upper Abdominal pain

[valreed]

For the past 15 years I have had a problem with pain in my upper abdominal area.  The pain only occurs about once a month give or take and is intense, sustained and makes the area between the top of my ribs very sore to the touch.  I have been through 3 doctors and 20+ tests, yet no one can figure anything out.  The pain seems to come more frequently when I eat heavy meals and/or heavier foods.  Also, when I have the pain I can not eat anything until it is gone.  It is so intense that I can't stand up straight and typically have to go to bed and lay on a heating pad until it is gone.  Then the next day I am typically sore to the touch. I have changed my diet and exercise daily, but the pain still comes.  My last doctor told me that all she could do was treat the pain, since there are no other tests she can suggest.  Does anyone else have anything similar and would like to share their experiences?

[Jaybay]

What tests have been done?  Has anyone checked out spincter of oddi dysfunction yet?  That would be one consideration given your symptoms occur when eating fatty foods.  Also, does this tend to happen around the time of menstruation? (I'm assuming you're female!)  Hormones can thicken bile to the point that it can't flow properly, which is one reason that pregnant women develop gallstones.  Same goes for women who take the birth control pill.

[valreed]

Jaybay thank you so much for your comment.  
I have had an endoscopy and tests for functions of liver, gallbladder, kidneys, colon, etc.  I haven't had an ERCP though.  I have been told that I have a sluggish gallbladder but that taking it out wouldn't solve the problem.  I have looked into this sphincter of oddi dysfuntion you mentioned and it sounds very similar to what I experience.  
Do you know if there are ways to treat it or if left untreated what can happen?
I can't believe after 15 years of doctors and tests that my answer could have been waiting here all the time.

[valreed]

I forgot, I have never tracked it around my period, but will from now on, to see if this is a factor.

[CalGal]

Is there any correlation between what you eat (fatty foods, or?) and how you feel?

How 'sluggish' is sluggish on the gallbladder? Is there any sludge present?

[valreed]

the only correlation is that when I eat unhealthy and/or heavy meals (fired foods, high fat foods, hard to digest foods- red meat) the attacks seem to happen more frequently.  If I limit these foods and eat healthy I have much fewer attacks and less severe.

I don't know about the sluggishness, that was just what I was told.  I wasn't ever told if there was any sludge.

[valreed]

Does anyone have Sphincter Oddi Dysfunction or know any more about it?  This would really help me in my research.

[CalGal]

http://hopkins-gi.nts.jhu.edu/pages/latin/templates/index.cfm?pg=disease1&organ=3&disease=12&lang_id=1