Kate87
07-14-2005, 05:56 PM
I'm an 18 year old female and since November I've been suffering from a nearly constant pain (or discomfort) under my right rib cage ("under" meaning lower on my abdomen, not beneath) which often spreads to the area between my ribs and occasionally completely across. It also tends to spread down my right side and many times makes me nauseous. It's also at its worst when I wake up in the morning. In addition to this I'm chronically constipated.
I've been to a doctor numerous times and I was first diagnosed with acid reflux, but reflux medication didn't help. I have suffered from IBS for as long as I can remember and now that is what doctors are saying is my problem - has anyone else experienced this pain with IBS? I'm taking the anti-spasmodic Levsin as well as Metamucil, which seems to help with the lower abdominal pain, but I haven't found anything that helps with the upper abdominal pain. I had blood drawn only a few days ago to check for celiac disease among other things, but I haven't heard any results yet.
Does anyone have experience with these symptoms? I really appreciate any help!
~Kate
I've been to a doctor numerous times and I was first diagnosed with acid reflux, but reflux medication didn't help. I have suffered from IBS for as long as I can remember and now that is what doctors are saying is my problem - has anyone else experienced this pain with IBS? I'm taking the anti-spasmodic Levsin as well as Metamucil, which seems to help with the lower abdominal pain, but I haven't found anything that helps with the upper abdominal pain. I had blood drawn only a few days ago to check for celiac disease among other things, but I haven't heard any results yet.
Does anyone have experience with these symptoms? I really appreciate any help!
~Kate
Sponsor
Kate87
07-14-2005, 10:22 PM
Thanks for the input - I think that my doctor was planning on an ultrasound for me as a next step... I've read that gallstones cause severe pain for a relatively short amount of time (not the months that I've had this continuous, rather mild pain) - is there something else besides gallstones that could adversely affect my gallbladder and cause pain? :confused:
Also, if it is my gallbladder, does anybody know of any medication that could even temporarily relieve my symptoms?
And finally, can constipation itself cause that pain?
Again, you have no idea how much I appreciate any help!
~Kate
Also, if it is my gallbladder, does anybody know of any medication that could even temporarily relieve my symptoms?
And finally, can constipation itself cause that pain?
Again, you have no idea how much I appreciate any help!
~Kate
Johna
07-14-2005, 10:47 PM
Ulcers!!!!!!!!!have you gotten checked for them. I had six ulcers and the major pain was beneath the lower right rib cage...please get checked.
bleedingsoul88
07-14-2005, 11:05 PM
That sounds a lot like gallbladder. I have severe pain for months before the doctors finally checked for it, and that was only after a second opinion. Gallbladder problems can be severely excrutiating, and can even cause vomiting.
Kate87
07-14-2005, 11:18 PM
Thanks for all the info -
Around Christmas, my doctor said I had pretty classic ulcer symptoms so he put me on Prevacid, but it did absolutely nothing. If I have an H. pylori infection, it's still possible that I have an ulcer though, right? I currently take Zantac twice a day but if I have an H. pylori infection (which I just had lab work done for), it wouldn't completely heal with acid reducers, right? I would need antibiotics? I'm just wondering if I've had an ulcer all this time that hasn't healed. I haven't had an endoscopy yet (largely my own fault, for not seeing a doctor as soon as I should have) so I have no definitive proof. At this point I'm just waiting for my lab results.
Also, this may be purely naivete on my part, but I always associated gallbladded problems with people well over 18 - is my age group more prone to gallbladder problems than I had thought?
Thanks everybody :)
Around Christmas, my doctor said I had pretty classic ulcer symptoms so he put me on Prevacid, but it did absolutely nothing. If I have an H. pylori infection, it's still possible that I have an ulcer though, right? I currently take Zantac twice a day but if I have an H. pylori infection (which I just had lab work done for), it wouldn't completely heal with acid reducers, right? I would need antibiotics? I'm just wondering if I've had an ulcer all this time that hasn't healed. I haven't had an endoscopy yet (largely my own fault, for not seeing a doctor as soon as I should have) so I have no definitive proof. At this point I'm just waiting for my lab results.
Also, this may be purely naivete on my part, but I always associated gallbladded problems with people well over 18 - is my age group more prone to gallbladder problems than I had thought?
Thanks everybody :)
meepcat
07-16-2005, 05:22 PM
Sounds an awful lot like gallbladder attacks.
Trust me....I've been there! lol Had gallbladder surgery in March. Do the pains come after a big meal or eating fatty foods? If so, then that's probably what it is. Get it checked with gallbladder ultrasound.
Trust me....I've been there! lol Had gallbladder surgery in March. Do the pains come after a big meal or eating fatty foods? If so, then that's probably what it is. Get it checked with gallbladder ultrasound.
1337girl
07-17-2005, 05:57 PM
Last year for my 23 b-day I had a laproscopic cholecystectomy! (Gall bladder removed) I'm thin, fit, no kids, no nothing that matched up with the normal population of gall bladder surgery patients. One suggestion is diet pills with non FDA regulated ingredients. All my friends, ladies and gentlemen, yes-men, that are my age that had their gall baldders go nuts had all taken similar products. No docs will support this of course, but it could be a consideration. Getting it out is not so bad. Oh yeah, I had ulcers too. The lower right quadrant pain can come from both ulcers and gall bladder. Good luck!