wondering if drinking coffee was making it worse or not.
I told my doctor that I am in pain every day and what can I do now and he just says I have to live with it until they figure out what it is. I am scheduled for tests for the next month and a half. How long do I have to wait until I get some answers and releif.