For the past couple of years I have experienced pain on and off in the lower right side of my rib cage that goes from the front to my mid back. Over this time period, I have had about 4 sonnagrams, 1 ct scan, 2 chest x-rays, blood work which says my enzymes are normal(the latest being on Monday night) and I know I don't have hepititis b/c I give blood at NIH every other month (they screen for that). The doctors have checked my liver, pancreas, kidneys and gall bladder and all are fine. My frustration is that I have and the doctors have no idea what the pain may be. Everyone is claiming it is pulled muscles on my side. I know this is not a mental problem. Does anyone have any idea what it could be or if there is anything that I should be tested for? Please let me know b/c I am going crazy trying to figure out what the heck the problem is.

By the way, the pain occurs mostly after I have had something to drink. I don't think that is the problem b/c Sunday I drank some wine at dinner and then a few beers, Monday had the pain and that is when I went to the hospital and they told me my liver enzymes were normal and all the other tests (sonnagram and x-ray) were normal.

Thanks,
APJ

I just came from my annual physical. I, too, have a dull ache, intermittant, on my upper right side just below my rib cage.

My doctor has having me get a ultrasound.

She thinks that it may be either a colon problem - or - a residual problem from getting recurrent dysentary in asia.

(at first I thought it was a pulled muscle too)

But...I think you are lucky that so far your all your tests came back negative.

Could it be your colon?

Thanks for the response. I don't know if it is the colon. I had a colonoscopy 16 months ago and besides one completely biegn (spelling) polyp and a little case of diverticulm (spelling) everything was just fine.

I hope it is nothing. The question still remains.

Well, the pain you are experiencing might be an very early sign (before tests actually show results) that your liver is sensitive to the alcohol. A temporary swelling maybe. I would avoid fatty foods and alcohol and keep a journal to track pain levels. Just to see if there is a remission on pain.

And if everyone is telling you that its a pulled muscle then their affirming your pain is real and isn't in your head.

The good thing is that you are getting the gamit of tests being done and keeping on top of the situation.

God, I hope mine is just a pulled muscle.

Also, some other thoughts.

Are you female? If so, have you had your ovaries checked? And your kidneys?

no, I am a male. Thank God I have great insurance. I am bugging the crap out of my doctors to make sure they find out what the pain is. I have an appointment with my Gastroenterologist next week. If he can't find anything and the pain persists, then I will see a oncologist. There is something wrong and I am determined to find the problem before it gets out of control.

I wish you well too. Let's all pray for the best.

APJ

Well, I am hoping it all turns out NEGATIVE!!!!!! Please keep me posted as to your situation.

Tina

I had pain off and on for many years just like you describe. When I found out I had Hepc I thought I had figured it out. I hadn't. I had many test on my galbladder. There were no stones and every thing looked good. They finally did the old fashioned galbladder test where you take the dye tabs and they give you a drug IV to make your galbladder contract while they take xrays of the amount of dye that shoots out. That is when they foun out that my galbladder wasnot functioning properly even though I had no stones to show up on the ultrasound. Have you had this test? After my galbladder came out I felt a lot of relief.
Restless

I just found out that my liver/kidney tests are all normal and my abdominal liver/kidney/gallbladder/ ultrasound is normal too. I have been tested negetive for Hep A/B and have had twinrix vaccinations as well. But I never tested for Hep C. But I have been told Hep C is blood to blood contact and I haven't ever had any kind of exposure. Nor have I had unprotected sex (only with my husband).
So, I think Hep C is a low potential.

However, my sister did have a gallbladder attack and had to have emergency surgery to remove it.

I do notice my pain gets worse with eating and stress.
Sometimes it goes away too.

Anyway, my next visit to my doctor is Thursday.

Thanks, Tina

Just wondering if anyone found out was causing there pain. I too have been suffering from the same problem for almost 2 years no and have had no luck in getting a correct diagnosis.

I too have the same pain you all have described which just started yesterday and left until I ate again.
I would like to know also if anyone found the answer.

------------------
Faithwalker

I believe I am suffering from the same thing as all of you. I have been having this pain for at least a year now. One difference with me is that it starts to hurt when I sit so I usually can only sit for a short time. I then have to lay down or stand. My doctor sent me for an x-ray of my spine (thinking like one of you that it was the result of recurrent muscle spasms) and when that x-ray came back normal, I was sent for an ultrasound of my gallbladder. That too was normal. I'm completely baffled and don't know what else to do. Please if anyone can help or has suggestions, post a response soon. Thanks and I hope you all feel much better soon.

I have the same rib pain. I had every test known to man done and the doctor finally diagnosed me with costochondritis of the rib and prescribed Celebrex. the drug works great!

However, I am pregnant now and have to cease taking it. Sometimes, it is so bad, my obgyn has me take Tylenol #3 for the pain.

Ask your doctor about costochondritis - it's not curable, but it is treatable.

I have what seems to be a similar problem described by people here but with a couple of differences. I have had a pain along the lowest rib on my right side for about 8 months now. I have had now real help from the doctor and i am now seeing an osteopath who thinks he can cure it. After each session it appears to improve once the initial pain from the massaging subsides but within a few days it is back as bad as before.
The differences i mentioned where that i get a very distinct feeling of something bulky pushing against my lower rib cage when i sit down, even though a scan has shown there is nothing. I also get a warm to hot feeling when it is bad. If i place my left hand over it and press lightly it relieves the discomfort. If i press hard just under the rib it is very tender. I would have thought that with such specific symptoms as this the cause would have been clear. I do normally row in a team which involves a excessive straining on one side, however i have given up all sport in the last 7 months and it has not improved at all. The lack of advice or response from the doctor is becoming very annoying and i am quite concerned that there has been no improvement or diagnosis.

Cheers

csp

I too have a constant pain in the middle and following the lower rib cage. Here are a few tests a GI may want to try: a HIDA scan with CCK(to check for gallbladder function) this shows a "bad" gallbladder even if you do not have gall stones, and an envasive test called ERCP, (I have had three, soon to be four), this shows a small muscle that squeez\es liver and pancreatic juice into the duodenum. It is a little organ that causes BIG pain. I have three stents in mine in order to stretch this ampulla of vater wide enough to be permanently open. No fun.
Well those are my thoughts. I have also had pancreatitis which causes a pain simillar to this.
Good luck and keep us posted. Have a great day. RG

I have similiar pain which is on the left side of my ribs, or most ofter pressure and pain between my ribs, between the breast bone. I have costochrondritis. Sometimes it affects my breathing, and because it's on the left side, it can feel like I'm having heart pain.
Ask your dr. about costochrondritis.

Sally

Hello All,
the only reason i came across this thread is the fact that my wife is asking about the same symptoms you all are expressing. what i can't figure out is why "cdebrot" hasn't asked for a second opinion about taking Tylenol#3 while preg.. i'm male and a father of 7, yet i've had my day in the dental chair and know what the long term affects of Codine can do (it's a morphine derivative/opiate/ addictive). to be taking Tylenol#3 with child-on-board is asking for long term trouble for the child. Please get another opinion Cdebrot. We care alot here for everyones health, even those who... will be...one day! take good care! :angel: etIII

I would check into something called "costochondritis."
I have this, and there are many web sites you can go on which list your symptoms being the same as those who have costochondritis.

I currently have been diagnosed with this, however the dr's also found I have a mass (benign) on my liver which could also give me pain. The liver is on the right side near your ribs. You may want to ask your dr., if the pain continues, to schedule you for an abdominal MRI, or atleast an ultrasound. They found a mass on my liver when I was given an ultrasound, and then I had an MRI to confirm things.

Good luck!
SC

I have the same pains, but mine do not reach around to my back. The pain is strictly under my lower right rib. I've been having this problem since early 2002, and I never though to get it checked out because it is not consistent. The pain is sharp but tolerable, and has become more repetitive over the last couple weeks. If anyone has any idea what it could be email me. cg372049@wcupa.edu
thanks


[This message has been edited by cg372049 (edited 04-01-2003).]

I am a member of this "No Name Pain Group" and I would like to find an answer along with the rest of you. I started having this rib pain in November 2000. It comes and goes....mild to very bad. I have not been able to find out what causes it or what can make it go away. I find it interesting that others have had the same exact pain: right rib, intense to dull pain, like something hot pressing in under the last rib, sitting makes it worse, not related to what I have eaten, etc.

I have had many tests including: colonoscopy, x-rays, bone scan, gall bladder ultra sound, abdominal CT scan, MRI, etc. It has been blamed on: pressure from fibroids (had them removed), pinched nerve in back,(had x-rays and MRI to disprove this), muscle strain, posture, stress, etc. I cannot finger any one thing that applies every time I have this pain. One interesting note: when on vacation in Las Vegas...three times now...I have not had this pain at all. My family has exhausted every reason we can think of.

I am beginning a new doctor tomorrow in hopes of finding out what this is and what can be done to stop it. Thanks for letting me join the group and I will be happy to answer any questions you have and more than happy to recieve any answers you may be able to give me. Su

I did visit my new doctor yesterday and after reviewing all my records and also this chat board which I copied off for him, he did a physical exam of my right rib area. He pulled up on the rib cage and manually felt underneath and could feel a loose cartiledge moving around, I could feel it too. He says it is costo-chandral seperation (slipped rib syndrone) which means part of the cartiledge attaching the rib has been broken off and is in my rib cage floating around. It can become inflamed. Surgery is not an option. He suggested I wear a rib belt to see if this helps. I can trace this to a fall I had in November 2000 which was a terrible fall. I saw a doctor after this fall and nothing was found to be wrong. Apparently this was not evident then or was overlooked. Has anyone else experienced a fall or a blow to the ribs before their pain started. Please let me know. Hope this helps someone else understand what is wrong. su

[This message has been edited by Miss baby borger (edited 04-24-2003).]

I too have this pain, off and on. I also have, or so I am told, Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I have loose stools every morning and right after I eat sometimes. Does anyone else with this pain have this too? I am just wondering if it related somehow.

Hi, Everyone!

I did a Google search on "rib pain, lower right," and this site was the first one listed. A couple of the posts seem like they could relate to what I am experiencing.

I have had an intermittent, usually sharp, stabbing pain along the lower right portion of my rib cage for several months now. Sometimes it's a burning sensation. It came on rather suddenly, and was pretty much always there just long enough (4 or 5 days) for me to decide one evening that I really needed to see a doctor. Then the next morning it was markedly less intense and not always there, so I still have not seen a doctor. Over time it has subsided even more in intensity and frequency, but the shape of my rib cage seems to be a little different than I remember. It seems to have a bit of a bulge along the lower edge, toward the center, where the pain usually occurs. I have never been able to relate this back to an activity that might have caused an injury, and don't have any symptoms that are usually associated with an organ failure or disease.

However, I am in middle-age (female) and have never had a COMPLETE physical exam. I finally have one scheduled, and will post whatever I learn about my own problem, as it may shed some more light for someone else. Also, if anyone has any more suggestions on what I might ask my doctor to look for, I would sure appreciate it.

Good Luck to all, in the search for anwers!

I think it is important for you to make a list of the times and dates that you have had this pain and list common causes: did you have gas at the time of the pain, had you lifted something heavy the day before the pain, had you slept on that side before the pain started, did you have a large or spicy meal just before the pain started????? Take this list with you to the doctor.

I urge you to keep your appointment, it is time for you to have a complete physical exam. Good luck, will be thinking good thoughts for you and waiting for you to post your answer after you see the doctor. Su

HI everyone. I'm up tonight having a pain in the bottom middle of my ribs that goes over to the right side. I did a search for right rib pain and here you all are. I didnt realize how many people have what I have. Its not all the time. Maybe once every two months or so but when it strikes boy does it. I didnt get this problem till late pregnancy with my first child. I would bend over and clean the floor. I thought maybe I had pulled a muscle or something. After I had him it didnt happen again till mid pregnancy with my second and hasnt gone away since. The pain is unbeable some times and I cant sit, lay, sleep, eat. Nothing makes it go away. The area under my right rib is tender when you push on it. I've read through some most the post on this thread. Has anyone found anything that will make it go away? or something that I can at least ask my doctor to check? Lots of you have had complete physicals with tons of tests done and havent found anything. there has to be something wrong with us. I mean honestly how often do you meet tons of people with the same problem and nothing is wrong. It seems to happen mostly at night and by the morning is gone. I used to think it was heartburn cause it comes whenever I eat pizza or for the most part but not every time either. After dinner it hits within a couple hours and usually lasts me most of the night till I'm so tired I fall asleep and then wake up and its gone. I dont drink or have a history of liver problems. Has anyone had the doctor think it was something other than that? Any help will be appreciated. I'm going to see if I can get into a doctor anyway even if the pain is gone tomorrow. Its happening so often that I cant ignore it anymore. Thanks.

Although my pain has been diagnosed as a piece of cartiledge from the right lower rib... it is still hurting. Sometimes I find some relief if I take two Gas-X pills with my pain pill. I don't know why this works and neither do my doctors and I have consulted many. I believe that pain causes stress, stress builds up causing tense muscles, tense muscles cause pain and also when you are tense you tend to build up gas. A cycle is then set up. This is just a personal theory of mine.Try a heating pad and laying completely flat and stretch out as much as possible. Hope this helps, let me know, Su

After giving this latest writer some thought...I wonder if you could not have popped a rib loose while you were pregnant the first time? If your internal cavity had filled (with baby) and there was pressure on the ribs, maybe you did pop a rib and after you had the baby the pain went away till you were pregnant again, thus re-hurting that rib and this last time it was a pain that just stayed with you. Ask your doctor if this is possible. I have the the tendernes just under the lower right rib and when the last doctor I saw pulled up my rib cage and felt under it, he could feel a loose piece of cartiledge. I have been doing some yard work and mine is very bad right now. I have times when it is completely gone and now I believe it is related to strain, re-hurting that rib and then going into the cycle I mentioned above. You see, gas would put pressure on your rib also. As I have mentioned, the only time my rib has completely stopped hurting is when I am on vacation and during that time I lift absolutely nothing...except a fork...and I eat everything at buffets and do not have the pain. I just think it is as simple as straining that rib. The cure is not simple and the duration of the pain is not funny. Hope you find relief.Su

anyone suffering from pain under thier right rib and are or have been pregnant should look into HELLP syndrome.it's very interesting.

------------------

did you ever find out what was causing your pain? Just checkin in to see....

I too am a member of the pain or discomort under the lower right rib cage. I have had two physicians debating what it really is...Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Costocondritis. Now, a third is running me through new tests.
My symptoms are similar to others on this board... after eating is when I notice the discomfort increases. At bed time it is hard to get comfortable. I also get discomfort when driving, I find myself adjusting my sitting position while driving.
I had it before I was pregnant, not as bad as now. It seemed to disapear during my pregnancy. I understand that your body changes during pregnancy. I breast fed my son for one year. A few months after I stopped breast feeding it was back. But now it seemed worse than before. At one point the pain got so bad that my doc checked me for gallstones. My doc felt it was IBS, I went through the several tests...all coming back "normal". As well as feeling like a lab rat with "trying this or that" and see what happens. My primary care physican sent me to a digestive disease doctor. Right before he did, he put me on 10mg of Paxil. I did notice an improvement. He said that stress can manifest itself in many ways and it would hurt to give this a wirl.
The digestive disease doc started the tests again. And trial drugs. I had been on the Paxil for about 5 months when I noticed the discomfort was coming back. I discontinued the Paxil. About this time the D.D. doc ask me a few questions and he felt I had costocondritis. He put me on Vioxx for about a month & a half to two months. It seemed like a miracle! When I went off of it(late spring 2002), I was great all summer UNTIL winter. Cold weather had seemed to bring it back as well as an additional stress load. I have noticed that when I am under more stress AND the weather is cold & damp is when it really acts up. I am currently back on Paxil. I have also started a Tai Chi class to help with the stress control in hopes of getting off of Paxil. The warm weather of this summer did not take the discomfort away this year(2003). I am seeing the third doc who has had me do blood tests for my organs in that area, a CT scan, Back x-ray & rib x-ray. So far he has found out that I have slightly elevated bad cholesterol and at some point in my past I had fractured my 7th rib on the right side that I do not remember doing. I now am going to have a bone scan to see if there is "activity" in the area. He said to see if there is inflammation inside the bone or in the cartilege around it. Also a test to see if my gallbladder is functioning correctly. It is sad that I am hoping they find something wrong, just so I know what it is. I am back on the Vioxx. It does help to ease the discomfort. I will let you know the results of the next round of tests.

[This message has been edited by Jestek (edited 07-07-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Jestek (edited 07-10-2003).]

In reply to almost all messages here I can relate to your problem of pain, I've had the problem for 2 1/2 years and what I can also see is that it effects both men & women. I have been to many doctors with no results or sign of relief. I have had every test and it was mentioned to me a year and half ago that the gal bladder was the problem, so they removed it but the pain is still there. I mentioned to the doctor that I would make a slice below the rib cage and pullout what is hurting and he looked at me like I'm crazy, so he order more tests, and again with no gestures. Some times this pain can be brought on by sitting, movement such as jumping, leaning to the side or eating foods such as turkey, cake with icing, or many other fatty foods. Sometimes when I get this pain I also get At the same time constant gas and have to chew about 2 or 3 tums to relieve acid burning. Right now they think it is all in my head so they are sending me for sleeping disorders and theropy. If any individual on this board finds out what it is could you please email Mikek324@hotmail. I will do the same, that is inform all of you if for some reason a miracle takes and I find a doctor that can diagnose the problem.

For a lot of you it could be known as gall bladder pain have a HIDA scan with CCK, to check sonograms do nothing if there are no stones, only disease or non-function. Or for REAL fun.....check out the rsg/Den G posts

I still think this is muscular. I was prepared for surgery to have my gall bladder removed and at the last minute they did not do it as they saw NO evidence to do the surgery. So, Mike, who had gall bladder surgery I know you are disappointed to have had to go thru the surgery and still have the pain. So sorry.

I still think it is from muscle strain aggravated by stress which brings on gas and muscle tension which adds to pain which causes more stress and it is a circle. The paxel relieved the stress, that is why you felt better. Vioxx helps me also as it kills inflamation which can set up after injuries.

has anyone else had the doctors check for loose pieces of cartiledge????? This may be what I have and what my doctors have come down to....but the pain is still there and apparently there is no cure for it. Rest and heat, laying flat, trying not to lift heavy things does help. If so many of us have this pain...do we all have loose cartilege? I tried a rib belt and it did not help.

I hope we get to the bottom of this. I wish some of the earlier writers would respond and let us know how they are doing. Good luck to all and you have my sympathy! Su

I'm the newest member of this club. 6 weeks of pain below lower right rib cage, feeling of pressure and discomfort, as if something is pushing on rib cage or the lower rib is rubbing up against something. Pressure occasionally turns to dull pain. I can't get comfortable, can find no pattern to the pain.

Was absolutely shocked to get a liver scan, complete blood workup and abdominal ultrasound that all came back completely normal. I was sure the ultrasound would show some kind of mass.

Anyone getting any relief or conclusive diagnosis?

Thanks.

I am going to jump in here only because misery loves company. HA I have had this same identical problem for about 4 years. I have had all the tests (gall bladder and bariem (sp) enema) and the Dr. looks at me and shrugs. Every time I go in for anything else -- he asks about my "discomfort" in the area of my right ribcage. I say it is still there and he says --"well if it were anything serious you would be dead by now" then he laughs. I guess he is right -- but still.....

I can't pinpoint what brings it on but I know it definitely feels muscular, not so much a pain rather a discomfort -- like a pulled muscle that never gets better. It usually is associated with gas - or at least gas makes it noticeable. Once I pass gas or burp -- it eases off. It isn't constant -- some days I forget I ever had it. There is a slight bulge in my right side which the Dr. says looks muscular. I was even wondering if it could be a hernia of some kind over there??? Anyway, just wanted to add my two cents.
Brenda

brenda, thanks for weighing in. it is good to have company. mine feels muscular, too, except the feeling remains when i'm perfectly still, sitting, lying or standing.

i wonder about the "loose cartilage" theory that some have mentioned...

KAT

I am a newbie and also have this pain that i feel sometimes and it also extends to my flank, I also think i feel it in my back sometimes. Sometimes my stools are loose or flakey and not reaaly brown, but not always. Any ideas??????

HELLO EVERYONE,
WELL IT LOOKS LIKE I JOIN ALL OF YOU WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS. I HAVE HAD MY PAIN IN THE RIGHT SIDE JUST BELOW/UNDER THE RIBCAGE FOR ABOUT 7 MONTHS NOW. THE PAIN IS SLIGHT TO MODERATE DAY IN DAY OUT. I DO GET A RELIEF FOR A DAY OR 2 BUT IT JUST SEEMS TO COME RIGHT BACK AGAIN. SYMPTOMS INCLUDE BURNING FEELING, PAIN IN BACK, EVEN PAIN ON LEFT SIDE FLANK, FEELING OF FULLNESS, GAS, VERY TENDERNESS ON RIGHT SIDE, MUCUS IN THE STOOL, I ALSO NOTICED THAT IT GETS WORSE WHEN IM HOLDING MY 17 MONTH OLD SON IN MY ARMS BUT ONLY ON THE THE RIGHT SIDE. I TOLD ALL OF THIS TO MY DOCTOR AND HE ORDERED AN ULTRASOUND FOR ME, THE RESULTS CAME BACK AS A SPOT ON THE LIVER BUT A CLOSER CHECK WAS NEEDED AND HAD ORDERED A CT SCAN W/IODINE IV. GOT THE RESULTS TODAY AND THEY SAY ITS "FATTY INFILTRATION OF MY LIVER" NOT REALY SURE HOW BAD THAT IS. BUT I NEED TO CALL THE DOCTOR BACK.

ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS?
HOPE THIS HELPS YOU..TAKE CARE.. AND GOD BLESS.

GMS

Hello to you new people. I am sorry anyone has to go through this pain.

I am the one that was finally diagnosed with "loose cartiledge" and I may have further evidence that this is the case. I had a recent accident..my electric stove top blew up and threw me fifteen feet across my kitchen....quite an accident but also quite a fall and as a result, my side has been worse than ever for three weeks. I know I injured this side when I fell and added insult to injury.

I do not understand how the muscular theory or loose cartiledge has anything to do with gas but I do know I have gas at the worst time of this pain. Maybe the stress of the pain brings on the gas. GasX has helped me somewhat or at least has helped in the worst of times to get through the pain.

My doctor also smiles at me and tells me if it was anything bad I would be dead now, I have had this for three years and if you read my former messages I have had many tests..all of the ones you all mention. I hope someone can find out what it is, I want to be CURED!!!!! Su

I, too, had pain beneath my lower right rib cage. It turned out to be gall-bladder related: when the gall-bladder was removed, the pain went away completely. But I think the possible difference in the pain I felt and the pain that some of you are mentioning, is that for gall-bladder pain, it was as if you cupped the bottom of the right rib cage with your fingers, dug them under and up, and THAT was where the pain was located. More or less on the under-inside of the rib cage. I found that drinking two cups of hot water really helped alleviate the pain, so if you are wondering if yours has anything to do with gall-bladder, you could try that and see if it works.

Actually, I think it's muscular for many people. Unfortunately, most doctors are not experts on the muscoskeletal system. They primarily focus on other diseases & disorders- the more common ones. For those with pain, more in the front-side of the ribcage, it sounds more geared to the digestive system. Especially those who mention pain after eating & drinking. My pain is mostly in the back, just under the 12th floating rib on the right & in between the 11th & 12th ribs. It came on about 2 1/2 years ago during the last trimester of pregnancy. I saw a chiropractor, who could do nothing until my child was born. In the course of time, I've seen many terrible chiropractors, had MRI's, x-rays, CT-scans, blood tests, ultrasound- all normal. About 1 1/2 years ago, though, when I lost all the the pregnancy weight, I noticed the 12th right rib protuded. I can't even find the left floating rib. This told me that something is wrong with my structure. It's worse when lying or sitting in a non-supportive chair- no lumbar support. I can often put my thumb between the 11th & 12th rib & it feels like cartiledge is popping. This relieves the pain slightly. I'm seeing a wonderful chiropractor who gives great adjustments now. He did some tests on the muscles & found that the muscles that attach to the lower ribs, base of the hip, & the inner stomach/sternum are severely weak & cannot support the ribcage on the right side. Therefore, the lumbar spine is improperly curved, ******d & away from the sternum, causing the rib to protrude likewise & an imbalance in my entire torso. The weakness is most likely due to a previous injury, with pregnancy adding even more stress. He mentioned that bones don't move on their own, but can be moved by ligaments & muscles. With no muscles supporting the bones, the bones move freely out of alignment, irritating the surrounding tissues. I do special strengthening excersises as well. So far, this is the only treatment that's ever worked.

Originally posted by Miss baby borger:
I still think this is muscular. I was prepared for surgery to have my gall bladder removed and at the last minute they did not do it as they saw NO evidence to do the surgery. So, Mike, who had gall bladder surgery I know you are disappointed to have had to go thru the surgery and still have the pain. So sorry.

I still think it is from muscle strain aggravated by stress which brings on gas and muscle tension which adds to pain which causes more stress and it is a circle. The paxel relieved the stress, that is why you felt better. Vioxx helps me also as it kills inflamation which can set up after injuries.

has anyone else had the doctors check for loose pieces of cartiledge????? This may be what I have and what my doctors have come down to....but the pain is still there and apparently there is no cure for it. Rest and heat, laying flat, trying not to lift heavy things does help. If so many of us have this pain...do we all have loose cartilege? I tried a rib belt and it did not help.

I hope we get to the bottom of this. I wish some of the earlier writers would respond and let us know how they are doing. Good luck to all and you have my sympathy! Su

I have had this problem also. Right rib pain. Only mine is in the back. It is also very swollen. It actually is dimpling my skin and is very noticable to the touch. You can slighly see it. It goes in intervals. Pain meds and motrin helps. It was suggested to me at the ER that it was Tietze syndrome. I am waiting to see my regular doctor.

Actually, I thought Teitze Syndrome involved the upper ribs & chest. Usually, pain is noticed more in the front, right over the chest. A condition called Costochodritis is common with Teitze Syndrome. Is your pain referred (where you're not always sure of the exact position of the pain; more internal, such as in a stomach ache or headache) or does it seem muscular (irritated by certain movements of the back, spine & hips & palpable pain in a specific location; between the ribs or in the muscles lying over the ribs)? This might determine your next direction to go in. Seeing numerous MD's & chiropractors, myself, I've found few doctors who know anything about the ribs, spine, & muscoskeletal system. If it seems muscular in nature, I'd search for a doctor that specializes in the ribs & spine, & related injuries or spinal disorders that might be contributing to your pain. If the soft tissues & muscles are related in your condition, then X-rays will appear normal every time. You will need to demand that your doctor perform tests to evaluate the entire structure of your back & test for muscular imbalances on both sides of your body, the shoulders down to the femurs/legs. If you find weaknesses & all other tests come negative for any major diseases or disorders, see an educated chiropractor who knows a great deal about the muscles of the whole body, not one who only knows the usual disorders of the spine & perfoms the same treatments/manipulations & electo-stimulant therapy for every patient they see, regardless of how unique each of the patients' condition/s may be. If you decide to stay with an MD, ask about tests that can determine disorders & injuries of the soft, surrounding tissues of the ribs, back, & spine.

hi, do any of you, {along with the other symptoms} have bouts of severe cramping in that exact area? and i mean SEVERE CRAMPING like if it didnt go away soon ,the next step would be cardiac arrest? as well as a swelling on the top side of the ribs ?like an extra roll on your belly,but with all of the other symptoms also . please reply thx.

I`ve got excatly the same symptoms except I have been having loose stools for about 3 - 4 months aswell - I`m not sure if they are connected - I`m awaiting blood test results. Any ideas anyone ?

I am 24, and have had this pain for about 6 months. I was wondering if anyone else feels a pinching sharp pain under the lower right ribs while bending over suddenly? When this happens it feels like something is "caught" and I have to stand up and push around on the area to make the sharp pain go away. Then it is very sore for a few days. I don't know if it could be a muscle tear or hernia or worse. Please let me know if this sounds familiar. It most often occurs while putting on my shoes.
Thank you,
Tanna

I am SO glad to find this message board. A good friend of mine pointed it out to me today after talking with her about my symptoms. Looks like we all share something in common. A pain in the right hand side under the rib cage. I have had mine now for over 6 months. Have had blood tests, sonogram, and x-ray done. All to no avail. I tried to tell myself it was something simple and maybe mental. I have tried watching what I eat and do. Nothing helps. Hurts worse when i sit down....and I do that alot with my computer tech job. But it does also hurt if I hold my 18 month old girl, or do situps. Yeah, I thought I am out of shape....need to strengthen back and stomach muscles. Well let me tell you....it hasn't helped so far and I have been going 4 days a week for the passed 2 months. I am just hoping to find something out as I have decided to go back to the doc armed with the info you all have shared. Thank you so much for helping me realize I am not going crazy.

Just found this thread. Like a many of you, I've been having this curious tender sensation just below my right ribs. Thought it was a muscle strain, but has persisted for a couple of months now. Very strange. It's not really painful but I'm aware of it most of the time. It's more noticable when my shirt touches the skin, although it doesn't really feel like it's right on the surface, nor does it feel like it's deep inside.

Just starting to go through the testing regime at the doc's. Chest x-ray was fine. Been searching on the net, maybe a ventral hernia? Does this ring any bells with anyone?

I have been up since 3A.M. My lower right side below the rib cage has been hurting all morning. It is so tender that I can touch it and feel exactly where the pain is. When I touch this tender spot it automatically goes to my back. I have been feeling this for a very long time. I have no clue what it is. But sometimes I really do think it has something to do with my gall bladder.

I also have had this horrible pain, I had my gallbladder taken out in Aug 2000 then I got pregnant with 2nd child in Sept 2001 and around my 3rd month I began having this terrible pain under the last 3 ribs on the right side, I have been to the ER several times and one CT scan did show inflamation of the terminal ileum which required a colonoscopy to diagnoise Chron's diease but all GI test came back normal, I have been to the neurologist with no abnormal diagnosis doctor said he could diagnoise me with IBS but he did not feel confident with that and suggested me seeing a GYN for a complete follow thru so I have tried motrin 800 mg, neurontin pain pills, vicoden, tylenol 3 and Asacol for ulcertive coloistis but no relief from any of the above So I had my normal pap exam last month and told the new doc everything she ordered me a abdominal and pelvic ultrasound I am awaiting the results, although I can say whil having these ultrasound I expressed to the tech that it was very painful when she ran the doppler over the last 3 ribs she stated that was very odd and that the pain is not from an internal organ becasue she was only touching the skin ,cartildge and ribs so now after reading these post I am wondering if it is as simple as inflammed rib cartlidge and celebrex could help me? I am willing to try anything, and I did have an injury to my right rib cage but it was back in 1997 so why would it start hurting so many years after, all I know is my pain is getting to be unbearable and I too want reliefe like the rest of you....
good luck to you all and please respond if you can help me.

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ASB

Do any of you people have any relief??????? I do hope fi someone gets an answer or gets relief they will write in and let the rest of us know. I have had an expecially bad two weeks of this pain with no more reason than I had before...just unrelenting. Another doctor visit resulted in getting sympathy and a smile and not much else from the doctor. I tried the rib belt and it did not help, seemed to push in on the pain more. The only consistant thing is that I do have gas when I have this pain. Any news from any one?????

Anybody have any news, anybody get any help or relief???Please let us know if you do have any relief or news. No one has written in for a long time. My pain stays bad. Anxious for news from anybody.
Have any of you made a connection between this pain and laxative use? There may be something there to look into. I have read that laxatives can dry out your colon and if this is at all related to irritable bowel syndrone....it may be that laxatives bring on the pain. Anybody out there agree? Su

[This message has been edited by Miss baby borger (edited 08-28-2003).]

I am afraid I have bad news for everyone. My pain (which you all describe perfectly) started when I was pregnant with my third child. I attributed the pain to her kicking me under the ribs. That was 24 years ago!! The pain has come and gone over the years, but about five years ago it came to stay. I have had xrays, ultra sounds, gall bladder tests, liver tests...all to no avail. One doctor blamed it on Costochonditis (spelling?), but all of them (and there have been several) are mystified. The lastest development is that when I bend over to the extent that I put a lot of pressure on my stomach, I get a severe pinching/cramping pain with a bulge. When I press on the bulge I can "massage" the pain away. I just had an episode of this today and now my ribs hurt and I have that feeling like something is stuck under them. I can no longer sleep on my right side because of the sensitivity (it feels like the sheets or my bed clothes are gathered up under me), and I must lean back when I sit when the pain is at it's worst or at least be sure to sit perfectly staight up. I really wish that someone had an answer. I do have fibromyalgia also, so the doctors tend to blame everything on that. Good luck to you all!! Let me know of any new thoughts. Thank you!! :)

Hello everyone, well I had my ultrasounds done on the 12th and went back to the DR today for results and it did say I have a 1.2 cm cyst on my liver but DR says this is common and would not be the cause of my pain she is referring me to a general seurgeon becasue she is baffled at what this could be, so like the rest of you I am at my witts end with this very uncomfortable pain, it has actually became more of a pressure sort of pain on my ribs, heard it could possibly be broken cartlidge betwen ribs but not sure , I also heard from someone who had similar pain and went thru prolotherapy and came out pain free but most insurances do not cover this therapy here is a website to check out,http://www.prolotherapy.com/prolodefine.htm

Don't be too concerned about the cyst on your liver, my sister found she had those too but is syptom free, it has nothing to do with the rib pain. It is interesting to me that you have the loose cartiledge theory that I have in my earlier notes to this board. I too feel a pressure pain. I appreciate the site you mentioned and intend to look it up, thanks for writing. su

I have a .5 cm cyst on mine which is the size of the top of a AA battery..nothing to worry about my GI man said it is very common in a alot of people. I had discomfort too there but I believe it is from a fatty liver and the discomfort has gone away after taking this liver tonic for a month now..i use to have costolchindritis from a chest tube years ago and that went away after 5 years..that is very painful like i use to feel like i was having a heart attack..Lisa

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ON THE WAY TO CAPE MAY!!!!!

I am now experiencing my ribs sticking out even more. It is about 2 inches wide and elevated about an inch and a half. It hurts really bad after i have eaten. But it still hurts when i am hungry. Does anyone of you have this deformity going on???

I do not have any sign of swelling or distention. I "feel" like it is sticking out as it feels like there is something hot pressing agains my lower right ribs, also there when I am hungry, also there when I have just eaten, like someone else said, I would like to open my side and take this "hurt" out of there. I do wish someone who has received help would write to us. Good luck.

Hi. I've been having a similar problem. It's awful. It started when I was 24. I'm 27 now. I've had multiple scans for it with zero results. I went 5 doctors for this. All have said it sounds like nothing since I look healthy. Put it feels like a knife going into me. Worse yet, it feel like something is sizzling. I've used that description before, and I have gotten some looks. But that's what it feels like! Like there is a piece of bacon in there and, well, it's sizzling. I went to the ER for it, and the doctor there suggested a full MRI. He said doctors fail to give them because of insurance. That is what I plan to do when my insurance kicks in next week. This same doctor was smart and telling me that the body is strange. A pain felt internally can not be pin-pointed. I may feel it in under my right rib, but it may be very faraway from that area, which is why an MRI is really needed. I had another doctor tell me I have Crohn's disease, which I just think is ridiculous. Anyway, I hope everyone here will go and get an MRI. That smart doctor also told me that ultrasounds are often ineffective! I've had 4bbbbbbbb of them, the bulk of which I paid out-of-pocket. Hope you guys figure it out. Maybe it is a muscular problem. I started lifting weights at 23, so maybe its related somehow. Weird to think it might be just a piece of inflamed cartilige. Maybe that's what I mean by sizzling bacon. Gross!

Glad to hear from a new member, do regret it that you have this pain. I have said all along it is a hot pain, I feel like there is something hot under my rib just burning and pushing.
I think that smart doctor should go back to school. If you had Crons (spelling) disease you would know it. I have had MRI testing and it has not shown anything. If you get any news let us all know. I do believe there is such a thing as referred pain as he mentioned but then why do so many of us have the same pain in the same place all of the time? I find that if a doctor does not know what is wrong with you, they want to dismiss you and tell you there is nothing wrong with you. They like cases they can solve. Let us hear from you as soon as you have your MRI. Good luck.

Originally posted by GMS:
HELLO EVERYONE,
WELL IT LOOKS LIKE I JOIN ALL OF YOU WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS. I HAVE HAD MY PAIN IN THE RIGHT SIDE JUST BELOW/UNDER THE RIBCAGE FOR ABOUT 7 MONTHS NOW. THE PAIN IS SLIGHT TO MODERATE DAY IN DAY OUT. I DO GET A RELIEF FOR A DAY OR 2 BUT IT JUST SEEMS TO COME RIGHT BACK AGAIN. SYMPTOMS INCLUDE BURNING FEELING, PAIN IN BACK, EVEN PAIN ON LEFT SIDE FLANK, FEELING OF FULLNESS, GAS, VERY TENDERNESS ON RIGHT SIDE, MUCUS IN THE STOOL, I ALSO NOTICED THAT IT GETS WORSE WHEN IM HOLDING MY 17 MONTH OLD SON IN MY ARMS BUT ONLY ON THE THE RIGHT SIDE. I TOLD ALL OF THIS TO MY DOCTOR AND HE ORDERED AN ULTRASOUND FOR ME, THE RESULTS CAME BACK AS A SPOT ON THE LIVER BUT A CLOSER CHECK WAS NEEDED AND HAD ORDERED A CT SCAN W/IODINE IV. GOT THE RESULTS TODAY AND THEY SAY ITS "FATTY INFILTRATION OF MY LIVER" NOT REALY SURE HOW BAD THAT IS. BUT I NEED TO CALL THE DOCTOR BACK.

ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS?
HOPE THIS HELPS YOU..TAKE CARE.. AND GOD BLESS.

GMS

Hi everyone. I'm glad I found this site. I too have RUQ pain. I have spoken with many people (medical and non-medical) and have gotten very conflicting information so I'm hoping someone here can help. My initial thought was gall bladder because a friend had the identical symptoms and it turned out to be gall bladder sludge but her pain went away. My doc sent me for a sonogram which showed fatty infiltration of the liver but everything I've read and heard says that it is very very unusual to have pain from this. Another friend who is a former sonographer told me that a sonogram often does not show gall bladder problems without proper procedures such as dies etc. I had a bone scan which showed a broken 9th rib but after approx. 4 weeks the doc said it was healed and was no cause for the pain. I'm a little nervous worried about liver problems but the GI I went to just laughed when I asked about a liver biopsy and told me cirrosis was highly unlikely the cause. Any ideas....thanks

[This message has been edited by cantfind12 (edited 09-16-2003).]

I've recently stumbled on this board researching my pain on my right side. It started about a month ago out of the blue. It first felt like gas, but didn't go away. Eventually (after a few days) the constant pain toned down and it pretty much just hurts when pressed or when I lay on that side. It's pretty tender. Went to the doctor after the first week and he said it's likely a muscle strain or costochondritis. Gave me an anti-inflammatory prescription, which helped somewhat. But that's run out now and the pain is still there. It's got me nervous, but it's heartening to know others have the same symptom. Everything I'm reading about costochondritis online seems to indicate the pain ought to be in the center of the chest, so I'm a little confused. Can anyone shed light on that?

Let your body be your guide..i also had the ct iodine scan and it said fatty infiltration. I am only getting very mild discomfort and no pain on my right side. Some days if i workout too hard it hurts the next day more. I know it's the liver what eles could it be?..Lisa

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ON THE WAY TO CAPE MAY!!!!!

for those with the recurrent upper right quadrant pain, please don't give up. I had and still do, this for several years. Finally, after a liver biopsy, a diagnosis. A liver disease called NASH. non-alcoholic steaohepatitis NOt hepatitis--but with symptoms of. not fatty liver--next stage, with cirhosis and fatty infiltration of the liver. Occurs in people that are NOT alcoholics, but is often misdiagnosed as an alcoholics disease. Severe pain and swelling in the right side and back, fatigue, nausea, diahrrea. Many symptoms. This can only be diagnosed with a biopsy. Most doctors are not familiar with NASH. They call it fatty liver and say it will go away. Find someone who knows about this and ask. There is no treatment at this time and no known cause. Late stage requires a transplant. Please check into this, it is a possibility.
Joyce

This is my first time posting. I also have the same symptoms as the rest of you for several years. My gall bladder was removed years ago. The kidneys checked out fine. Blood work was normal. My doctor could not find anything wrong and doesn't really seem very concerned. My sister talked me into going to a man from Korea who is nationally certified in orthopedic massage and manual therapy. He imediately focused on my liver. He said it was very hard and it should be soft. He said my body is full of toxins and that I must cleanse the liver. He knew exactly where the pain was located without me telling him. He gave me some suggestions for better nutrition and some exercises to do. I have been following his suggestions for a almost a week now, and I must say that the pain is definitely less. I am going to continue to follow his suggestions. I don't know if it is appropriate to list here the suggestions that he recommended. He also suggested that I buy and read the book "Diet for a New America" by John Robbins.
Faith Hop

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Faith Hop

Yes,please tell us what you are doing to get relief, everyone can do these things at their own risk! I have had no relief. I am glad to see you had your gall bladder taken out...this was to be my next step.If it is not going to help I hate to go thru that surgery.My side is now hurting day and night,before, during and after a meal, all the time. Any help will be appreciated, thanks! Su

MissBabyBorger,

I know for me my side bothers me when I eat bad carbs like pasta, potatoes, and breads..if i just stick to lean meats and veggies I'm good. This book the above post speaks about is a diet of raw veggies which is good for you too..i have been taking 3 steps to liver cleanse I am on my first step of the cleansing. I have 2 and 3 to go once this is finished..Lisa

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ON THE WAY TO CAPE MAY!!!!!

Hi all, you have yet another member here! I was so happy to find you all in a search for "right rib ache" I noticed mine while doing sit ups in the spring of 2003. I noticed a dull ache. when I touched around there I noticed a lump/bump just at the base of my lower right rib. I RAN to the doctor's! I had an ultrasound which showed absolutely nothing! they think it is a lipoma but I have my doubts....they say if it were a tumor or cancer it would have showed something. All organs appeared fine.

Well my rib discomfort has increased and goes to my right side and sometimes to my upper right back. It doesn't last a long time...just a minute or two. I feel it when I lay it bed. When I am sitting. It really doesn't bother me to stand up at all...Strange.

i should mention that I am a 36 year old female and I just had my second baby in June 2003. My rib hurt here when I was pregnant with both of my kids but subsided when the were born...I don't know if it's related or not!

I am worried about both the lump and pain. I have seen 3 doctors and noone thinks the pain is related to the other! If an ultrasound didn't see it would you trust that it could be a lipoma? I am supposed to have it out in a couple of weeks. They will biopsy it.

Someone here said they had loose cartilidge...I wonder if that would be what is going on with me? Maybe that would explain why it couldn't be seen by the ultrasound.

Are there any more tests I should ask for? I am seeing my doctor tomorrow and I think I need to insist on further examination. what do I need to ask? He is really making me feel like I am a pain or a hypochondriac but then he doesn't have constant rib discomfort and a lump to go with it does he?

forgive my ramblings ! :) Please any advice I would really appreciate!!! thank you all!!!!

When you see your doctor tomorrow, ask him to pull your right rib cage up with one hand and see if he can feel any loose cardlidge with the other hand. This is finally what my doctor did and he found loose cartiledge...floating around in there... no treatment for this.

i know you are afraid. so am i. it is a scarey thing to have pain and we have been taught that pain is a warning of something bad.

My pain is never in the back, it is right under that rib cage and it radiates to the lower right side just below my waist band line. I am 67. I have had this pain 3 years or longer. I did have two bad falls. My doctors laugh at me too. But pain is pain. I am not laughing. I know the more I worry the tenser I get and the more pain I feel.

Let us hear what the doc says. Try to locate any loose cartiledge. You can't do it yourself. I willbe thinking of you tomorrow. su

momof2littleones..ask your doc for a Cat scan with the dye. That is the most thorough..good luck, Lisa


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ON THE WAY TO CAPE MAY!!!!!

Hi
My problem is in the area of the lower lower left ribs. I'm new to this thread and my problem is only a few weeks old. It presents as a sort of throb or rubbing or thumping in that area of the ribs when I walk. The sensation repeats exactly with each step. Not painful at first, it starts getting sensitive when I walk a few blocks or more.

After reading a post about loose cartiledge, I experimented by grabbing the edge of the ribcage in that area and gently pressing and lifting it while standing up. I felt the same effect as while walking, and it felt very much localized to the rib cage, as if ribs and cartiledge had started coming unglued.

I plan to see a doctor to try to find out what it is and what can be done.

The things that I have been doing to help cleanse the liver are:
1. Drink a cup of hot water with the juice of 1/2 lemon freshly squeezed and a taste of honey the first thing each morning.
2. Twenty minutes after drinking the above, drink a glass of freshly juiced carrot juice with barley powder. Nothing to eat in between these two drinks.
3. Absolutely NO soda ( esp. not diet soda), sugar, white flour, milk or milk products (butter is ok), or white rice.
4. Use soy milk, tofu, and 100% whole wheat bread.
5. Use organic foods as much as possible. (eggs, meat, soy milk, veggies, etc.)
6. Drink lots of water.
7. Eat fresh vegtables and fruits, esp. watermelon and cantaloupe and dark green veg.
8. Make a chicken vegtable soup. Cook the chicken for 5 hours with bones still in. Remove bones, add all kinds of vegtables (not canned). Use sea salt, pepper, garlic, ginger to your taste.
9. Eat only brown rice. May add it to the chicken soup.
10. NO margerine - only butter (clarified is best).

11. Soak feet and massage every night. Toxins go to the feet.
12. Shower and then bathe for 5 minutes in a tub of hot water with 1 cup epsom salt added. Several times a week.
13. Do exercises to stretch muscles. Sit and bend forward with hands clasped behind head, touch elbow to opposite knee. 10 times each . Also do side bends and twists. Inhale and EXHALE slowly esp. when exercising. Exhale on the stretch.

I don't feel nearly as bloated and the pain is definitely less.
Hope this may help you.
Faith Hop

Thanks!!! Will try it! That was a lot of typing. I appreciate it. su

hey,
i'm brand new to this site... i'm really really glad to find people that have the same symptom's as me.
well.... i'm only 17, and i've had pain under the lower right rib cage. it happens every so often, it's not that frequent. it usually happens when i'm taking a walk... mostly down hill slopes. right now, when it comes around, it's kindo of a searing pain, and it hurts to take a step on my right foot. the pain also comes sometimes when i'm laying down, and if i press down on it, it feels like there is water all around it, and like there are bubbles being moved around. occurances other than those are very very rare. but the pain is searing. i would ask my doctor about it, but i don't see her until october, and i'm really not feeling too healthy right now. also... i don't know if it makes a difference, but i have lost a large amount of wieght in a short amount of time. i went from 149 in last october, to 139 in around august of this year, and now i wieght about 125 (as of 9.21.03). i don't know if that has to do with the pain... but i need to say that i'm not very active, and i eat a lot.
i hope someone has an explanation for this, or a recomendation as to what i need to suggest to my dr.
also, please pray that it isn't extremely bad... i'm too young.

doniko,

My mom lost an extreme amount of weight and had to have her gall bladder taken out after that. That is not so bad but I am not sure that is what your problem is as I am not a doctor. You should go to get it checked out. Tell them it is an emergency and you are feeling crappy..Good luck and keep us posted..Lisa

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ON THE WAY TO CAPE MAY!!!!!

Hi everyone, newcomer here. So glad I found this site. Like everyone else here I've been having discomfort in my lower rt rib area, beginning a few months ago. Sometimes just a dull ache, sometimes a sharp pinching feeling, usually when I move a certain way especially when I bend over.

Finally got concerned enough to make an appt for a physical for next month. But now I think I'll cancel it since this is such a common symptom & apparently not anything serious in the majority of cases.

My best wishes to all of you especially those suffering with severe pain. I sure hope you find some relief.

Don't cancel that appointment! Everyone is different and you may be over looking something important. Go.Then you will have made contact with your doctor that this is happening to you...and in your case you may be able to get some help. Keep that appointment and let us know what they tell you. God bless!!

I had the nuclear test done for gall bladder, liver and small intestine.....results today say everything is just great. No blockage, no gall stones, the dye went where it was supposed to go in the time it was supposed to go there. final impression: NORMAL.

I am relieved of course but this still is not a reason for all this pain. Now my doctor and I believe it HAS to be muscular, maybe the loose vertibra also.

Wish i had some answers to give you all but for now I gues I will count my blessings and stop complaining so much and just grin and bear whatever is "that pain in my side" Su

Su, thanks for letting us know how the test came out. I'm so glad everything checked out ok, that's got to be a relief! On the other hand it also must be a little frustrating to not have any solution to this pain in your side. At least you're not alone, you've got plenty of company here if that's any consolation :)

Yes it is a relief to find out it is nothing serious. the pain goes on but at least i don't have the middle of the night panic when i think i may have go to the emergncy room and have surgry right away. I am more than ever convinced now it is muscular an probably in my case, at least, a result of that terrible fall I had three years ago. Good luck to you Mycats mom. hope you find some relief. su

ok. Not sure if anyone has ever posted any follow up on this but here is mine. I finally went back to the doc after alot of procrastinating. I saw a GI doctor this time. He asked me some questions and told me basically it was my job and keeping my wallet in my back pocket that was causing my problems. Let me explain. My job is a computer tech job. I sit at a desk...if you can call it that for 8 hours day in and day out 5 days a week. The desks are not actually desks. They are folding tables that everything sits on. So...not ergonomic at all. Then having my wallet in my back pocket has caused one cheek to be higher than the other. So i said...ok, I will try some different things at work. So now I do not keep anything in my backpocket. I bought a keyboard tray and have installed it under my desk to make my arms and everything more level with my chair and everything. I get up and try to stretch about once every hour for 5 minutes. Now not even this seemed to take care of it all. It was a good start. But I think one thing that has really helped dramatically is I used to sleep on my stomache at night. The doc never mentioned this. But I just recently was forced to sleep on my back after having a vasectomy. Low and behold....since I have been doing that....my pain has gone away almost completely. I no longer have to battle with that pain! I know this will not fix everyone as some have something different going on. But PLEASE try some or all of the same things I did and let me know if it helps.



[This message has been edited by austinpow16 (edited 10-05-2003).]

Hi all-

within the last few months I have been having terrible stomach problems and along with it a feeling that my last rib on the right side is digging into something in my abdomen. the waist on my pants cant touch it, i cant sit comfortably, no one can grab me around the waste. I am completely baffled by it. I have had a blood test which came back fine, and now I am getting a rib x-ray. I am nervous that this wont get fixed and I will be stuck like this forever. Does anyone else have problems with IBS, constipation, and this rib problem all at the same time. I am very worried about this, not to mention EXTREMELY uncomfortable. Any feedback would be GREAT.
Kellie

Hi all-

within the last few months I have been having terrible stomach problems and along with it a feeling that my last rib on the right side is digging into something in my abdomen. the waist on my pants cant touch it, i cant sit comfortably, no one can grab me around the waste. I am completely baffled by it. I have had a blood test which came back fine, and now I am getting a rib x-ray. I am nervous that this wont get fixed and I will be stuck like this forever. Does anyone else have problems with IBS, constipation, and this rib problem all at the same time. I am very worried about this, not to mention EXTREMELY uncomfortable. Any feedback would be GREAT.
Kellie

Yep! Read all of the letters before yours. We all have the same problem and all have it all at once. Sorry you are in this trouble. Let us know if you find out anything. As several of us have mentioned, lay flat, use heating pad, do not sleep on that side, do not lift heavy things, take it easy for awile and let us know if you find out anything, Several letters are very helpful and informative. You have my sympathy!! su

Hi everyone
I too have had the pain in my right rib area
for about 18 months. I had every test talked
about here.Then finally I went to a orthopedic
doctor and had a myleo-gram and found a herinated
disk in my thorasic spine that was compressing
nerves to my right rib area.He said theirs hundreds
of nerves around the rib area that will make you think
it is a internal problem. But this my case everyone
should have everything checked so that they can rule out all possible problems.

Hello everyone. I am 19 years old and for the past year or so I have had a strange pain below my rib cage. This pain is located on my left side (your right). So when you say lower right pain do you mean your right or right as if when someone is looking at you? Anyway, the pain is kind of like a pinch, a jolt, I get it a lot when I am bending over or happen to rub up against something. I have also noticed a slight protusion on that side of my ribs, I don't know if this could be related or not. Tanna's situation sounds very similar to mine in that it is almost a feeling that something is stuck or that something is there. Although I don't really experience soreness afterwards. Being a hypochondriac I've been thinking the worst (i.e. Cancer) and haven't asked the doctor about this. When I feel around in this area nothing feels abnormal and nothing hurts, I just notice the protusion at the bottom. I had a blood test earlier this year and everything was fine. Any feedback on this would be appreciated. I have not had a chance to read all the previous posts, so if you have already answered my question then I apologize. Thank you for your time. Sorry if this is a bit confusing, it's hard to explain.

Oh yeah, I also experience tenderness/pain on the side of that rib cage as well.

Welcome, CLC1. Sorry for the pain you're having but you have lots of company here if that's any comfort.

Most of us seem to have this pain on our right side...it sounds like yours is on your left. I saw at least 1 post of someone who had left-sided pain, that person had costochondritis. I think that's some kind of rib problem. There are many possibilities so you should definitely go to the dr & get it checked out. Take Miss Baby Borger's advice & keep track of when the pain strikes & what you were doing just prior.

And Miss Baby Borger I decided to take your advice & not cancel my dr's appt. I'm going Monday. But I expect it's just a muscle strain, that's what it feels like. How are you doing, is your pain getting any better or worse?

I looked up Costochondritis, and I found that although the pain sounds a lot like what I get, it is located in the chest, not the abdomen. Anyway, thank you for the feedback.

Thanks for asking mycatsmom! I have about the same amount of pain at the same level. I had the dye nuclear test and gallbladder, liver and sm. intestine turned out fine. Have seen two more doctors who were baffled.

Keeping my own advise and keeping track of when it comes and what helps here all I know for sure:
********es on with: stress, lifting, laying on that side,and out of the blue.
Pain is relieved with: Gas-X along with pain pill..over the counter or perscription, laying flat on my back, sometimes heat helps.

I conclude it is muscular....tension brings on pain and pain brings on tension, etc, etc, etc. I do not know why Gas-X helps because I have it before, during and after eating, with or without gas.

Write when you return from the doctor on Monday, mycatsmom.

Good luck to all. Hope someone finds an answer. Su

[This message has been edited by Miss baby borger (edited 10-11-2003).]

Hi Everyone:

I think that I have a good news. I had most of the symptoms described in this thread by several people. This discomfort/pain started about two years ago. Doctors did several different test such as ultra sound, bone scan etc etc. However, nothing was found. In recent past my pain started getting worse. I started having pain even when sleeping. I went back to my family doctor; however, he was on vacation. Antother doctor looked at my medical history and saw that I had acid reflux probelm berore and felt 90 % better when I was on a medicine that blocks stomach acid. Note that there are several different types of those medicines available in market (e.g. Nexium, Lanzoprazol, Omniprazol etc etc). I was on Nexium. He asked me to go back on Nexium again for three months. I am feeling much better after taking nexium for about 10 days now. (say 90 --95 % better). The reason that I didn't think my pain was as a result of acid reflux is that I used to have different type of problems before (such as burning sensation in my throat)and I thought that is all what acid reflux was about. But now that I am feelin so much better I know that the pain under my lower right rib area was also a result of acid reflux.

Now it may not be the case for everyone on this board. For example, someone may actually have costochondritis as a cause of the pain. But if you have already done all the tests and found nothing or if you know that you have acid reflux problem then you may want to bring it up to your doctors attention and ask for somethin like Nexium.

I hope that it will help someone. I know how it feels like to be in constant pain and just like to help if I can.

Please keep everone posted if you go through this route and it helps you.

Regards
B

Hi Everyone:

I think that I have a good news. I had most of the symptoms described in this thread by several people. This discomfort/pain started about two years ago. Doctors did several different test such as ultra sound, bone scan etc etc. However, nothing was found. In recent past my pain started getting worse. I started having pain even when sleeping. I went back to my family doctor; however, he was on vacation. Antother doctor looked at my medical history and saw that I had acid reflux probelm berore and felt 90 % better when I was on a medicine that blocks stomach acid. Note that there are several different types of those medicines available in market (e.g. Nexium, Lanzoprazol, Omniprazol etc etc). I was on Nexium. He asked me to go back on Nexium again for three months. I am feeling much better after taking nexium for about 10 days now. (say 90 --95 % better). The reason that I didn't think my pain was as a result of acid reflux is that I used to have different type of problems before (such as burning sensation in my throat)and I thought that is all what acid reflux was about. But now that I am feelin so much better I know that the pain under my lower right rib area was also a result of acid reflux.

Now it may not be the case for everyone on this board. For example, someone may actually have costochondritis as a cause of the pain. But if you have already done all the tests and found nothing or if you know that you have acid reflux problem then you may want to bring it up to your doctors attention and ask for somethin like Nexium.

I hope that it will help someone. I know how it feels like to be in constant pain and just like to help if I can.

Please keep everone posted if you go through this route and it helps you.

Regards
B

Greetings:

Please see my update. It has my story with an added quote from a website that explains a lot.

I've googled my way to a perfectly UNOFFICIAL conclusion:

A)Our problems are most likely stress OR trama-related.
B)Stress contributes to both acid reflux and costochonritis. Getting wired on nicotine and caffine also contributes to the irritation. Smoking is known to loosen the valve that keeps stomach acids out of the esophagus.
C)Our pains are in the chest muscles/rib joints, and can be felt anywhere, not just the lower right. This explains why some of you reported the pain on the left.
D)We need not let the doctors cut us up an remove organs. Many of us have "normal results" from tests. Some of the of the people who had suspicious organs removed either had temporty relief or none at all!
E)We need not take a shopping list of pain killers. Stress management techniques combat the cause. In my case, drinking wine gets rid of the rib pain, but unfortunately causes terrible hearturn...
F) Acid Reflux meds reduce stress from AR discomfort. As a result, the pills ease the panic which exacerbates costochondritis.

Jack

so: no more cigarettes/coffee, red wine to dull the costochondritis, and Prevacid to kill the acid reflux from the wine...maybe relaxation is a better plan?

[This message has been edited by ouch_in_NJ (edited 10-18-2003).]



[This message has been edited by ouch_in_NJ (edited 10-19-2003).]

donbiko86,

I am 21 years old and have a lot of the symptoms that everyone on this message board. I have been through all the tests, and like almost everyone else, all tests came back normal. A little over a year ago I had gastric bypass surgery last June and I have lost over 150lbs. I had these pains starting in December and they did an ultra sound of my galbladder. The found some small stones, so they removed my galbladder. Because of the scar tissue from the gastric bypass, they were unsure they could do the surgery laprascopically. After cutting away large amounts of scar tissue, they did it successfully. The pain went away for a couple of months and then came back. All the doctors that I saw said that if my galbladder was still there that that would definately be the problem. They have now started me on pain thearapy, which has not been too helpful. Earlier today I went to the emergancy room because of the pain and it was said by the doctor that it was constipation. I know my body, and since the gastric bypass i have had many bowel problems, and none were even close to being as painful as this situation. I am only 21 years old and I can't even keep a job because of this problem. I don't want to live like this. Please someone help!

Don't let those doctors shuffle you out!


Originally posted by ouch_in_NJ:
VERY HELPFUL: goto http://askwaltstollmd.com/archives/costochon.html




Summary explanation of costochondritis, quoted from above URL:

Costochondritis is simply inflammation of the rib joints, and attachments of intercostal muscles to the ribs, due to persistant "bracing" of the intercostal muscles. So far, the only known cause of this persistant tension of the intercostal muscles is chronic stress-effect storage in the hypothalamus [part of the brain that regulates the release of hormones].

The well known fight or flight mechanism is the only
known way the hypothalamus has to respond to ANY form
of stressor...
..... The stressors, for which physically running or
fighting are NOT appropriate, result in that readiness
being stored in the hypothalamus. Nearly all stressors
in our present day culture cannot be resolved by running or fighting.

This makes breathing like trying to run with a muscle
cramp in your leg. You can stop running but you cannot
stop breathing. SO, when this tension is always there
of course, eventually, the muscles get painful and their attachments become inflamed.

..... The only permanent cure for this, yet known, is Skilled Relaxation.... It takes 6-12 months to discharge all the tension stored in the muscles via turning down the fight or flight signals from the hypothalamus. SO, if one wants quicker results, although temporary; Chiropractic, Rolfing or a series of deep, total-body, therapeutic massages will be needed....

Walt Stoll, MD----doctor in Kentucky. Has an impressive resumé, but lost his liscence for combining conventional with homeopathic practices.




[This message has been edited by ouch_in_NJ (edited 10-31-2003).]

Miss Baby Borger are you still out there? Sorry not to have written sooner...Anyway, I went to the dr. Monday, everything is fine. When I described my symptoms she said it's most likely muscular, also, she didn't feel any masses or lumps in my abdomen so that is a relief :)

I'm so sorry that you're still having pain. It must be a relief to know it's nothing life-threatening but a drag to have to go on suffering day after day. I'm VERY lucky that I only have a SLIGHT discomfort now & then, nothing that interferes with my life. I sure hope you find some relief soon. Keep me posted on how you're doing.

My cat's mom:

Life is full of uncertainty, but I would agree that our problems are indeed in the joints/muscles of our ribs. The doctors are puzzled by it because it's a mysterious condition like arthritis. Doesn't appear on lab tests so they either think we're crazy or prescribe a ton of pain killers...

Seems like knowing what's wrong and knowing sombody cares about your trouble is the best medication.

Best Wishes,
Jack

Ok, I am glad I found this site too. Here is my story in short: I started noticing the pain/pressure under my right rib about 2 months ago on the way to dinner. I initially thought it was a cramp of some sort. But it didn't go away. Luckily for me, my brother is a gastroenterologist resident right now in the midst of his GI fellowship, so I have a lot of medical advice at my fingertips. So after discussing my problems (and there were more, distension, bloating, belching, etc. that had gone on for years), my brother felt that I had acid reflux, so he prescribed Prevacid for me. Immediately I felt much better, it pretty much knocked out all of my symptoms I'd been feeling for years. It didn't take away the pain/pressure under my rib though. He suggested I go to family doc so I could get referred to get some tests. So I went and my doc didn't seem too concerned, and like many of you, said it could be gallstones. So he sent me to get an ultrasound. Well I got the results of that last Friday and it was completely normal. He said he'd send me to a GI doc now. My brother had thought and still does think it could also be an ulcer. It's so hard to describe the feeling I'm having, it just feels like there is some mass in that area that shouldn't be there. The pain is not bad at all, just more uncomfortable than anything. I just feel pressure, and man I know this sounds stupid, but I realized it hurts more when I drive, and then I realized when I took my seat belt off, it didn't feel nearly as bad. I'm not sure what that means.

Anyway, I think the good news is that my brother is a doctor and a GI one at that, and he will not let me live with this if he can help it, so trust me, if and when I find out what the problem is, I will be sure to write in here and tell everyone. I hope it is nothing serious, and I hope the same for everyone else. We'll figure it out. God bless.

Wow. I didn't realize what a response I was going to get when I originally posted this message at the beginning of the year. By the way, I am APJ1, just I forgot my password and my old email does not work. Hence, the new name Terpfan.

I still have the same pain the in the same area that I talked about in my first post. The thing is I don't know if it is mental or what. The only thing on my blood test that was abnormally high was the GGT, but I was cleared for a nice life insurance policy. So, I guess things can't be all that bad, even though some days it feels like stabbing pains in my front and back. Still can't figure out the problem. I guess one of these days it will catch up with me and the doctors will say...OH THATS THE PROBLEM!

Anyways, glad to hear that I am not the only one with this situation in my lower right side. Hope everyone takes care.

TerpFan AKA: APJ1

Yes, I am still here. saw the first doctor i told about this three years ago and mentioned it again and he smiled and said, "oh, is that still bothering you?" and went right on to other issues. So there!

Thanks for asking mycatsmom.

I don't smoke, drink and don't think I have acidreflux.

I seem to think now lifting anything, even a watering can irritates this rib area. The feeling is right there as described above as something that should not be there that I would like to reach in and take out.

i guess we all need to relax and try to live with it. if it was going to kill us, some of us would be dead by now. (that is not meant to be funny).

Person who is going to write in when you find a cure...please do!!!!!! Thanks for your input and also that of your brother. Tell him to specialize in this and he could get rich. I would go to him.

good luck everyone! su

Isn't it strange that a vast majority of us have had this pain for less than 3 years ? Is it something that cures itself after let's say 3-4 years or is it something that just started to happen to people 2-3 years ago ????

see below



[This message has been edited by ouch_in_NJ (edited 10-26-2003).]

sjuhawks19:

Ulcers? Sounds like another stress related symtom. Ulcers, I understand, are treatable with antibotics. If you read all the stuff I cluttered the board with, the fact that you thought it was a cramp makes sense. Try to ask that GI pal of yours about cramping of the muscles around the rib cage. Being a specialist, he may not be willing to make any comments that don't deal with organs.


bjamiil:

I was thinking the same thing. All of these have been experiencing symptoms for up to 4 years.

Perhaps after the initial panic, after the doctors turn up nothing, after you alter a few habits and get better you quit caring about it.

Coming to a conclusion and and NOT getting freaked is certainly a cure. Stress is so underestimated/misunderstood that people won't even consider it as something that can cause physical illness.

After reading Dr. Stoll's explanation of the "Fight or Flight" mecchanism, I'm much less freaked out. Is the man a quack? Maybe. But his information worked for me.

Miss Baby:

Good. No drink, no smoke. Then these must be contributing factors for me. Do you ever feel like Alice in Wonderland? Running as fast as you can just to stay in one place? Shoot, I gotta pay that electric bill and write that exam before Friday!

Jack

I AM Alice! And I feel like I fell through the looking glass one day and got up with my side hurting. I see bottles that say "drink me" (antacids) and I do and I see cakes that say "eat me" and I do (tums) and I see pills that say "take me" (Gas-X and pain pills) and I do and then I am on a balance for a few hours where I can "make it" without running and screaming with the pain or ripping my side open to get it out. I walk around all day every day trying to act normal like I do not have this pain in my side.

I think this board is only about 3 or 4 years old and that is why all the complaints are of that age too. None of us had anywhere to complain till we found this boardd.

Misery loves company and I love all of you. Get well!

Here's one thing to consider. I think most of us think that everyone that has this problem doesn't either get cured or it never goes away. Think about how small of a percent of the population we are, there may be thousands of people out there who had the same symptoms, but they went away. So for anyone out there that thinks this will never go away, keep the faith. For every person on this discussion board that has had the pain for a few years, I bet there are hundreds that have had it and it's gone away. Just a positive thought on a Friday. Have a good weekend everyone.

ok, folks. One more of my unofficial conclusions:

It seems that most of us have the pain on the right. I have it on the right, and I also happen to be RIGHT HANDED, like most of the population.

Therefore: I'd guess that the tension in the rib muscles and joints are more likely to be irritated from lifting etc on the side which you use more.

I've even felt the pain smack in the center, ususally from certain foods. In this case acid reflux (chronic heartburn) is a more likely culprit (where's those rolaids, Alice!)

Jack

Take it or leave it!



[This message has been edited by ouch_in_NJ (edited 10-24-2003).]

Sjuhawks19:

Beware of specialists. I've been told that they often focus too much on a particular set of organs and may make an inappropriate diagnosis. A generalist who actually cares somewhat about his/her patients is a better bet, although they are hard to find.

It may be good to bring this up with your brother in a diplomatic way....

If you can't "relax" it away, if the doctors can find anything awful, perhaps a masseuse can uncramp it for you. What is there to lose? Fifty bucks not covered by insurance?

JF

[This message has been edited by ouch_in_NJ (edited 10-24-2003).]

Well i guess you can add me to the list of people feeling your pain. About 6 months ago i woke up with an unbelievable pain in my back/ribcage on my right side. Breathing was ridiculously painful. Went to an orthopedist who took an x-ray and saw nothing wrong. He said if it doesn't go away in a few days to see an internist. Thankfully it did go away, but not completely. I'm left with that dull ache/burning on my right side. Sometimes (like tonight) taking a deep breath gives me a sharp pain. I'm going for bloodwork and X-rays tomorrow, i'll let you all know the results.

Dear Nok:

If you read all the testimony on this board (equivalent of a short novel..) you'll find that the laboratory tests and X-ray will reveal nothing. The doctors rely on these tools to diagnose well-known illnesses. Thus far, Costochondritis is still rather obscure for that reason: it can't be observed on tests, so the doctors won't hazard to provide a concrete diagnosis (lawsuits).

Hope your test turns up normal. Good luck. Try sighing, stretching, massaging your ribs and heating the sore places with hot water in the shower. Sometimes I put the pillow under my back when I lie down so I can breath better and stretch the ribcage.

JF

One more person sharing the same distress... and it does amaze me how many people have the exact same conditions. My problem started in June after playing in a softball tournament... so I wonder if I didn't dive or something and dislodge some cartilige(sp). At first I went to my primary physician who gave me the typical (pulled muscle, maybe kidney or gall stones... but you're really too young yet for those... I'm 32). I told him that I was a heavy drinker for a long time (6-12 drinks a day for 8-10 years), I was thinking fatty liver, and coincidentally that day I played softball I had taken 2 5mg percocets for a case of tendinitis I was suffering from, along with drinking maybe 6 beers over the course of the day. I assumed I had pushed my liver too far but the doctor scoffed at the idea and told me that the liver doesn't produce pain... whatever! So here I am still having the same dull ache right at the bottom right rib... worse when sitting, sleeping facing down, or driving. It never hurts when I workout and I lift pretty heavy (squat 275 regularly), nor does it hurt when I am active, only when I am sedentary do I feel it. Very strange... but I am setting up all the tests you have all undergone... so I will update you all when the tests come back. Stay strong all you mystery sufferers.

One more person sharing the same distress... and it does amaze me how many people have the exact same conditions. My problem started in June after playing in a softball tournament... so I wonder if I didn't dive or something and dislodge some cartilige(sp). At first I went to my primary physician who gave me the typical (pulled muscle, maybe kidney or gall stones... but you're really too young yet for those... I'm 32). I told him that I was a heavy drinker for a long time (6-12 drinks a day for 8-10 years), I was thinking fatty liver, and coincidentally that day I played softball I had taken 2 5mg percocets for a case of tendinitis I was suffering from, along with drinking maybe 6 beers over the course of the day. I assumed I had pushed my liver too far but the doctor scoffed at the idea and told me that the liver doesn't produce pain... whatever! So here I am still having the same dull ache right at the bottom right rib... worse when sitting, sleeping facing down, or driving. It never hurts when I workout and I lift pretty heavy (squat 275 regularly), nor does it hurt when I am active, only when I am sedentary do I feel it. Very strange... but I am setting up all the tests you have all undergone... so I will update you all when the tests come back. Stay strong all you mystery sufferers.

Wow, some of you are describing me to a tee! For about two months I've been having that very same discomfort under my right ribcage. I also have noticed a small bulge on the right side (actually I noticed that before I felt any discomfort) which is what really freaked me out! I also feel it mainly when sitting down for long periods and almost never when I'm doing something active. Like a lot of you I'm tending to think it is stress related, as it doesn't seem to bother me on relaxing weekends or when my mind is on other things. But when it's there, it's definitely there! I went to the doctor last week and am waiting for the results on the blood/urine tests, so posting here under "no named pain" might be premature. But so far, the descriptions of what you all are feeling are the closest to what I'm going through that I've found. It's quite a relief to read all your posts and see that this may not be life-threatening (like I tend to worry about) as I wait the results of my tests! Thank you all for sharing and best of luck to you all!
PS.. This could be totally unrelated but JUST before I noticed this, I had a short-lived (two days) rash that the doctors couldn't explain either. I have NEVER had weird health problems before and since it came so close to this thing, I thought it might be related. Anybody in here notice anything like that?

Just out of curiuosity, does anyone else have any problems with their jaw? Mine cracks loudly about once an hour when i open my mouth wide. I have no idea if this is related to my other problems but i figured i'd ask.

I had this same sort of pain and I went to the Dr because of it. I thought it was probably my gall bladder. It turned out in the end to be adenomatosis of my liver.

Folks:

READ CAREFULLY:

I'm fairly convinced that we all suffer from a condition called Costochondritis. It is MYSTERIOUS since it comes and goes. It CAN NOT be diagnosed by X-ray, IVP, or any other concrete test. It's caused by constant cramping of the muscles and tendons and cartilage around our ribs. WHY?

Anyone has felt how STRESS causes your body to react.

EX: You're pulled over by a cop. You wait for the officer to come to you're window. Your guts are in knots, you whole body tightens.

What just happened? You're body is bracing itself for a confrontation. Totally natural. In our case, our rib cage muscles, often in the right, cramp and won't release.

Result? Constant "bracing" which causes the pain and even perhaps forcing a rib "out" to the point it is protruding.

Think about it. Try massage, heat, and relaxation. Eventually the cramp will loosen, just like a stiff neck. It works for me, I'm satisfied.

Good luck folks. And good luck with the doctors. Just try not to let them cut you up or get hooked on dope for no reason. Reply if my comments help you.

Jack
PS: I escaped death this evening by avoiding a head-on with a small dump truck pulling a trailer. Guess what hurts a bit 4 hours later...

[This message has been edited by ouch_in_NJ (edited 10-31-2003).]

Hey everyone

I'm new to this site and I'm really glad that I've found it. So here's the story- I'm 19 years old, and I'd say about this time last year I was doing crunches and I felt a sharp pain under my lowest right rib. At first I thought I had pulled a muscle or something so I stopped doing the crunches, and the pain went away after I relaxed for a bit. But then I would just randomly feel that same pain. I wouldn't say it happens often or is continuous, but I have noticed it happening repeatedly.

In fact, recently I was sitting on the kitchen floor helping my younger brother carve Halloween pumpkins and I got a pretty nasty pain that lasted longer than usual. Maybe it had to do with my posture?

I might notice it after slight activity or exertion and it doesn't matter if I'm sitting, standing, or lying down. It just happens, so I try to apply pressure and get comfortable, but I mostly just have to let it pass on its own.

I'm not a smoker, drinker, or non-healthy eater by habit, although junk food slips in on occassion- I'm a 19 year old college student, so I think we'd all agree that that's pretty much inevitable. I don't notice frequent heartburn or anything like that, and I've been told by my doctor at my last physical in August that I'm in good health, although, I really should stick to a set exercise program. I wouldn't say that I exercise as much as I should.

One other thing I noticed that I have in common with one of the other members (DonBiko86) is that I've lost about ten pounds around this time period. Just filling out and losing the last of the baby fat I guess. I'm about 128 now, give or take from day to day, but no big fluctuations since that loss.

So anyway, that's me. Same old inexplicable pain in my lower right ribs. My mother and boyfriend are getting worried because it just comes on and I basically just have to stay still and try to deal with it until it goes away.

I hope I haven't rambled on too much for any of you, and I look forward to hearing about anyone's developments. Good luck everyone, and I'm glad I found this board. Thanks for the time and support.

Just out of curiuosity, does anyone else have any problems with their jaw? Mine cracks loudly about once an hour when i open my mouth wide. I have no idea if this is related to my other problems but i figured i'd ask.

Nok,

I just posted my reply to all the rib pain complaints, and then I noticed yours about your jaw. Oddly enough, I too find that my jaw cracks an awful lot. I have kind of a double jointed jaw (I know, weird), and I would say it cracks about once an hour. Sometimes it can get a little painful. I doubt it's related to the rib pain, but I have an idea about something it might be. I'm a nursing student and last year I heard about a disorder called TMJ- Temporo Mandibular Joint Disorder. It may have a connection, so you might want to pull up some stuff online about it. Maybe your symptoms match up. I hope you can fix your problem.

Oh gosh I just read this whole thread.

I have suffered from this kind of pain since 1986 after the birth of my second baby.

I had many tests done back then all negative.

After three more babies and continued pain (directly under right rib, burning, and pulsating towards back) I still haven't found an anwer.

Three years ago it flared up really bad again. (13 years after the nagging pain first started) So I repeated the Utra-sound and other tests and added a colonoscopy) All normal again.

This has helped so much reading all this information.

I've pretty much decided it was a muscle thing as deducted by many on this board.

I have worried quite abit about it during these years, but all the tests come back normal.

I am 43, and with each baby (5 years ago being the last) it seemed to moved around. If I sit up really straight and watch my stress if goes away. When I slouch over it gets worse. I'm thinking my IBS might aggravate it too...don't really know.

I had no idea so many experienced this kind of rib pain.

I've never done a google search, but with all the information here, why do it.

Hi there, I have now been in pain for that last 2 days right under the right rib cage. It's that same feeling when you finish eating and your run you get a bad cramp, that's exactly what it feel's like and if I push on it or move side to side and even when i walk that's all I feel??? I have been drinking out of the norm lat;ey and I never used to so I am not sure if this is what could be , I do have gallstones but the pain I am getting people whoo have had gallstones tell me that's not your gall bladder? Did you ever have this pain, even if I take a big deep breath and exhale I still feel it.
Can you please give me some advise if you have any.

Thanks

Lulu, I would carefully read this whole thread.

Most of us with this pain have been checked for gallstones and gallbladder disease.

Most likely its a muscle spasm of some sort. At least for me I'm pretty sure it is. I've had it for so long off and on. When I get stressed or sit for long periods it seems to flare up.

Its a long thread, but will be worth your time.

Its a long thread, but will be worth your time.[/QUOTE]

Here I come to join the club. However my pain in on the left side and started in Aug 2003.

I still wonder if mine was induced by incorrect medications or just mysteriously happened as I have not had any physical accident.

Granted, I have been highly stressed taking medications unwilling.

It is now almost 2 weeks I was told I have costochondritis and I am thinking of trying Prolotherapy.

Have any of you tried Prolotherapy? Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone, my first post here. Ditto to everything concerning the upper right pain. I have a few observations about mine and am wondering if anyone can relate. The pain is in the same location as most have stated.. right under the right side rib, but I have been experiencing additional 'anomalies' that seem connected. I guess ill bullet list them in order:

-Frequent urinating..often dark in color
-Flu-like symtoms..chills, etc.
-Feeling a heated sensation over entire body
-Dry, itchy skin and hair
-Feelings of nervousness and problems with concentration
-Sinus problems
-Fatigue
-Feeling achey
-Strange, bitter taste in mouth/sinuses
-Facial swelling/lips
-Jaw pains

These symptoms are not experienced all the time or all together but seem to come and go along with the right rib mystery. Also, while I have been experiencing these problems for several years now, the unsettling thing is my girlfriend is starting to experience the rib pains and other symptoms as well. We are sexually active in unprotected sex, which leads me to suspect something viral. We have both been tested for stds but are 'normal'..same as many of the other standard tests for this thing.
The fact that so many of us are presenting the very same mysterious symptoms is alarming and curious. I share in the frustrations of just not knowing and psychologically feeling like a leprosy case. It is good to be with you guys on this thing and we will get some answers.

Just a thought, 'Is there a yeast connection/problem going on here?" Suggestions welcomed. Thank you.

Hi everyone, my first post here. Ditto to everything concerning the upper right pain. I have a few observations about mine and am wondering if anyone can relate. The pain is in the same location as most have stated.. right under the right side rib, but I have been experiencing additional 'anomalies' that seem connected. I guess ill bullet list them in order:

-Frequent urinating..often dark in color
-Flu-like symtoms..chills, etc.
-Feeling a heated sensation over entire body
-Dry, itchy skin and hair
-Feelings of nervousness and problems with concentration
-Sinus problems
-Fatigue
-Feeling achey
-Strange, bitter taste in mouth/sinuses
-Facial swelling/lips
-Jaw pains

These symptoms are not experienced all the time or all together but seem to come and go along with the right rib mystery. Also, while I have been experiencing these problems for several years now, the unsettling thing is my girlfriend is starting to experience the rib pains and other symptoms as well. We are sexually active in unprotected sex, which leads me to suspect something viral. We have both been tested for stds but are 'normal'..same as many of the other standard tests for this thing.
The fact that so many of us are presenting the very same mysterious symptoms is alarming and curious. I share in the frustrations of just not knowing and psychologically feeling like a leprosy case. It is good to be with you guys on this thing and we will get some answers.

Well, I just discovered this (thread?) today after looking up "floating ribs pain" on Google! I had come from the doctor after my sharp, "flesh-ripping" pain below my lower right rib came back and stayed this time. I had been dealing with this since I was about in my mid 20's (I am now 37). It happenned one day when I ate a heavy lunch at work. I hadn't eaten all day and ate late in the day. I had finished eating, then turned and it hit me. I call it flesh-ripping because, to me, that is the only way I can describe it. That day, it lasted for about 20 minutes ( I was doubled over ) and then I just sat there and it finally went away that night. But every so often, when I would turn or just be standing there it would come back. It is only on my front side just below the lower right rib.
About 4 years ago it seemed "worse than normal", so I went to see a doctor (Kaiser). The doctor said I was fine, but had me do an ultrasound. Of course that turned out fine. So I had decided to basically just live with it. It seems to have been getting worse latey. Then last night (around 6pm) , I was sitting at my desk and turned and it "caught" and it hasn't let go since. Today, I went back to Kaiser and the doctor said I was fine and even belittled me, suggesting that I was making it up! He did, however, agree to have a Catscan done. It came out fine and he sent me on my merry way, just telling me to take Advil! Well thanks for reading , and it's nice to know that there are others!

Seanboy1,

Don't you feel a second opinion (from another doctor) and a serious approach to your medical concerns coming on?

"Today, I went back to Kaiser and the doctor said I was fine and even belittled me, suggesting that I was making it up! He did, however, agree to have a Catscan done. It came out fine and he sent me on my merry way, just telling me to take Advil!"

I believe in solving the problem, not lessening the symptoms with drugs.

Most of all listen to your body:)

wow, this is a loooonnnngggggg thread, but i read every persons story and in many ways i am relieved to find others with similar problems. my story, however, is a bit different.

in may of 2003 i was 7 months pregnant and my health started to decline. i blew up like a balloon and just felt awful. i normally have low blood pressure, but it rose quite a bit durring that time, however it was still in the "normal" limits according to the doctors and since everyone must fall outside of that "normal" range to be abnormal, they said to watch what i ate. did i mention that i couldn't get shoes on any more because of the water weight gain? 40 pounds gained in 2 months? 60 pounds overall? strange how everyone else was concerned but the doctors.
ANYWAY...... they finally tried to induce me a day after my due date, probably to shut me up from complaining about how i felt, but it didn't work!!!!!!! 24 hours of pitocin and all that jazz and i dialated 1/2 a cm!!! so i went home :(

finally a week later my water broke. i called the doc at 2:30 in the morning and she said, well you better get in because you really need to be in active labor within 6 hours so you don't get an infection.
i went in, and they did that little PH test strip thing. it didn't turn the right color so they said my water didn't break. ummmmmmm....ok, i guess i was profusley leaking a mystery fluid.

i laid there for 10 hours before the doctor came to see me. at which time she had to do some kind of other test to see if it was my ambiotic fluid. it was DUH!!! any i also started to get an infection, imagine that. by the way she was 34 weeks preg-o at the time, you would think she would be a little more aggressive.

so there i was 105 fever and 31 hours later, i hadn't dialated all the way, they couldn't do a c-section because of the severity of my infection and my contractions had stopped. i litterally had to push him out at 9.5 cm with contractions at the strength of 4. my son was born in full respitory failure and had to be revived and put on a ventalator.....

what does this have to do with the right rib pain you ask? i am getting there.
after a week in the hospital, my son made a 100% recovery and i was at about 70%, but we got to come home. my son was on oxygen for 2 weeks just to be sure but he has never shown any signs of complications. i however am another matter.

6 weeks after he was born i got a stomach ache, a wierd one, like someone had dropped a bowling ball on my stomach. it then moved over to the right side. i went to the doctor and he said that my appendix was going bad, common after pregnancy. i was very upset as i did not want to be in the hospital yet again, away from my son so soon after our ordeal.

i went to the ER, they did a CT and said that they thought my appendix had ruptured as there was a lot of inflamation in that area, so i had to have surgury right away. you would think that meant within an hour, maybe two, but 9 hours later i went into surgury. the surgeon assured me that it would be an easy thing, not to worry...blah blah blah..

turns out it wasn't my appendix. my colon was inflamed and infected. they took the appendix anyway and stiched me back up. i woke up to infectious disease people and a very scared husband. the condition that i had was reffered to as "typhlitis" it means inflamation of the secum caused by infection. a condition typically seen in cancer and AIDS patients. a condition with a 50-100% mortality rate. no one knew why/how i got it, but speculated that it was risidual from my labor infection.

i was put on broad spectrum anti-biotics IV and was soooooooooo sick, both from the infection and the medicine. i finally got to come home. i was still on anti-biotics, orally now, which made me puke so hard i wasn't even sure if i was getting any medicine.

i got the right rib pain then, but it went away untill recently. i have had to have many tests to see if this thing is gone or if it caused any problems. i don't know if it was the stress, if i got a stomach bug, or what, but i started throwing up again and getting the runs. i went to the doctor sure i was getting that illness again because of the pain in my abdomen. all my blood work is normal, no HIV, no leukemia, no liver mal-functions. i had a barium enema, an upper gi series and an ultra sound....all normal. i still have this pain, primarilly under my right ribs and it seems worse when i am gassy. it is pretty much there all the time.

i have had to go on panic disorder medication because i have convinced myself i am dying. this pain could be stress related, it could be anything, but i am so hyper-vigillant now that i can't stop thinking about it.

geeezzz this is long now, and keep in mind this has all been in the last 6 months. my doctor says that he wants me to get an ultra sound again on my gall bladder, but i am not sure i want out even if there is a slight problem. the crazy thing is i really have no other symptoms. i am mentally torturing myself and can't seem to stop.

has anyone else heard of something like this?

Nyxin,

Sorry to hear of your torture.

"... the crazy thing is i really have no other symptoms. i am mentally torturing myself and can't seem to stop. has anyone else heard of something like this?"

My left rib problem was finally correctly diagnosed as as "costochrondritis" -I went through a medical torture story before correct findings in November 2003-

As a result, of this medical mistake I was emotionally upset until I had another ECG/EKG (no longer on meds) which showed that my heart was fine.

Now I am relaxed and even exercising, that is walking daily to stay fit :)

Nyxin, do get 2nd and 3rd opinions if your body feels the need for you to do so. Better safe than sorry.

Oh, just curious, is your baby progressing well since this ordeal?

Nyxin,

Sorry to hear of your torture.

"... the crazy thing is i really have no other symptoms. i am mentally torturing myself and can't seem to stop. has anyone else heard of something like this?"

My left rib problem was finally correctly diagnosed as as "costochrondritis" -I went through a medical torture story before correct findings in November 2003-

As a result, of this medical mistake I was emotionally upset until I had another ECG/EKG (no longer on meds) which showed that my heart was fine.

Now I am relaxed and even exercising, that is walking daily to stay fit :)

Nyxin, do get 2nd and 3rd opinions if your body feels the need for you to do so. Better safe than sorry.

Oh, just curious, is your baby progressing well since this ordeal?


my baby is fantastic. he is actually 6 weeks ahead developmentally. i think that if i just give myself some time to heal mentally and physically i can get over this. i am glad you are doing well now. my mom has the same thing, it is in the middle of her chest, but i know it can be on ethier side as well. happy holidays to you and thanks for asking about my son!

5 years ago I started getting a burning pain in my lower right rib area. This pain sometimes extended around to the back to my spine. I would sometimes have pain simultaneously in front and back. The pain in the front area also produced a numb feeling on my skin over the pain inflicted area. At the time I was pregnant. After consulting several doctors they concluded that it was costochondritis and gave me an anti-inflammatory injection into the area. This had no effect. I do believe that it is a form of costochondritis but anti-inflammatories have no results because of the muscle spasms. Over the years, I have resulted in self diagnosis. My internal med doctor suggested that the back pain portion of it was a muscle spasm and to take yoga. I did not take yoga but did some exercises he suggested. I have found that the pain does go away when I slightly arch my spine backwards at the area of pain. This action releases the muscle spasm and releases the pain. I believe if I was to do regular back and stomach exercises, this pain would subside. I am now pregnant again and having the same problem because of the weight pulling on my back. If I use an arched pillow, the intense pain will go away. I can still feel the burning sensation but not excruciating as it is at times. Hope this helps someone.....

Hello,
I am so glad that I found this place online. I too suffer from rib pain and have had ALOT of test that came back just fine. I also have fibromyalgia ( which as you know the Drs blame everything on it). Sometimes my pain gets real bad. Even though I have fibromyalgia I do not take anything for it. All the Drs want to give me is all this meds that make me feel like all I want to do is sleep. Is there a special kind of Dr out there that can help without all the meds? I have 7 kids and I can not slow down for a min.
Also any advise for our spouses. My husband is the greatest!! But sometimes I think he is tired of how I feel. I wish I could get some more info on that "costochondritis" that everyone keeps talking about. Please let me know.
Thanks

Willkula i dont want to scare you,but you might want to do a search on liver disease symptoms or hepatitis.

I have experienced pain in the lower right rib for about 6 weeks. I have a hiatal hernia which causes a lot of acid reflux so I thought it might be related to that. However, my doctor recently changed my medication to Protonix and all acid reflux has stopped but the rib pain is still there. It seems to be worse when I bend at the waist a lot. I play golf and after 18 holes of bending down to tee up my ball, bending down to get the ball out of the hole, bending down to pick up clubs, etc. the pain is really worse. It takes a day for it to subside.

I am an older woman, recently went on the Atkins eating program, lost 13 lbs, am eating a higher fat diet, and drink a few days a week...

It is nice to know I'm not alone with this rib pain. It feels muscular in nature as it is like something gets pinched when I bend down then I have to stand up slowly or the pain is worse. It also hurts when I sleep on my stomach then turn over - same sensation as though something is getting pinched inside.

I'm definitely going to take some of this information to my doctor so he can see about the "costochrondritis" and other things. Thank you all!

I too have been experiencing pain under my right rib area accompanied by a terrible sickness for almost two years. I've seen five doctors, had ultrasounds, two ct scans, two MRCP's, a colonoscopy, a liver biopsy, removal of my gallbladder, the scope in the stomach(I'm not sure what this test is called), dozens of blood test, upper GI series and small bowell followthrough. The only thing the Drs. have found is fatty liver and fluid in the gallbladder fossa, but they say that neither condition would cause this pain or sickness. My condition keeps getting worse and I'm at the point now where I can hardly do anything. My doctor has recommended that I have an endoscopic ultrasound. has anyone had this test? It is supposed to be more accurate than ERCP and with less change of complications.

Wow, I don't know how I missed this thread. I guess it's because most of my posting is done in the digestive disorders area. My pain started with acute erosive gastritis w/ erosion also in the duodenum. On my second EGD, the erosion was gone and I still had mild gastritis. However, once the stomach pains began getting better, the upper right discomfort began. I have had so many tests that my doctors are reluctant to do anything else. Some of my tests include colonoscopy, HIDA scan, abdominal ultrasound, abdominal ct scan, small bowel follow through, barium enema w/ x-rays, 2 EGDs and lots of blood work. Nothing has shown anything except for my blood work which has shown my cholesterol bouncing all over the place which just doesn't look right and now my AST has been slightly elevated on the last two tests and my ALT is rising. The URQ discomfort is with me all the time and never goes away. I asked to be tested for hepatitis last Friday and I am waiting for the results. My only diagnosis has been IBS which I totally disagree with because I don't feel that I have the classic symptoms and my discomfort never leaves where people with IBS usually have relief and then periodic flare-ups. Anyway, I just wanted to throw in my URQ discomfort story.

Hey Actudan its me suzyshop.When you first got diagnosed with your throat problem ,what did they say caused it?Ive had scans ,blood tests you name it ive had it probably.Last time at the gastro i was surprised to find i have an iron deficiency.He seems to think i might have been bleeding internally inside,just not enough for it to be noticed.I been trying to tell them all along i think its an ulcer.The doctor finally admitted that it could be an ulcer.Im having more bloodwork done,and colonoscopy and another hida scan done.How many hida scans have you had done?The last test there going to do is the endoscopy because i had one already last summer.Have you been checked for an iron deficiency.Are you experiencing any tiredness or weakness?Our symptoms seem to be so similar, my pain is getting worse also.If i get any answers to what im experiencing you will certainly be one of the first to know, being that we have been at this for quite awhile.Take care.

Hi Suzy,

I never had a throat problem just a stomach and duodenum problem. My throat looked fine and I was never experiencing refluxing so I wasn't worried about Barretts or anything like that. My doctor has said that I running tests over again is really all he could do. I don't want that unless there is some idea of what is being sought. I have had only one HIDA scan and it was w/o the CCK so I don't know if it was a procedure worth having w/o the CCK. I will compare my iron levels to see how they have looked over the last 6 months. I was told more than once that I wasn't anemic so I didn't really bother looking closely at my RBC or iron levels. I know that they are w/in normal range but doesn't tell a whole lot. I will get back with you on that issue.

I haven't experienced fatigue or weakness either. My liver enzymes and erratic cholesterol and a one time elevated c-reactive protein have been my only items outside the normal range. Anyway, I sure hope that you find some answers because I am always tracking your progress since like you said our problems appear to be very similar. I am waiting for my hepatitis results. If it returns normal, I don't know what I will be doing next. It seems that yuo have doctors that are listening and trying to figure out what's wrong. Or are you are the one pushing for more and more tests like me? I am on my 3rd gi and feel like changing family doctor. I am the one who keeps pushing because my current IBS dx just pisses me off!! :mad: Anyway, take care and hope to hear good news from you soon!

Well no Hepatitis so still got to figure out what's causing upper right discomfort.

Wow, I don't know how I missed this thread. I guess it's because most of my posting is done in the digestive disorders area. My pain started with acute erosive gastritis w/ erosion also in the duodenum. On my second EGD, the erosion was gone and I still had mild gastritis. However, once the stomach pains began getting better, the upper right discomfort began. I have had so many tests that my doctors are reluctant to do anything else. Some of my tests include colonoscopy, HIDA scan, abdominal ultrasound, abdominal ct scan, small bowel follow through, barium enema w/ x-rays, 2 EGDs and lots of blood work. Nothing has shown anything except for my blood work which has shown my cholesterol bouncing all over the place which just doesn't look right and now my AST has been slightly elevated on the last two tests and my ALT is rising. The URQ discomfort is with me all the time and never goes away. I asked to be tested for hepatitis last Friday and I am waiting for the results. My only diagnosis has been IBS which I totally disagree with because I don't feel that I have the classic symptoms and my discomfort never leaves where people with IBS usually have relief and then periodic flare-ups. Anyway, I just wanted to throw in my URQ discomfort story.I truely understand your pain, my pain is constant every day, did you have an endoscoptic ultrasound?

crystalangel,

I have not had an endoscopic ultrsound. If my discomfort is still there when I see my GI again (which I know will be), I will ask for this procedure. I am running out of things to ask for. Repeating tests is an option but which ones? Didn't think I could get even more frustrated but I think my frustration increases after each tests comes back negative.

How long have you had your pain and which tests have you had done? Has anything for you come back abnormal such as elevated liver enzymes? My discomfort is there every single day which is why I want to slap my docs when they suggest IBS. I rather them say they don't know what it is instead of categorize me to the IBS group. Good luck with your situation!

Whats is a endoscopic endoscopy,whats the differance between that and a regular endoscopy?Is one more accurate than the other? Also is a uncomfortable procedure?Thanks for any reply

Whats is a endoscopic endoscopy,whats the differance between that and a regular endoscopy?Is one more accurate than the other? Also is a uncomfortable procedure?Thanks for any reply


I got to thinking about this and I am thinking they are the same procedure. At first I was thinking of ERCP and endoscopic ultrasound but now I think endoscopic endoscopy is just an EGD.

Here is a list of endoscopic procedures I found

Upper Endoscopy (EGD)
Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS)
Colonoscopy
Sigmoidoscopy
Capsule Endoscopy

Thanks for the reply Actudan.The reason i asked was i thought maybe the doctor was missing the boat on ordering me one of those tests.Since hes done just about every other test.

:confused: :confused: crystalangel,

I have not had an endoscopic ultrsound. If my discomfort is still there when I see my GI again (which I know will be), I will ask for this procedure. I am running out of things to ask for. Repeating tests is an option but which ones? Didn't think I could get even more frustrated but I think my frustration increases after each tests comes back negative.

How long have you had your pain and which tests have you had done? Has anything for you come back abnormal such as elevated liver enzymes? My discomfort is there every single day which is why I want to slap my docs when they suggest IBS. I rather them say they don't know what it is instead of categorize me to the IBS group. Good luck with your situation!
Hi actudan, sorry to hear you STILL haven't found out anything. I've been having pain in the upper right quadrant for almost two years. I've had to surgery to remove my gallbladder, a liver biopsy, colonoscopy, two cat scans, two mrcp's(MRI's), two ultrasounds,the scope in the stomach(sorry don't remember name of test),dozens of blood test,including hepatitis. The only thing that has showed up is fatty liver. My doctor said this would not cause the pain. My liver enzymes go high and then back to normal. Just had an upper GI, small bowel follow through. If this test is normal, my doctor wants me to have the endoscopic ultrasound, I think this is a somewhat new procedure because it is not done locally where I live, I will have to travel to another city. But I know how you feel, when each test I have, I hope they find the problem, but so far, nothing. If I have the endoscopic ultrasound, I"ll let you know, my doctor said it is more accurate than the MRI. So hang in there.

:confused: :confused:
Hi actudan, sorry to hear you STILL haven't found out anything. I've been having pain in the upper right quadrant for almost two years. I've had to surgery to remove my gallbladder, a liver biopsy, colonoscopy, two cat scans, two mrcp's(MRI's), two ultrasounds,the scope in the stomach(sorry don't remember name of test),dozens of blood test,including hepatitis. The only thing that has showed up is fatty liver. My doctor said this would not cause the pain. My liver enzymes go high and then back to normal. Just had an upper GI, small bowel follow through. If this test is normal, my doctor wants me to have the endoscopic ultrasound, I think this is a somewhat new procedure because it is not done locally where I live, I will have to travel to another city. But I know how you feel, when each test I have, I hope they find the problem, but so far, nothing. If I have the endoscopic ultrasound, I"ll let you know, my doctor said it is more accurate than the MRI. So hang in there.

I'm in agreement here with crystalangel..It sounds like alot of you on this post have a fatty liver..fatty liver can cause pain..mine has been dull and not sharp at all..i have lost weight and it has subsided alot...I don't have it every day it worsens (flutters alot) around that time of the month..sometimes all the tests in the world will not show anything..my advice.. reduce your alcohol intake and change your diet..i think the fact that obesity in our world is the second biggest killer now is the reason why so many of us have this fatty liver in this day and age..think about it..good luck to all, Lisa

I have posted before but only on the digestive disorders board, but I still have not found an answer ANY ideas are very much appreciated.
I have had constant pain in the upper right side of my abdomen - just under my ribs for 8+ months now.
It started suddenly and has NEVER gone away since--I have it 24 hours a day. The pain feels like a strange sort of pressure from the inside - like something is trying to push its way out of my abdomen because there is not enough space for everything to fit. The pain gets worse when I eat (anything). I cannot eat or drink more than about 4-6 oz at a time w/out suffering terrible pain - as a result have lost 20+ pounds (and I was thin to begin with).
The pain also gets worse if I move certain ways (i.e. twisting my abdomen/trunk)...and of course if I press on the area. The pain is NOT musular as is does not hurt when I do a sit-up or tense the muscles and press on the area. It only hurts when I press and my belly is soft.

I have NO lower abdominal pain at all, No pain on the left side of my abdomen, and NO bowel changes or symptoms. The pain never moves and it does not radiate to other areas.

I have seen a multitude of specialists (GI (2), Infectious disease, gynecologist, urologist, nephrologist) and have had a battery of tests.
Tests includine abdominal CAT, MRI, HIDA scan (w/out CCK) (gallbladder and liver), Upper GI, endoscopy, enteroscopy, wireless endoscopy and tons of blood tests for everything from lupus to Celiac to lead poisoning. ALL tests have been negative - have shown NOTHING abnormal.
I am on Elavil for the pain (but it is not helping w. pain but helps me sleep through the pain.) I took Protonix for 2 months and tried Zelnorm too w/ no response to either.
The surgeon I consulted with is pretty adamant about NOT doing a laparoscopy since all of the other tests have been negative - he doesn't think it will show anything.

I am desperate to feel like a normal person again...to be able to eat a normal meal and to end the constant pain. I don't know what to do...since none of the tests I had showed anything AND no one is willing to do a laparoscopy to potentially find something that may not be showing up on a scan - I am left to suffer in misery with no answers and no help. I seem to be at a dead end...

Has anyone had a similar experience or can anyone possibly shed some light on this situation? Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do?

I've also had that same pain,& it nearly takes my breath away,esp.when I would be on my knees in the flower bed working.........

Guys, you might be surprised to know there's an identical "no name pain" club on another board! Check it out....
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=187375
Does anyone else get a "stretchy" feeling in their ribs (painful or not) when they lie on their backs, by the way?

Could this be your liver thats hurting? I have chronic liver pain due to my Autoimmune Hepatitis and what your describing sounds very familiar.

i've been having the same pain but my back has also been hurting in the lumbar area for a month now. i'm sure that was caused by muscle strain working with bags of cement. then i took off on a 3400 mile car trip and the car seat hurts my back just driving across town. so i am thinking it is a muscle thing. i guess i should go to the end of this thread to see what you all have come up with. john

Hi! I am new to this site so bare with me. I have experienced pain in my right rib cage for four years now. I am 29 years old. My liver enzymes would go up and down also as high as in the thousands. Last year I saw a liver specialist wwho did alot of blood work and liver biospy. Everything was fine except for elevated enzymes. I was hospitalized in December for extreme dehydration and elevated enzymes. Finally rthe group of doctors decided to do a test to check how much pressure my bilary sphincter muscle was putting out. It was high so they cut an opening to relieve the pain. This was successful for two months,but now I am experiencing the same pain again. Ther is no medicine that I am told and they need to check pressure again. If this continues will have to have major operation to cut and fold back this muscle. IThe procedure they did is called an ECRP. I hope this helps in some way!!!!

Hi all, I have been having the same right rib pain radiating to the back and sizzling like a few have said. I thought it was my Gall bladder too, but I have Costalchondritis that i have known about for about 8 yrs now. I felt it in my chest,breast area and thought I was having a heart attack. I am in the medical field (Laboratory) so I was able to get immediate help and 3 other women were diagnosed as well. One passed out from being unable to breath! Anyhow I just presented with the rib symptoms the past couple of months. I am not real active, I relax alot now because of going through Fertility treatments etc. I am so glad to know others have the same problem as myself. By the way, most Doctors don't even know what Costalchondritis is, so don't expect them to understand anything we are going through. Eager to talk to most of you....thanks, KelliC

Hi folks just want to chime in that I also have had this for the past few years. It coincided with an anxiety disorder I had developed so I'm fairly sure it has something to do with stress. Has anyone considered massage therapy combined with accupuncture? I am considering trying this combo as the regular docs just tell me it's chostocondrisis and there's nothing I can do except take pain meds.

Frank

I am so glad to find other people out there with this problem. It will probably take me a week to read all the posts....
Mine started about 4 years ago (I was 24 which I saw as a common theme with other posts).
I have right sided rib pain. Sometimes sharp, sometimes dull, hurts more when sitting. Feels like my ribs are bruised. Sometimes it feels like something is tickling me. As with most of these other posts, it feels like something is in there.
I had an ultrasound of the gallbladder which was normal.
My dr originally diagnosed me with an ulcer because I was taking Prednisone which sometimes causes ulcers. He put me on Zantac for 6 months and the pain went away. It would come back every now and then, but I figured I was just stressed out and "aggrevating my ulcer". Then about 2 weeks ago it came back. I tried eating low/no fat foods but that didn't help. I kept a log of what I was eating (because I was sure it was my gallbladder) but it didn't get any worse/better with eating. I finally made an appt to see my dr. After being poked and proded (yes, he lifted up my rib cage and said "does this hurt?" Well, duh....) He pushed on my gallbladder and liver and it didn't get any worse so he said that I may have inflammation of the cartilage and put my on anti-inflammatory. Of course, as soon as I left the dr I felt 100% better. It's been a week now and the pain has come back this morning with a vengence. I got pretty stressed yesterday with work so I am wondering if stress brings it out. I do smoke (have been trying to quit) and it makes me more stressed to think about not smoking. I'm going to read all these other posts, take some of the advice I've already read, and be happy knowing that I am not all alone crazy.
BTW, my dr said that pain comes from something and that it's not in my head.
If anyone gets a cureall for this email me at (REMOVED).
Good luck!

An update for those of you who may be interested.

After taking Naprosyn (? sp) for 2 weeks, which only made the pain worse, I went back to the dr. He took some blood to test for ulcers, which came back negative. He also switched me to Vioxx. I have been taking it for a week and it is amazing how fast the pain has gone away. I still have a minor flare up about once a day, but it is not nearly as bad as it was pre-Vioxx. So, I guess the dr was right: costochondritis.

Hope anyone else has as good of luck as I have had!

Hello i all, i can't believe i have found you all. I am very nervous lately its been one thing after another with me. I have had chronic mastioditis in right ear and am deaf in right ear cause of it. In april i ended up with 2 ruptured disk and one herniated. So i was put on percocet for 8 weeks, then got spinal epidural injections and my back was like 75% better, and now I have found one cyst or lump located on the same side same place on right and left rib, wierd. They do not really hurt, but are annoying. Its like i can chase it up and down my last rib on each side. they move around they feel like a small grape. I am having some shooting pain under my right rib cage, and some times more to the left lower rib cage. I ignore it simply cause i don't want to go back to the doctors i am tired, but care about taking care of myself and family. Also I am just now able to catch up from medical bills from the back. I was also taking a birthcontrol pill simply for a cyst on my ovary which is somewhat better, i stopped taking it because i don't like taking meds when not needed. i was on the pill for 8 months. (orthotrycilinlo).
I don't hurt all the time like a lot of you it comes and goes and happens when i am sitting more than not. Sometime after I eat. Any advice greatly appreciated. thanks :

I can't believe I have found people, who are going through the same problems as me. I been having this problem for almost 5 years. I've been through a lot of testing, too. I had a hyda-scan, endoscopy,colonoscopy,chest & spine x-rays,sonogram,ulrasound,blood test, and an upper GI. Nothing was found, except I had a disfunctional gall bladder, which I had removed. I also had a hysterectomy, yet I am still having the pains. I have a localized pain in my lower to mid rib area. My pain radiates to the front rib cage as if I still have a gall bladder, and then it could radiate underneath my shoulder blade and down to my hip bone. My pain never goes away. It is constantly with me no matter what. Some days it mild and dull, and then other days are severe. My body has tolerated the pain for so long that I'm use to it being there. I sometimes feel a ball of some sort between the rib and the spine. I've been to so many doctors I lost count. The doctors always gave me naproxin, motrin800(muscle relaxer), and vicodine, and nothing helps. I even went to the emergeny room for pain management, they gave me demarol(maybe spelled wrong) and it made me sleepy, but the pain was still there. My pancreas test was abnormal, my amelayse is unusually elevated. Still no answers. I am frustrated, angry, and depressed constantly because no doctor is willing to help me find my diagnosis. All I want is a diagnosis, can someone please help?

This is in reference to acc. post. I also have the same pain and I also have been told that I have acute pancreatitis because my amaylace levels were elevated. This could be something to do with our pancreas. I am supposed to go to GI Doctor next month maybe I'll get lucky and he'll solve the mystery.

Hi everyone
I too have had the pain in my right rib area
for about 18 months. I had every test talked
about here.Then finally I went to a orthopedic
doctor and had a myleo-gram and found a herinated
disk in my thorasic spine that was compressing
nerves to my right rib area.He said theirs hundreds
of nerves around the rib area that will make you think
it is a internal problem. But this my case everyone
should have everything checked so that they can rule out all possible problems.

Hi bull613 and everyone,

I'm new to posting here. I must admit it's nice to find others that are suffering the same ailment as me. I've been suffering for 14 months - have had all the same tests as the rest of you. I even had a surgery in April, 2004 to remove 2 inches of my rib which was protruding out from the rest of my ribs. It was absolutely no help.

Bull613 - I was wondering which location had the herniated disc and what they did about it? I have had an MRI which showed minor herniations at T10-11 and T11-12, plus a bulge at T5-6. However, I've seen 2 different neurosurgeons that both said they were too minor to cause my pain. I've heard of people getting better results with the myelogram but so far neither neurosurgeon wanted to do a myelogram and my GP won't order it - he wants the NS to order it. You said your orthopedic doctor scheduled the myelogram - was that an orthopedic doctor or an orthopedic surgeon? The doctor that removed part of my rib was an orthopedic surgeon and he didn't want to do anything about my herniated discs, either.

Any advice you might have would be appreciated!

Thanks.

Just out of curiuosity, does anyone else have any problems with their jaw? Mine cracks loudly about once an hour when i open my mouth wide. I have no idea if this is related to my other problems but i figured i'd ask.

I, too, am not sure if this is related, but my jaw cracks quite often. As a teenager I was diganosed with minor TMJ (disjointed jaw). I've had that all my life and this new pain is just within the past year so I'm not so sure about the relativeness.

Some other similarities between me and others on this board: right handed, lots of work on computers, most painful when sitting/driving/lying on stomach/reaching with my right hand, no doctors have been able to figure this out (lots and lots and lots of tests), only started about a year ago, have minor herniated discs.

I'm wondering now if it isn't a repetitive stress disorder, like carpal tunnel, given that I spent over 15 years working on a computer, reaching for the mouse. Any others have a long history on computers? This would also explain the more recent history (only past few years) of this problem as computers have become much more in use over the past decade and it may just take that long to develop this. The only thing that bothers me about this theory is that I have done a lot less work on computers in the past year - and haven't used the mouse at all (use a laptop with trackball) in well over a year. Of course, I could have just gotten so damaged that there's no 'going back'. I know carpal tunnel is like this - you can permanently damage your wrists such that no surgery can fix it.

I'm going to start looking into some of the relaxation techniques as well as homeopathic remedies.
I'm also going to make a concerted effort to not use my right hand for anything - try to 'favor it' for the next month to see if that helps.

Best of luck - if anyone ever finds a 'cure' please, please post it!

Anyone of you here have anxiety/stress problems or overweight? I'm asking because my pain coincided with my anxiety disorder and subsequent rapid weight gain. Also anyone have trouble breathing while sleeping? I noticed that since the rib pains began sometimes I'd have dreams of somebody bearhugging me or being caught around the midsection in a vise only to wake up and have trouble inhaling like my diaphram was cramping or something.

Frank

I have been experiencing these same symptoms for going on 8 years. It can start with pain in the lower right rib cage and then start radiating from there. It turns into severe heart burn and my ribs become very tender, even bruised feeling. Things that bring it on are: sitting, bending over for any period of time (hunching my mid-section). I don't know of any specific food that will bring it on, however, if I am having episodes on a daily basis, I will certainly be more sensitive to many foods (i.e. coffee, milk products). If I eat bread, it helps. I think it is because I have heart burn by then and it absorbs the acid. A big thing that really seems to help is sleeping on a hard matress. Also, avoiding sleeping with my hands above my head. My back is actually the most comfortalble position. If I can make it through the night pain free, I am almost guaranteed a pain free day. A heating pad on the tummy helps also. The doctor diagnosed me with arthritis of the rib cage. I have been trying to take Aleve before bed every night to help insure that pain free night. My poor husband has taken to sleeping on the floor so that I can get a good night's rest. I have been tested for ulcers and given all sorts of antacid medicine. None bring relief. I hope these ideas help some of you. I know the same relief all of you felt when you found out you were not the only one with these symptoms. I hope with continued communication we can find some relief.

I posted a month or so ago claiming that I was healed...then they took Vioxx off the market and I'm back to square one. Been taking Celebrex but it's not helping at all. I've still got a few of my Vioxx left and take one when my pain gets really severe.

I was reading some of the recent posts and just wanted to let you know that I am left-handed but have the pain on my right side. My doctor said that if he could write me a Rx to not breath for about 2 weeks that I would get better. He said that everytime I take any breath in I am re-inflamming my ribs and it will just have to heal over time. I smoke and have been trying to quit and notice that the pain gets worse when I go several days without smoking. As soon as I start smoking again the pain goes away. Seems it would be the other way around. I hope I don't have this forever. Vioxx was so good for me and it really upsets me to think that I won't find anything else like it. A heating pad (one that wraps all the way around my ribs from front to back) seems to give some temporary relief. I am active and exercise at least 2-3 times per week. My doctor says I should take it easy for a while but that's easier said than done, especially when I'm trying not to smoke. I'm going to quit this time for at least a month and see if I can get over this pain threshold. I've got another appt in a few weeks for him to eval me. I don't know what else he could do. I'm thinking about getting regular massages because some people say this helps. Really, I have no answers but am glad that there are so many other people out there with the same problem...the relation to computer use would be interesting to research....

BTW, did anyone notice that this board has been looked at over 17,000 times???

I am currently experiencing pain under my right rib cage,that barely ever goes away. It starts after breakfast ,lasts all day, the pain actually moves from front to right side and to the back,then I feel it under my right shoulder blade. I do not vomit, just feel sometimes nausea and I'm quite tired. Stress is also making the pain worse. I tried yoga, changing my diet but nothing helps. Waiting for my insurance to become effective, then I'll see a doctor. I think it has something to do with liver or gallbladder. Maybe a gallstones?
I have 2 boys so I need to be a 100% there for them, I can't even take them trick-a-treat this year,how bad it is ( thank God for my husband) . Today I had to take a vicodin to stop the pain, but I know tomorrow it's going to be exact the same thing. It's a little relieve to know that I'm not the only one and that there is some explanation and treatment for this...

Thank you for any suggestions and comments. By the way happy Halloween and good luck to all of you. Hope we all feel better soon.
Denise

A friend just emailed this to me, because I have had right side pain for months and had lots of tests. I am printing this and calling my doctor.

General Information About Adult Primary Liver Cancer from webmd.com
Possible signs of adult primary liver cancer include a lump or pain on the right side.
These symptoms may be caused by swelling of the liver. These and other symptoms may be caused by adult primary liver cancer or by other conditions. A doctor should be consulted if any of the following problems occur:
• A hard lump on the right side just below the rib cage.
• Discomfort in the upper abdomen on the right side.
• Pain around the right shoulder blade.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).
• Unusual tiredness.
• Nausea.
• Loss of appetite.
Tests that examine the liver and the blood are used to detect (find) and diagnose adult primary liver cancer.
The following tests and procedures may be used:
• Physical exam and history: An exam of the body to check general signs of health, including checking for signs of disease, such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual. A history of the patient’s health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken.
• Blood chemistry studies: A procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances released into the blood by organs and tissues in the body. An unusual (higher or lower than normal) amount of a substance can be a sign of disease in the organ or tissue that produces it. An increased level of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the blood may be a sign of liver cancer. Other cancers and certain noncancerous conditions, including cirrhosis and hepatitis, may also increase AFP levels.
• Complete blood count: A procedure in which a sample of blood is drawn and checked for the following:
o The number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
o The amount of hemoglobin (the protein that carries oxygen) in the red blood cells.
o The portion of the sample made up of red blood cells.
• Laparoscopy: A surgical procedure to look at the organs inside the abdomen to check for abnormal areas. An incision (cut) is made in the abdominal wall and a laparoscope (a thin, lighted tube) is inserted into the abdomen. Tissue samples and lymph nodes may be removed for biopsy.
• Biopsy: The removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope to check for signs of cancer. The sample may be taken using a fine needle inserted into the liver during an x-ray or ultrasound. This is called needle biopsy or fine-needle aspiration. The biopsy may be done during a laparoscopy.
• CT scan (CAT scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography.
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): A procedure that uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI).
• Ultrasound: A procedure in which high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) are bounced off internal tissues or organs and make echoes. The echoes form a picture of body tissues called a sonogram.

Hey guys over at the anxiety board one member has reported that their doctor gave them a TENS machine which eases the pain. Maybe we can look into it.

http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=219305

>>Hi,

I've had chondritis off and on for quite a long time.

I finally made it in to see a pain doctor who diagnosed me as having 'severe, chronic chondritis'. He set me up to get a 'TENS' device, and it has really made a difference in my quality of life. It's just this little machine, about the size of a deck of cards that slips into your pocket, with electrodes attached that I put on over the area of pain. The idea is the electrical impulses from the TENS disrupt the nerve impulses to the brain that are signaling pain.

Like you, Maria, I've had multiple tests to rule out anything 'serious'.

But living every day in pain is serious! Talk about increasing anxiety!

jan<<

Frank

I have had this same problem for some time myself. I have had all kinds of liver, gallbladder, chest xrays and an ultrasound. I went to see a Rhuemotologist (sp?) and he said I have a whiplash type chronic strain injury. Do any of you spend alot of time at a desk or on a computer? I work in an office all day then I have a side business doing graphics and web design. He said it was likley due to far too much time on the computer. There is some interesting theory on this as well.

[ removed ]

hi there, a friend of mine had the very same pain, every time she ate or drank, turned out it was her gallbladder, she had it removed and as been fine ever since good luck :wave:

Hi everyone. New here too, although I checked this board out a year ago and never posted.

Same symptoms. Pain on right side, often below the rib cage and at times radiating down the back. One particular symptom that came on around the same time (two years ago) that noone else has mentioned is that when I lay down on my back I tend to get really dry eyes at night, not sure if anyone else experiences this.

Pain is not usually ever severe, I have experienced, at times, that it does come on after eating or drinking (I'm not a big drinker, pretty healthy lifestyle). Sometimes feels like an irritation in that area, other times feels like something is perhaps swollen or bloated.

Had all the tests, 3 ultrasounds, CT scan, xrays, endoscopy, etc. and nothing ever came up, except a small kidney stone, which the doctors said would not be the cause of this pain.

Can live with it during the day, but its sleeping which is the worst part. Cannot lie on my stomach (sometimes wake up difficulty breathing if I do), and not on my right side. So difficult to get comfortable, and often tossing and turning, and the dry eyes don't help.

LOL, it's not the end of the world, but an annoyance, and like the rest of you I would love some answers as to what my be the cause of this discomfort.

Since the gall bladder and liver are in that area, along with the duodenam, pancreas, and large intestine, I would think that perhaps it might be related to one of those organs, but could it be muscular, or rib cartilage? So many possible culprits, good luck everyone!

After putting up with this mysterious discomfort/pain for years, my Dr. tells me that it most likely is just gas buildup in the large intestines. I have had everything checked out, including a colonoscopy....there is no other answer it seems -- at least for me.

I have had it for at least 5 or 6 years. He said if it were anything serious I would be dead by now.

Brenda

Hi Guys,
Very new member here and so glad I found this place.
I thought I was losing my mind!
Here is what I bring to the table.

I have constant lower right pain in the abdomen, on the rib cage. It is tender to the touch and after it has been pressed on, it will throb and burn. (thanks doc for figuring that one out)
I have lost 15 pounds. I have no appetite. The doc has run liver, gall bladder blood test, white and red cell counts, urine test, EKG, 5 chest xrays and everything is inconclusive. I am awaiting the results on the TSH test, but I have been on thyroid meds for 13 years, so who knows what that will bring. I have an Abdomonal CT scan this coming week.
I also have have three "attacks" of severe nausea that lead to dry heaving for hours!! I would highly weak and fatigued after these dry heaving spells.
I have severley limited my diet due to the thought that this was all gall bladder related. I have not found a trigger for any of this and I am so frustrated.

The pain in the ribs comes an goes throughout the day, with nothing certain to trigger, such as eating or bowel movements. It used to come on everytime I ate, but doesn't any more, just when ever it feels like it wants to.

I am a young mother of one, and I had this odd pain when I was pregnant, although not at the same place. I was told my rib cage did not open enough to allow room for all of my organs and the pain I was feeling was the pressure from that. That was in the center of my chest. This pain is on the right side, down low at the base of the ribs.

Any insight is welcomed!!!! I am also being sent to a GI doc at the end of the month. Any questions I should ask??

Thanks in advance.

You could be me describing your symptoms. They are mine exactly. Did you ever get any diagnosis?

------
Minnie2

Minnie2,
Well, I got the test results back from the Thyroid test and the nurse replied happily "everything's normal!" I lost it. :blob_fire I asked her how everything is normal when I surviving on a bowl of cereal a day!!! She kinda did that, oh, you still don't feel well? I have my CT scan today. In four hours actually.
If this comes back inconclusive as well, and my doc still refuses to run gall bladder tests, then I am requesting my records and leaving. He screwed around with my dad, saying he had a sinus infection for 4 months when he actually had a 15 pound tumor in his abdomen. I have a two year old son, and I don't have time to waste.


I will have the results back today from the scan. Either way, with an answer or without, I will be crying. I am so frustrated to be living like this. ANd the usual comment is, what a great weight loss plan! People are so stupid sometimes! :dizzy:

I hope you start to feel better. Have you talked to any docs yet?

JFmiv,

He screwed around with my dad, saying he had a sinus infection for 4 months when he actually had a 15 pound tumor in his abdomen??????????

I am blown away that you are seeing this quack at all. Get a second opinion quick. We are responsible for our own recovery. I don't care if you have to go to 25 different doctors to get the correct answer but do it..Sorry if I sound a little agressive but I lost my father in law to a misdiagnosis like your dads. They had him in traction for back problems for a year. What did he have but a football size tumor in his groin. Don't make the same mistake by going to the same quack. Your baby needs you..Good luck, Lisa

Minnie2,
Well, I had the gall bladder test today and hopefully will have a whole lot more answers this time tomorrow. The CT scan was normal as was the TSH and every other test they have done. I am starting to hate that word, normal!!!!!

I think that the doc had his moment in the sun and he has washed his hands of me. Depending on the outcome of the Heita scan I will be going to a GI doc or a suregon for removal.

I just want answers.....

I am having the same symptoms, right side below rib cage. all tests showed negative, but I reaized pain and cramping began when I started taking "Lipitor" for my cholesteral among other symptoms in feet and legs. Stopped taking "Lipitor" pains in legs and back disappeared but side pain remains. Worse when sitting at computer or singing, seems to put pressure on diaphram causing increased pain and shortness of breath.

i am so glad i have found this forum....i was in tremendous pain before, and its not the 1st time...i always thought i was pulling muscles also but today, out of no where i took a shower and when i got out all of a sudden i got a sharp pain in my rib cage again, NOW this time i know i didnt do a thing...
a little history on me, i did break these ribs when i was a hockey player but that was 20 years ok...ok, i smoke and drink too much also but, nothing has ever pointed towards this....i really believe in that loose cartiledge theory...i mean its just too strange to have this all the time...
there are days i wake up and its ok and theres days i wake up and it hurts and all i did was sleep!
I have read alot of posts here and i am really hopefull that this can be treated because tonight was so painful i was near outa my mind with pain. Shortness of Breath and scared to death to take a deep one....and of course, i coughed and saw the end of the universe...im sick of this, i am happy to know that it is NOT normal to have this, i will be active in relieving this pain because to tell you the truth? This hurts as bad as breaking them...
Thank you all!!!

Minnie2
Just an update, I had a gall bladder that did not function and got it taken out this last Tues. I Just now getting out of the hospital 1-1-05. i hope you find the answers that you need.

Hi ALL,
I found this site by accident, and I am relieved that I am not the only one with this pain.
Just a brief history
-40 years old female
-pain for about 2 1/2 years
-had most of test that i see others have had,ultrasound,catscan,
-had my gallbladder out in may of 2002, the pain didn't go away
The pain is more now when I am sitting down or at rest. I just started back to the gym, pain doesn't bother me when I am working out, the PT advised me to stop working out so I did for a month and a half. I went a pain management clinic, they tried different meds, didn't help. So I see my doctor at the end of month for a physical, we will see what he has to say.
Any further advice would be gratefull
Thanks

Why did they tell you to stop working out?

alas, a group of people with similar pain issues...
sigh... sad to think so many are dealing with the same mysterious pain, but also a relief to know i'm not alone.
i have had this pain, below my rib cage, on the right hand side...
off & on for several years.
last year it was REALLY bad, beginning around the turn of the new year... i went to many doctors, tried various drugs... for muscles, for pain, for digestion problems... wasn't until i had the HIDA Scan with CCK that they finally realized my gallbladder wasn't functioning well. oh.. back up... i DID have an ultrasound done several months prior... and they found nothing. the lab tests regarding my gallbladder said my gallbladder had some scarring...
well, i recovered from that ordeal... and still an on again off again recurring pain... i figured it was just the aftermath of surgery...
well, here i am a year later... and it's ON again in a BIG way...
it's obviously NOT my gallbladder, although the symptoms are similar.
SYMPTOMS:
-hurts worse to sit up
-hurts worse at night
-feels weird to lay on my back... i get a "caving in feeling
-feels weird to twist at the waist
-gets worse if pushed on or messed with
-gets worse if i bend over too much
-sore feeling up under my right shoulder blade, when it's real bad
-increased belching/gas
-feels like somethings "in" there...
-seems to be brought on by stress
-seems to be aggravated if i drink TOO much coffee, maybe...

oh, and when i had my gallbladder removed, the surgeon took a look at my ovaries, liver & all that area... and didn't "see" anything abnormal.

so, that's a bit o' my story. i've been severely depressed by this reoccurence... i had hoped the surgery was the answer.

by the way, i read every post in this thread...
still no concrete answers... at least not for the majority.
eventually...

I spent almost 2 hours reading all these posts. It sounds to me like there are at least couple different issues going on. Im one more of those that have dozens of tests
and so far all they've found is a fatty liver. Well Im going to take a copy of this
to my doc but Im also going to try the liver cleaning receipe Fath Hop posted. If
I happen to learn anything new I post it here.

Just checkin' back in. I posted in November, thought this thread might have been weening down, but it's comforting to see others still sharing similar experiences with this mysterious right side pain.

Seems that a hard to diagnose misfunctioning gallbladder is a common culprit, but oftentimes those that went the removal route still have not found 100% relief. I'm going to request a abdominal MRI when I visit my Gastro doctor next Tuesday, hopefully they'll approve it. The Heida scan sounds like that would be another option down the road as well if the MRI doesn't pinpoint the issue.

I wonder if many of us, might have organs that are functioning well, but are just slightly out of kilter/allignment, and thus pushing up against eachother or the ribcage and causing these symptons? Could organs shift out of whack? I'll try to ask this at the doctors as well...

Keep posting follow-ups if y'all hear anything further!

Hello,

I'm a Newbie to this site and have read all the submissions to date concerning "lower right pain below rib cage" and thought I might add something of value to those of you who have had extensive tests without the benefit of positive results.

I came to this site by way of a search through Google because I experienced a dull pain in my lower right rib cage thinking someone might have gone through the same pain. I, too, was amazed at the number of people who are experiencing this condition. I don't have the burning sensation some complain about, nor the severe pain associated with the dilemma. Several years ago I had a condition in my upper chest area that didn't go away and I had my primary care check it out. She told me at that time that she didn't find anything remarkable about the exam. It obviously wasn't costocondritis because it eventually went away on its own. However, when I began getting the dull pain in my rib cage, I thought that same condition had hibernated for a period of time and then migrated to my abdominal region. Since my pain is manageable at this time, I may choose to do nothing further though I have an annual physical coming up in a week and will likely mention it to the doctor.

First of all let me state up front that I am not in the medical field but that I have some experience with referred pain.

This may be a little longer than your usual response, but it may be worth you time to consider what I have to say.

About 14 years ago I began having pain in my tailbone area to the extent that eventually I was unable to sit in certain chairs, couches and other seats. I took a fall about 30 years before that on my tailbone and recovered nicely from the fall thinking no more about it.

However, 30 years subsequent to that on my desk job the residual pain radiated from the tailbone area all the way around the front into my groin and scrotum. I went through physical therapy, got cortisone injections, went through pain management counseling, and nearly had my prostate removed before I ran into a very wise old urologist who knew exactly what the problem was.

I initially rejected his explanation for the pain I felt in the front of me being caused by the damage (perhaps arthritis) in my tailbone, so he pulled out some drawings of the nervous system and showed them to me and what he was saying began to get my attention. He pointed out how the nerves from the back (tailbone area) wrap around to the lower abdominal region and therefore the more those nerves in the tailbone were irritated the more referred pain I experienced all along the nervous pathway. I felt burning and itching that drove me crazy. I was given topical ointments and pain medication. I had to sit in crazy positions with my foot tucked up under my butt so I wasn't sitting directly on the tailbone.

My story has a happy ending. I found some really understanding doctors and a surgeon who removed my coccyx and I am now living pain free.

One of the submissions herein mentioned the vertebrae in the back pinching a nerve which led me to write. This is purely speculative on my part but I believe many of you might have referred pain from a pinched nerve in your back. Some introspection is needed to help you diagnose your problem. Have you ever felt pain in your back? Can you remember a time when you might have done something to your back? Do you sometimes twist your back to relieve tension or pain?

It took me seven long years to get to the bottom of my problem and I'm so glad I found such a caring doctor who took the time to explain things to me.

I hope this will help someone who reads this and I wish you all good luck.

I have had pain in my lower right ribs #10,11 & 12 for over five years. The pain started about 6 weeks after my open heart surgery. I haven't seen any listing except for gallbladder surgery which is similar. The pain is acute when I’m setting in certain seats such as a theater or at church. Driving is very painful so I use a 16 oz frozen water bottle between my back and the car seat. This helps some. Have had all the tests listed for men, but no answers. Have seen all the specialist and none have helped. Had over seven epidurals, no help. Latest experience is injecting liquid oxygen along the rib bones to kill the nerve and surrounding tissue. Worst pain I ever experienced but some relief. Take pain pills (too many) but that is all that helps. Stress seems to cause more pain but, while working (keeping my mind on my work) there is no pain. Told the DR. I’m nuts, but he would not agree. My history: Bullet wound to center of chest in 1966. Bullet went through kidney, liver and stomach, lost the left kidney. Open heart surgery 1999. Pain started 1999 and continues to this day. I firmly believe that the opening of the chest cavity caused my pain and if given the option of a life of pain I would have opted to not have the same type of surgery. The quality of life is less than expected. I don’t know if this helps or if any others have experienced three ribs of pain. (rambling again because it hurts just to set here and write this). Have been off pain pills for nine days, but will get some more soon. Be very careful to not just quit pain medication. I have been off and on so many times I no longer get the depression associated with going cold turkey. Make sure your Dr. knows you’re cutting back or wanting to quit. The depression assocaited with "going cold turkey" can cause suicidal thoughts but I'm a Christian so that’s not an option. I only hope this pain will be of some use to someone, somewhere, sometime.

I have posted once before. I still have Right upper and back rib pain. I have a deformity going on. My rib cage is swelling. It is much larger now on the right side, than it is on the left. It is visibly noticeable. It keeps getting bigger. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE A SWELLING RIB CAGE??? You can see it, feel it, and i cannot put my arm down to my side on that side without pressing down on my ribs(obviously not a regular practice). It origionally was was only one rib sticking out, now, it is all the way to the bottom, and almost to my breast line. They have done a cat scan of my liver, xrays of my ribs, with normal results. All the bloodwork is normal. They were freaking out at first because they could feel it too. The skin on that area is very cold, but warm everywhere else. I take the prescribed Flexeril and Motrin 800's, only when it gets real bad. The muscles relax, but the bumps from my ribs are still there. The only thing on the net i have found, are chosto, chondrosarcoma, and a few other far fetched things, none of these clues seem to fit the crime. This is what i have been told so far..... MUSCLE SPASMS!!!!! DEPRESSION!!!!! OK??? If i am doped up on muscle relaxers and anti inflamatories, and you can still feel the swollen ribs, then i should be depressed i suppose. I am very happy housewife, i homeschool my 11th grade level 12 year old, my hubby earns enough to where i can actually stay home and rest, oh yeah, i guess depression is the answer??? Sorry to all about the rant, i am sick of being sick. IF ANYONE HAS SWELLING RIBS AND LOW GRADE FEVERS IN THE AFTERNOON TO MID DAY, PLEASE RE- POST, and maybe we can help each other. THANK YOU!!!

In your post you didnt say what the pain feels like,is it constant or intermittent?Does any certain food seem to affect the pain?Need alittle more info.Take care.

The previous post was meant for 9MM,dont know how it ended up under someone elses post.Take care. :wave:

The pain is constant, but very much more painful after i feel "FULL", and i feel very full very easy. No bowel problems, no gas of any kind. I have had a full hysterectomy.

Hi all!! :wave: I have been following this thread for quite some time now.And just registered this morning to tell you my experience with the *MYSTERY PAIN*.I most definetely found an answer to my right side rib pain, or liver,or kidney or whatever it was.My pain was EXACTLY like 90% of you mentioned.Same everything!.I was amazed in seeing all the people out there with the same symptoms..I was overwhelmed to find this forum. Anyways,.. I have always been into health,except for i smoke cigarettes..and will quit that bad habit soon..I promise. I have had the rib pain (right side) for years now,.. I cant remember the exact date, or the year that it started :confused: .I have always been fascinated with vitamins,minerals,and herbs(illegal and legal ones).I have always been on high dose multi vitamins pretty much the last 15 years.And just recently i have been taking Milk thistle 500mg(liver rejuvenater),Policosanol EXCELLANT for cholestrol reduction,alpha lipoic acid,bilberry,and garlic.. The reason i took the extra herbs is because i thought the combination would help in removing this weird annoying mystery pain on my right side near my ribs/kidney..maybe liver?.My liver always seemed to be healthy, my pee is the normal color,and not dark from liver disease, no colds,no fever,no fatigue,Great appetite,..I felt perfect except for...ya know> THAT WEIRD RIGHT SIDE PAIN! :confused: ...Never felt sick in over a decade, and my kidneys seem to work just fine.I lift weights religiously 3 to 5 times a week,and never had a problem with stamina or endurance, or recuperation.Anyways, just recently i was doing some research on the web about all the multi vitamins i take each and everyday...and i was in shock over the *IRON* i had taken throughout all the years... I then realized that maybe i had taken way too much :eek: .. and since im a man i dont need that much at all.Women need it because of the meunstral cycle etc.. I sat there in front of my computer,and was basically in shock!!. :eek: . I may of overloaded my body with excess vitamins, AND here's the worst part..I took Iron for many years now...and this could be the reason for this unknown pain.I decided to look at all the goodies i take...and decided to give up the multi vitamins/w iron and stick to the herbs, and lay off the C.As you may know..too much C will give you the runs.. And my reserves have been full for years.Within one week my Mystery pain had almost vanished.My Energy levels have sky rocketed!!, my slight depression is>>> ..GONE! :) Im not saying that this could be the cure for all of you, but for some of us,hmmmm..it may be something to look at ;) :nono: .Too much of a good thing?.. When you fill your vitamin reserves too much,and for too long..your only asking for trouble :nono: .The A,D,E, Vitamins are fat soluble..and will indeed store in your body.. and too much of them are *TOXIC to all of our organs and tissue**!! In my opinion,.. My body was reacting to the Iron, and all of the other vitamins that my body did not need.The bottom line to my story.. My right side ache is gone!! My thinking is WAY clearer,..I have been laughing, and feeling SO much better.My strength is 300% better.. Im a NEW person.I feel like Im 25 again.My sleeping patterns are perfect,aches/headaches are gone..Yada,Yada,Yada..Do me/you a favor, If your on a multi vitamin, or a male who takes multi's with Iron with this so called *mystery pain* even if you dont have a pain..."STOP ALL MULTI VITAMINS FOR 2-4 WEEKS" and see what happens.Its not going to hurt you..and if you've been taking them for a while now, your body does not need anymore.Our body has reserves.. Give it a try, what can you lose?...Maybe you'll lose that pain, and feel lots better!!...I sure do!! :bouncing: All smiles in Seattle, Wishing each and every one of you the best!! Your in my prayers, Karl Used to be known as *sleepless in seattle* Karl.. Not no more. p.s. If you folks want to protect and remove toxins from your liver/kidneys,..That Milk thistle is the best!! and for high cholestrol..Policosanal is the ticket. VITAMINS CAN BE DANGEROUS!!! TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING CAN TAKE YOU OUT OF THE GAME. PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!!!

I am sooo glad that this worked for you. Unfortunately i dont take vitamins. I am sure your info will help someone.

Hello, I've been a lurker for awhile. I'm a 50 year old male who is experiencing the same right side mystery rib cage pain. Seems like most of us are experiencing the same thing but in diffrent degrees. I can't really describe mine as a pain. It's more like a moderate discomfort, a rippling, itchy sometimes stiff feeling along and between my ribs as if there was something wedged between them at times. I don't notice it at all if I'm busy out in the yard or garage. It's when I sit down, especially at work or relaxing at home that I notice it. Yes I spend a lot of time in front of computer terminals as I'm an air traffic controller. Had all the tests. Doctor found nothing. Thinks it may be stress related, but I don't think so.

My question to the group is this. HOW MANY OF US HAD CHILDHOOD CHICKEN POX? About five years ago my wife had a case of shingles, which is a form of adult chicken pox. You have to have had chicken pox as a child to get shingles. Once you have the virus, you have it for life. It's a virus that affects the nerve endings, especially those in the upper right rib cage. Her shingles started as twinges on her upper right quadrant rib cage, then in a few weeks progressed to a moderate to extreme external rash. She had it for months, then it finally cleared up, but she still has twinges along her ribs five years later.

So I'm wondering if what many of us are experiencing could be viral, resulting in some form of sub dermal shingles that never exhibits externally.

Hi! I had a fall in June of 2004 and fell on my right rib cage. I had pain and pressure that lasted for quite sometime....being a nurse I knew that there wasnt much I could do. When the pain ceased but the pressure continued beyond three months, I visited my doctor and she didnt seem too concerned but ordered x rays. I also had bloodwork done that shown no abnormalities as did the xrays. I drove for my job at the time and had alot of difficulties related to the pressure and increase in being uncomfortable because of the pressure in that area. I am now s/p fall 6 months and have had no resolution in the pressure and can feel it now on a daily basis. It feels as if i have an orange under my right rib at the point where i had originally hit when I fell. Unfortunately, I have lost my job since then and will be unable to afford to return to the doctor within the next three weeks. Also, I would like to add that when I move in such a way that may stretch that area, such as a twisting motion, I obtain a pulling sensation. Any input would be appreciated and will update this list as I get more testing/results. Please feel free to email me directly. :bouncing:


[ please carefully review the posting rules - no emails ]

I've read through about half of all the posts. There is a lot of good information here. I will post my symptoms related to my right side rib pain.
Me: 26 y/o female.
~Pain is under right rib, in my abdomen between my ribs & pelvic bone, not in front but on the side. My lower right ribs feel like they stick out differently than my left side.
~Feels like: The closest feeling that I have had to it is when I was 3rd trimester pregnant & she would move around & bump into my ribs. It is a moving feeling, it doesn't stay in the exact same place all the time. Most of the time it is around the area I described. A few times it has been on my right side too but not as bad. Another thing it kind of feels like - when you eat a big meal sometimes you can feel the food & gas moving around in your intestines, esp. if you get constipated, and like the feeling of your intestines getting full - that is a similar sensation to what I have, except that it is not in the same area as those sensations & it also pushes on my ribcage & makes it sore sometimes.
~How long have I had it: Probably about 2 years off & on, it seems to come in spurts, though I can't put my finger on anything that could have triggered it.
~What relieves the discomfort: sitting up straight, stretching out my side & back.
~What makes it worse: the feeling of being hungry, like when my stomach growls. I feel like my abdomen is being sucked in under my ribs & my ribs are poking into my abdomen.
~Diagnosis so far - I haven't talked to my doctor about this because it isn't an unbearable pain & it isn't constant, like some of you. From reading some of the posts I think it might be related to having loose cartilage, stress & depression (which I have & which cause me to get constipated & stomach cramps sometimes), or possibly something got disturbed during my pregnancy. I also fell flat on my back twice as a teenager (my wind was knocked out even) & maybe my pregnancy aggrivated the nerves or something. I'm thinking of going to see my doctor, who is really good, & will post what I find out. I don't think I will do any invasive tests at this time, since, as was mentioned, I'm not dead yet.
Best of luck to you all.

Geeeez......Bunch of us, huh? Same general complaints 53yrs old, female.pseudcyst of pancreas in '85 surgically resolved(excruciating pain) attack with pacreatitis 6/2004 pain meds and rest and it too was very painful. past 2 weeks dull pain in same general area.anxious that it is pancreas again and extremely fearful of that.My pain is more centered radiating to right starts under sternum and down to right above naval 3/4 inches. Dr appt. 2 weeks just trying to find something to blame it on except one of those organs we can't do without................Not trying to be cute just a little nervous
Thanx
Marilyn

For those of you with undiagnosed pain on the right side under rib cage..............Have you had an AMA blood test. antimitochondrial antibodies????
I too had pain there, had ultrasounds, ct scans, blood tests, nothing showed up, I was having other health problems and when my doctor tested, for lupus
the ANA test, it came back normal but they suggested he do a few others
one of them came back positive, AMA. Its pretty specific for PBC. Primary billiary cirrhosis. Since that time my liver enzymes have started to show
something is wrong but for about a year they didn't and I was starting to think I was crazy too. Don't give up the answer is out there. :wave:

Well I too have been having the same kind of stuff--mostly a very small area right on or below right rib, and some radiating pain around back. It isn't an ache--it's a hot stinging. I had my annual bloodwork done about a month ago--including comprehensive metabolic panel that includes the liver (right?)

I'd like to know if that test is sufficient to rule out anything serious. I have no other symptoms, and this is a nagging sore pain. I am tapering off zoloft (have taken antidepressants for the last 4 years--all liver-conjugated(?)
I am also taking liver tonic capsules, beet juice and milk thistle capsules, aloe vera juice. It tends to hurt more after I take these remedies. I must admit I take a morning cup o coffee--uh-oh.

I had an abdominal ct with dye this last summer because my 24-hour urine showed high serotonin, which is plentiful in the gut, and can be caused not only by the antidepressants, but by a benign tumor in the abdomen. Nothing was found except 2 tiny cysts in the liver, which is typical for my age (57).

So--I dont want to take Advil, or pain meds cause the liver. This is frustrating! I SURE WOULD LIKE MORE RECIPES AND ADVICE FROM YOU-ALL!!!!

I too have this same pain, sometimes almost unbearable to walk and very worrying.About 14 years ago i did tear some rib cartlidge on that side whilst leg pressing at the gym .I put me out of the gym for about 3 months and was very painful to sleep for a few weeks. This could answer a few questions.I will explore this avenue further.Thanks for your experience it may just be the answer iv been looking for.

Tom

I too have this same problem. Its been about a year now and my doctor told me it was a cartalidge problem. It got so bad one time I had to go to the hospital. They told me in the emergency room that it was constipation. I often research this online and the only thing I found with any promise was IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). Take a look at this link and let me know what you think:
WedMD Irritable Bowel Syndrome (http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/hw117385.asp?navbar=hw117853)

This part was particularly interesting:
Sometimes people who have severe IBS symptoms visit many doctors, trying to find a physical cause for their symptoms and to find a cure. Some may believe that their doctors are overlooking a serious problem and may believe that they need more tests or treatments. This can be very frustrating. It is often helpful to get a second opinion, if possible from a doctor who specializes in treating functional bowel disorders.

Did anyone look into this or speak with a doctor about IBS? :confused:

sorry, that link is:just copy and paste

http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/hw117385.asp?navbar=hw117853

i would get a scan of my abdomen if i was having strange pain in my upper right quadrant....could be adenoma, or fnh? i would check it out, have you been on birth control?

i'm yet another one with these conditions.. just come back from my doctor who is sending me to an endemetrologist (or however you spell it :D ) However, he couldnt actually feel anything wrong...
I'm also due in for an ultrasound for a suspected aortic aneurysm (although thats just a routine precaution for another symptom he found).

I've found that the pain is worse when i sit.. i work on a computer all day and i'm thinking maybe the sitting is exaggerating it or even *causing* the pain. When i wake up in the morning the pain has normally gone.. is this the same for anyone else?

I can only describe the pain as if something is twisted, ranging from a dull ache to sharp pain.

It's kinda reassuring to know that you all dont know either :D

ok I am new to this as well I have similar symptoms as all of you I have been all over the web and finally found this and find it comforting as I have felt very alone and scared. My pain began about 9 months ago and is at/under/below/around the last rib on the right side and once in a while in my back. My pain will last 2 or 3 weeks then be gone for maybe 2 months. Nothing and I mean nothing makes it worse or better it just comes and goes at 1st I thought it was a kidney infection just because that in the past was somewhat of a reoccuring problem for me but when I got the urine test there was no sign of that so then the pain went away and I did not think much of it until it came back. Now on the 4th bout or so in 9 month period I am truely worried and have not been to the dr. as I am more afraid to find out I am dying of something than to not know the pain can be dull or sharp and in the 3week periods may be there all day or come and go for no reason believe me I have tried to find a pattern in that yet so far goes away completely within a month at the most (knock on wood) I was a drinker not a raging drunk but enough every day for the past 2 years to where I was thinking if I quit it very well may go away but 3 weeks clean of alcohol and nothing has changed have I screwed up my liver this quickly am I dying is this my punishment for not being strong enough to deal with a problem in a different way than taking a drink I am so so so scared this site alone is comfort but I would really like some feedback if anyone feels like they would like to comment well at least I am not drinking now just hope I get the chance to last long enough to enjoy a life without being drunk every day like I have for the past 2 years Don't know what to do,ever been too scared to move?

I hope everyone is feeling at least ok today I know it is a constant worry and stress take care everyone

Sorry to write so soon but just thought of this maybe this will help some people, a few years back (I was about 23 then and this is not my current problem) I kept getting a stabbing,hot and dull pain all at the same time on my left last rib anyway as I said before I always think 1st of my kidneys since they gave me trouble in the past and anyway long story short at last a dr. found I had literally ripped my cartlidge that connects your ribs away from the rib and at 1st could not for the life of me figure how that happened because I had not done anything different yet my job was physically demanding and finally realized it was at work and so I quit doing that task and it took probably 7months to completely heal from (as at that time if I was not really and I mean really careful it would start to hurt all over again just when it would start to heal) but finally it did heal and now it just bothers me once in a while like if I do too many sit ups or really strain my abdomenal muscles further than what I should
hope that helps someone at least

To Bunchi
I Know That You Posted Your Message Almost 2 Years Ago And I Hope That You Have Found Your Answer But If Not You May Want To See If You Have What Is Called Subluxation Of Your Rib. It Is Very Painful And Can Often Be
Misdiagnosised As Having Heart Or Stomach Problems. It Is Mostly Diagnosed By Symptoms Described Rather Than Costly Tests.

I have been having some moderate pain just below the breast bone and goes to the right side that seems like it would be the liver. The questions I am about to ask is this pain is there pretty much through out the day every day and gone when I lay down could this be a sign of liver damage? I had a tooth infection not to long ago and was taking tylenol and ibuprofen right on schedule around the clock, if this is a sign of liver damage is this something that is curable? :)

Almost 35 years ago I began to have the pain in the lower right rib area, sometimes also in my back. I had numerous tests, xrays, etc., and no explanation was ever found. My doctor did ask whether or not I had ever taken large amounts of harmones, because sometimes they can cause this. I do know that I have cysts on the liver but doctors say they are not serious and probably not the cause of the pain. A doctor once told me that problems in the back could cause the pain to radiate around to the front rib area.

The pain has never gone away entirely. It has subsided at times, but I really believe that finally just giving up on finding the cause helped me to endure it. Every CT or other test I have had for other reasons over the years still show the cysts. I am right now having a "bout" with the pain. It started about two weeks ago when I became stressed over something else. What I eat or how much I eat does not seem to affect it one way or another. Of course, I realize that the present pain could be for some different reason entirely, since it has been so long.

I certainly understand the anxiety and need to get some answers. For me, no answers came but I have actually had pretty good health otherwise so maybe at least the reason for the pain has not caused any serious problems. Good luck to all of you.

How interesting to find so many people with the sam esyptoms that I have been experiencing. I first noticed the slight to moderate pain under my lowest right rib 5 or 6 years ago - it was fairly infrequent and seemed to last for only a couple of days. Recently I have been experiencing the same pain on and off for about two months. I had a physical just prior to the latest bout and all of the bloodwork turned up normal (I did not however mention this issue to the doc at the time since it didn't seem to be bothering me). It seems intuitive that one would assume the problem resides in the liver or gall bladder however I have not expressed any of the other systemic symptoms that would be present in a case of liver failure, or acute gallstones. I drink alcohol socially, but much less than when I was young and single - has anyone else noticed a correleation between alcohol use and the pain? Another thing I noticed that I did not see here on the board was that after a day particularly annoying, but still minor, pain when I am lying on my back in bed, I sometimes hear and feel a loud "gurgling" in the same area of the pain followed by immediate relief (though not complete) of the symptoms. Does this suggest some sort of duct blockage in the liver or gall bladder or perhaps an issue with the stomach/large intestines such as acid reflux (as per other posts)? Well I suppose thats about enough for now - any responses would be most appreciated. By the way, for you reference I am a 34 yr old male.

Christinalf, I hate to see your message go unanswered so will give you what little info I can. Acedominiphen (sp), i.e., Tylenol, can change the enzymes in the liver. I believe the enzymes go back to normal after you cease taking the drug. Other pain meds can also cause the changes in the liver.

As you can see from reading this thread, there are several things that can cause the pain, but it is not easy to determine which it is. If it is gallbladder, maybe cutting the fat in your diet would help. If it is a hiatal hernia, which is a possibility, try cutting caffeine and chocolate, eat small meals often and no food for two to three hours before bedtime. Sleep with your head elevated a few inches. If you have acid indigestion, antiacids can help. Also, of course, stop the pain meds, especially the Tylenol.

If none of these help, maybe you should have the doctor check you to try to find the reason. In any case, I wish you luck.

Just thought id pop in here and let you ppl know that on the digestive board there are ppl with the same rightsided pain.Its under (calling all rightsided rib pain ppl )Take care.

I've read all the postings here and my story sounds like so many of them that I'm shocked. My pain started around 3 years ago. It has been fairly constant since that time. I have had off and on elevated liver enzymes. I've had e-rays, CT scans, a colonoscopy, and an MRI. (The latter to look for hidden stones.) I had a HIDA scan which revealed that my gallbladder was not working properly. It came up a 14-whatever that means. No stones, just sludge. I wasn't too keen on having my gallbladder removed, so I tried fat free diet, which helped, but not completely. The rib pain continued despite the diet. Finally, last October had my gallbladder removed. The pain remained as did the periodic elevated liver enzymes. I switched doctors. The second doctor advised an ERCP and a sphinctorotomy. My gastro doctor said he couldn't see why else my liver enzymes were only periodically elevated. Two weeks ago I had the sphincterotomy. Well, the rib pain is still there. It is just under my right rib cage, and around to my back. Ibuprophen doesn't seem to have much effect. It is worse when I sit, and better after lying down all night. If I really compress the area, such as a sit-up, I get a cramp in the area which can be really severe. One note, there seems to be no correlation between the pain level and the elevated liver enzymes. Sometimes the pain is bad and the tests come up normal, and the reverse. I just want to say that I find it very comforting to hear so many people have a similar problem to mine although the medical people to whom I speak seem to think I'm a complete anomoly. I hesitate to return to the doctor. They keep offering tests and procedures to no avail. As one person wrote in the forum, their doctor said, if it were too serious, they'd be dead by now. Somehow I'm not finding much consolation in that. I would really appreciate any feedback. Thank you in advance.

I found this site the way all the rest of you did - trying to figure out what the discomfort under my right rib cage was. I may have figured mine out. I started having a strange full feeling in the liver area right after a mammagram showed signs of cancer. I had these pains for two weeks until the surgeon told me the x-ray had been misread, and I didn't have cancer at all. A few days later, I noticed the sensation behind my rib cage had stopped. I know during the two weeks I was waiting to find out what stage cancer I had, I was breathing funny. I think it was tension that caused that feeling. My second thought is that the mammogram pulled a muscle in that area. If any of this sounds familiar to you, that is what may also be wrong in your case. I hope so, because I no longer have a problem.

Littledot,

It sounds like a fatty liver to me. Get a CT Scan with the dye it will tell you if you have a fatty liver. Alot of us on this board have been told that and we all have that pain you speak of..Good luck, Lisa

I have this pain as well. Mine gets worse right after I eat. When I wake up in the morning, it's not there, but when I put food in my mouth, here it comes. I hope we can find out what this is. I had an ultrasound years ago that didn't show anything. :(

whackedback

Hi Whacked.

Sounds like a sensitive gallbladder to me. Doesn't necessarily mean you have stones, but that you need to watch your fat intake.

Definately get checked out by a doc.

Is it possible that you are having pleurisy and it's not bad enough yet to show on X-ray. This happens quite often with me but it's both sides and/or either side. If I hold of on increasing prednisone or do not get enough rest; I will get full blown pleurisy.

Just a thought--good luck,
Dee

I am having horrible daily with the pain in the same place, tests, tests, and everything is turning out alright.....I have to take pain pills for relief.....it has happened since I had my gallbladder out over a year ago....

I just had my kidneys done and they are fine, I keep getting a reoccuring infection.

I just want them to cut me open and inspect...

:eek:

I Had Right Rib Pain For About 8 Months. Every Test You Can Think Of Was Performed. Each One Came Back Negative. I Switched Doctors He Performed More Tests, Which Were Also Negative. After Weekly Appointments To Him, He Has Diagnoised Me With Fibromyalgia. He Has Put Me On Several Medicines. So Far I Am One Month Into This And Still Hurt, But I Feel Much Better Than I Did. I Had Other Pains In My Back,legs, Knees And Other Places As Well. I Do Not Know If This Will Help Any One But I Wish You All Well.

hi,
for last few days i have pain at my lower right rib side(very close to kidney),and this pain starts as soon as i smoke(for last few days i m not smoking), pain is quite bearable but make me very uncomfortable i don't know whether it is kidney, glabbadar(spelling),or liver pain, i m very confused because i don't know to which doctor i vistit, i would like to inform u that i have fatty liver diseas, some problem in stomach, i don't have hep b or c, and six month ago i did scan of kidney and it was ok too, at that time problem was just started but not like today,doctor inform me about stomach and liver diseas about six month ago, but now the thing which is distrubing me why this pain start when i smoke, what is relation of this pain with smoking even if i have liver and stomach problem too, so if any one had this problem please let me inform how did u cure it and what was the problem

I read almost all these messages and have lots in common with alot of you.
My pain started about 4 months ago. Its "home base" is usually in the lower right ribs, but sometimes I get mild testicle pain and sometimes pain in my sternum.
In december I was on NSAID's for the pain in my sternum. I also work in an office sitting for 8 hours a day (if theres a connection)
I had a bunch of tests done (x-ray, ultrasound, cat scan, blood, urine) and nothing showed up yet.
The pain is usually mild, and if I am doing something I can usually forget about it, but sometimes it flares up. I can touch the tender spot, and the tender spot usually changes locations through out the lower ribs.
I also have these two firm lumps below my ribs in my back, one on each side of the spine. Doctors have felt them and are not worried, a friend of mine also has them. They sometimes get tender as well.
I am 23 year old male and weigh about 170 lbs. At christmas I weighed in at 185 lbs. I changed my diet (I hope this is why I lost the weight) and maybe the weight loss has something to do with it?
I am lost. I have an appointment tomorrow and have a feeling my doctor will say its just stress/anxiety (lots of that lately!!)
Other symptoms (maybe unrelated):
Weird tastes in mouth
Occasional warm flushes
Mild nausea
Oily face
Mild pressure in chest (sometimes after eating)

THIS MIGHT BE THE CURE : Pain lower rib area seems deep and then somtimes not so deep more like muscle, bone or rock is causing pressure or weight. Some times the pain is worse other times light to non exsistant. My doctor ran tests found I have a fatty liver and told me to go on a low fat diet, try to loose some weight, and go back to see him in 3 months for an update. I did this and it worked I ate no hydrogenated oils, processed meats, beef or pork ect. What I did eat bison, venison, turkey, fat free dairy products fruits,vegis and real whole grain foods. Well with the pain gone I decided that I could stand to eat some take out pizza, loaded with animal and other bad fats. That night not long after I ate the pain was back full force for 3 days. I went back on the diet and pain is decreasing already. The truth is the doctor did not seem 100% on what the pain was but his strange idea for cure is working!

I started with pain in the chest last August. Had stress test, enodscope with two biopsies. Then the pain moved to my right side and up around my back. The hydascan and ultrasound did not show gall bladder. I went from August to December 8, when they did a colonoscopy. Then on Dec 15 had the gall bladder removed as even though it didn't show on tests, all drs agreed it was the gall bladder. It was badly diseased. Glad it is now removed as the pain is now completely gone.

Praise God!!! I have had this same pain and testing for the last 1 yr and 1/2. The same looks from the doctors - She is a hypocondriatic (sp?) ect... When I found this message board and all you other people with the same pain ect.. I not only sat and read every single post but I cried for a good 1/2 hour. I was just so happy that I am not crazy.
Mine started after a fight I was in where someone kicked me in my ribs. I did not put the pain and this incident together as the pain didn't really start until a month later. It started in my chest I couldn't breath, I felt like I was having a heart attack. My right bottom rib felt like there was something under it. I can't lay on my right side at night, sitting bothers it if I sit too long. I wear underwire bras and just the bottom of it resting on my ribs is pure hell. I have had 3 CT scans, a hydro scan, too many blood test to count, 3 chest xrays, 4 ultrasounds and 9 stool samples!!! I have been to 3 doctors and a GI specialist with no help. They all have different opinions of what it might be and my reg. doctor tends to forget about it unless I bring it up and than she acts like I am bugging her. I feel the pain when I eat, when I don;t eat ect... doesn't matter but the pain tends to be worse when I drink alot of soda. My doctor has also told me that I have a fatty liver and a 1.5 cm polyp on my liver and has also told me that they are of no concern and wouldn't be causing my pain even though I insist it has to have something to do with it. My pain is everyday, somedays worse than others. Sometimes it feels like someone dumped acid under my ribs. Sometimes I can feel a bulge under my ribs and only one doctor has said he felt that bulge. I have gained weight even though I hardly have an appetite to eat and my middle stomach has turned in to a spare fat tire. I am so glad I have found others like me although I wish noone else any pain like mine I am just glad I have proof I am not crazy. keep all updated and check here often.

Hi All,

I am a new member, just today. I am so glad to know, I am not alone with these painful symptoms. My story is very much the same. My right sided pain is under the bottom rib and radiates around to the back. I have had this pain for the past 6 weeks. It is constant throughout the day. It gets to be a more severe stabbing pain when I lean forward or when I go to get into my car on the drivers side. I feels like something is stuck between my ribs.

I had an abdominal US, abdominal CAT, MRI of back and a HIDA scan. All were normal, except for the HIDA scan, my ejection fraction was 18.

On that note, I just had my gallbladder out 1 week ago, but the pain is back in full force.
I saw my GI Dr, today and will have an EGD tomorrow.

Does anyone out there have a skin rash or swollen fingers with these rib pains? I also get severe episodes of sweating.

I think I am going to try some herbal remedy, please send any recommendations my way :confused:

I too have this pain but since having it I am experiencing problems with constiipation. I gained alot of weight once I started taking blood pressure medicine and have had back injury in my early 20's from car accident. I think it is gallbladder, but the constipation is aggravating me more than the dull pain, probably because I have been so used to overall back pain, one just masks the other. I have tried fiber, laxatives for the other problem, but I feel like I am bloated and look like I am six month's pregnant. I a 55 and I know hormones are wreaking havoc and causing some of this, but between the hemorrhoids, this pain and feeling like I have to go, then it just gets stuck at the bottom oh brother - not a pleasant subject and If I don't get relief I am not sure I want to live 10 more years like this. How do you get a doctor to order this abdomen CT scan? My FP just sends me to OBGYN doc, but how is this related to female issues? Thanks for listening "LIVING WITH LAXATIVES"!!!

I also noticed I am getting quite itchy along with this pain; another symptom of liver problems. Its not severe itching, but it probably has been around for a while, I am just so in tune with every little thing thats happening with my body right now. Another thing I read that was related to liver problems was eye floaters; I have these. When I forget about them I dont see them, but they are always there.
Has anyone ever tried milk thistle for this RUQ problem? I am going to go to the health store today and try some out. Its worth a try since it has almost no side effects, probably much better than any meds out there

Hi, I too have a pain in my right side under the rib cage. I have had a sonogram to check for gallbladder problems and all is fine. I have a question for you? Are you by chance left-handed? I am left-handed and I have noticed when i vacuum or sweep the pain is more prominent in my right side. I'm wondering if it could be as simple a thing as soreness from using one side more than the other. Perhaps?

Hello again. Still suffering from the RUQ pain and elevated ALT. To add to this I have had a serious bout of inflammation. My joints, muscles, and vessels are inflamed. I am sick with pain and nausea. One doctor said probably a virus. I have had this for about 6 weeks. Had a C-RP which came out very high: 9.6. Now they're sending me to a rheumatologist. The inflammation in my muscles, arms in particular, has only slightly subsided. I somehow feel that this is all related; some sort of GI problem. I'm very depressed and not sure if it is as a result of this long illness or from the inflammation. I hadn't heard too much about inflammation in these postings and was wondering if anyone else suffered from this. Thanks.

Hi,
I suffer with lower right rib pain, but only when I lose weight. Unfortunately, I find my weight drastically going up and down. When I slim down, my lower right rib area experiences varying degrees of discomfort. Years ago I had fallen on that area. I feel I may have fractured a rib or two, but never went to a doctor; they can't do anything for a fracture anyway. Nevertheless, I find rib pain brought on by weight loss to be unusual.

i had my gallbladder out, still had pain, went threw scans ect. now they said i have a fatty liver? but i have hep. c also, they told me the liver feels no pain, but oh boy i feel it??? :bouncing:

I am not sure how I found all of you but I am so glad I did! For almost 3 years I have has this mysterious pain too. I have had an MRI & X-Rays that shows I am fine. Does anyone else have the following symptoms?

When pressure is applied to the lower right back, a stabbing pain shoots through the rib? Even a back massage seems to be enough pressure to cause it to hurt.

When I lay down at night I can feel something "move and twist" right next to the lower right rib area and sometimes it feels as if it jerks or spasms and when it does it is a sharp stabbing pain then it goes away. It does not seem to matter which side I am laying on. The best way to explain the feeling is (women) when you are pregnant and you know your baby is about to kick you and it kicks you in a rib, its a short, stabbing "jerk".....
I think my Dr.'s think I'm nuts....could it just be a big muscle cramp??? Any thoughts? I have had 2 C-Sections and I know my abdominal muscles are not what they used to be.

Hello everyone. I am very glad i found this thread.

Quick version of my story.

I don't have pain under the right rib but it does feel a little bit tight at times. The only time i get pain is when i am sitting in my office chair for two long. This leads me to believe it has to do with posture as I don't have the greatest in the world. I don't ever sit up straight, I am constantly hunched over typing at the computer.

One other thing that has me a little bit confused about what is bothering me is that when I press on my lower right rib (kind of towards the top of it, not down by right side but the other end of it) I have something popping in there. I have noticed in other threads that people have reached up and under the ribs and felt popping, I don't even need to do that, I can just press right by my lower right rib and I have what feels somewhat like when you press the top of a snapple cap in and it pops back out. Sometimes it feels harder though like i am moving bone or something. It never hurts to do this so I am kind of confused on what it is? Any ideas?

Oh yeah, I can also get it to pop just by doing trunk twists so this leads me to believe it has something to do with the muscle or cartilage. Not sure though. I have had blood tests to check the functioning of my liver and they came back perfectly fine. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

One more thing in accordance with my post right before this. I can also pop it just by tightening my stomach muscles.

Interesting>> I've had this problem since I was 18, I’m now 37. I visit doctors every few years trying to determine what the problem was. I've had every test completed from blood work to Colonoscopy and nothing has been found. Recently I went to a doctor who informed me that my enzymes were up a little and I noticed that this happened when I consumed alcohol or fatty foods. So I tried a little experiment, I stayed away from fatty foods and alcohol for 6 weeks. Glad to report that I have no pain and I'm 10 lbs lighter. Not sure if this helps but I'm glad I came across this posting. I too felt that it was all in my mind until now.

Hello fellow lower rib pain suffers...

I am a twenty-something male who has had a variation of the pain described originally for about a year or so. I have a dull, slightly pinching, pain just under my lower right rib cage, this is the only location of the pain and it seems to be the worst when im sitting down, and comes and goes every few days. I also have noticed a slight bulge in that area about the size of my palm. I have been to the doctor once and she did a complete liver work-up and my liver function tests came out clean however my billiribin was slightly elevated, she said this could be caused by Gilbert's Syndrome. This pain is a worry to me because my father died of a liver disease called primary sclerosing cholangitis at an early age. So anything going wrong near my liver tends to give me great anxiety. I would appreciate anyones input in this matter because I am a student and do not have health insurance making it impossible to see a doctor, let alone get any tests.

the pain we associate with liver can also be gallbladder.... hi protein foods and alcohol can trigger that... liver pain does not typically occur unless the liver is enlarged and the liver capsule is stretching....

Wow, and here I thought I was all alone in this. :bouncing:

My gall bladder was removed around 3 yrs ago and recently (about 6 months now) I've been having sharp pains under the right rib cage, but more toward the breast bone stemming from the sternum around to the back and boy does it hurt! I can't sit for long, stand for long and the only thing that helps is lying flat on my back stretched out with a heating pad. The skin is also tender and it feels like a lump is there.

It's not related to foods or drink *I gave up carbonated beverages and chocolate and have been on a very low fat, low cholesterol, low carb diet for 4 years due to a heart condition. I also have hypothyroidism and fibromyalgia. I have no idea what this pain is from and I'm at my wits end. I can't sit in a car for long without lying down, which leaves me out from sharing the driving when we go away. I get bloated and feel bad too.

My doctor took a rib xray, which I knew wouldn't produce anything and I stopped taking my cholesterol meds, niacin500 and triglycerides medicine and for a short while (a day or two) the pain went away. He put me back on different meds and it's back. It really makes no difference. I think my liver is shot.

Whoever said liver disease doesn't hurt is not thinking right. It does so hurt. Ever see a person with chirrosis or cancer of the liver? They turn yellow (jaundice) and hurt like heck. My sister had pancreatic cancer and she hurt in her back only, til it spread to her liver. Then her bile ducts got messed up. Yes, liver can hurt. I think maybe having my gall bladder removed and taking statins like I do increases the pain.

I'm supposed to go for a scan soon. Does anyone have any idea what this is that we are experiencing? Is there a common thing between anyone?

I'm 58 and a female. I don't eat fats or too many sweets and don't drink alcohol. I don't smoke. I exercise when it doesn't hurt. I take fibro meds so it's not fibro. Anyone else have thyroid problems? Could that be the link? Anyone take statins for cholesterol? Could THAT be the link? Could it be just a syndrome? :confused: I've added in CoQ10 for my liver function and also a good vitamin with natural herbs and minerals that has lots of antioxidants in it plus vitamin C.

I'm about to go :mad: from the pain!

everyone i speak to who has end stage liver problems has pain. if you speak to tranplantees they will tell you that too. in fact, if the liver is so large it is pushing into the spleen you can feel it too! scans are not a big deal. the invasive testing will include biopsy, endoscopies, colonoscopies and blood tests.. the scans and ultrasounds are easy, as are the bone density tests and mris.....

by the way, if you have end stage liver disease vitamins with minerals are discouraged. they create build up in the liver... pick up some American Liver Foundation endorsed books at the big book store and read up on herbs and vitamins...some of these can be toxic......

there are other blood tests they can do too, AMA test and ANA test are good examples!! talk to your doctor and do your homework!

Good God, I don't have end stage liver anything! Any other ideas? All my blood work is perfect, except underactive thyroid. :eek:

i would pursue it with your doctor until you are satisfied... they are the professionals on such things. good health to you!

I definitely intend to. I was amazed at how many other people have this, with AND without gallbladders. I think it may be scar tissue from open heart surgery because they did crack my chest open and break all my ribs too. Who knows? I'll be getting back with you all when I hear something. Meanwhile. I hurt too much to sit here and type. I was painting and it got so bad, I almost went to the ER, but what will they do? Call my doc in the a.m. and order the most expensive tests to be done Tuesday bc of the holiday weekend. No thanks! :yawn:

Hiya,

My pain started on my right side just below my rib cage, but now it's in exactly the same place on my left side as well. It feels like my muscles (or whatever exactly runs under there) are in a permanent twisted state. Does that sound familiar? I don't have anything other than the pain -- except for peripheral neuropathy, most likely brought on by years of being a borderline type II diabetic. I take 2400 mg of Neurontin/day.

Do you agree that my pain is what's being discussed in this forum? Other than a low-fat diet and exercise, does anyone have any recommendations? Gee, now that I'm "talking" about the pain, there's a first-time shooting pain up and down my right side...

Got comments?

I went for my Ultrasound this morning and hopefully they'll see something. The tech asked if I ever had kidney stones and I said no. Someone else said it could be bile duct obstruction in the liver.

If you have it on both sides, it sounds like referred pain.

my mom went to the doc due to pain in her belly, they said all was fine ,she went back about a week later and the story had changed her kidneys were not working right,she had cirrhosis hip b and c she just got the raw end of the deal.. :mad: any how my point is this, don't stop until u get answer's,if yur hurting .there is a underlining problem!!!! it's the doc's job's to find what it is...who care's if u bother them that is what they r there for...........im not saying that these are what u have,i just want everyone to have a chance to get treatment's if so...my mom 's was found to late....no treatments avaiable to her ,all r to hard on her liver...just herbal remidies....

The ultrasound came back with a "fatty" liver due to cholesterol and triglyceride medicine. I had started on COQ10 two weeks prior and the blood work also came back with elevated enzymes (one and one half times normal). That was attributed to the medication. COQ10 is supposed to regulate the enzymes, but it raised mine. Also, when they were raised, my pain subsided, so I wonder about the lab values.

He told me to go off the Q10 saying that the latest pharmacy news said it makes no difference. Now I'm taking Milk Thistle for a liver cleanse (I will tell him on Tuesday when I go back).

Meantime, I had it out with him and his staff because they are rude and refused to give me my numbers. I had to get him on the phone and he wanted to know what the problem was. I told him, in no uncertain terms, I don't like their attitude. He said to come back Tuesday and he would make copies of all my tests for me. He knows I keep my own records.

Now to figure out why my thyroid is also acting up again. I have been on 50 mcg of Levonthroid for 4 years with good results. Now the numbers are up, even after an increased dose. Oh me!

I think I'm falling into Alice's hole.

Purrrrdygirl

So sorry about Mom. My husband has lung cancer and it was found accidently in April. He has no insurance and I have him on herbs too. They say cancer is a parasitic thing and every patient being opened has the organ full of parasites. Give her the parasite herbals too. Milk Thistle is one and there are others I know. Also black walnut syrup is another, Alive Vitamins 3 a day and Ester C 1000 mgs 3 a day are good. He's also on L-proline and L-Lysine. Get the book by ******* Rath, MD. He's got new info on cancer.


To his work

http://skepdic.com/rath.html

Good luck with her and do let us know~ God be with her and your family in this time of need.

In 2003 I Got Really Ill Levels Were 285/305 Alt Was Going Down And Ast Was On The Rise Ive Slowed My Drinking Down But Have Not Stoped I Get On 1 And 2 Days Bindges Usually A Fifth At A Time I Just Got Off Of A 3 Day Bindge My Last Drink Was On Saturday I Have Kinda Got Over The Shakes Etc.. But Still My Liver Hurts On/off Usually The Pain Goes Away After A Few Days I Just Cant Drink Any More Im Sure I Will Be Fine As Far As The Pain Goes I Just Need To Know How Messed Up I Am...im 41 Ive Been Drinking Since I Was 17 More So Hard Booze In The Mid 90,s Not Every Day Just Bindge Drinking I Cant Afford To Go To The Doc,s Now So Im Kinda Looking For A Little Bit Of Peace Of Mind....thanks......steve

whats a gamit test?

im new at this im not sure if i am posting this right could anybody reply so i know this is working?

Yes, it's working fine.