Pain, tests normal. What do you think? - Liver & Pancreas Disorders Message Board

siren1024 · 07-14-2005, 12:46 PM

I don't know if you remembered me posting about right side pain, but it has gotten gradually worse. It's a constant tenderness from under my ribcage through my abdomen all the way to my back under my shoulder blade towards the middle. The pain gets worse after eating (I had a horrible attack after I ate McDonalds the other night) and can feel like a combination of a bad stomach ache and a heart attack. It radiates to my belly button and up into my chest area. I also can't sleep on my back or it's much worse. It's a "spasmy" pain.

During a severe attack I went to the ER where they did alot of bloodwork and u/s. The blood work was completely normal and showed no elevated enzymes and the U/S showed normal liver function. I have a "gut feeling" LOL. No pun intended. That this is my gall bladder because of symptoms I've read online and people I've talked to who have had similar symptoms that turned out to be gall bladder related.

I guess my question is this: Since my liver tests were all perfectly normal, does that rule out liver trouble, in your opinion? They docs didn't seem worried at all about my liver. I never had any Hep risky behaviors. I do have a tatoo, but that's over 3 years old and I got it in a reputable parlor, minimal sexual partners, and no blood exposures, and no other Hep symptoms.

I'm really wondering if it's safe to continue to drink moderately because that actually helps the pain if I drink a little after meals or when I feel a pain episode coming on. But if there is any chance that it is my liver, of course I don't want to continue drinking. Plus, I read online that OTC painmeds can be taken to help gall bladder pain, but I don't want to chance taking acet if it could still be my liver. Any advice?

happyelf · 07-14-2005, 04:17 PM

Hi siren1024!
It's highly unlikely you have liver problems if your bloodwork is normal and function tests come back ok. It sounds a lot like gallbladder--gallstones. I had the exact same symptoms when I had gallstones--there were times I thought I was having a heart attack!! I'd take some mylanta liquid thinking(hoping) it was heartburn and it onlymade it worse. (I was 36 at the time--had twins a yr earlier-) Laying on my back was awful--and it got to the point no matter what I ate I was miserable. After eating I'd have pain beneath my sternum-feeling like a heart attack-& trying to lay down it felt like someone was sticking a pole thru my back. The U/S showed a gallbaldder packed w/gallstones. I think alcohol can aggravate the gallbladder--so you may not want to drink, even though I know you're looking for any relief possible...and you're right abt acet--it's bad for ppl w/liver problems, so until you fet an U/S on the gallbladder, I'd take ibuprofen(advil,motrin). Next time you have an attack, head to the nearest ER--they'll give you pain relief, and probably do the U/S right then and there--and they usually set you up to have it removed.(maybe just hook you up w/a surgeon faster than your dr might.)
Hang in there-you're getting close to a resolution--I think you've found the culprit!!
Gina

siren1024 · 07-14-2005, 06:21 PM

Thanks for your reply! I did go to the ER in the middle of my last attack, but the u/s showed no gall stones. However, I've heard many stories of decreased gall bladder function that have no stones visible, so I have an appointment to get a referral to a GI specialist. It's frustrating. The ER doc doing the u/s was pushing the probe up under my ribs in one spot and I said "Oww! That hurts!" He said "Hm... that's your gall bladder....... but I don't see anything." He also told me that having a baby 3 months ago hugely increased my risk of GB problems. But the clear u/s was throwing him off. So they sent me home with some prevacid, told me maybe it was my stomach.

NOT!!!
No relief from the prevacid at all.

So we'll see what the gastro says I guess.

meatball · 07-15-2005, 12:30 AM

Siren,

Make sure to tell the doc you want a hida scan. Eventhough all your tests are normal and you didnt have gallstones, does not mean that you have a functioning gallbladder. All of your symptoms sound exactly like mine when I have a gallbladder attack. Btw, when I saw my gastro he said that sometimes stones can be soo tiny that they don't show up an ultrasounds. That said, just because they can't "see" an actual stone does not mean anything!! Good luck at the gastro and keep us posted.