My doctor is ignoring my right side symptoms -- any help? - Liver & Pancreas Disorders Message Board

imaworrier · 01-16-2006, 01:12 PM

For a few months I've had occasional pressure under my right ribcage in the back and side. Lately it's become almost constant, sometimes worse than others and sometimes with pain. I've seen my doctor, and two others about it. One said it could be a kidney stone, and the last said it couldn't be a kidney stone and ordered me an ultrasound. The thing is, I have to wait 3 weeks and the discomfort is spreading. They act like it's no big deal because I'm not in extreme pain. I've rated my pain a 3, but my discomfort an 11! It's freaking me out. Here are my symptoms:

Pressure under my ribcage in back and side on right.
Discomfort in right abdomen
Occasional pain and discomfort in mid and lower right abdomen, and side.
Fatigue
Occasional nausea
Occasional pressure in right shoulder

I've had my gallbladder out, so I don't think it's gallstones (can you get them once you've had it removed? Never been clear on that).

Has anyone had similar symptoms?
I'm 34, rarely drink, don't smoke, never done drugs, married for 15 years.

inyourdreams · 01-16-2006, 01:26 PM

Sorry to hear you're not feeling so well. Yes, you can have gallstones in your liver AND you can still do a liver flush without a gallbladder (something to think about).

If you have to wait 3 weeks to get your results, then the ultrasound must have been semi-normal. Why not call them back just for the results and tell them you're having a hard time waiting and that the discomfort is causing you stress?

How bout over the counter medications or Tylenol? How bout eating artificial sugars or a lot of carbohydrates? These all will inflame a liver and cause it to hurt. I can remember mine hurting so bad I couldn't bend over to tie my shoes. It was fatty liver and in my case caused by eating a diet full of sugars and sweets. I cut them out, along with Tylenol, and artificial sugars and it went away. Now that I'm flushing the discomfort is really gone and my bloodwork is pretty near perfect!

If you're that worried---just call them!

imaworrier · 01-16-2006, 04:11 PM

I actually have to wait 3 weeks to have the ultrasound. They don't see any rush to have any tests done. I know the blood test results can be normal and still have a problem. I was told that all my blood results were normal. Now I have to wait to have the ultrasound.
What is a liver flush? You can have gall stones in your liver? How do they treat them?
I don't take any meds much, including Tylenol. I was taking St. John's Wort for anxiety for about 2 months, but stopped about 3 weeks ago. I don't eat artificial sweeteners, but I do eat a lot of carbs.

inyourdreams · 01-16-2006, 04:44 PM

If you eat a lot of bad carbs---white flour, sugar, sweets, etc you could be having trouble with the breakdown of these sugars and it's causing your liver to become a fatty liver. Fat fills up in the liver and makes it feel swollen. Cut them out for a week and see if it improves a little.

I posted a few posts down about liver flushing and gave the recipe for it. It's basically a non-surgical procedure that gives you surgical-like results. They don't treat stones in your liver, that's the problem with so many people having their gallbladders out. If people would just do liver flushes they'd never have to have gallbladder surgery. The build up of the bile during the flush squeezes these stones out and you pass them through bowel movements.

I've read that if a fatty liver is able to be seen on ultrasound it means there are at least 20,000 stones built up in it. Pretty amazing. And I want them out of me, therefore I flush and will continue to do so until I see no more.

momtocj2003 · 01-17-2006, 08:04 AM

I'm so sorry you are going through all this, it's frustrating when doctors don't listen. My first bit of advice, find another doctor, one that will listen. When I had these same symptoms I thought it was my gall bladder and it turns out I have a tumor in my liver called Focal Nodular Hyperplasia. It hurts right where you gall bladder would, it gave me insomnia as well as made me naseaous. Now don't freak out though, what I have is a benign tumor and can have some complications and is quite painful but at the moment it's not life threatening. The only real way to know for sure though is to get the u/s done and see what they see and that's the only way you'll get closure on this. It could be a million different things so researching now will do you no good, trust me, been there, done that! So like I said before, find another doctor, you need to be your own advocate. Please let us know how it all comes out!

Angel