Pain in the upper right side - Digestive Disorders Message Board

TSB · 08-13-2002, 01:00 PM

Since about March I have been having a dull achey kind of pain in my upper right abdomin, just below my rib cage. Sometimes it radiates to my back.

This started after I was treated for recurrent dystentary infections while in India. My stool sample showed no infection or blood. Doctors in Thailand thought it was a pulled muscle (from carrying a backpack).

I have just had liver function, kidney function, CBC, WBC, urinalysis done and all are normal.

My primary care physician thought maybe the amoeba that caused the dysentery went into my liver. Or a colon problem. Yikes to both!

I am getting an ultrasound on Thursday.

Do you think it could be gall bladder pain? Reason I am asking is my sister had her gallbladder removed some years ago.

It isn't a sharp stabbing pain, but it can get bad.
And sometimes it completely goes away (which is why I thought it was a pulled muscle initially).

swiggs · 08-14-2002, 11:24 AM

TSB,
How ironic. I only came onto this webpage because I also am having the same symptoms. Last year I had a gall bladder attack which was very painful, but had no stones. It took 4 days of testing to finally find out what was wrong. I had an elevated white blood count with no explanation. My gb just ended up being inflammed. I looked back at what I ate this week, and I was just asking for a gb attack. I am hypersensitive to butter and fried foods. Ask your doc about your gb. Just to forewarn you it took an awful lot of tests for them to come to the diagnosis. Let me know how it goes.
Swiggs

Kamden · 08-14-2002, 08:44 PM

This could be gallbladder problems. An ultrasound will show any stones { what I had } , but am not sure if it will show inflamation. Watching what you eat in the meantime may help. Stay away from milk, milk products, fried and spicey foods, untill you find out what it is. Good luck

Katie G · 08-19-2002, 02:24 PM

Hi, there. Your symptoms sound very much like gall bladder. Although someone suggested to stay away from fatty/fried foods, I would recommend eating them and see if you have an "attack". This will help you determine if it is your gall bladder. When you don't eat them, does the pain go away? I had GB problems for over a year with normal ultrasounds, until a 2nd opinion showed I should have my GB out. Turns out it was very inflamed, which won't necessarily show up on ultrasound. Also, the GB pain I suffered could be sharp or just a nagging dull ache. Do you also have nausea or loss of appetite? These are other GB symptoms. Pain can be localized to the upper side or spread to the back (especially between the shoulder blades). Keep going to the doctor until you get a definitive answer.

Good luck,
Katie G

suzyshop1 · 10-22-2002, 02:04 AM

Did you have heartburn along with those symptoms?

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