hurting on and off

[puppiepaws2]

been hurting in upper abdomen then to right side...the pain comes and goes... Iam wondering if I have gallstones.. I have had hep c for about 18-20 years.. stage 2 and 2..

[heart_in_the_keyes]

amen to the purging...never did in my life but the first time I had an attack one of the transplant nurses showed me how to do it.

First time this happened to me I  was on interstate...drove 30 miles to my nieces for a family party...as I got closer pain was more intense...started sweating and shaking...my niece took me up stairs and told me to lay down...I then told her I just had to go because you know that bile you get when you are getting ready to vomit...I got in my car and started to drive and as I was about a block from their house I hurled...and hurled and hurled allllll the way home ....was on interstate....car was a mess...so was I... when I got home could not lay down....was in so much pain...found that if I got on my knees and put my upper torso on bed, chair or couch at least I didn't have to stand.

Hadn't even eaten that day but everything I had eaten in the last couple of days was showing up on my car floor.  It does relate to food. Use to love shrimp. Can not eat any more. Food tolerances change. And the overeating doesn't necessarily apply to that day...it could be from a compilation of several days...or the night before.  Eating and bathroom habits are important.

Drinking water is extremely important. The worse your liver is the more important it is to "visit" the toilet.  Bad liver means your liver is working overtime to process food.  It is the washing machine of your body.  

To Susan....had fatty liver issues before cirrhosis.  You might never have cirrhosis.  There are so many digestive organs that could be causing your problems.  Make sure you are going to a gastrologist/hepatologist if you can.  Regular MD's just don't get it...  go to a chart and look at the organs...there was a good one on WebMD....you could have gallstones...there are many other gastro ailments you could have to....just go the right doctor....

If you are treating HCV the pain could be non-related.  Everyone likes to lump or blame the virus or liver.  There are other parts of our bodies that function or malfunction all on their own. Example my  son...body builder..railroad conductor...healthy....all of a sudden started having pains...he has no other disease...was a shocker...he had gallbladder surgery and is doing fine....

Follow the tips given...drink water...see the right doctor.  If you are not getting the answers from him, change doctors or get a second opinion.  

[Buba1962]

I may be new here ,but left abdominal pain I am familiar with . It is usually caused by my enlarged spleen ,due to portal hypertension ,which comes with a host of problems . It is actually the reason I first went to the doc back in 2012 and found out I have hep c .the pain was so bad I thought I would pass out . Clean and healthy living has kept it to at minimum.overeating definitely will cause discomfort.when the stomach is to full pushes on spleen . Small meals and nothing close to bedtime gets me through .hope this helps .

[susan400]

I get this pain that comes and goes (and I have no known problems with my heart per all past EKG's)..., that is middle to left side of upper abdomen.  Can't seem to ascertain whether it's really bad gas, spleen, (gallstones-but I thought those were on the right side), an intestinal blockage of some sort, or what. But it hurts.   Last night (shot night), woke up to go to bathroom and drink some on my water that I keep on my night stand and this pain was bothering me so much I had to get up and try to get some relief in order to try and go back to sleep.  I hate it when you get these weird pains in the abdominal area and don't know what's causing them.  You can't keep running to the doctor with every little ache and pain or they think you're a hyperchondriac.  But, if a pain seems real and interrupts your sleep, what are you supposed to do with that?  I have never been diagnosed with cirrhosis, never come close to that. So, that's not the cause, I'm sure of it.  Susan400

[flyinlynn]

For me it was waking up in the middle of the night with a strong pain in my upper center abdomin just below the sternum. I would finally vomit and feel better.

Hit me in the day time once when I was driving and me dummie I drove to my doctors office walk in clinic. Ended up throwing up there and felt better.

Finally after 6 months of on and off went to the doctor. They said oh yeah surgury.  I wanted to get it fixed while I was still well enough to do surgury. So no more gall bladder no more problems.

Lynn

[heart_in_the_keyes]

Oh...also forgot to mention...
I have gallstones.  Since stage 2 - stage 4 decompensation (which I am in now) they did not want to do gallstone surgery. Said they would do when I have my transplant.  I wanted to have knee surgery last spring and they said no to that too.  Once on pre-transplant list it was a definite no.

I have also had the right side pain radiating to the upper back quad with severe abdominal pain.  Usually I upchuck like Linda Blair....if I can't...then I will force it.  It relives the pressure which as been caused for a number of reasons.  I also will have a fever, chills, and nausea all at the same time. A heating pad also helps.

When you are in final stages of cirrhosis like I am your liver has to work overtime to process food.  For me if I overeat at one time it is usually the culprit. My liver just can't handle it large amounts of food at one time.  My doctor said to eat 4 - 6 times a days in smaller amounts.  Someone on this website said the same thing.  This has helped 100%.  

Hope someone else's experience helps you.  Check with your doctor.  If you are not ready for a transplant or in the decomped arena your whole diagnosis could be different.

[heart_in_the_keyes]

gallstones pain can be picked up on ultrasound. ... there are two types of gallstones .... one is caused by the liver.  

Even with cirrhosis you can have fatty liver.  I had it....always to the right side of body,

For fatty liver start drinking water.

For both...stop with red & processed meats....sodium...sugars...Did you know carbonated drinks can cause gallstones and the sugar in them is bad for your liver.  

[Sarah1949]

Just this past month I've started getting short sharp stabbing pains in the same places. The pain is only for 2-3 seconds and then is gone. I have heard a lot of people complain of this kind of pain with cirrhosis and so think it is par for the course for me. I think maybe gallstone pain lasts longer and you can also have fever and nausea.

[flyinlynn]

Hi

They picked up my gall stones on an abdominal ultrasound. You should probably discuss with your doctor and see if you can get it checked out.

Better than emergency surgery to remove gall bladder.

Good luck
Lynn